Essential: rectal thermometer since the head ones aren’t accurate until 6 ish months, children’s Benadryl- have it on hand for when you start introducing solids in case of an allergic reaction, baby gates for the stairs- ours are wood and very steep so we didn’t mess around, a nose frida (the grossest in your mind but it’s actually THE FRIGGIN BEST snot sucker) and red wine for mom. That’s about all I can think of TBH.
Nice but not essential are teething things- I have a fake pacifier that looks like a raspberry that you can fill with water and freeze. DS only has liked it with his molars so it’s nice now but not necessary. You can also freeze mini bagels and they can gnaw on those. Children’s Tylenol we never used until DS was like 9 months old, but we got lucky with him being healthy during the winter and not really caring too much about teething.
I recommend avoiding bulb syringes for noses because they grow mold on the inside very easily. Same thing with Sophie the Giraffe.
Nose Frida with saline spray, infant tylenol and then ibuprofen (after 6 months), rectal thermometer, temporal thermometer, nail clippers, infant toothbrush for when the first tooth appears, Aquaphor for dry skin and diaper rash
Rectal temperatures are more accurate than another other method which is why we do them during emergencies. Just an FYI rectal and ear (tympanic) temps are about 1 degree warmer than an oral but forehead and underarm (axillary) are about 1 degree cooler than oral. So if you are considering oral to be "normal" there may be a slight difference. That being said I will be following the advice of medical providers and take my baby's temp rectally until at least 6 months or to eliminate any confusion.
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@celticknotfire Our nurse said if people were squeamish about it at first, you can always take an axillary temp to get a general idea and if it’s close to the cut off to then take the rectal temp.
That said, I’m a vet so I’m 100% fine with rectal temping 😂
I also second the good safety clippers. I heard horror stories in my last BMB about parents accidentally cutting their baby trying to clip their nails. I bought the NailFrida and I love it. My husband still won't cut her nails, but I do it weekly and haven't had any issues. As a newborn, I found it easier to cut them while she slept. The kit comes with a tiny file which was great for smoothing any rough edges.
I'll admit, I'm one of the silly moms who was afraid of the NoseFrida (despite loving the other product lines). I used a bulb syringe, but mine comes completely apart. We cleaned it with antibacterial soap and dried it after every single use so we never had to deal with mold or reintroducing germs. I 100% believe the NoseFrida is probably easier, but for anyone who is too squeamish I'll tell you that there are syringe products that won't get mold in them if used properly. I do second using plenty of saline spray whenever you use any decongesting tool. My daughter HATED the nasal spray as a tiny infant, but learned to love it once she realized it helped.
We also had one of those pacifier/baby bottle medicine dispensers which worked well when we needed to give her baby Tylenol to reduce a high fever. She wouldn't take it unless it was very cold. So even today we keep the liquid Tylenol and ibuprofen in the fridge for emergencies.
@lanie1000 I forgot about how the nailfrida makes cutting their nails a lot easier. I have accidentally cut each of my boys once with the regular nail clippers and it is the worst feeling.
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That said, I’m a vet so I’m 100% fine with rectal temping 😂
Another plus on the nose frida.
Our Sofie the giraffe never got moldy but we also never let it go near water because we'd heard about them getting moldy after going in the bath.
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I'll admit, I'm one of the silly moms who was afraid of the NoseFrida (despite loving the other product lines). I used a bulb syringe, but mine comes completely apart. We cleaned it with antibacterial soap and dried it after every single use so we never had to deal with mold or reintroducing germs. I 100% believe the NoseFrida is probably easier, but for anyone who is too squeamish I'll tell you that there are syringe products that won't get mold in them if used properly. I do second using plenty of saline spray whenever you use any decongesting tool. My daughter HATED the nasal spray as a tiny infant, but learned to love it once she realized it helped.
We also had one of those pacifier/baby bottle medicine dispensers which worked well when we needed to give her baby Tylenol to reduce a high fever. She wouldn't take it unless it was very cold. So even today we keep the liquid Tylenol and ibuprofen in the fridge for emergencies.