I would add to the list for a boy who has a fresh circumcision..vaseline and gauze squares. Also the baby wash clothes worked nicely with warm water to squeeze the excess water on the old gauze before taking it off during the diaper change (so it would release the gauze in case it was stuck to the scab). And my son was super sensitive to wipes in the beginning, we would clean his circumcision and then use the damp wash cloth to finish the diaper change.
We cleaned out the hospital room of ointment and gauze (the nurse encouraged it) and we had plenty left over. So make sure you take what they offer you. Our nurses were awesome and we went home with lots of diapers, mesh panties, pads, ointment, gauze, baby toiletries... basically anything they had. They told us almost everything in the room has to get thrown out for sanitary reasons so we took advantage.
Yep, I'm a second time mom and I agree with pretty much all of these (except that I still use baby towels for my 2 year old, so we like having a lot of those!).
I could also add that it is good to always have a rectal thermometer and infant tylenol/fever reducer on hand just in case they get sick. We had to run out and buy infant tylenol in the middle of the night one time.
Is it necessary to have a rectal thermometer or will a ear one or other type do?
You really need a rectal thermometer for a newborn. They are the most accurate and with a newborn, you don't want to risk missing a fever because of an inaccurate reading from another type of thermometer. I know it sounds off-putting to use a rectal thermometer on your baby, but it's really NBD after you've done it once.
I will also add to the list, for formula feeding moms:
- lots of bottles & a drying rack; baby will eat 8+ times a day...decide how often you want to wash bottles and purchase that many
- 2 formula mixing pitchers; I find it much easier to make a few bottles worth of formula at a time (it's good stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours)
- terry cloth bibs for feedings (my kid, at least, tends to dribble some when eating from a bottle; this saves the clothes from being changed at each feeding)
- burp cloths; I use regular pre-fold cloth diapers and I have 24 of them (because I don't want to run out and I don't want to have to do laundry every day)
We were actually told by our doc and birthing class to get an under the arm thermometer...that the ear ones weren't accurate enough for babies and rectal wasn't necessary
We actually asked our pediatrician about the Vit D drops and he said not to worry about them. He did say that he would recommend them for African-American children who lived in heavily forested areas, which is not us, so we discontinued use. Just fyi. So, ask on your tour or ask the ped in the hospital. We had actually received a sample along with some formula samples, so we already had it on hand.
Pads: Always infinty w/ wings are awesome. Very thin, very absorbant. Take some with you to the hospital, it will be nice to feel human. If you have a csection (planned or not) bring home the hospital pads and use them on the inside of your underwear against your incision. Much better. If vaginal birth, apply some witch hazel to them, toss them in the freezer then use as needed. Apparently, those are the bomb (I was csection)
There was something else I wanted to reply to and can't remember...will check & edit.
Laundry detergent...save your $$ and don't buy dreft. Any free & clear detergent will work just fine. We use Arm & Hammer F&C for our clothes and by default, use for baby. Remember, if you use something heavily perfumed, full of chemicals, baby will get that by transference from your clothes, sheets, etc.
OP, awesome list.
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We cleaned out the hospital room of ointment and gauze (the nurse encouraged it) and we had plenty left over. So make sure you take what they offer you. Our nurses were awesome and we went home with lots of diapers, mesh panties, pads, ointment, gauze, baby toiletries... basically anything they had. They told us almost everything in the room has to get thrown out for sanitary reasons so we took advantage.
You really need a rectal thermometer for a newborn. They are the most accurate and with a newborn, you don't want to risk missing a fever because of an inaccurate reading from another type of thermometer. I know it sounds off-putting to use a rectal thermometer on your baby, but it's really NBD after you've done it once.
I will also add to the list, for formula feeding moms:
- lots of bottles & a drying rack; baby will eat 8+ times a day...decide how often you want to wash bottles and purchase that many
- 2 formula mixing pitchers; I find it much easier to make a few bottles worth of formula at a time (it's good stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours)
- terry cloth bibs for feedings (my kid, at least, tends to dribble some when eating from a bottle; this saves the clothes from being changed at each feeding)
- burp cloths; I use regular pre-fold cloth diapers and I have 24 of them (because I don't want to run out and I don't want to have to do laundry every day)
We actually asked our pediatrician about the Vit D drops and he said not to worry about them. He did say that he would recommend them for African-American children who lived in heavily forested areas, which is not us, so we discontinued use. Just fyi. So, ask on your tour or ask the ped in the hospital. We had actually received a sample along with some formula samples, so we already had it on hand.
Pads: Always infinty w/ wings are awesome. Very thin, very absorbant. Take some with you to the hospital, it will be nice to feel human. If you have a csection (planned or not) bring home the hospital pads and use them on the inside of your underwear against your incision. Much better. If vaginal birth, apply some witch hazel to them, toss them in the freezer then use as needed. Apparently, those are the bomb (I was csection)
There was something else I wanted to reply to and can't remember...will check & edit.
Laundry detergent...save your $$ and don't buy dreft. Any free & clear detergent will work just fine. We use Arm & Hammer F&C for our clothes and by default, use for baby. Remember, if you use something heavily perfumed, full of chemicals, baby will get that by transference from your clothes, sheets, etc.
OP, awesome list.
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