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Your First Night Home, What Next?!

I vividly remember the car ride home with our son, we’ve never driven slower and I’ve never been more scared. Turns out you don’t get an instruction manual when they send you home with your tiny human. Even TVs come with instructions! Our first night home was very stressful. Our son slept through the day, had good feedings, followed by great diapers. I was supplementing with formula until my milk came in.

What I didn’t know is that the formula I was giving him was causing a bubbly tummy. The screaming ensued and kept going, and going…and going. We tried everything. Burping him. Changing him. Offering him another bottle. Swaddling. Un-swaddling. Finally we called the pediatrician. (Such a new parent move, I know) but they gave us some awesome advice. Give him some Mylicon. Also known as Simethicone. THIS STUFF IS GOLD. Luckily, we received some for our shower and fished it out of the cabinet. Within about 15 minutes our fussy boy was fast asleep. (And his frazzled parents moved this miracle product to the front of the cabinet).

Other things no one tells you: your tiny human will be stuffy, they might have goopy eyes, and their poop will look weird. Don’t be alarmed! Let’s break these down one at a time. Stuffy Tiny Person- we used a humidifier for the first three months in addition to Boogy Mist nasal spray + a nasal aspirator. Find what works for you but we really liked the NoseFrida. Just be careful, too much suction can cause swelling in the nasal cavity!

Goopy Eyes
This may require antibiotics or drops you’ll be able to speak to your pediatrician about this at your first appointment. However, babies tear ducts are generally under developed (even at full term!), which translates into blocked ducts and eye buildup. We took a soft, warm washcloth and just dabbed our son’s eyes 2-3 times a day. That did the trick! Weird Poop- Some things to know, baby poo comes in a rainbow of colors and textures. First poos tend to be dark and sticky. Breastfeed poo can look seedy and yellow! Formula baby poo can look like peanut butter.

The main thing to remember is baby poo should be relatively soft. If it’s coming out in hard clumps your baby may be constipated and it’s time to chat with your pediatrician.


Was your first night home stressful or a breeze? I’d love to hear your stories below!

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