Welcome to the wonderful (and wild) world of parenthood! I hope you are ready for sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, and a little game called “What does that cry mean?” In all seriousness, going home with a newborn can be overwhelming, and if you don’t laugh about it, you might just cry, and isn’t there already enough crying going on? As a Sonoma County Photographer, I try to capture newborns by two weeks of age, and parents are in the thick of it; I try to drop little pearls of wisdom I’ve learned as the mother of three and as an experienced Labor and Delivery nurse. Read on to learn more.
I know, you don’t expect a Sonoma County Photographer to talk about newborn weight loss, but I’m a Labor and Delivery nurse first. Let’s start with newborn weight loss. This is easily one of the most stressful stages for parents, especially for breastfeeding moms. It is completely normal for newborns to lose 10% of their body weight. Now that being said, there are so many ranges of normal for all different labor situations. During labor in a hospital setting, most women are hooked up to an IV at some part if not most of their labor, and if you have an epidural or are getting Pitocin, then the IV is running the entire time. You might have heard your nurse say “I’m going to give you a bolus”, which in layman’s terms means a lot of fluid in a short period of time. Over the course labor, you may receive several boluses, which is partly why you feel puffy and swollen for the first few days after delivery. Well, some of this fluid is absorbed by your little baby as well. Both of you will be peeing off that extra fluid for the next week or so.
Because of this, sometimes babies will lose more than 10% of their body weight, but they are losing water, not their fat reserves. HOWEVER, and this is a big however, when Pediatricians and Nurse Practitioners see weight loss, they don’t factor in mom’s labor course, they just use the 10% marker. What does that mean for you and your baby? Well, they will tell you that your baby has lost too much weight and you need to feed him/her more and pump to supplement, and if it’s a large weight loss, well then they might even recommend formula. I know formula isn’t the end of the world, but for some moms who are so committed exclusively breastfeeding, hearing the F word is feel really defeating. But fear not moms, Mother Nature knows what she is doing and it will all be okay, please don’t let normal newborn weight loss cause unneeded stress.
If you want more information about breastfeeding or need support, Sonoma County Breastfeeding Coalition can help. I’m the only Sonoma County Photographer who is also a Labor and Delivery nurse. Book me for newborn pictures, and I can help with breastfeeding while I’m at your house.
Let’s talk diaper care
I still laugh when I think about filling out the diaper chart the hospital gave me. We still use these in the hospital on Post Partum, but I’m not sure if new parents take them home. Every time your baby pees or poops, you make a hashmark on the diaper chart. It’s just one more thing to obsess over when you get home with your new baby and you are already worrying about every little thing they do. I’m pretty sure after day three, I threw this dumb piece of paper in the trash, where it belongs. I could barely keep up with the number of dirty diapers, let alone write down every time there was a dirty diaper.
Diaper rash? It will happen at some point. There are so many choices out there for diaper rash cream. My mom is a big fan of A&D ointment; I can still smell it from when she used to put it on my little brother. In fact, my niece’s baby shower was yesterday, and my mom gave her a big tube of A&D. When my kids were babies, my old hippie friend used to make this homemade salve that I swear would clear up a diaper rash in one change. In the NICU, we use a combination of Desitin and Aquafor because Desitin alone is almost impossible to get off those baby cheeks.
Whether you are using disposable or cloth diapers (which would be very Sonoma County of you), be ready to spend a small fortune on nappies. Also be prepared for mountains of laundry. It’s pretty surprising how much laundry a tiny person can create, but you will get it after that first diaper blowout where you are left wondering how a baby can poop all the way up it’s back.
Don’t worry though, if your baby has a blowout during our session, this Sonoma County Photographer has all the patience in the world and I can help change diapers too.
Say Goodbye To 8 Hours…Or Even 6, or 4
Sleep? What’s that? Hahaha, IYKYK. I think the number one thing I hear parents of newborns talk about when I come over to take pictures is the ever elusive sleep. It’s almost like if you talk about sleep enough, you might feel like you are getting some. Even though we all know babies eat every two to three hours, there is still no preparing for the lack of sleep that comes with having a newborn. I remember crying myself at bedtime because I knew my daughter was going to keep me up all night wanting to nurse.
Then there are the different types of cries. I hear parents all the time trying to figure out if it’s the wet diaper cry, the hungry cry, the gassy cry, or whatever. The truth is, some babies just cry. They have no other form of communication, so why not wail?
George | Newborn Photography | Sonoma County Photographer
Now let me share some sweet pictures of baby George. He doesn’t sleep and his parents are exhausted, but isn’t he adorable? His bedroom is Lord of the Rings decor. I am a huge fan of The Hobbit and all of the Lord of the Rings movies. His room is so unique.
Hi, am Michelle, a Sonoma County Photographer and an experience Labor and Delivery Nurse. I’d love to capture your newborn before it’s too late. The newborn stage is over in the blink of an eye, that’s why I recommend booking a newborn session within 2 weeks of birth. For more information or to book, contact me here.
leave a comment