Must haves for surviving the first month with a baby

Hey Friends and Family!

Now that I've had a baby for a couple month (almost 3 now wow!) I think I've got a grasp on what I use and love regularly. Also my sister is due with her first baby in May (and after TWO tries we STILL don't know if the baby will be a niece or nephew! Such a stubborn baby!) With this in mind I thought I'd put a post together a check list of sorts of what I feel are the MUST HAVES for the first few month. I'll also include some nice to haves and explain why.

Also, alot of this post will be directed to my sister since she's expecting so yeah.. you'll have to deal with that haha. And, I'm going to try to focus on gender neutral type stuff since we don't know what she's having yet!

Firstly, the things you want for YOURSELF:
Free stuff from the hospital: 

• That squirt bottle they give you to clean yourself with- I tore like crazy after birth so wiping wasn't an option for a few weeks as I healed. Plus we now use the bottle as a water holder to wet our cloth wipes with with our cloth diapering so duel use!!
• The tiny rectangle bucket - we used this for Teagan's sponge baths while we were waiting for her umbilical stump to come off
• As much of the "lady diapers" as I could get my hands on! - with a sore under area the extra padding was nice until I was healed up enough to switch to regular pads. 
• As much of the free nipple cream samples as I could get from the lactation consultants- Teagan DESTROYED my nipples and the little sample sizes are great for the diaper bag! 

Stuff to have at home:

• TUCKS witch hazel pads- I got these in the hospital after they stitched me up, this stuff is great for your down there area, takes off the burn and its a cooling agent. Its found in the hemorrhoid isle.... which btw... if you are like me and get one after birth they are great for those too!
• DERMOPLAST - This is another item the hospital started me off (Worked GREAT in the hospital right after the birth) on and does the same thing that Tucks does along with numbing your lady area, but I only used it for the first week and then exclusively used the Tucks. 
• Medication prescribed: ok so this is a given but I wasn't aloud to drive for two weeks after the birth so make sure you have your spouse or family or whoever is helping out fill and pick up your prescriptions and TAKE them until the pain is gone! It doesn't help you to be in more pain then necessary when you are trying to take care of your new little one. They wont prescribe pain medication that is a hindrance to the baby through your milk supply so don't try to be proud. 
• Pads- you will eventually run out of what I like to call the lady diapers and then have to go back to pads (sorry tampon wearers! you are not aloud to wear them for a while after birth!) so stock up on some really good absorbent ones!
• Button down shirts or loose fitting shirts- these will help so much with breast feeding! 
• Easy pre prepared meals your spouse can just throw in the crock pot or oven.- before I had Teagan I put some meals together like soup, lasagna, some freezer crock pot meals that the hubby could just throw in the oven or cook for us (otherwise we would have starved) because trust me, that first week (at least! especially if you tear like me) all you focus on is feeding the baby, getting some sleep, and maybe sometimes taking a shower.

CLOTHES 

Diapers:

Yes this is a DUH but apparently some people go to the hospital and don't have any. Yes the hospital will give you some, but if you want to use a specific brand or type (disposable or cloth...although we did not use cloth until after we left the hospital I did make sure we had our specific brand at the hospital and asked them to donate the pack they had planned to use) make sure you tell people who are going to your showers so you don't have a bunch of different kinds and have to make trips back to the store to make returns. Trust me the LAST thing you want to do the last couple weeks before birth, OR the next few weeks after is go to stores and stand in the customer service line! Also, since my baby grew so quickly I would NOT ask for newborn sizes, I would ask for lots of the bigger sizes and just buy the newborn sizes as needed. (Mine grew out of hers within a couple weeks!)

Onesies (must have):

Next are Onesies that open Easily from Both the bottom legs. For example These:

are super cute, but a PAIN IN THE BUTT at night when trying to change a diaper. The baby's right leg is SOOO much harder to get out, there's lots of yanking involved and I feel like I'm pulling Teagan's leg out at a weird angle. 

SEE basically a naked baby!

Not to mention She's basically naked when I'm trying to change her, AND since I had a winter baby, it sucks to watch your baby cry because she's COLD and not because she's wet... Just saying... Even though the zipper is really nice and quick, the one leg just isn't diaper friendly for a newborn that spends most its time sleeping! 

