11. Crib Skirt Secrets

The Crib Skirt. Dust Ruffle. Call it what you will.

Some mom's choose to have a crib skirt as part of their decor. Usually just because they are cute! But they also serve two other purposes.
1. They catch dust. Get one you can wash easily or vacuum every now and then or just throw it in the dryer to "knock" the dust out.
2. They hide things. If your crib has extra room underneath, USE IT. Get some baskets or a storage drawer (with wheels if possible) and stash extra sheets, blankets, burp cloths, etc under there. Wanna keep that hidden? Get a long crib skirt and no one will ever know :)

Other mom's opt out of the dust ruffle. Some because their crib style just wouldn't work with one. Others because they are more modern and think the crib skirt is a little too traditional.

Here's a tad more info about the crib skirt:

COMMON STYLES:
Flat font- runs straight all the way across (more modern; clean lines)
Box Pleat- runs straight except for a pleat right in the middle of the long sides (a good mix of modern and traditional)
Ruffled - ruffles all the way around (uber traditional)

DROP:
Some crib skirts are short (usually the less expensive ones because, HEY, they used less fabric). Average drop of these skirts: 14 inches. These skirts work well when the crib is at its lowest height... a.k.a. when baby is older and can stand up in crib. A trick to make these work no matter where the crib is set: add a velcro band (find a crafty friend to make it if you can't) in a cute coordinating fabric. Attach it when the current skirt is too short and remove it easily when it is no longer necessary.

Other skirts (usually the more expensive, designer ones) are longer. They are great when baby is younger and the crib still sits up high. Average drop of these skirts: 18 inches. When you lower the crib, these skirts will puddle on the floor. A trick is to tuck them under a bit so they look less bunched up.

DIY:
And lastly, you can make one yourself! You may choose to create a skirt with 4 sides, especially if your crib is not flush against a wall. A little secret... if your skirt will be against the wall and NO ONE will ever see that side, save money on fabric by making a skirt that only covers the visible sides. Check out this link for a cute DIY nursery and crib skirt tutorial.
www.younghouselove.com/2009/08/skirting-the-issue

4. Hospital Nurses

While you are in the hospital, there will pretty much be a constant stream of nurses in and out of your room. They are amazing! These poor women (and men) perform all sorts of inglorious tasks in the name of medicine. Like measuring your urine output. Good times:)

However, they have opinions. Nurse A will tell you to feed your baby every hour on the hour. Then Nurse B comes in at the shift change and tells you to let baby sleep. If he is hungry, he will let you know! After all, his little tummy is still full of amniotic fluid.

Well, which one is it??? How do I know????

Nurse C will suggest you keep the baby in your room at night to "bond." And in a short while Nurse D will hint that sending baby to the nursery at night sure is a good way to get some much needed rest while you still can.

For the love people! I just want to know what I am SUPPOSED to do!!

The truth is that while you are in the hospital you need to do what YOU and DADDY are comfortable with. The rest will come out in the wash, as they say. Do not let anyone pressure you into a decision.

If you have done your homework (read some books or articles) and asked your other mom friends what they did, you can figure out how you want to do things. What happens in the hospital is not going to ruin anything. The nurses are highly educated resources with a lot of experience. Listen to what they have to say. But don't be surprised if there are contradictions. No worries! All that really matters is that your little baby is finally here.

3. The Hospital for Dad

What the hospital is like for Mom is a whole lot different from what the hospital is like for Dad. So that Dad can make the best of his I Am A New Dad experience, here are a few things that are nice to know ahead of time:

1. in most hospitals your bed is a glorified chair
2. bring a pillow and comfy blanket if you want a little element of luxury (ha)
3. they feed Mom; you are on your own. Pack snacks and plan to eat at the cafeteria, go out or have visitors bring you your meals
4. you are not a bad person if you go home to sleep or get things done around the house (if your wife is okay with you leaving and/or you actually want to leave)
5. nurses will be in the room checking on Mom at all hours of the day and night
6. in a lot of hospital beds, the speakers for the television are on (and ONLY on) the bed rails. So if Mom wants to sleep, you can't watch TV. Even if you both want to watch something, it is very hard for anyone NOT in the bed to hear. You might want to bring a laptop (and ear buds).
7. Baby is taken away for a routine health test and a bath. Don't worry, they give you time to hold her for at least an hour first. This break is a good time for Mom to get some quiet rest and a great opportunity for Dad to video the bath and say hey to any visitors, make phone calls, post pics, whatever.
8. Dad should be prepared to make trips to the car and assist in any way needed. We love you!

Hope this helps. You kind of get the shaft. But, hey, at least you don't have stretch marks! And you get to take home that perfect little baby.

2. What to Bring to the Hospital

The moment of truth is getting closer and closer. Even though you still have 4 weeks left until your due date, your bag is packed and waiting by the door. This is so exciting! But what do you really need to take to the hospital?

- Yucky, stretchy panties
You'll have some decent bleeding for the next 3-4 weeks and have to wear these really big pads. It is so sexy. lol (vaginal delivery only...OMG! I cannot believe I just typed that word)
- Comfy but not white or super nice PJ's
Again, the bleeding. It would be a shame to ruin something designer. You'll wear that ugly old hospital gown most of the time anyway. (c-section ladies wear nightgowns to avoid rubbing your incision)
- Entertainment
Magazines, a book, your laptop, DVD if you have a way to play it, iPod, etc. Nurses and visitors will be in and out all the time, but you might catch some time to read about this season's hottest hairstyles in between talking to people and holding your adorable baby.
- Clothes
For Mom, bring either a maternity outfit or something stretchy. Your stomach takes a few weeks to contract so you still look about 5 months pregnant even after you give birth. Excuse me??? Yes, it stinks I know. But it doesn't last. Maybe a nursing bra and a pair of flip flops or flexible shoes. If you had an IV, it takes a week (and an obscene amount of water drinking) to flush out all that extra fluid. You might be swollen from your face to your feet even if you didn't gain that much pregnancy weight. Again, it passes soon enough.

For Baby, bring nothing! The hospital onesie is enough. Changing a newborn's outfit is tricky because they ball up like a rolly polly. Argh! If you are set on having a special outfit for him to go home in, that is great. However, baby's size is tough to predict ahead of time. You might want to have something like a gown so that whether he pops out at 6 pounds 11 ounces or at 9 pounds 3 ounces, it will fit. It is also a good idea to have a pair of hand mitts for baby. Their fingernails can be long and they tend to scratch their face up something fierce. So those mittens are great for the first week or so until you can peel their nails. Otherwise all the pictures you post for friends and family will look like you let Edward Scissorhands babysit. Also bring a blanket. In some hospitals you are not allowed to take the provided blanket home. (even though you just spend thousands of dollars to give birth!!!) And of course the car seat. You can't leave the hospital until you show them baby is in it correctly.

-Toiletries
Eventually you are going to want to take a shower. It is one of the best showers of your life. Pack your travel shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and some make up. Lots of pictures will be taken. You'll be glad you slapped on some foundation, mascara and lip gloss later when you look at them.

That is all the must have items. The rest are just for fun. I will cover what Daddy needs in a separate post.