This list does not cover basic baby needs like a crib, 12 receiving blankets, a changing table, diaper wipes, etc but is a list of tools that I found made my life as a new mother a whole lot easier. Some are little luxuries, some are cheap, but ALL proved to go the extra mile-so far anyways. Each thing was money well spent and used on a daily basis. and of course, what worked for me, doesn't mean you will like it, so of course take these recommendations with a grain of salt. All I can say is I give these products thus far my seal of Pocket Approval. I would be interested to see if you have any other recommendations, too! Enjoy!
-Lansinoh Nipple Cream $10
Are you planning on breast feeding? Most likely the hospital will give you some (at least they did at my hospital) but I was smart enough to put it in my hospital bag as I was frantically getting ready to leave my house that cold January night. I have heard that you can start putting it on a week or two before your due date but I never did. I was dedicated to nursing from the get go but was surprised that it didn't come easily. This stuff really helped in keeping my skin moisturized.
-SwaddleMe by Kiddopotomus $10
These 'blankets' are truly a godsend. My sister-in-law gave me one and I remembered looking at it and thinking "this is a little weird looking" but I gave it a shot, and lo and behold, this product was amazing. I never quite mastered the art of swaddling Pita and this has velcro fasteners that make it a snap. I have heard that some babies can wiggle their way out of this product but I never had a problem with it. Also, you can use it with a car seat to keep your baby snug for car trips. Pita was in the .05% of babies that hated riding in the car but the SwaddleMe kept her quiet and happy. These better-than-recieving blankets I've only ever found them at Babies R Us or online. I weep at the fact that Pita is too big for them now. She flips over and sleeps on her tummy which means, no more swaddling. booo. hisss.
-1 can of formula and a bottle.
Even though I was against formula feeding, I was really lucky to have this to fall back on when I got food poisoning 8 days after Pita was born. We only gave her one bottle of formula but it was so great to have on hand in an emergency. And crawling through the aisles of the grocery store puking and looking for formula was not an option. This was a must to have on hand.
-DVD of the Happiest Baby on the Block $25
This is also a book but our pediatrician recommended the movie. This DVD teaches you how to calm your screaming baby in a matter of seconds. Our baby was so fussy that we had to follow all techniques to calm her down but we really saw the results. You should check out the reviews on Amazon and then i think you will see just how good this dvd is. This will be what I give all my friends for baby shower gifts because it is so amazing.
-Fels Naptha stain remover $2
A friend of mine gave me this and swore up and down how great this product was. It looks like a big bar of soap that seems to get out every kind of stain. It works wonders with poop and blood and we have used it down to a tiny nub. I have NOT tried it on baby food stains yet so I can't comment on that. We can only seem to find it at Fred Meyers/Smiths.
-Boppy and at least 1 cover. $40 Not only is this great for breastfeeding but as she gets a little bit older you can put it on the floor and prop her up so she can do tummy time. Be sure to bring this to the hospital if you plan on using it for breast feeding. I forgot mine and i was constantly propping Pita up on pillows. I have heard the My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow works well too. Your thoughts?
-Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump. (insurance covered my pump 100%) Love it. Most people I know end up buying the Medela but I really like my Ameda. It's cheaper too.
-“How to Photograph Your Baby” by Nick Kelsh $18. EVERY parent should have this book. Worth every penny and makes all the difference from taking bad snapshots to beautiful works of art. I use the concepts from this book every time I take photos of Pita. hey, at least pick it up at the library if you prefer.
-The Boon Spoon Squirt $8 Oh sweet awesomeness, grab yourself a couple of these already! The handle opens up and you can put 3 oz of baby food inside. When it comes to feeding time, just squeeze a little food onto the spoon and baby gets a fresh bite of yummyness! Portable and makes feeding Pita super easy because I have my other hand to keep her hands away from her face. Plus, whatever she doesn't eat, you put the protective cover over the spoon and save it for later, because her saliva doesn't get inside the handle, you can reuse the food! Just be sure to refridgerate the Boon Spoon with any remaining food. our dog, Luna, endorses this product too. She ended up eating one. We now have 2...and Luna is ok.
-Oxo Tooli, rechargeable night lights $28
We bought the blue and green set of two. There was a time when we would need to turn on Pita's table lamp in her bedroom in the middle of the night to feed and change her. Even though it was a small lamp, it gave off enough light to wake the dead and we would then have a baby who was wide awake and wanted to play. I did a little research and found these little guys that have made all the difference. Tooli's come in either blue and green or pink and orange and they give off just enough light to see what you are doing at night but not enough to rouse your tot. They are totally portable and give off light for over 8 hours. Then just recharge them on their recharging dock. Sure, they are a little spendy but totally worth it. We keep one in Pita's room and one in ours and when she cries I just carry mine down the hall and take care of things. We have used ours camping, too. So great!
I will be updating the list as i find more neat things. Do you have anything to add?
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