I'm only 7 weeks pregnant but my mind is going crazy! There are so many decisons to make.

Bottle Feed or Breast Feed?
I want to have Vaginal Labor but meds or no meds?
Disposable Diapers or Cloth??
and what in the world is swaddling for??

I still have over 7 months so i have plenty of time to read and find out, but I still would like a bit of advice to start off with.

BREAST FEED!!! Pumps are expensive and hard to use and formula is NOT healthy.
Breast milk is the healthiest and most natural thing you could give your baby. It contains EVERYTHING your child needs that formula may lack. Its the best gift you could ever give your child that affect his/her health longterm.


MEDS!!! I wouldn't have done it without an epidural. I have heard stories of women who decided not to have an epidural and they highly regretted it. The birthing process took longer (because they were in too much pain to cooperate with the doctor and "push", and then they were in pain even after the birth.

Disposable diapers. They are better because they are more absorbent and they stay on perfectly. They may be kind of expensive so its a big investment, but its well worth it.



What is swaddling? Here, I found this clear explanation online:

What does it mean to swaddle a baby?

Swaddling is the art of snugly wrapping your baby in a blanket for warmth and security. It can keep him from being disturbed by his own startle reflex, and it may even help him stay warm and toasty for the first few days of life until his internal thermostat kicks in. Most important, it can help to calm your baby.

Nowadays, you probably won't leave the hospital without a little lesson in this technique. Try it, after you've made sure your baby isn't hungry, wet, or tired. It can be used to help settle your baby down when he's overstimulated or when he just needs to feel something close to the tightness and security of the womb.

Once your baby is about a month old you might want to stop swaddling him while he's awake, as it may interfere with mobility and development in older babies. It's fine to keep swaddling your baby for naps and nighttime if he seems to sleep better that way. He'll let you know by crying or kicking when he no longer wants.

you have plenty of time to decide I personally did not breast feed and I am not planning on it with the new one i am due with in march and by the way formula is healthy the government regulates it if it was unhealthy they would not be able to sell it.

as for pain meds i did not have an epidural and I am not planning on having one this time either i personally am not all that keen on the idea of some one jabbing a needle into my spine so they can screw up and leave me unable to walk

i would have to say it all depends upon your pain tolerance and my labor was also quick so just because you have the meds doesn't mean it will happen faster actually it can slow the contractions down causing your labor to be longer.

I used disposable diapers

Sydney Raye wrote:

QUOTE:
you have plenty of time to decide I personally did not breast feed and I am not planning on it with the new one i am due with in march and by the way formula is healthy the government regulates it if it was unhealthy they would not be able to sell it.

as for pain meds i did not have an epidural and I am not planning on having one this time either i personally am not all that keen on the idea of some one jabbing a needle into my spine so they can screw up and leave me unable to walk

i would have to say it all depends upon your pain tolerance and my labor was also quick so just because you have the meds doesn't mean it will happen faster actually it can slow the contractions down causing your labor to be longer.

I used disposable diapers

I'm not trying to argue with you or anything, but no offense, the government approves lots of things that are unhealthy... http://www.lactivist.com/dangform.html

Nothing is healthier for your baby than breastmilk. That's why our bodies produce milk, its for our babies, why let it go to waste?

Its by far the most natural thing our babies can consume. Much healthier and more natural than drinking artificial formula or cow's milk (which was intended for baby cows!)

Well, I have a 10 year old daughter that I had an epidural with and a 3.5 month old son that I had no pain killer with. And personally, I thought that the one with no pain killer was better. Mainly because when I had the epidural, I had no control over my legs so my mother and a nurse had to hold them up for me and they had to tell me when to push because I couldn't feel anything. I felt more in control the second time around and if I had known that it wasn't as bad as I had feared, I would NEVER have had the epidural.
Also, I breast-fed both of my children for the first 6-8 weeks at which time I returned to work so we switched to formula.

If you have a low pain tolerance then I would take the epidural. You're not going to get an award for birthing your baby without one... and it will save you a lot of discomfort.

Also, is the father of the baby going to be in the room? If so, when you are under pressure do you snap at him? Another good reason to have an epidural. I know a woman that just ripped at her husband the whole time she was in labor and it really tore him up emotionally. Of course once the baby was born, they were lovey dovey again, but to keep the experience more pleasant(?) for all - take the epidural if you're at risk for that.