Rookie Moms Newborn Questions

Just keep their room like the rest of the house. I did keep the heat up about 2-3 degrees at night when they were infants, I also took the down comforters off the bed(they used to sleep with us when they were newborns) so I wanted the heat up just a little anyways.

I used the bumpers when they were 1st born, until they could roll over, and then I took them out for 9 months maybe. I have big thick bumpers and if they roll over into the bumper, they may not be able to get their faces away from them. Now My 2 year old uses then as pillows.

As for medecine, you don't need much. I didn't really use anything when they newborns. I may have used something for gas, but I've heard it might even work?? Then get infant tylenol and get aquaphor. it's the best on any little rash, winter dry skin and their little butts when they're in a wet diaper too long.

When my twins started rolling around and got a little older and started sticking feet through the bars of the crib we used breathable bumpers. I ordered them through www.onestepahead.com. Motrin and Tylenol are good to have, but you can't give them until they are 6 months old.

Congratulations! This is an exciting time!

1) Crib bumpers: I used them until my daughter could pull herself up in the crib and stand on them (to get her higher). However, they weren't making a big deal about them when I took the baby prep classes. But...Bumpers make changing the bed sheets in the middle of the night *much* more difficult, so I never used them when my son came along!!

Be aware...there will come a stage when your babies will stick an arm or leg through the crib bars and will not be able to pull them back in. This is totally normal -- and your babies will figure out how to solve the problem after a while! It may seem like it takes them forever to learn and it's a bit scary to find them screaming with a limb hanging out...but I've never heard of a baby becoming hurt from this!

2) Baby Tylenol -- but not just in oral form. I recommend having a suppository form of acetaminophen also. My kids have both been caught with a moderate fever in addition to spitting-up, and I had to find an all-night pharmacy at 3am for suppositories so I could get the fever down. Purchase the lowest dose possible (80mg).

Also agree with "Triple Paste" for diaper rash and childrens' saline mist for congestion! No need to buy it now, but be aware of a wonderful over-the-counter medication, "Mylicon" if you are bottle feeding and need to help reduce gas/tummy bubbles.

3) I think another poster already mentioned: During early infancy, dress your baby in the same amount of clothing you are comfortable in, plus one extra layer. You probably don't need to worry about the temp of your home at all!

Best wishes on your growing family and feel free to ask any question you have! It won't be long before you'll be answering other Mom's questions!! :)

Heater,

Congratulations! How exciting to be expecting twins. I was a professional nanny for twenty years and helped many first time parents.

SIDS, this is the website that has really great info on SIDS http://www.sids.org/nprevent.htm

Bumpers You should never use a bumper. This is a link for a breathable bumper. Other bumpers no not let the airflow in the crib. Then once your children start standing, having a normal bumper will allow them more height and they can fall out easier. http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I reccommend skipping the bumper all together.

Having a cooler room also reduces the risk of SIDS. I would say keep the room at 68 degrees. If they are wearing a onies and a sleeper, they will be warm enough.

What meds to have in your house? Since you are having twins, they might be a little smaller than most babies always, always talk with your children doctor, before you give anything. Here is a list of what I tell new parents to have.

Tylenol and Motrin (Motrin last longer, but you are not able to give it to them at first)

Pedilyte(check the expiration date so you can keep it longer)

Diaper rash cream

Vaseline

Rubbing alcohol pads(they are individually wrapped)

Medicine spoon, dropper, and/or oral syringe

Nasal aspirator

Vaporizer/humidifier

Thermometer(rectal)

Hope that helps. Good luck!!!

Congrats on your exciting news. I am the mom of a 2 1/2 yr old girl and 7 month old twin girls! Don't waste your money on bumpers. They are dangerous and make changing wet sheets in the middle of the night incredibly difficult. For all of our girls we purchased colorful patterned sheets and dust ruffles.

Meds: infant tylenol, saline nose drops for congestion, humidifer for colds, diaper cream

We highly recommend sleep sacks - the cotton ones are best. The fleece ones are too hot. It's better to have the room on the cool side - we sleep with our thermostat at 67-68 and the ceiling fans are always on low to circulate air.

Good luck! If you have any twin questions I'd be happy to help :)

Hi H. Go online and about SIDS and using bumpers. You may also what to check with the manufactor of bumpers to see if there are pre-caution about using them. As far to what meds should be in your house would depend on what you need meds for. But with any medication you should keep then out of reach of children. The normal Temperature for their room should be a least 72 degrees or more if it still feels cool at the temperature.

Hi H..
Our son is 6 months, and we have the breathable bumper padas found at babies ru us. I have heard that after 6 months, you can use "regular" ones, but why risk it?

We keep our home at about 69 degrees in the witner. Our ped told us that rule of thumb is to dress the baby one layer mor ethan you, so if I wear pjs and use a blanket, i put my son in a onesie, pjs. and a sleep sack.

