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July 2016 Moms
CarbAddict
member
Top 5 Must Haves
CarbAddict
member
Hi all! Wondering if any of you with children can share your absolute top 5 must haves for a newborn? Not including the basics: crib, carseat, diapers etc. What are things you were surprised came in so handy? I'm trying not to be overwhelmed with stuff so looking for things that are really useful to put on the registry! Thanks a lot.
Re: Top 5 Must Haves
I'd say #4 and 5 are as follows: 4) mittens (or socks function just as well) - my son would scratch his little face and hands if they weren't covered, and I was initially terrified to trim his little nails; 5) a wipe warmer if you're having a boy - when I changed DS, I'd cover him with a warm wipe while I was getting the new diaper situated... never got peed on!
2. Tons and tons of burp clothes
3. Lanolin for the boobs, slather that stuff on allllll the time
4. Two wubanubs, one for travel and one for the crib
5. Mirror for the car so you can see the kiddo while you are driving.
July BMB May Signature Challenge
The rock n play
Swaddlers for bed time
Nipple shield
My ergo for baby wearing (DH is buying me a wrap and ring sling this time around)
gas drops and gripe water!
I'm going to try these for nursing pads this time around
https://www.amazon.com/Milkies-Milk-Saver-Breast-Collector-Storage/dp/B001SMBRWO
Also good point, a good baby carrier is essential! I love my mei tai for just around the house and my Tula for out and about.
I love my ergo, DS is 2 yo and we still use that thing like crazy. I think I have to get Tula toddler soon though.
- Rock N Play
- Gas Drops
- Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter (I can't even with that name but it's good stuff
- Lots of onesies, there will be poop, pee, puke, drool, blood from umbilical cord stump.
- Good swaddling blankets (I didn't have any luck with the fancy ones that are already like a burrito with velcro... we used Aden + Anais swaddle blankets)
Bonus: Easy snacks/meal options for you to eat! (hard boiled eggs, fresh veggies, muffins, anything that can be eaten in as little time as possible)My DD loved the swing
Gripe water
The right size paci (I was anti-pacifier before delivery but the LC at the hospital recommended MAM and it was a lifesaver for DD. BUT this girl's sucking reflex was strong, she came out with hickeys on her wrists)
Good baby nail clippers - we received 3 and 2 of them were absolute crap. Their nails grow so fast, you want it to be a simple and quick process.
I would have benefitted from a lesson in Ergo... I always had such a tough time doing it on my own!
Also agree with tons of burp cloths, we used receiving blankets for this bc people give you so many of them.
My 5 favourite things that aren't crucial but made my life much easier:
1. A comfortable, padded rocking chair or glider with a foot rest
2. My nursing pillow
3. My nursing cover (it's called a "Hooter Hider") - I used this a lot at bigger family get togethers - as DD got older she started fighting against it but when she was really little and I didn't have subtle breastfeeding down - i.e. my boobs were fully out while adjusting - it helped me feel so much more comfortable. It was also nice because DD would fall asleep underneath and I could pretend she was just taking a long time eating, and get some cuddles on those days when extended family were baby-hogging and I needed some time to reconnect
4. A baby swing - some babies hate these or hate certain brands, so if you have a used one you can borrow do that first. My friend spent hundreds on a fancy one and her daughter hated it. I bought a cheap version and it was a lifesaver to give me some hands-free time
5. Some type of baby carrier - see if there's a baby wearing group in your area that lets you try a few different kinds so you can see what fits your body best. When DD went through her super clingy stages it allowed me to still live my life and get things done while keeping DD happy. It's also super convenient when you're in a busy place and don't want to struggle with a stroller
1. Rock n Play
2. Tons and tons of burp clothes - You just never know when they are gonna blow.
3. Pacifiers everywhere I feel like I could never find one when I needed one.
4. Boppy for Breastfeeding - I would take this to the hospital. I didn't last time and had to use a regular pillow which wasn't very good.
5. Sleep Sacks
2. Boppy pillow (used not only for nursing, but to prop the baby up as well). DH was very uncomfortable holding DD when she was tiny, and he said he felt more secure with the Boppy when holding her for a little support.
3. Extra bottles - Once I decided to exclusively pump, I had bottles everywhere. You don't always feel like washing bottles right away, especially during those first 4 or 6 weeks when you are trying to get down a routine and still feel like a zombie.
4. Pack and Play with napper - DD didn't go in her crib until she was about 4 months old. We kept the pack and play in our bedroom and she slept in the napper.
5. Moby wrap - It's like magic, when DD would get fussy I would wear her and she would instantly calm down or fall asleep.
2. Milkies - which I kept in the diaper bag for when I used the manual. I was getting 5oz out of the boob I wasn't pumping, I even had to empty it while I was still finishing the first boob. My best friends cousin invented them, so she gives them to everyone as a shower gift!
