In my 2 weeks of experience...

I wanted to share some of the things that I wish I knew/had prior to bringing C home. Also, a couple of tips that might help someone else along the way.

*If you think you may be pumping, buy as many extra shields/flanges that you can afford. I hate washing/sterilizing pump parts. I know have 4 sets, and plan to add to this collection.

*Same goes for bottles. If you find a bottle your LO uses well/likes, buy a bunch. Washing/sterilizing...not fun. I think we have 10+ Dr. Brown in just the 4 oz size!

*Don't get stuck on a specific brand. We really wanted C to only use organic cotton disposable diapers before we made the move to cloth after belly button stump falls off. Well, C just pees right out of them! We were changing diapers/bedding/outfits/blankets like every 15 minutes. We went out and bought the pampers swaddlers that they used on him in the hospital, and while they don't prevent all leaks, they are much better.

*We didn't have any receiving blankets, other than the ones we stole from the hospital. Those swaddle blankets/sacks just won't cut it and they are so much more expensive. We have like 10 flannel receiving blankets now. Big fan here.

*No scratch mittens. The gerber kind suck. The first years and parents choice kind are made better than gerber, but the elastic around the wrist is too loose for the to effectively stay on. The best mittens we have were given to us by the hospital nursery. Had I known it'd be such a hassle to find decent ones outside of the hospital, I would have requested at least another pair. Our boy loves his hands; we call them his "best friends." He's constantly pulling at his hair, scratching his face, poking himself in the eye, etc. We trim his nails, but that doesn't stop everything. So mittens for him are a must. (if anyone knows of a decent brand that will actually stay on a newborn, let me know.)

*C was 7 pounds 2 oz at birth and lost 11oz by 4 days (due to my milk supply being low). He is already 21 inches long and has since gained weight and is above his birth weight. However, he doesn't fit into newborn anything!! We will put him in newborn creepers, but even those swallow him up. We received a creeper set made by carter's called "precious firsts". It is sold at target. When we first saw them we laughed and thought how tiny they were and that our child would surely not fit into them. Well, they are the only thing that fits him. The line doesn't have a lot of selection, but we bought everything we could find. C is probably pushing 8 pounds now, and these outfits are STILL the only thing that fits well. So if you LO could fit in preemie clothes if not for length like our son, u might wanna check this brand out.

*My little lamb bouncer. Love it. The swing...C really hasn't taken too.

*Wipe warmer. Great concept, epic fail. The wipes go cold 10 seconds after removing them from the warmer. They don't hold enough wipes. It seems to dry out the wipes. It's too bulky for the changing area.

*C is having wicked bad poops right now. We're monitoring to see if he has a milk protien allergy. All that poop led to a red, chapped, at one point cracked/bleeding little toosh. We tried desitin, butt pastes, lanolin, and eventually original A&D. The A&D has done a great job of creating a barrier, and his bum is looking 100% better.

*For little boys with circumcisions; Vaseline in the squeeze tube. One handed application is necessary to help prevent pee accidents. Minimizes prolonged exposure, less time for him to give anyone (including himself) a squirt.

*Snuggle nest sleeper. This is what we are currently using in the bed with us. It is portable, light, has a hard shell covered with soft/plush fabric, it has a little mattress and sleep positioned, and even a little light (although it's very dim as to not wake baby). C is only inches away from me when he sleeps, and DP doesn't feel like she's going to roll over on him. We got ours new at a consignment shop for $17. Definitely worth it!

That's it for now; I'm sure I'll add more later.