10 baby must-haves I use everyday
Babies need a lot of stuff, but a quick google search will give you multiple baby essentials checklists you can use if you don't know where to start. However, once in the trenches of motherhood, find myself relying on some basic things that don't always make the list. Here's a list of 10 baby must-haves that have made the first year; as new parents, a little easier.
When we found out that I was pregnant we were both very happy and excited. Being first-time parents, we had little to no experience with babies. Can you guess who had no experience? Here's a hint: One day, Douviere looked at me and asked 'How are we going to bathe the baby?" #newdad #sendhelp #girldad
If you don't know, you don't know. No shame in asking. That night Google was our friend. Using a baby checklist we found online, we looked up all the products we didn't know. While things like a car seat, stroller, crib, diaper bag, baby bath (lol)...etc are useful and necessary, there are some underrated products I think are indispensable.
Here's a list of 10 products that have made the first year of motherhood a little easier.
Disclaimer: All babies are different and some of these products may not work for you and your baby. These are some of the things that work for us.
Things for mom:
Very early on in my pregnancy, I realized I couldn't do the underwire bars anymore. Pregnancy gets increasingly uncomfortable so do yourself a favour and invest in some quality maternity/nursing bras. I got mine from Thyme Maternity. Keep in mind that you'll most likely go up a size.
A friend of mine put me unto this. Forget about those uncomfortable postpartum pads. Get yourself some adult diapers, they're comfortable and catch everything. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this but, I kept wearing them even when I didn't need to... well... until D started looking at me funny.
This one is self-explanatory. If you're breastfeeding you'll need nipple cream. No doubt you will be sore for a while but this stuff helps. Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially in the early days, and sore nipples only add to the frustration.
I thought I would not need nursing pads because I planned on being at home the majority of the time. Ohhh was I wrong? It is amazing how easy it is to leak milk, even right after the baby ate. Use these and you'll save yourself extra work and potential embarrassment.
Things for baby:
It doesn't matter how quick you are (or think you are) at changing a diaper, please use a changing pad. Having your baby pee or poo in the middle of a diaper change is an interesting experience. No matter how many times it happens I always freeze for a couple of seconds thinking - 'OMG what should I do, let her finish, try to catch it, stick the clean one under her?'. By the time I catch myself, she's already done and I have a mess to clean. Now, we have two changing pads, one in the Family room/Mia's play area and another in our bedroom.
We got this Wipes warmer as a gift (it wasn't on our baby registry). At first, I didn't think it was necessary. My thought - "How cold could baby wipes be that they need to be warmed up?" Well, as winter approached and the weather got colder it made more sense. Plus, D got tired of waiting for me to start using it so he set it up for me. Once I started using it I noticed Amelia was less fussy during diaper changes.
When Cold season comes around you'll be glad to have one of these. I found it hard to use the bulb syringe, and Amelia did not like it. We had to hold her down to clean her nose when she was sick. It was traumatizing for all of us. With the aspirator, she actually leans in and lets us stick it up her nose. I think she likes the humming sound it makes.
Bibs are a must-have, regardless of the one you choose to buy. We've tried a few different brands but by far I think the Doc Brown bibs are the most absorbent. Plus, the attached ring is Amelia's favourite thing to chew on, we never leave the house without it.
With a good night light, you will be able to take care of your little one at night without turning on the overhead light. If I turn on a light during Amelia's nighttime feeding she thinks it's playtime and it takes twice as long to get her back to sleep.
Once your baby starts eating solids, mealtime becomes mess-time. This t-shirt bib helps keep them clean - mostly clean - their hands, face and hair..yes hair, will need a good cleaning after.
FYI, we used Amazon to create our baby registry. It was simple, convenient, and, generally, it has everything you need. Also, there is a bonus offer: up to 15% discount when you buy any of the items on your registry!
What do you think? Are there any underrated baby products you would add to this list?