3. Good swaddle blankets (Aden and Anais)
4. Good front pack (I used an Ergo and loved it, I still put my LO on my back at almost 4yr)
5. Tons of nipple cream or coconut oil for those nips. They take a beating!
2) My Breast Friend pillow for breastfeeding--literally strapped it to me and wore it all the time. With a pocket for my remote, phone and baby essentials (nail clippers, comb, soother, nasal aspirator)
3) vibrating chair for baby
4) glider chair in DDs room and in our living room.
5) bassinet for beside my bed for the first 3 months.
And of course LANOLIN for sore nips.
2. Baby wearing carrier
3. Swaddle blankets: A&A and Velcro
4. Lanolin and other self care healing products for you like tucks and dermoplast.
5. Nursing pads, I really liked the cloth reusable ones that you wash. The disposables ended up flipping and sticking to my nipples--ouch.
I guess some of those aren't for the newborn, but babies don't need much except you. So take care of yourself.
11/1- IUI#1,12/1- IUI#2, 1/2- IUI#3 all BFFN
IVF#1. Long Lupron.ER 3/8 10R,4M,5F. ET 3/3-one 1AB, 2 frosties 5dp5dt-BFP!! Beta 3/25-794 Beta 3/27- 1794
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July BMB May Signature Challenge
When I front carry I can't buckle the back strap either. DH has to do it for me. You would think with how tall I am I wouldn't struggle, nope, I got T-Rex arms.
2. Night light or small lamp for your bedroom, you'd be surprised how glaringly bright your regular bedside lamp seems at 2 am when you are trying to feed your LO and go back to sleep as soon as possible!
3. White noise app on my iphone.
4. Pacifier clip - we didn't know these existed and someone gave us one and it was attached to DS for like a year.
5. Kinda random but I am planning to make sure I have newborn bottle nipples before LO arrives. When breastfeeding was super difficult and I started pumping we pulled out our bottles from our shower which came with larger nipples and the flow was WAY too much. I kept the newborn nipples on the bottles for a long time because it seemed a lot closer to the flow of breastmilk.
-swaddles
-rock n play
-nose frida
-wrap/baby carrier
-easy snacks if you're nursing. Those first few weeks I felt like she was glues to me and i barely had time for a meal. I lived on trail mix and protein shakes. And you will be nonstop hungry!
-lanolin for boobs and dermoplast (sp?) if you end up with stitches!
-Netflix, lots of shows on dvr, Amazon prime...
-lots of burp cloths
2 - a drawer full of menu's or an end-of-the-world worthy supply of freezer meals. I'm going to try to have meals setup for as long as possible.
3 - coconut oil. Great for nipples (externally), to increase milk supply, help with PP bathroom trips and a good source of natural energy (internally)
4 - boppy if breastfeeding. Take it with you to the hospital!
2. Soothies gel breast pads- I only used these the first few weeks but they were amazing when I needed them.
3. Good nursing pillow- I used both the boppy and My Brest Friend. I ended up preferring the boppy.
4. Gas drops.
5. Healthy, tasty snacks for middle of the night feeds.
2. Swaddle sleep sack
3. Mother love - similar to lanolin but I liked this better
4. Side snap onesies - helps with the umbilical cord area and rubbing when taking them off
5. Vaseline if you're having a boy and plan to have him circumcised
Just a few!
Onsies like these, with the fold over both shoulders, are so you can pull the outfit down and off when there is a massive poop blowout. At some point there will be one and you don't want to drag poop over your babies head while getting them changed! So stock up!
2. a rail for the side of your bed (even if you don't plan to bedshare...the baby will most likely end up in your bed at some point)
3. tons of swaddle blankets and burp cloths
4. lots of the little gowns with elastic at the end and zero buttons
5. a bouncy seat or rock n play for every floor of your house
and yes to all the boob slather you can buy. and I'll add stock up on extra milk storage bags and have some sort of milk storage system in mind before you find yourself with a stack of 500 bags of gold thrown all over your freezer
growing a foosa
For the newborn period I loved having My Breast Friend as well as a nursing stool.
2) boppy
3) white noise machine
4) carrier
5) freezer meals! The last thing that you will want to think about is what to cook for y'all to eat.
Honorable mentions:
Gas drops, load up before! If you wait until you need them, then it's too late.
Nursing cover. Not all women like to use them, for my own comfort level, I do.
Mine are:
1. Nursing pillow (boppy)
2. Lanolin
3. Disposable nursing pads - I had a ridiculous supply and would leak through everything else.
4. Rock n play
5. Moby wrap - I also have an Ergo but preferred the Moby in the early days. It was the only way I got anything done.
https://www.target.com/p/munchkin-3pk-waterproof-changing-pad-liners/-/A-14323622#prodSlot=medium_1_1
I put it on top of the changing pad and it catches spit up and poop, so your cover doesn't get ruined by that stuff. It's nice to have a couple sets on-hand, depending on how often you need to change them and how frequently you do laundry. They're nice to keep one in the car or diaper bag in case of on-the-go needs, too. My advice is to let them air dry instead of putting in the dryer.