Every parents has tips, tricks, and products that I have worked for them. We were lucky to receive SO many gifts from friends and family that we did not have to buy an insane amount of baby swag ourselves.
Here is my list of our essentials. These are the things that have made starting out so much more cozy, fun, easy, and comfortable.
- A bouncer. This one is from Fisher Price, we got it as a gift from my wonderful friend, sorority sister, and bridesmaid Jenna. Noah slept in it for the first 3 weeks, now he loves to sit in it and watch his birds. It vibrates, has nature noises, and plays music. LOVE this thing! My Mom got one to have at her house!
- Aden and Anais swaddle blankets. Noah was 22 inches long when he was born! These blankies keep him wrapped snugly and sleeping soundly. They are so soft and just keep getting softer with each use and wash.
- Sleepers. Lots of them. We got a lot of cute outfits for Noah. Everyone wants to buy tiny shoes, polo shirts, fedoras, and sweater vests. These are without a doubt adorable, however, at home where we spend most of our time these days, he is just more comfortable in something cozy, easy on and off, and washable. Get the type that are footed AND have foldover handmitts... the true definition of a ONE piece!
- The right bottle. Noah is hungry. I mean REALLY hungry. Sometimes he gets a little gulpy and this supports the elimination of excess gas.
- The right soother. Babies are funny about letting you know what they like and what they don't like. These are what my baby likes, I have heard similar stories from other moms. Good thing they are cheap and available at our local grocery!
- A baby wrap. For the times that I haven't wanted to lug around the carseat, this wrap is awesome. It is so cozy and Noah has typically stayed asleep while I have "worn" him around places like Target and to get frozen yogurt.
- A bassinet or cradle until it is time for the crib. My mom got us the amazing Moses basket from restoration hardware. It is what Noah sleeps in right now, and is great on it's stand as a cradle or portable as a basket.
- A drying rack for bottles, binkies, aspirators and the like. This one from boon is great, and we have added "stem" and "twig" attachments. Cute and fun!
Burp cloths. There are so many fancy ones out there that cost an arm and a leg. The truth about these is that you will need a TON of them and you will be washing them all the time! We went with what my Mom used: white cloth diapers.
Of course, there are diapers. This seems to be one product of which every parent has their favorite. We are using Luvs, they are cheap and they hold a lot. They have these special inner elastic boundaries that really seem to keep things where they belong; in the diaper. Amazon has great prices and delivers to your door, score.
- Tunes. Babies need lullabies. So whether you sing, hum, or play some yourself (oboe probably isn't the best!) You can lull your babe with some sweet music. Noah really likes his Disney lullabies as well as Kenny Loggins' "Return to Pooh Corner".
- A playmat. During his active periods of the day, Noah really likes this mat. He moves to the music, and loves to look at himself in the mirror! It has great, bright colors, and the mat is easy to detach and throw in the washer!
- Gripe water. Sometimes despite special bottles and diligent burping, baby Noah gets gassy and nothing makes him more upset. This takes care of him quickly and is homeopathic... what more could a mom ask for?
- Disposable changing pads. You never know where you may need to change your little one. I found this out very quickly. These are also great to lay down on the changing table at home if you know that your baby has done a particularly dirty diaper.
These are just a few of the things that we have been using on a daily basis, what are the things that you and your baby can't live without?
