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Natural Birth
Nursing & co-sleeping - what to register for?!
I am planning on nursing and co-sleeping with my baby girl who is arriving in July. While I am preparing to register for my baby shower I don't know what I should register for. I won't have a crib (so I don't need bedding for baby), since I'm nursing I don't need bottles etc. Does anyone have suggestions as what to register for regarding nursing and co-sleeping?
Thanks!
CG
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Re: Nursing & co-sleeping - what to register for?!
Nursing bras (both daytime and nighttime), nursing tanks, breast pads, nipple cream, maybe some hot/cold inserts to help with sore boobs (I never needed these but some people do).
Even though you're EBF'ing, if you want to be able to leave your baby with someone else (ever, for longer than about 3 hrs!), it's important to introduce (and continue to give on a regular basis) a bottle once breastfeeding has been well established (usually 4-6 weeks). so in that case you'd need some sort of pump and a few bottles as well some bags for milk.
Are you bed sharing or co-sleeping? If you're co-sleeping, you'll need sheets, a mattress protector, etc. for your co-sleeper.
Plenty of burp rags, too!
I'd also rec'd you get a mattress protector for your mattress if you're going to nurse in bed....those first few months we could almost swim in the amount of milk I was making.
How big is your bed? If it's less than a king I'd register for an Arm's Reach cosleeper. If it's a king, I'd register for a bed rail.
Breastfeeding: boppy pillow, medela lanolin cream, bravado tanks, a really nice water bottle, a subscription to netflix
Other stuff: diapers (cloth or disposable), stroller, baby carriers, clothes, swing, bouncy seat, jumperoo, etc.
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I agree that a couple of bottles and possibly a pump are a good idea if you think you'll ever be away from baby for more than 3-4 hours. You can hand-express if you don't want to have an electric pump or a hand pump. Lasinoh (sp?) lanolin is a great thing to have. I like Knickernappies hemp cloth breast pads. They are great for leaks, but even if you aren't a leaker, they protect your bra and clothes from lanolin if you need to use some of that. A Breast Friend is a nice bonus. I really wanted to nurse without any special pillows, but I had some back issues that meant I needed mega support. A baby carrier is great for faciliating nursing on-the-go. I love PPs Netflix suggestion! We aren't generallu TV people we don't do screen time with LO, but in those NB days when baby sleeps so much and mama is healing, it was nice for me to relax and watch some fun things on Netflix. Some breastfeeing resource books like The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.
As for cosleeping--if you are bedsharing, you might not need much beyond a mattress protector or, if you'd like, some wool for under baby. Since with the safe rules of bedsharing you can only have one pillow per adult and one blanket that goes higher than waist level, do you want any new bedding? For winter, I would've loved a thick wool blanket to be our one "higher than the waist" bedding.
If baby will be in a cosleeper like an Arm's Reach or a side-carred crib then there are all of the things for that: the thing itself, mattress, sheets, etc.
We live pretty simply and the best thing we found for "filling" our registry was a cloth diaper registry through Abby's Lane plus high-quality wooden toys for when baby was older (like Haba and Plan Toys). Alternatively, you don't have to do a registry or a gifty shower. A mother blessing or lunch out with friends may be more your speed.
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This has been a great resource for me:
https://www.lucieslist.com/
It's a very down-to-earth list of registry essentials with lots of helpful recommendations.
The best two purchases I made for my daughter Were the arms reach cosleeper (full size) and the my breast friend. She refused a bottle so although Inwoukd have eventually loved for her to take one she never did and the cosleeper was amazing even though she ended up in the bed with us eventually.
Some people like the boopy better so you might want to try both. Maybe borrow until you figure it out. The my breast friend was hands down better for me.
Keegan Patrick - Bilateral Clubfeet found at Anatomy Scan.
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The the My Brest Friend! It was a life saver the first couple months.
Also, these (https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3368921)
Get a few of them and they come if other sizes, that particular size is perfect for laying down on the bed then putting baby next to me to side lay nurse. In the early weeks your LO will spit up without warning or reason, or just forget to swallow and let milk run out of it's mouth. Those save you from having to wash your sheets every day and the flannel sort of sticks to your sheet and is stiff enough to not feel plush or unsafe. I use those things everywhere, I carry one in the diaper bag instead of a changing pad. They're just the best.
I agree with previous comments about a rail. I only had a double bed and my LO only slept with us for an hour in the morning when hubby and I were awake and having our morning check-in with each other. But still, it will give you peace of mind.
I'm sure the whole world has said this, but be careful with co-sleeping, make sure you're over safe, don't drink, don't do this or that or anything else. But really, just make sure you feel safe about it. I felt fine for a long time but a couple months ago it just wasn't right for us anymore. Go with your instincts and be careful.
Thank you all for the help! We have a king size bed and will bed-sharing. Great suggestions to have some sort of pad or mat under me and the baby so anything wet doesn't get to the matress.