Editor’s note: Welcome Baby Atkinson! Our best wishes go out to you and your loving parents, Rebecca and Mark.
In this week’s baby bargainista column, Rebecca Atkinson shares tips about how to save money while in labour, seriously!
Surprises are a part of life and babies come when they want to. That’s the biggest lesson I learned last week. Not due until Jul y 23, I was shocked when I arrived for my weekly check up and found out my OB wasn’t happy with some of the things that had occurred since my last check-up. A few tests later and suddenly I was going to be having a baby in a few short hours – or so I thought.
After being induced on the evening of July 3, Mark and I finally welcomed our daughter Meredith Jane Atkinson into this world at 3:58 am on Sunday July 5, 2009, weighing 6 pounds and 12 ounces (Yes, I caved and took the drugs, that was too long for me!)
I can’t help but constantly stare at her to make sure she’s breathing and to just ponder the miracle of life. The week has gone by really fast, but it’s incredible how much we’ve learned already.
Lessons Learned
1. If using disposable, buy small packages of diapers at first – or get samples if you can until you find the best diaper for your baby; it will save money in the long run.
2. Find rides to and from the hospital for Dad because overnight parking is expensive!
3. Bring or have someone bring snacks and food, and a thermos of coffee – especially for your partner – because you can only take so much hospital food. And if baby wants to be born in the wee hours of the morning, most hospital cafeterias follow regular business hours.
Good tips Rebecca! I'll be putting them into practice in a few weeks myself :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kathryn.
ReplyDeleteHere's one more tip - cook like mad now and freeze as nuch of it as you can. Then hope friends and family bring you food too. It really does make life easier if you don't have to think about cooking the first couple of weeks.
Congrats Rebecca! She is beautiful! Great tips, too. Ditto on the parking one - I found that out the hard way!
ReplyDeleteMy best new-mom tip: get outside every day, even if it's just for a quick trip to the corner store or to stand outside for a few minutes. It does wonders for your mental health!
Thanks Jenny. Yes you're absolutely right.. Getting outside gets good vitamin D for you and baby.. We're fortunate enough to have dogs that need walking and since the weather is nice, a short walk up up the street does do wonders.
ReplyDeleteEspecially when the most exciting place you see otherwise is a doctor's office :)