What do you need for a newborn?
We're expecting our first baby next month and are starting to stock up on what we think we'll need. There are so many products out there that it's a bit overwhelming and we would love some recommendations from those that have been there. What are your 'must have' items for the first few weeks at home with a newborn? What did you find most useful? Anything you bought that you really didn't need/use?
Thanks!
5 Answers
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We found having a bouncer chair was a big help in giving our daughter a safe place to sit or sleep that also helped calm her down.
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Funny, Carl. Great answer, but have to submit that we found our bouncy chair entirely useless with our first. He never liked being reclined, in the bouncy chair, in a carseat, whatnot, wanted to sit up and see the world. Our second liked it more, and I could see the value of having a portable place to put her down, but it still wouldn't be a "can't do without-er" for us.
With both our kids, our best purchase was the Baby Bjorn (and later the Ergo). They both liked to be carried close, first inward then outward, and it was a nice way to get things done around the house, go for walks etc. I really liked having them close too. The Ergo seems to work best for older kids (at least without the infant insert), and we found it to be way more useful, lighter and comfortable than a hiking carrier pack (that I wish we didn't buy). As for carriers, you might try a place / session where you can try on a few and see what works for you. I know for some more petite friends of ours, they like the feel of the Ergo, but it's hanging too low on her and makes it hard to bend / squat / sit, while the Bjorn is fine. Note: baby has to be 8 lbs I think before s/he can go in the Baby Bjorn, so might be after the first couple of weeks...
For the first couple of weeks, consider anything that will make you happy to get out of the house - whether it's a cool / comfortable diaper bag, stroller, or carrier. Just go! (well, maybe give yourself a week or two to recover physically... but then just go! :)
It was nice to have a changing table up high. I thought we could do without, but getting the baby high and secure for changes was a plus, one less time to bend.
We didn't need the crib we'd purchased for a longwhile. Instead we used the Arm's Reach portable crib as a "co-sleeper" - fastens to the parents' bed with one side low so that you can reach in and pick up the baby without coming fully awake. We used it for 3 months with the first (gradually moving it farther away from the bed), and then 6 months with the second (and we still use it for her naps so her naps can overlap her brother's in another room without them disturbing each other on waking). We just happened to get the larger size Arm's Reach, which is the same size and can function the same as your average Pack N' Play. Now we also bring it sometimes when we travel... (though getting relatives to invest in their own pack n' play or similar makes traveling to see them much easier ;)
For Colicky Babies (which hopefully you won't have)
One gem find was the Miracle Blanket - makes it really easy (idiot / exhausted parent - proof) to swaddle the baby securely, which with our first (who was colicky) was a dream. Also, we found an average every day sit-able fitness ball to be wonderful for gently bouncing the baby - our babies both preferred bouncing up and down to the forward-back motion of the glider - and the fitness ball made constant motion easier on our legs & back than standing. The thing that taught us - really - how to soothe a fussy baby was the 1-hour Happiest Baby on the Block DVD (not the book, DVD is quicker and much more explanatory. Also, watching sad babies get soothed and comforted quickly and easily - we found super-inspiring :).
For Nursing
I was passed down a boppy, but it didn't work for me - kept sliding out, or rolling the baby inward into the wrong position. It's a bit intimidating looking, and the name is embarrasing(!), but the My Breast Friend was an awesome, perfect, wonderful baby support pillow for me. I'd recommend not buying anything though, but getting to a breastfeeding support group at the local hospital or parenting location (Day One or Blossom Birth around here) as soon as possible if you're having any trouble at all, and trying out different nursing pillows there.
Some discreet nursing tops also came in handy. @Katja, what was that Canadian company you introduced me to?
More than a product...
Along those lines, the best thing for me was not any single or set of products per se, but getting to a mom's group asap. With the first, it took me 8 weeks and I wish I'd gone sooner! The Blossom Birth mom's group was my introduction not just to my baby (what's normal, what to pay attention to, what to not worry about) but to myself (how do I become a parent?) - plus it gave me people, friends, to do things with while on maternity leave and reason to get out of the house. Which my baby super-appreciated ;)
Congratulations Laura! And good luck!
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Yes, my "must-haves" (many shared with Andrea)
- A sling of some sort. Personally I hated the Baby Bjorn because I found it very uncomfortable and baby seemed to sit in it unnaturally. Some have said that the Bjorn puts undue stress on the wrong place of the baby's crotch and forces their legs to splay out funny. When the kids were newborns, I preferred a pouch sling similar to this. As the kids are older now, we also have switched to the Ergo.
