Need vs Leave: Baby 'Stuff' - nursery and beyond

Thursday, July 2, 2015

The one book that I have found invaluable is Dorothy Waide's You simply can't spoil a newborn. This is a great practical book with everything you need to know for the first 3 months of your babies life from feeding to bathing...it has everything!

Nursery:
  • Change table: I thought we wouldn't need one, but for those middle of the night changes, it is fabulous and back saving. I am a huge fan of a multiple use item, the Mocka change table and draw set have been great and will be used well past 'baby' stage;
    • nappies
    • wipes: at birthcare they use these fabulous dry wipes which mean no nasty chemicals on them (like the wet wipes have), just use water to wet, wipe and throw! Newborns have such delicate skin that you don't really want to put anything on it. I wasn't a fan of using muslin squares - the thought of all that washing! These have been fabulous and a must have that I wish I had known about prior to stocking up on wet wipes!
    • hand sanitizer - enough said
  • Cot: again I love a multiple use item and the Kaylula Sova 5 in 1 Cot is literally 5 items in one!
  • Drawers for clothes
  • Wheat bag: for heating baby's bed/ capsule etc
  • Muslin wraps/ blankets: you can never have too many, just make sure they are made from natural fibres (merino, cotton, etc);
  • Cloth nappies: get a couple packs of these. They are great for everything! Cleaning up spills, using in the bed...EVERYTHING!
  • Thermometer 
    • For bubs: recently I have seen these thermometer strips that you place on the child's forehead. Otherwise a great thermometer will help when you just need to 'check' their temperature
    • For the room/ bath: you will want to know the temperature of the room and bath water, etc. We got a thermometer that does both - Philips AVENT Baby Bath & Room Thermometer - it is surrounded with rubber which means I can literally throw it in the bath to check that it's at 37 degress...easy!
  • Nice to have
    • nappy bin: the Korbell plus nappy bin is a great size and is designed so you don't get any nasty smells coming out. It can also be locked, so little hands can't get in;
    • rocking chair (although ours is in the lounge): this place has been great for furniture, this DAW rocking chair is cheap and comfortable (I have draped a blanket over it & a friend has put a sheepskin on hers for added comfort);
    • Baby Monitor: The Anglecare monitor has been great and gives you peace of mind as it monitors their movements (breathing, etc) and sound. We have also purchased the iBaby monitor which is a live feed.
Lotions & Potions:
  • Sudocream: this seems to be the best barrier cream for Miss P's little bum and we used it as a preventative each change. You'll get a tonne of testers so keep the little tubs and just refill so you don't lug around a huge pot
  • Nipple cream: lifesaver! I use Lansinoh
  • Colic Calm: if wind is your worst enemy, this will help combat that tight tummy and offer some relief for your little one. Warning: it is black and their nappy might have black bits in it
  • Kiwiherb Kid Calm: great for settling an overtied, unsettled bubba. I don't use it on a regular basis but its a great last resort that does calm this kid. 
  • Massage/ mouisterising: if your bubba has been 'overcooked', you may find their skin is quite dry in those early days. You might also want to gently give bubs a massage - best thing to use are natural oils such as olive oil. No nasty's and great on their skin.
Moving:
  • Pram: that you can get add-ons for (e.g. carrycot, capsule). If you are planning more than 1 child, get a pram that can carry two e.g. Phil & Teds Vibe
    • carrycot/port-a-cot: Miss P has slept in this since she came home. We set up her bassinet from the get go, but after my c-section, I couldn't reach into the bassinet. The carrycot snaps onto our pram so it was also a great 'getting-out-of-bed' aide as pulling yourself up is hard and can be painful;
    • capsule: we originally hired one from plunket, then I tried to carry it (four weeks  postpartum) and not only was it really heavy, but awkward to carry. I went and got the capsule that fits onto our pram so from the car, we snap into the pram and go! No waking Miss P, no back-breaking carrying from me;
  • Car baby mirror: this allows you to see your baby while you are driving which is so helpful!
  • Nice to have: 
    • Baby carrier: whether a wrap or front pack, these are great especially when bubs wants to be close but you need your hands.  We use this baby bjorn carrier which Miss P tolerates. We have tried a wrap (peak-a-baby wrap) however no matter how I tie it (there are 100's of youtube clips on different ways to wear it), she is not a fan
    • swiss ball: great for pregnancy and bouncing baby
Feeding:
  • Bottles: I went gung ho and brought a heap of bottles all ready for dad to be able to give Miss P a bottle at night. Miss P has had other ideas and hasn't taken a bottle yet. Other mums have told me they tried several different brands before they found one that their little would take. I spoke to my local pharmacist (& mother of 6) about different bottles and was told the Avent teats seem to be the easiest to transition to. Not too sure if that's correct, but that is the brand we originally went with.
  • Breast pump: you may need this, especially if you have an over-supply.  This helped especially when I was very full to relieve pressure, especially as Miss P couldn't keep up.  You could wait and see what your flow is like - if you have low supply you probably won't need this straight away. These can be expensive and lots of places, including the hospital hire these. For me,, I have found the Philips AVENT Comfort Single Electric Breast Pump has worked well.
  • Breast pads: I have found the washable, waterproof ones the best as I can re-use and they feel a lot nicer - Baby First Waterproof Breast Pads  
  • Nice to have:
Entertaining:
  • Nice to have:
    • Play gym: this week (week 7), Miss P has enjoyed sitting under her play gym and staring at the toys...this has meant mum & dad have been able to eat dinner together;
    • Bouncer/ swing: these can be great for giving you 5 mins to have a shower, go to the bathroom, make lunch

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