I like the following types of onesies MUCH BETTER: 

I actually have come to love these ones that snap down both legs. Some people say they don't like the gaps left in between the snaps but I like to call those ventilation. Babies have gas too people and no one likes a "dutchoven!" I've only had a couple times where Teagan's foot poked out when she was bigger then a newborn size but her legs weren't quite a 3 month length.  So seester I'd recommend a few of these in newborn and ALOT in 3 months and up. 

Now this type of gown I'm 50/50 on. I like the easy access for the diaper changes, but my baby LOVED spitting up in these so she didn't wear them for long haha. These are GREAT for longevity because most of these are one size and will last through MANY months! Its also daddy friendly becasue they dont have to deal with snaps or zippers and just have to pull up the gown to change a diaper (if you can get them to change one). So sister this is a really good one for your little one! I would just recommend socks if it gets chilly (but you ((sister)) are having a spring/summer baby so it shouldn't be that big of a deal). One down side to this is they are not car seat friendly, you'd have to expose the little one's legs; but you can still cover the legs up with a blanket if forced.

Lastly I loved these at the hospital but we didn't have any of our own and the hospital asked that we not take them. For you seester this will be great for your warm weather'd baby. They are little shirts that do a cross body snap closure and leave the bottom of the baby alone. This is great for the hospital because they are always doing some test that involve undressing the baby and with this its super simple in conjunction to a blanket swaddle. No fuss no mess. We would have bought some of these for our baby if we didn't A: have a BUNCH of the other onesies above and B: have a winter baby and felt she needed the extra layer of warmth. So this one is defiantly a nice to have and not a must.

BEDTIME

Swaddles (must):

Muslin swaddle blankets  are great for the daytime for my baby. I can get a good 45 min to sometimes 2 hour naps with them. BUT my baby is a little Houdini and can get her arms out of them after wiggling a bit and wakes up so they don't work for night sleeps. They are also great for burp cloths and blankets/ covers for the carseat. I like these because you really get your money's worth out of them with all the uses you get out of them! I'd recommend one 4 pack weather it be aden and anais or a store brand set (I have both and they both work great). I've never gone through all of them at one time so that's why I'd only recommend one set. 

Swaddle me (my personal favorite) has worked great for us! These are little pods you put your baby in and velcro wrap the arms down securely. They come in different types. The pod - looks like a peanut, you but the baby in and zip it closed. It only comes in newborn size.. I really think its a waste of money because of this (Seester don't buy it, you're getting mine). But the next stage (stage 2- the "original swaddle") comes in a sm/md and lg size and you get a lot more use out of. Plus these ones are often sold in three packs and are pretty affordable. Teagan sleeps REALLY well in these for night sleeping! She can't wiggle her arms out and because of this she averages around 7-8 hours of sleep strait a night. And she's been sleeping these hours since she was around 6 weeks old... so take it from me.. its a MUST HAVE and it works! 

Halo Sleep Sack is one of the swaddles I bought because everyone else liked it. And I have to say the one I have... I dont like it. They are great in theory, they are supposed to be used through the transition of getting out of the swaddle and into sleeping with arms free when the baby can roll over. Now this is great.. if my child wasn't a giant. She's almost grown out of the size requirements of the size small and has always been able to get her hands out and it wakes her up. Once the baby can roll over the wrap part just goes around the torso (see pics below) one arm introduced out at a time until the baby can sleep with both arms out. Well since I've never had a successful night with the swaddle part and Teagan is getting too big to make it to the next stage my sister is also getting sent this size small. I may revisit the next size up for purchase when she starts rolling over. But for now it is a nice to have; especially since just ONE of these costs the same as TWO of the swaddle me's. Seester hopefully you have more luck with it then I did! (PS buy these at target, any other place they are more expensive! weird right?) 

