Post partum survival part 2 - it's all about shopping

Courtesy of nappy brain and a baby with short attention span (as they come) the previous post wasn’t complete. So here’s the addition. Sometime during the 8th month go shopping… for yourself. Get nice, good quality and great smelling products: shower gel, body lotion, face and eye creams. Shampoo and conditioner. Perfume. No, babies do not get confused by nice smelling mamas, they’re interested in your boobs not smelly armpits, anyway. New mascara if you use it. If you worry about parabens&co, go organic, the products smell nicer anyway.
And then breast feeding bra and tops. Don’t buy too many, you might feel the need to treat yourself during the first months of motherhood and if you buy too many beforehand, well, you might feel guilty buying more later on (I made myself feel better at a low point with La Senza cotton knickers in the brightest colours they had. They were on sale as well). Now I wrote breastfeeding BRA, singular. Two at most. Reason is simple – you’ll need one straight away but there is no way to predict you final size. If you back expanded during pregnancy, chances are, it will shrink again, at least partially but not immediately. So for the first days (and nights) get the softest bra possible, adding a cup to the size you think you’ll need. Seriously. Better a little too big than too tight, especially in the first weeks.
For the clothes – get your favourite colours. If white isn’t your colour, don’t go there! (Same goes for the bras, btw). If it’s not available get it made. Do not, under any circumstance resort to using an oversized, overworn, old, gray XXL t-shirt. Rags are rarely becoming and grunge (sp?) is sooo last century. You’ll need comfortable shoes as well. Loafers, preferably, you don’t want to fiddle with shoelaces while you baby’s screaming for attention NOW.
Once you bought all of this, put it away for after the birth. It feels great putting the “baby clothes” on for the first time – not unlike the pregnancy clothes. The only difference is the speed. And then pick up your little monkey dressed in his/her new baby clothes and admire both of you in the mirror in the short seconds between feeding, cleaning, crying, rocking, burping and other fun activities ;)