A Celebration for Gompers

Specialties NICU

Published

To my fellow NICU forum posters,

As the countdown indicates, Gompers is getting quite close to motherhood!

Since we are scattered far and wide, and unable to come together to celebrate, I thought it would be fun to throw her a "cyber-shower".

Let's post our good thoughts, wishes, helpful hints, and gift ideas for her,, hubby, and the wee one. (Labor stories are strictly forbidden!)

I'll start:

My best wishes for an uneventful last few weeks of pregnancy, a comfortable labor with her loved ones at her side, a beautiful, healthy bundle of joy, and a good night's sleep before she goes home.

My gifts to the new family would include: 1. A Snuggli (I don't know how I lived without one with my first baby. My second LIVED in it, and was soooo happy and content!) 2. A CD player for the baby's room and a copy of Kenny Loggins "House on Pooh Corner", which contains beautiful lullaby music.

Specializes in NICU.
Congratulations to you, mama Gompers. I have often read your posts with admiration, even though I work in med-surg...

A safe, healthy, wonderful birth to you and yours.

:balloons: :balloons: :balloons: Rebecca

Thank you for your kind words, they are much appreciated! :)

Played a new game today at the shower my coworkers threw me: pin the sperm on the egg!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

:welcome: little baby ! Good luck to Mommy Gompers !

Here's wishing you the best of EVERYTHING !

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Also, if you have not gotten a stoller yet, make sure you test run them around for a bit to see if the handles are too short. I am fairly tall and some of the lightweight umbrella strollers would give me a bac ached from hunching down. I just used my bigger corificeat/stroller for everything. Also if you plan to do any flight travel, you can always gate check your stroller so that it is ready as soon as you step off of the plane, if you are flying on Southwest airlines you can preboard with kids up to age 5.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

I wish to give you a storybook shower. They did this for my cousin for her first baby. They asked us to brink a copy of our favorite childhood story book instead of a card and write a note in it for the new family. It was great. She got a great mix and baby's library was started. Oh, and as much time off as financially feasible. All the expensive baby gear in the world won't measure up to being able to spend the time with your baby.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

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November 2006

To the new Gompers family-

Lots of snuggles, hugs and kisses together. Enjoy being a family.

-Elizabeth

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Specializes in NICU.

:balloons: congratulations!!! :balloons:

i didn't know gompers was expecting either, i can't wait to hear all about baby. :)

i wish you all the peace that you need, all the love that can fill your heart, and all the time in the world to spend with your new little love.

my present: well, since it is winter, how about one of those "baby's first christmas" ornaments and a nice warm car-seat cover. you know, the ones you can put on over baby, corificeat and all with a flap to open for the face, but that will keep baby nice and warm on those cold, winter days.

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Specializes in NICU.
My present: well, since it is winter, how about one of those "baby's first christmas" ornaments and a nice warm car-seat cover. You know, the ones you can put on over baby, corificeat and all with a flap to open for the face, but that will keep baby nice and warm on those cold, winter days.

Well, baby isn't due until after Christmas so we don't know for sure when that first Christmas will be! Could be this year, could be next! :)

I actually got one of those covers - it was one of the first things I registered for! Toasty...

Toys"R"Us/Babies"R"Us - Baby: Category: Gear: Strollers: Stroller Accessories: Original Bundle Me - Graphite

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will be waiting here to hear the news

good advise about sleeping when baby sleeps..my grandson and his finacee had a baby two months ago and on Thanksgiving after dinner they were both curled up on the sofa sound asleep..beautiful picture

gompers everyone will tell you about how you will feel when you first hold that bundle of joy but you will never know the true meaning until it happens to you

best wishes

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Maybe after the little one arrives you should change your name to Mompers.

My tip to you is to get Harvey Karp's book, "The Happiest Baby on the Block." When parents used to take their newborns to the doc and complain that they were inconsolable, they were told the babies had colic. This book explains why that was wrong and gives practical advice for settling babies from birth to three months (longer for premies). I have shown many parents on my postpartum unit the wonders of swaddling babies (with their arms down--that's the secret) and tucking in a pacifier. They watch slack-jawed and amazed as their squalling, red-faced infant drops off to sleep within a minute.

Karp recommends putting the infant's arms straight down. I wrap them across the belly which seems more natural. The important thing is that the arms are wrapped so they stay down. Otherwise, the baby raises her arms and triggers the Moro reflex which tells her she's falling. This releases a burst of adrenaline and wakes her up. Hence the "inconsolable" babies who would not go to sleep.

Sucking and swaddling are but two of five Karp recommendations, but if you only use these two, you'll be ahead of the game. There are special blankets you can buy that are made for swaddling, but at work, we do it every day with plain ol' receiving blankets.

The tight wrapping and the other techniques simulate being back in the womb. After about 3-4 months, a baby's brain wiring adapts to being out in the world and she doesn't need so much of this.

But during those early months, it's magic.

Karp also has a book called, "The Happiest Toddler on the Block." I hear that one is good as well.

Warm wishes for you and your family.

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will be waiting here to hear the news

good advise about sleeping when baby sleeps..my grandson and his finacee had a baby two months ago and on Thanksgiving after dinner they were both curled up on the sofa sound asleep..beautiful picture

gompers everyone will tell you about how you will feel when you first hold that bundle of joy but you will never know the true meaning until it happens to you

best wishes

Yes, please sleep when baby sleeps. I know it is hard because you need to cook and have that shower and gets some laundry in, but realistically you need the sleep more than the laundry, and the shower can be a quick thing and then still get back to bed. This is also why I say have ready made meals in the freezer so you just pop them into the microwave for the first few weeks. Also about all the family and friends that want to see the little one. No when to say no! There was a two day period where my doorbell rang almost non-stop and the phone was ringing off the hook. I was far too tired to entertain, but once people were there and knew I was home, I didn't fell lie I could say "hey I'm tired come back another day". I ended up moving furniture into the small family room in my kitchen that we hadn't been using just so that I could avoid the constant stream of people showing up unannounced and catching me nursing with my shirt up. :uhoh21: and yes there were times when I pretended not to be home! Don't have the disease to please. Say NO when you need to!

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Specializes in NICU.
Well, baby isn't due until after Christmas so we don't know for sure when that first Christmas will be! Could be this year, could be next! :)

I actually got one of those covers - it was one of the first things I registered for! Toasty...

Toys"R"Us/Babies"R"Us - Baby: Category: Gear: Strollers: Stroller Accessories: Original Bundle Me - Graphite

Oops - hehe. I keep forgetting how late in the year it is, I mean I know it is almost December, but at the same time, I feel like September just ended - sheesh! Anyway, my bad. You may just have to put it up and use it next Christmas. ;)

Oh - glad you got the cover . . . I don't know why I couldn't think of Toasty. I loved mine! :D

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Specializes in NICU,PICU.

i hope all goes well! and yes, sleep when you can...i remember being so tired, and you can do that with the first one, sleep, and enjoy your baby1!!!

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