How to Get Organized with a New Baby Using “Baby’s Daily Flip-book”
We asked Laura Osumi, author of Baby's Daily Flip-book, about getting organized as a new mom, and how she came to write her handy guide. Here is what she told us:
Bringing a new baby home, whether you are a new mom or the mom of a baby with an older sibling or two, drastically changes the norm. When you add mommy-brain and lack of sleep to this new balance, it can be tough. When I was pregnant with my first child, I used to have dreams that I would forget to feed her. Yikes! That was a little scary. When we went to the hospital, I brought a printed out schedule page from the internet. I ended up having to have c-section after hours of labor. Afterward, I could hardly move. My husband, who then was handling the scheduling page, and most everything else, thought the chart I brought was terrible. “So much writing,” he said. That day, he bought graph paper and a straight edge ruler. He created a chart that required very little writing. This is good when you have a baby in one hand and a pencil in the other while juggling a burp cloth and possibly a bottle. I used this chart and thankfully I never forgot to feed my baby.
This book really helped me to keep track of feedings, sleep, diaper changes, growth charting, mommy and baby medicines, weight charting, questions for the pediatrician, and doctor information.
Keep a pen or pencil handy in the spiral binding and keep your book in a handy place so you don’t lose it and so you can pick it up quickly. As I said, there is very little writing. Write the time so if your baby is on a 3 or 4 hour feeding schedule early on, you will know when to feed your baby next. It is a good tool to share among caregivers so everyone can stay on the same page, so to speak.
It is also important to chart diapers. This is a question that the pediatrician asks to determine if the baby is getting enough milk. It is especially hard to determine how much milk your baby is getting if you are nursing.
Additionally, I always wrote my questions in the “Questions” section for the pediatrician. I was like a deer in headlights in the doctor’s office. She was giving me so much information and asking me lots of questions. If I didn’t have my questions written down, I would forget.
Growth charting was another thing that I really liked about Baby’s Daily Flip-book. My first baby was small and had difficulty gaining weight. She was often below the 3rd percentile. I liked to track the weight she was gaining.
I gave Baby’s Daily Flip-book to other moms of new babies to try and here is what they said about it.
“I have been using this book and it is helping me to keep track of breast feedings and bottle feedings. I am also glad that I have this book to use when I go back to work and my little girl goes to daycare. It will be really necessary for continuity and communication between daycare and home.” – Amy, San Francisco, CA
“We loved using your book. We used it for a couple months religiously. It was such a huge help for us being new parents, especially with the breastfeeding. It was my only clue as to which breast to start with time. And in the beginning when you are so worried about how much your baby is getting, it was perfect for keeping record of that. Even once I went to pumping exclusively, we used the book to keep track of times, how much I pumped, and which breast to start on. Each page is laid out in such an organized and easy-to-use way.” – Kathleen, Denver, CO
“I bottle fed both of my babies. I wish this book had been available the first time around. It made keeping track of feedings, the amounts, and actually everything so much easier.” – Ann, Atlanta, GA
“The book was great! It was well organized, easy to use and easy to read! I will definitely be using it again for any babies the future holds for us.” – Carrie, Santa Cruz, CA
Baby’s Daily Flip-book is a wonderful present to give to a friend who is expecting. It is the perfect thing to add you your registry with all of the other things you will need to welcome a new baby home.