I thought I'd make a list of some of things I deem necessary for new babies. Obviously these aren't ACTUAL necessities but things that I thought made my life a lot easier or were just so darn cute I had to have em! :) They're in no specific order and I'm not including such things as crib, diapers and basics but more just things you might not have been told about from others that are nice to have!
(Note: This is not all inclusive of my cloth diapering must haves - I'll list those in a later post!)
1.
Breastflow bottles - GREAT for switching from breast to bottle. They help avoid confusion because they are similar to the breast in that they have to suck harder to get through the double nipple and it is a wide nipple as well.
2.
Sophie the Giraffe teether - I always thought people were crazy saying you had to have this (as it costs $25 regular price) but M genuinely loves hers! Its a soft, natural rubber that must feel great on their aching gums during teething. I must warn you though - if you have older children - this toy can get awful annoying if they get their hands on it because they can squeeze it a LOT harder than babies and that squeak can sure get loud! :)
3.
Nursing Cover - I like my Bebe Au Lai but there are tons of other brands out there as well. Very handy to just slip over your head when you're in public to give a little bit more privacy (and make others around you more comfortable as well...) This one has a built in wire at the front so you can still see what you're doing as you fumble around a bit on your first few outings.
4.
Milk storage organizer - GREAT for storing your breast milk for future use. I always used mine with
Lansinoh storage bags and it was so great to thaw them out quickly by running them under warm water. Even if you stay at home like I do, you still want to have a supply filled up because mom's need time away from their babies too! These are great for dad to use when you're out running errands or the sitter when you actually get a 'date night!'
5.
Side snapping onesies with mittens - I LOVED these for the first few weeks. Easy diaper changes and the built in mittens help so that your little one doesn't scratch their sweet little face! M lived in the Gerber onesies along with some
Babylegs because she was an April baby and it was a little cool out...
6.
Swaddling blankets - I LOVE the Aden + Anais blankets. They have different weights you can get for different times of the year as well as organic and bamboo I believe. Swaddling was a life saver for us. Another thing to check out that goes with swaddling is the...
7.
The Happiest Baby on the Block - tells great tips about how to keep your baby happy. Swaddling is one of the 5 S's that you learn about. Swaddling, Shushing, Sucking, Swinging, Side/Stomach position. We watched the dvd (I know I know - the easy way out!) but it had some
great tips!
8.
Grocery cart/high chair cover - I always made fun of the people that used these before I was a parent but we got one from a friend and it was a lifesaver! It made me feel so much more comfortable putting my daughter in those disgusting, germy carts and public high chairs! I have one similar to this where you can attach your own toys to help keep them entertained. This is especially helpful right when your child begins to sit up on their own until maybe about a year. We don't really use our anymore because I feel more comfortable knowing that she's not going to be gnawing on the handle, etc.
9.
Sleep Sheep - this is an item that I didn't hear about before I had my first but I will definitely be getting it soon for my 2nd. All I've heard is great raves about this. I also like this one that is on the go because you can attach it to the carseat or use it at home on the crib too. My daughter is not a good sleeper away from home so maybe if she had gotten used to this, she would be more comfortable on trips.
10.
Hand & Face wipes - I like to use these rather than their diaper wipes to wipe her face and hands before and after eating. I also like to use these to wipe the tables down when we go out to eat because her food always ends up on the table no matter how much you try not to.
11.
Sippy cup strap - help keep your baby's bottles and sippys from hitting the floor. You can attach them to strollers, high chairs, etc. I like the ones that have the velcro to go around the cup so that it's adjustable but they're also the only kind I tried. I also found
this tutorial on Pinterest that I'm going to try to tackle in the future to make a couple more.
Well that's all I can think of for now. Obviously the last 2 are for a little older of a child than a newborn but I wanted to add them on there.
Also, when I asked my husband what he liked best for new babies - he said he really liked the sleep gowns.
Sleep Gowns - They were definitely very helpful for night-time diaper changes. No messing with snaps or zippers. Just be sure to put some socks on those little tootsies! :)
Please comment your own helpful tip for must-have baby items that I forgot! I'm always looking for excuses to buy new things. :)