You should get baby tylenol. We also love "Little Noses" saline solution drops. Great for baby colds. Good lucka nd e-mail me if you ave more questions.
S.

Congrats H.!

In answer to your questions:
1. With bumpers, I've heard you should take them out before your child can use them to stand on. Same thing with the mobile--take it out before the babies can pull it down if you have one. I used the bumpers in my daughter's crib until she was about six months. I would think your babies would naturally be at a lower risk for SIDS, being twins and sharing a crib. They will sort of wake eachother and won't sleep as deep. I'm not a doctor though =)Pacifier use is also supposed to lower the risk, so you may want to think about that.
2. Meds: infant tylenol, diaper rash ointment, rectal thermometer and the covers (best way to take the temp and doubles when newborn is constipated---sounds gross I know), vaseline, saline drops for the nose, anti-fungal cream (for yeast infections), mylicon gas drops. Also, if you haven't already check and see if your hospital offers a course for infant cpr/safety. I know its early, but one of the best thing you can do for your babies. My husband and I took it at Northwestern--quick and painless.
3. Temp below 70 degrees and I think the sleep sack and swaddled is probably enough.

A bit of unsolicited advice: The best thing you can do is keep an open mind. Go with the flow and let things happen as they come. Have a plan, but don't be inflexible when it comes to being a mom. Its never exactly like you think its gonna be, so know that going in!

Good luck, this will be a wonderful time for you!

I agree with everything Kristen K said. Exactly what i wouldve told you.

Good advice from Sara!

1. No bumpers. At some point when they start moving around, you might want some breathable mesh on the bars to keep little limbs from getting stuck.

2. Infant Tylenol is the only thing you might need for a bit, but I'd get some Infant Motrin, and Children's Benedryl, too. You'll eventually be glad to have them on hand. Also, some homeopathic teething drops are nice to have around. Totally on the Triple Paste, and the lotion and baby wash I like is the Aveda unscented line. The less scents to cause possible irritation, the better (avoid Dreft laundry cleaner for that reason...your standard unscented stuff will work great)

3. Yes, room temperature is fine and I agree a fan will help keep the air circulated and provide some nice white noise. We have the room at 68 now.

Officially, you're never supposed to have bumpers in the crib. For the first year, it is a SIDs worry, however I believe the SIDS rate decreases substantially after six months. After that, kids can step on them to climb out of their cribs. I'm sure I'm going to be jumped on by a million moms, but we've used a bumper since day one (and my daughter is almost 2) My daughter was so tiny when she was born, that she never came anywhere near it when she was sleeping. She'd basically have to log roll two full circles in order to get over there. By the time they can roll over, I've heard they are good enough breathers that their instinct will get them to move their face out from under the bumper. I was more afraid of the swaddling blankets coming up over her nose than I ever was of the bumper. Swaddling is officially a no-no too. Some people swear that it is the only way to get their baby to sleep. Didn't seem to make too much difference for mine.

I don't know of an exact temperature for the house. The rule of thumb is to put them in one more layer than you're wearing. So if you're comfortable in your house in PJs of a similar weight to what your baby is wearing, then adding the swaddling will be perfect.

The bumper doesn't allow air to circulate very fully in the crib - it isn't just an issue of them pressing their face against it. We didn't use a bumper ever with our daughter (now 1). She she first started moving around, for a couple of weeks she'd get an arm or leg stuck between the bars of the crib, but she figured it out quickly and now it isn't an issue at all.

The only meds we've used are infant tylenol, a little infant orajel once in a while, and the Hylands teething tablets.

The swaddlers keep babies pretty warm, so I'd just keep the room a normal temperature.

Your call on the bumper. They aren't recommended but I don't know what person that doesn't use one. I use one - I tried not to and found my son's pacifier would fall out and I was getting no sleep because he would lose it. Also, his legs have gotten stuck between the bars several times. You really won't have a problem with that stuff in the first couple months though.

Make sure you have infant tylenol. I think you will want one for each baby because you use the dropper that is kept in the bottle. Have a humidifier. Also, the saline drops are a great tip from the previous response. You probably won't need the Bendryl for a while but it can be kept on hand for emergency reactions to things.

You will just have to see how your babies are for deciding temperature of room. Most people dress their babies a little warmer - I don't because my son sweats day and night. I have had to dress him a on the cooler side from day one.

I bought one of the sound machines and used it from the beginning to make a white noise in the bedroom. This has been helpful because my son is used to having that noise while sleeping and then when we go to someone's home or to a hotel we bring it with and it blocks out all the extra noises and he is used to that noise.

H., they say you should never have bumpers because they're really for looks and not for safety. That being said, I kept my bumpers on until my baby started to move/roll/toss in her sleep. Once they're mobile in the crib, they could squirm to the side and compromise their breathing. It wasn't until 18 months that I introduced a blanket an a crib pillow.

RE: temperature, there have been studies that suggest circulating air and/or cooler rooms help prevent SIDS. As long as your baby is dressed appropriately and swaddled or in a sleep blanket, they won't get cold as they sleep.

