birth/newborn momento-type advice

I'm brainstorming what I'd like to do differently this time around, and
am coming up with a list of stuff that we forgot, overlooked, or just
didn't think of in the rush of becoming parents, with Sproutkin.

Here's the short list so far:

Hand and footprints. Hospitals do this, and I think it's really cool.
I bought a do-it-yourself kit today (ink pad, etc.), so we can take that
with us to the birth center. I don't have any newborn prints of
Sproutkin and I really wish I did, to remember how tiny her little feet
used to be.

Pictures. We didn't take any during labor or birth or the first few
minutes afterwards, which I regret. We'll definitely be bringing the
camera and a disposable backup with us. Any opinions about video? We
didn't do it, and I haven't yet wished we had, but I'm not sure if I'll
wish we had done that, too, in ten years, ykwim?

Birth announcements, formal photo ones. Just did the "proper"
handwritten notes and phone call thing the first time, but I'm sorry not
to have a nicer one for the baby book.

Anything else? Advice, suggestions, opinions? What sort of momento
stuff do hospitals do, or did you guys do, that you are really glad you
did?

Mary S.

"Mary S." wrote in message
...
I'm brainstorming what I'd like to do differently this time around, and am
coming up with a list of stuff that we forgot, overlooked, or just didn't
think of in the rush of becoming parents, with Sproutkin.

Here's the short list so far:

Hand and footprints. Hospitals do this, and I think it's really cool. I
bought a do-it-yourself kit today (ink pad, etc.), so we can take that
with us to the birth center. I don't have any newborn prints of Sproutkin
and I really wish I did, to remember how tiny her little feet used to be.

We did a footprint in a plaster mold. Turned out really cute. I also took
pictures the day or so after birth of their feet in my husband's hand. And
for xander, we actually got professional pictures done @ 6 mos of his feet
and hands. I just loooove little feet and hands!!


Pictures. We didn't take any during labor or birth or the first few
minutes afterwards, which I regret. We'll definitely be bringing the
camera and a disposable backup with us. Any opinions about video? We
didn't do it, and I haven't yet wished we had, but I'm not sure if I'll
wish we had done that, too, in ten years, ykwim?

We took video but not of the actual birth. The babies getting weighed,
meausred, nursing for the first time, etc. Im very glad I have those. I
never took any labor pics until this past time, now looking back, Im glad my
hubby took them. I dont look nearly as bad as I felt, lol!!


Birth announcements, formal photo ones. Just did the "proper" handwritten
notes and phone call thing the first time, but I'm sorry not to have a
nicer one for the baby book.

I've always wanted to do formal announcements but never have. Maybe next
time



Anything else? Advice, suggestions, opinions? What sort of momento stuff
do hospitals do, or did you guys do, that you are really glad you did?

I have a picture of each of my kids with the OB/Midwife who delivered them.
I actually forgot to get Xander's taken when he was born so we did it at the
6 wk checkup. Im glad I have those too, to show them when they are older.

I also made up a memory box for each child that includes the pregnancy test,
their outfit they wore home from the hospital, their hospital issue cap &
blanket, a few first pictures, their braclet and mine, little mementos all
the way up to their first year. I love looking back through them now. Of
course now we have toddler boxes, school boxes, vacation boxes,etc...

Kari
mom to Kaylie (8) Noah (5) and Xander (11 mos)

Mary S. Asked:

Any opinions about video?

I wouldn't do it, but maybe I'm strange since I don't believe in videotaping
weddings either.

I like shapshots, which are little moments that jog your memory, as opposed to
video, which will eventually REPLACE your own memory with the point of view of
whoever was filming the events.

As for other mementos, for my first babies instead of saving every
congratulatory card we received, I cut out all the messages from them along
with any really pretty artwork or poetry off the fronts and made some collage
pages for the baby book (I have saved all the stuff to do this for Teddy and
William, but have never gotten around to doing it yet!).




