When I was pregnant, one of the things that stressed me out the most was trying to figure out what things I'd need once Grace arrived. I read tons and tons of lists and sought the advice of many friends (and you guys!) in an attempt to be as prepared as possible.
Grace, 6 weeks
As with most things in life, you can't be completely prepared for your baby, emotionally or otherwise. Every baby is different, so things that friends swore by were useless to me, and Grace was crazy about things that others had said I wouldn't need. So I wanted to share a few things that saved our lives during those first few weeks for any of you who might be as curious as I was. I'm planning on doing a few more comprehensive lists later by category, but for now, I'm going to stick to just a few.
Long-sleeved onesies/zip-up pajamas with built-in mittens. It might seem strange that this is the first thing to come to mind, but newborns have crazy nails, and if you're like me, you'll be too scared to clip them at first. Grace loved to have her hands by her face, so she was constantly scratching herself. We tried the standalone mittens, but they're hard to keep on those tiny hands. The built-in mittens worked amazingly for us.
Swaddle blankets/swaddles. My sister-in-law got us a package of adorable, lightweight Summer swaddle blankets. Micah mastered the swaddle in the hospital, and Grace absolutely loved to be wrapped up so tightly. But after we got home, she'd often break out of the blanket, so we assumed that she no longer wanted to be constrined. A friend later gave us some of the Summer Infant SwaddleMe swaddles, and I tried one at naptime on a whim. They've ended up being lifesavers (although the blankets are still my favorites for the carseat and stroller - I don't worry about her suffocating on them since they're so breathable). Some babies don't like to be swaddled, but Grace will sleep significantly longer if she's swaddled. I'll probably try and wean her off at three months, but for now, we're keeping her cuddled up. :)
MAM pacifiers. We got several different kinds of pacifiers at our shower, so I had a few to choose from. Grace just ended up preferring the MAM pacifiers (and I've heard that a lot of babies do, as well).
Lansinoh Lanolin. If you're breastfeeding, this stuff is absolutely a necessity. Promise.
ItzBeen Timer.
This little timer helped me keep track of when Grace last ate, when her diaper was last changed, and how long she's been sleeping. After awhile, I got better about keeping time in my head, but it was really helpful at first.
Boppy nursing pillow. Some people don't use their Boppys, but I couldn't live without mine! Mostly because I'm a wimp with poor arm tone, so constantly holding and feeding Grace started to kill my arms. The Boppy takes the stress off your arms and makes feeding time, in particular, much more comfy.
Fisher-Price Deluxe Newborn Rock 'N Play Sleeper.
Another gift from my sister-in-law, this served as our bassinet for the first few weeks. The cool thing about is that it's small and versatile (and much cheaper than traditional bassinets/cradles!) and super cuddly. And even though Grace is now sleeping in her crib, we still have the Rock 'N Play set up in the living room for when we need to set her down for a few minutes. It's also super portable for taking to grandparents'/babysitters' houses.
Dr. Brown's Bottles. Even if you're planning on breastfeeding, it's probably smart to have at least one bottle sterilized and ready to go... just in case. (And while you're at it, grab a small can of formula [we ended up using Similac Sensitive] if you don't get a free can mailed to you... somehow every mom I know ended up with free formula without knowing where it came from.) Grace needed formula supplements because she had lost so much of her birth weight because my milk took so long to come in, and it was nice that we had a few ready to go when we needed them. Dr. Brown's seem to be best (at least for Grace) for preventing gas, but they've got a million parts so they're a pain to wash. For us, though, it's worth it.
PRIMO EuroBath Kit.
I had registered for a different bather that sits in a bathtub, but one of my friends offered to get me this freestanding tub (that works for infants and older babies) that sits on top of the counter. I've ended up really, really loving it. It's got the perfect little spot for Grace's body, and it's so much easier than bending over the bathtub or trying to keep her upright in the kitchen sink.
I feel like I'm missing some things, but it's about time for Miss Priss to wake up from her nap, so I'd better go get a bottle ready. :) (Feel free to shoot me any questions you have about baby gear. Realize, of course, that I'm still a newbie... although I do consider it an accomplishment to have kept us both alive and happy for seven weeks!)