Crib (must):

Ok yes this is also a DUH but I'm not talking about the crib in the baby's room. I'm talking about the one you use in YOUR room the first few months. For me and my hubby, it's not realistic to have Teagan in her room until she's probably able to sleep through the night AFTER she's figured out how to roll over. This is because we have a very large house and her room is on the other side of the house and we wouldn't be able to hear her cries if she woke up. Yes we have a monitor, but I'd rather be close to her and get to her before she gets too upset to quickly console back to sleep. Plus I'd have a hard time getting back to sleep if I had to wake up and walk ALL THE WAY to the other side of the house. Think about it.. not all babies are like mine and sleep 7-8 hours through the night so soon... they wake up every 2-4 hours for diaper changes or boob... you want to walk around your house THAT much all night???... just saying

SOOOO off my soapbox, whether it be a bassinet or a portable crib like we have. I'd highly recommend a SAFE (do NOT sleep with your baby IN your bed with you!!) sleeping spot in your room for these first months. You'll thank me later. 

Crib Sheet Protector liner (must have):

These are great! I'd get two, one for the wash and one for the crib. This wonderful thing is great for those nights your baby sleeps REALLY DEAPLY and overflows her diaper. It saves you from having to strip the crib and change the sheet and clean the mattress. OR we used it around her head area for a while because she would pass out and spit up or drool like crazy so I was changing sheets nightly (it got old). 

On a side note I'd also add a mattress protector cover. Just like I have one on my mattress, I got one for Teagan's. It blocks allergens and is an extra (usually) waterproof cover against body fluids. 

Crib Sheet (Must have): 

This is a given but I would definitely get like three of these. You'll either go through a few weeks of not needing to change out the sheet, or you'll go through all of them in like 2 days. At a minimum have two. Trust me you don't want to have to stay up waiting for the laundry to finish just for a crib sheet. Plus these are a great way to accessorize your baby's room! For instance our sheets are in the white, yellow, and grey theme because of Teagan's room. 

OUT AND ABOUT

Baby wearer (Nice to have):

These personally I LOVE. I have an Ergo Baby carrier and infant insert for my husband and a boba wrap for myself. These are a nice to have because you can put your baby down or in a car seat. But, I love being able to carry around Teagan when we go to the store and have two hands free and don't have to push around the stroller or have the car seat take up a bunch of extra room. Plus there are bunches of benefits to baby wearing (maybe I'll do a separate post) but mostly I love it because I can keep an eye on Teagan and still get stuff done. OR when I'm at the store it keeps those weird strangers who think they have a right to breath all over my baby away from her face because they are less likely to invade my personal space. 

Diaper bag of some kind (must):

My diaper bag is a bag from the company Thirtyone and  works great for my cloth diapering. It's big and roomy and even has Teagan's name engraved in it. PLUS!! it didn't cost an arm and a leg. Yes you need SOMETHING to carry all your stuff in BUT you DONT have to spend alot of money on some fancy "diaper bag." Just find what works for you. If you want to spend lots of money, hey I'm not going to judge you, but I just think the extra money could be spent on other things. 

FEEDING

Boppy (nice to have):

Nursing pillows are AWESOME but not 100% necessary. I like mine and even have two covers I switch out after they've been spit up on. BUT I've also used couch pillows or regular pillows and even a rolled up sweat shirt to prop Teagan up to feed her. I've also liked it because when Teagan is being especially cuddly she'll sleep on the boppy when its on my lap.. so yeah I like it.. but its not 100% necessary to feed a baby. Oh! and its a great neck nap pillow for me sometimes (think extra large travel pillow haha)

Breast pump (must have... if breastfeeding):

I'm not going to be the person to say formula baby's miss out or are bad. Every mom gets a choice and do what works for them.

BUT for those who DO plan on breastfeeding this is a MUST, especially the first month. Your chest is trying to figure out your baby's needs and schedule and engorgement SUCKS AANNND it HURTS so bad! For me I had to call the company and get different sized pieces to make it fit my chest correctly to make it work right. And even then I ended up buying a manual pump because I was just not as successful with my electric pump. 