- A swing. Likewise, my kids didn't like the bouncer chair, but loved the swing.
- Swaddling blankets
- Pacifiers
- My Brest Friend nursing pillow.
- sleep positioner
- Comfortable nursing chair with nursing stool. Yes, the specialized nursing stool actually made quite a difference because it puts your feet and knees at the proper angle to support nursing pillow and baby especially in the cross-cradle hold.
- Mom's group! I loved the one from Day One.
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Many breastfeeding moms feel a bit shy and like to cover themselves up with any of those many hooter hider blanket shawls. I was happy enough with a good nursing tee - I liked the ones sold at www.momzelle.com, for instance.
I opted for the Mobi wrap as a carrying device. It was not as easy to take on and off (because of trailing ends) but it was very comfy to wear and baby loved to sleep in it and could be tucked in nicely. For summer, though, I wish I had not got the dark brown color. A paler color would have been nice.
We loved our LARGE flannel swaddleme swaddling blankets, as well as a big yoga ball and the "happiest baby on the block" dvd - useful from the very first day on. We had a cradle next to the bed, same level as bed - very convenient.
I started pumping milk for daddy to give to baby at 3 weeks, and I am glad I invested in a good Medela pump. I got the double electric backpack model - now I wish I'd taken the shoulderbag model. The times I was carrying it, I had another backpack as well... When I went to work, I got another 2nd hand pump to keep at work (an Ameda - noisy but ok), which was fabulously worth it.
Two of the most successful early toys were Sophie the teething giraffe and Mortimer the Moose by Lamaze. When travelling at 3 months, the moose was the top thing packed in my carry-on. The Wee Gallery art cards for baby were also really nice! Fun to watch the baby "see" a picture for the first time.
A nice set of burp cloths is also good to have. We ended up having one draped on every piece of furniture in the living room, so it made sense having them look nice. I had bought also regular cloth diapers for the purpose, but didn't use them that much because of aesthetics. We also used cloth wipes for diaper changes early on, as we had some skin sensitivity issues.
Summer Infant has a little nice bath tub that we bought and liked (we never used the shower attachment, tho). It's - if you care - actually made in the US! Still in use. The temp sensor strip is nice.
Lastly, I have to recommend a membership at the YMCA. You can take your child to their child watch services from 6 or 7 weeks on, and it's a fabulous, fabulous way to get some exercise, a little break in your day, and hang out with grownups for a moment. Even better if you can get friends to go to a pilates class with you.
Even more lastly: the little mino flip digital video camera. It's wonderful to capture little clips of what they are doing (or when they are doing nothing). Also totally worth investing in a photo shoot once the baby acne clears, or before it hits, or whenever family comes to visit to have pictures together.
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First of all - congratulations! Get ready for the best thing in your life. :-)
Second, onto your question and some of the stuff we found we can't live without:
- A copy of Baby Bargains - great book that helps to sort through the quagmire of baby gear that's out there and hone in on the good stuff
- Bjorn carrier - we got one with lumbar support and that really helps
- Graco snugride 32 and frame stroller - this stroller frame is only 10 pounds and baby adds more. The travel systems look tempting until you realize how often you're going to need to get the darn thing in and out of the car. One recommendation when testing strollers is to bring some books, heavy ones, with you. Place them in the stroller/carrier. That way, you can test how heavy it could be once baby's on board.
- Bath towels and wash cloths - good to have a bunch of hoodie towels and lots of little cloths for bath time
- Glider/rocking chair with removeable fabric - our rocking chair is lovely but you can't remove the fabric off of the pillows. One very explosive night turned into a Coit call the next morning. Would have been great if the fabric came off and we could take it to a dry cleaner.
- If you plan on nursing, button down shirts or cardigans are really helpful. Baby will cover you while nursing and the buttons make for easy access. I forget who makes it but Motherhood Maternity carries these tank tops that have straps like a nursing bra. Friends of mine own them in every color. You can wear them just like a regular shirt - no need to layer (unless it's cold out, of course <grin>).
- We love our video monitor. It's compact, it attached to the wall in the baby's room and the other piece wireless so you can carry it around the house. Image is b/w but sufficient, sound quality pretty good.
Consider joining a mom's group too. I go to Blossom Birth and love it. No topic is off limits and the other moms are a great group of ladies - the babies are fun too and wonderful motivators for each other.
:-)