Long-sleeved onesies/zip-up pajamas with built-in mittens. It might seem strange that this is the first thing to come to mind, but newborns have crazy nails, and if you're like me, you'll be too scared to clip them at first. Grace loved to have her hands by her face, so she was constantly scratching herself. We tried the standalone mittens, but they're hard to keep on those tiny hands. The built-in mittens worked amazingly for us.
Swaddle blankets/swaddles. My sister-in-law got us a package of adorable, lightweight Summer swaddle blankets. Micah mastered the swaddle in the hospital, and Grace absolutely loved to be wrapped up so tightly. But after we got home, she'd often break out of the blanket, so we assumed that she no longer wanted to be constrined. A friend later gave us some of the Summer Infant SwaddleMe swaddles, and I tried one at naptime on a whim. They've ended up being lifesavers (although the blankets are still my favorites for the carseat and stroller - I don't worry about her suffocating on them since they're so breathable). Some babies don't like to be swaddled, but Grace will sleep significantly longer if she's swaddled. I'll probably try and wean her off at three months, but for now, we're keeping her cuddled up. :)
MAM pacifiers. We got several different kinds of pacifiers at our shower, so I had a few to choose from. Grace just ended up preferring the MAM pacifiers (and I've heard that a lot of babies do, as well).
Lansinoh Lanolin. If you're breastfeeding, this stuff is absolutely a necessity. Promise.
ItzBeen Timer.
This little timer helped me keep track of when Grace last ate, when her diaper was last changed, and how long she's been sleeping. After awhile, I got better about keeping time in my head, but it was really helpful at first.
Boppy nursing pillow. Some people don't use their Boppys, but I couldn't live without mine! Mostly because I'm a wimp with poor arm tone, so constantly holding and feeding Grace started to kill my arms. The Boppy takes the stress off your arms and makes feeding time, in particular, much more comfy.
Fisher-Price Deluxe Newborn Rock 'N Play Sleeper.
Another gift from my sister-in-law, this served as our bassinet for the first few weeks. The cool thing about is that it's small and versatile (and much cheaper than traditional bassinets/cradles!) and super cuddly. And even though Grace is now sleeping in her crib, we still have the Rock 'N Play set up in the living room for when we need to set her down for a few minutes. It's also super portable for taking to grandparents'/babysitters' houses.
Dr. Brown's Bottles. Even if you're planning on breastfeeding, it's probably smart to have at least one bottle sterilized and ready to go... just in case. (And while you're at it, grab a small can of formula [we ended up using Similac Sensitive] if you don't get a free can mailed to you... somehow every mom I know ended up with free formula without knowing where it came from.) Grace needed formula supplements because she had lost so much of her birth weight because my milk took so long to come in, and it was nice that we had a few ready to go when we needed them. Dr. Brown's seem to be best (at least for Grace) for preventing gas, but they've got a million parts so they're a pain to wash. For us, though, it's worth it.
PRIMO EuroBath Kit.
I had registered for a different bather that sits in a bathtub, but one of my friends offered to get me this freestanding tub (that works for infants and older babies) that sits on top of the counter. I've ended up really, really loving it. It's got the perfect little spot for Grace's body, and it's so much easier than bending over the bathtub or trying to keep her upright in the kitchen sink.
I feel like I'm missing some things, but it's about time for Miss Priss to wake up from her nap, so I'd better go get a bottle ready. :) (Feel free to shoot me any questions you have about baby gear. Realize, of course, that I'm still a newbie... although I do consider it an accomplishment to have kept us both alive and happy for seven weeks!)
Love this post! My baby is four weeks and I can relate! I love the Summer Infant swaddles and I LOVE my nursing pillow. Did you mix a bottle with BF? I'm about to try and add a bottle to the mix. I love the idea of that timer. I record everything right now :)
ReplyDeleteWE loved the swaddleme blankets too. We kept Pearson in his until he could roll over from back to front at 4 months. I was so sad to see it go. I can't wait to have another little baby burrito again someday!!
ReplyDeleteWe loved our rock-n-play so much, we have two-one at home and one at the sitters house. Also, Dr. Brown bottles are a pain to wash but they really do help so much wiht gas and spit up!
ReplyDeleteI loved my ItzBeen timer. Never knew I would use it so often!
ReplyDeleteI loved my ItzBeen timer. Never knew I would use it so often!
ReplyDelete