So first get a really good breast pump; most insurances cover the cost of one now, or like mine they will just send you one. Second: make sure after the baby comes that you get with someone who knows how they should work and learn how to use them. Third: make sure it fits you correctly! This I would say is the most important part! Just like you have a different bra size then other ladies.. you may not be the "average" attachment size for the pump and because of that, may not be able to pump successfully until you get the right fit so don't give up. Personally it took me getting new parts twice until I had a good fit. and finally Fourth: don't give up

Nursing Cover (Nice to have):

Now this is a nice to have if you prefer to coverup while feeding, but if your baby doesn't like to be covered up (it gets hot under the cover!! Especially here in Arizona!) know it if you right to breast feed openly in public! You as a mother in EVERY STATE have the right to feed in public. Just google breast feeding laws and you can find the specifics for your state. Some states are WAY more accommodating then others (like California ((SEESTER)) you can get out of jury duty if you are breastfeeding!) and then some (like mine) simply state you have the right to breastfeed in public without being charged with indecent exposure.  Personally I have a cover I use in public because Teagan doesn't stay latched the whole time. She will feed for a bit, then look around and coo... meanwhile my boob is hanging out... so yeah I use a cover in public. Or, I'll find a room to feed her in; some malls have nursing lounges or I'll find a changing room or I'll hang out in my car where I can use a sun shield as a little privacy maker. 

BATH and Potty

Baby Bathtub (nice to have):

I have to admit I REALLY like my 4moms bathtub but I would probably have done fine without it. BUT if I didn't get the tub I defiantly would have gotten the 4moms spout cover to know the water temperature. The tub we have is great, it fits over my kitchen sink and collects water on one side that tells you if the temperature of the water is a safe time, and once it is you plug up that side and it flows to the other side (where the baby is) and you are able to bath your baby in a safe temp. This one I have IS pricy so you could get a regular tub or baby holder that goes in a tub and coincide it with the temp spout cover...  Or you can use a sink those work too, I'm pretty sure I was washed in a sink so there is that.. like I said its nice to have an infant tub, babies are squirmy and little and that extra support is very helpful with the recline so you can use both hands for scrubbing (or in my case one for scrubbing, one for recording her adorable faces she makes while in the water).

Hooded Towels (nice to have): 

These are super cute, but not necessary. You really can just use any towels you have around the house. But if you do want them I'd recommend at least two. 

Baby wash cloths (Nice to have): 

Like the towel's I'm sure you have wash cloths laying around your house, so really these aren't 100% necessary. BUT! I do like having them on hand to clean up spit up. When I cant find a burp cloth and Teagan spits up, these little rags are pretty handy for cleaning her face. Oh and if you cloth diaper they are great for cloth wipes! 

Changing pad  (Nice to have):

These are great and not too expensive. Most of them are contoured with raised edges to help keep your baby from rolling off. They are also easily wiped down AND you can get a bunch of different colored covers for them. - we have two and switch them out for cleaning. But they aren't completely necessary because at some point you pretty much change your kid wherever. 

• That being said you do need a portable changing pad for your diaper bag! there are some that fold down, some store wipes and spare diapers, and some have little clutches THIS is the one we got and I LOVE it!! 

Changing pad liner (MUST HAVE):

Changing pads are great to have, but not necessary because at some point EVERY surface is a changing station. I would recommend the changing pad for diaper bag and the changing pad liners as a bear minimum. When we are down stairs the liner goes on the couch and that's the changing pad. Upstairs I do have a changing pad complete with liner. These liners come in a three pack, and I have gone through all three on one particularly poopy day.

Other conveniences 

Swing and bouncer (VERY NICE to have):

I LOVE my swing/ bouncer combo by Graco. Swings are nice, bouncers are nice.. but a COMBO?!?!? those are AWESOME! I got mine off amazon (best deal.. check the link) and love it. Yes a baby doesn't HAVE to be in a swing or bouncer, but I really like that I can safely secure Teagan and have her nap a couple times a day in it. It vibrates, rocks, reclines and sits up, plays music, different nature sounds... and the best part is when I don't want her to swing, it detaches and then is a bouncer!! It has the option of battery operated or plugging into a wall.. most swings we looked at you have to get an adaptor separate so that's another plus! Depending on what bouncer or rocker you get, this one can cost roughly the same so it more about preference. But I think it should also be noted that when you get this combo it takes up less room then two items!

Well that's all I can remember for now! (If I think of anything else I'll post an update to add!) Hope this helps!

Until next time!
Bre and Teagan