This one's for you...

So I just had my baby shower for Sawyer this weekend and it was a LOT of fun! Jake's mom and sister really outdid themselves by throwing this shower for me and it was extremely appreciated. More so than they will probably ever know.
So anyways, I've been thinking about the parallels between this pregnancy and the last. How life is going to change. What I know now that I didn't know then and blah blah blah...
I've also been talking to a lot of soon-to-be first time mothers about different things they'll need or what would be helpful. So that is what this post is about. All the veteran mom readers, let's pool our resources and experiences and make a BIG list of things that we wish we would have known or had or registered for with our first babies...
I'll start us off.

1. You're baby isn't going to die or be permanently neurologically damaged if it gets jaundice.
-let the baby sleep in front of a window that gets lots of sunlight and if you get really desperate and you are nursing, supplement with a formula bottle once or twice a day.

2. Don't try to breastfeed until you have a lactation consultant in the room helping you.
-It will feel very awkward to have a strange woman feeling you up and shoving your baby's
head onto your bosom but you will thank me for this when you don't have bleeding and
cracked nipples. Lansinoh is your friend.

3. Register for Infant Motrin, Infant Tylenol, Gas Drops, Teething Gel and Lansinoh.
- These are expensive necessities (almost as important as diapers) and you will be grateful
to your friends for helping you stock up.

4. Buy an eye mask (for sleeping).
-Everyone tells you to sleep when the baby sleeps. DO THIS!! However, if you have a hard time sleeping during the day, you'll definitely get your three dollars worth.

5. Don't feel pressure to let people help you but ALSO, don't be afraid to ask for help.
-I'm really not the best person to give advice on the whole family help issue. I have independence problems and I am hard headed. I can tell you though that you should never feel pressured to do something you are not comfortable with. If that means saying no to a well-intentioned offer for babysitting or calling someone up and begging them to give you a break: Do what works for you and DON"T let anyone make you feel inadequate for not doing it their way.

6. Three days of meals from the ward is WONDERFUL... but it isn't enough.
-Stock up on freezer meals or canned soup or microwave dinners. Horde as much of whatever makes you feel good when you eat it and doesn't leave you feeling guilty for not making it yourself. Lately, I have been making casseroles in 9x13 in. pans and packing half of it up and freezing it for later. I have between one and two weeks worth of food in the freezer for when the baby comes plus some frozen bread, homemade freezer burritos and pancakes.

7. Chances are your baby won't die of SIDS.
- Again, I'm not the best person to talk to about this. I had post-partum depression and was certifiably crazy for about 10 months. BUT, if you find yourself consumed with the fear of your babies death, if movies of the worst-case scenario keep playing behind your eye-lids, you should probably talk to your doctor and make sure that you don't have PPD also. No woman should have to suffer the way I did... Get yourself checked out if you just don't feel like yourself.

Okay, This is what I can think of at the moment. If I come up with something else, I'll write another post. Ladies, help out. Let's educate the new moms in ways that we weren't. Welcome to the club. It is an exciting, scary, AMAZING ride. You'll love most minutes of it, hate some of them but you'll never regret any of them.