What Are Some Extra Little Things You Had For Your Newborn/infant That Were Handy?
1 January 2010
Ok so im making a list of all the stuff we need for this baby. Its our second, but we have just been into our spare room and all our old stuff is ruined, its covered in mould (no idea how, its in the sun almost all day). So we are starting all over again. Anyway i have the basics down like car seat, pushchair, clothes, nappies etc.
Im just wondering if there were any extra things that were just brilliant, like a bouncer, paymat, etc
Things I thought were lifesavers were:
Congrats and enjoy!
1. waterproof mats- they were easy to carry around so we could change the baby anywhere in the house (on bed, floor, etc.). Plus, when our son was really small I would lay him out on the waterproof mat to bathe him, which worked really well.
2. bouncer- he loved it from the very beginning and didn’t need to grow into it, whereas with the swing, it took a little while before he could keep his head up and enjoy it.
3. Play mats- another thing my son liked from a very young age and responded well, which surprised me. His bouncer also played classical music and had lights, which also caught his eye.
4. A boppy pillow or extra pillows you can use to prop up your arms. The boppy didn’t always work so having another extra pillow, too, is a good idea.
5. a carrier or moby wrap- something to keep the baby close, warm, and happy.. and you can still get a lot of household chores done. We had a bjorn, which I wasn’t very happy with, but will have a moby wrap this time.
6. gas medicine
I know what you mean about starting over. This is our second, too, and we borrowed a lot of things for the first so, we are in the same boat. It’s been hard trying to remember what we really needed at first, but it wasn’t much. The baby was just happy being in mama’s arms.
if u r using formula a ‘dr brown’s formula pitcher ‘ is great; mixes with no bubbles or foam and u can make a day’s worth
boppy pillow
monitor
somewhere for baby to sleep
sheets
waterproof mats for everything and some lap pads
burp cloths; cloth diapers , prefolds are great..
i loved my changing table
baby bjorn with lumbar support
bouncy seat
swing
’swaddle me’ wraps, ‘piddle pads’, and ’snuzzler’ all by kiddopotamus…
all this should be available at brus
Breast pump, baby bottles, blankets, receiving blankets, pajamas, pacifiers, rattles, swing, diaper bag, baby wipes, diaper genie, nursing pads (so you won’t leak), baby bath towels, soothing lullaby music. That’s pretty much it lol, and i really used ALL this stuff! Lots of luck
My must haves (I have a reflux baby though!):
1/ Rocker
2/ Swing
3/ Velcro swaddles (he busts out of any other swaddles!)
4/ Boppy pillow
That’s about all that I think are brilliant will add more if I think of them!
Congrats on your pregnancy!
x
Baby swing! I was so thankful when i got that at my baby shower after my son was born. It enabled me to take a nap or do some quick cleaning. Also those plastic keys on a keyring…idk why but every child i have ever seen loves them
Boppy & swing! Also bouncers are nice! Life savers!!! Oh and a mobile…babies love the noise!
Best wishes!
Great answers. As you know, the kid’s pretty much a lump for the first 4 months and the bouncy chair is ideal. Mine didn’t vibrate but people swear by them. Plus, they’re a safe way for you to leave the baby to go to the bathroom and do laundry. It’s been 13 years between babies in this house and the new things I’ve learned is that Dora, Manny and the Wiggles are baby “crack.” Not only does it mesmerize them, it teaches. For supplies, get the mylicon before you need it. And the saline drops because they don’t give babies meds anymore. And a humidifier with the menthol insert. One thing I always made fun of were wipe warmers, but new baby freaks with cold wipes. They’re about $10. I assume you don’t live in the US (nappies) but you can’t have too many onesies. They go through 4 a day. We have a drugstore called Walgreen’s that’s been selling bags of onesies at a price of about $1.25 each. The brand is gerber, I think. Soft bibs in bulk are a good buy and cloth diapers are a lifesaver as burp rags.It’s a bit more expensive, but the premade disposable formula is a must during your recovery. It’s the right temp, you just screw the nipple on and toss the jar. Even if you plan on nursing, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and not having to mess with formula for the first two weeks makes it so much easier. If you have a dishwasher, it’s adequate to sanitize bottles and such and there are containers designed for that. We always use bottled water to avoid having to boil it. And baby sleep CD’s. They work and create a calm environment. Sorry for being so wordy, but I’m dealing with it myself. Congrats, Good Luck, and if you want further ramblings, contact me. I’ll think of a dozen more things tonight.
Well besides the obvious of carseat, stroller, clothes, diapers and wipes I’d say that the things I loved/still do were/are:
- swaddling blankets
- diaper changing pad (or an area to change baby on depending on what your living arrangements are)
- sheets for the crib, covers for the changing pad
- burp cloths
- bottle rack (whether you choose to breastfeed or not, I feel that having a bottle rack can become necessary to keep a bottle or two if you plan on pumping, or for formula, and as your baby grows to wash and dry sippy cups, teething rings, pacifiers… it is a nice clean environment to put washed and sanitized things)
- bottle brush
- a baby swing/bouncer/chair definitely
- a portable crib (though this might come a little later – many portable playpins come with an attachment for newborn babies that can later be removed as they get older. They are very handy for going places where someone might not have a safe place to put a sleeping baby (like when your baby gets older and starts to roll), they are handy when going to a place/a friend’s house that isn’t necessarily as clean as you’d like – it can be a clean place for your baby to roll around and play in, and nice for outdoor family outings like a park and just having around the house! I keep mine in my living room and put my bubs in it for a little while, while I pick up around the house.
- rattles
- a baby bath and baby wash
This is all that comes to mind that I loved when my baby was a newborn and that have still carried on to today. Hope this helped!