RE: stuff to have, BrU is notorious for selling you stuff you don't need. Here are my bare basics:
1. Infant tylenol (only prescribe from your dr. during the early weeks). I preferred tylenol over motrin because of the method of delivery. Infant (not child) Tylenol comes in a self-inclosed dropper. As long as I dropped the medicine into the child's mouth (and not let her suck it from the dropper), the dropper stayed clean. Motrin gives you a separate syringe that is a pain to clean. When the time comes, don't bother with the teething tablets. Orajel had a better effect on my daughter but I didn't use it too much.
2. Diaper Cream: I've used them all and many are fine; your reference may be the smell, greasiness, or price.
3. Saline spray and a humidifier. Many will put vicks under a nose to clear up congestion but they don't recommend this for babies. If you do, rub it on the child's chest but not under the nose.
4. I tried out a ton of thermometers, but I fell back on two: A traditional baby rectal for measurement when you really need it to confirm fever, and an under the arm that was color coded green-yellow-red that I used when I suspected fever. The latter one was quick and had large numbers for me to read.

Bumpers are okay as long as they are thinner and very well secured. I would take them out once baby starts rolling (to avoid them getting their face stuck against the bumper).

If they are in a sleeper and swaddled, I would set your thermostat the keep the comfortable. They say to dress baby the way you are dressed + one layer.

For meds.... I would keep mycelon or some other gas drops on had. Add baby Tylenol or motrin as they get a little older, but make sure to talk to your dr. about dosage.

It's never OK to use bumpers. The first year it increases your child's risk of SIDS and after that they may start to use them to try and climb out of the crib. Really, I think they should be taken off the market.

Our Pediatrician said to keep the bumper pad out until she could roll over by herself. We started using it when she would lose her pacifier through the slats. The bumpers helped keep the pacifier in and helped us sleep. The dr. also recommended taking it out once she started to try to climb out of the crib, but she's 20 mos old and still hasn't figured tha tout.

Meds: there isn't much you can give the baby...infant tylenol...that's really all you need.

Temp: I think we kept the temp between 71-73 degrees at night. You'll be waking up at night a lot, so just check their skin and see if its too hot/too cold and adjust accordingly.

Good luck and congrats!

First of all Congratulations!

1. We used the bumpbers after he was about 6 months old.

2. Blanket, we used one about 6 months old, but it was a home made crocheted one with holes so even if he put it over his mouth he could still breath. We have never had any issue with him covering his head with it.

3. We used Tylenol. but we also had Motrin for when he started getting ear infections etc. ( every 4 hr alternate if the fever persists)

4. I was always told to keep them in a warm sleeper. and Cooler in the room .. My sons room is typically 68-72 the best we can. If the room it too warm it makes it harder to breath. Think of the summer on those hot humid days.. Cooler is definitely better.

5. We used the humidifer for the winter. It helps with the nose that is usually stuffy during those months. And this is where cooler in the room is better...

6. Nose sucker, We bought one at Walmart that is battery opperated and plays music. Our hospital gave us the bulb, it was blue.. the white ones on the market do not work as well if you want the manual one. Find the blue one, I do not remember where we got ours but the blue works better to me if you do not get the automatic one.

7. Baby monitor. We love our video monitor. We have a TV in our room and we used to leave the TV on all night so we could glance at him if we woke up. The benifit of the video monitor is that you can see what they are doing. We know when we need to go in there and when we just wait if he cries in the middle of the night. Also we could see him breathing when he was younger. It was very helpful in our plan for him to sleep in his crib from day one.

8. If you have any questions. Your Doc should not give you an attitude about answering them. We have a family doc and they have always been very helpful to us with out an attitude.

Being a mom is the most rewarding, hard job you will ever have. I do not regret one second. Enjoy your kids.

one more thing. we used just plain petroleum jell, Vaseline on his but to protect him from rashes. It has worked so far.

*I did NOT use a bumper until my daughter was an older baby and had started to move around so much at night that her head would be smashed against the spindles---and then I bought an organic bumper and washed it before using to avoid any dangerous chemical off-gassing.

*EVERYONE will tell you to have tylenol (NOT ASPIRIN!) and although this may be necessary at some point, it most likely won't be but frankly, it will make you feel better to have it around. I would have Vick's Vapo Rub on hand at all times, they make one for babies. This can be rubbed on the bottom of the feet and then socks put on when they have a cough or aren't feeling well. Don't know why it works, but it DOES!

*Ideal room temp is between 65 and 70.

Get this book now so you won't be freaked out at 2 am when they have a fever:
How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor by Robert S. Mendelsohn M.D.

We also use an Angel Care Monitor--it's got sound but more importantly a motion detector so that an alarm goes off if they stop breathing.

Here is a link about mattress wrapping to prevent SIDS, we do this:
http://www.babysake.com/

Enjoy your little blessings!