Leslie

Emily (2/4/91)
Jake (1/27/94)
Teddy (2/15/95)
William (3/5/01 -- VBA3C, 13 lbs. 5 oz.)
and Lorelei, expected 11/2/04

"Children come trailing clouds of glory from God, which is their home."
~ William Wordsworth

We brought a cd with our wedding song ("Beautiful in my eyes") along with a
bottle of champagne and the champagne flutes we used at our wedding in my
prepacked hospital bag... That night after everyone was gone, we had a little
private "toast" in our room and had our first "family" dance together. We
saved the champagne cork and put the cd in our memory book.

sherry

"Mary S." wrote in message
...

Hand and footprints. Hospitals do this, and I think it's really cool.
I bought a do-it-yourself kit today (ink pad, etc.), so we can take that
with us to the birth center. I don't have any newborn prints of
Sproutkin and I really wish I did, to remember how tiny her little feet
used to be.

Ooooh, thanks for mentioning this, Mary. I'm using a birth center also and
they don't do the prints. I'll have to find a kit also. What kind did you
find?

JennP.

This doesn't have to do with birth, but with pregnancy. I have bought a small
frame with a recording chip in it for all of my babies. You can get them at
Radio Shack, Best Buy, or any electronics store in the US. I put a picture of
their 20 week ultrasound in the frame and record their heartbeat at one of the
OB appts. My 4 year old still loves getting his down and listening to it! It
is a great reminder of that wonderful sound during pregnancy.




Amber
Mommy to Parker (12/7/99) and Spencer (12/5/01) and Baby Girl due 10/04

Ooooh, thanks for mentioning this, Mary. I'm using a birth center also and
they don't do the prints. I'll have to find a kit also. What kind did you
find?

JennP.

Target! A kit that was over by the swaddling blankets -- washable ink
and two little matted frames, for a hand and a foot. I'm guessing it
will take all the available hands to hold those tiny curled-up fingers
straight for a handprint, even with a sleeping newborn, so I'm bringing
it with me to the birth center as opposed to doing it when we get home.

Mary S.

Vicki S wrote:

i've personally created a birth announcement for each child. i had a
lot of fun picking out paper (often from paperdirect.com), choosing
the wording, the fonts, etc., even the stamps. a photo isn't
necessary to turn the announcement into a memento.

That's very true. I liked what we did the first time -- handwritten
notes with a snapshot tucked in -- but I've got a hankering for one of
those formal announcement-with-photo all in one cards this time. I'm
currently in love with this style:
http://www.babiesandbrides.com/larger_view1.asp?sId=30

(I'm thinking two shots of newborn and one shot of siblings together, or
one shot of newborn, one of siblings, and one of family. This kind of
mindless detail work is keeping me from going insane these last weeks!)

Mary S.

Vogel Sher wrote:
We brought a cd with our wedding song ("Beautiful in my eyes") along with a
bottle of champagne and the champagne flutes we used at our wedding in my
prepacked hospital bag... That night after everyone was gone, we had a little
private "toast" in our room and had our first "family" dance together. We
saved the champagne cork and put the cd in our memory book.

That is very sweet, and what a wonderful memory! I remember we stayed
up until 2 in the morning on Sproutkin's first birthday (us, not her!),
giddy with excitement, and celebrated our first year as parents togther
with a toast.

And the music thing reminds me -- one other thing I'm really glad I did
was keep a tape player next to the bed, and throughout her first year
(and then her second year, with a new tape) recorded all her little
sounds, from her newborn squeals and grunts to her babblings and first
words and first songs. I should take those in and have them converted
to some CDs, to keep the sound quality from degrading over the years.
Definitely something I'll repeat this time, too.

Mary S.

"Mary S." wrote:
Hand and footprints
Pictures
Birth announcements, formal photo ones
Anything else?

those all sound good to me.

i've personally created a birth announcement for each child. i had a
lot of fun picking out paper (often from paperdirect.com), choosing
the wording, the fonts, etc., even the stamps. a photo isn't
necessary to turn the announcement into a memento.

i recommend a photo of your whole, new, nuclear family as soon after
the birth as possible.

umm... i can't remember what else i was thinking of. luckily,
other folks had great ideas!

--
Vicki. Married DH May, 1995. Ima shel Stoic, born 11/99;
Chatty, born 5/02, and #3, "due" September 2004.
"I'm a scientist. I don't believe in anything."
from "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra"