Preparing for a baby as a first time mom is overwhelming. Mom influencers and social media are very aggressive when sharing their ‘must have” baby products, claiming that it is what you’ll need too. The reality is that every mom is different and will approach motherhood from different angles. And what I have come to find out, is the things I need and use on a daily basis are not so trendy after all. That is why I wanted to share the things that I have been using, not saying that you need them, but maybe you hadn’t thought about them. They have made my life easier, specially since you are trying to find yourself as a new mom, while taking care of a whole other baby human.
I am still planning on talking about the 3rd trim and birth here on the blog, but in the meantime, you can also read my pregnancy journey here.
Silver Cups
These I used from the minute I started breastfeeding the night baby M was born. Your nipples are so sensitive, and I don’t know if all babies such that hard but M was going to town right away and the sensation was very intense. I got these initially thinking that if they weren’t going to work like the miracle people claim them to be, at least they where going to protect my super sensitive nips from rubbing against my bra. Well, they do both. Even if you get a bit bloody, the cups will help that heal so much faster. Plus they are so easy to clean, you just need hot water and that’s it!
Reusable breast pads
these I use in combination with the silver cups, (first I put on the silver cups and the reusable pad on top.) They catch all the milk that, as you will come to find out if you haven’t yet, will spill at the weirdest of times. Sometimes your boobs are full of milk but its still not time for baby to eat or he/she is asleep, so you have to wait there with leaking, rock hard boobs. These pads will absorb all that milk and avoid staining your top or bra. I love that you can dump them in the wash and they are as good as new. They are made with organic bamboo instead of plastic-y layers of the disposable ones. I have purchased one set and that has been plenty for me.
Burp cloths
M is not spitting up as much when I burp him, but I sure use my burp cloths all the time. I keep them on hand during each feeding, instead of on my shoulder I put them on M’s shoulder (on the side that is going to be at the bottom while feeding) and use them to absorb all the milk that spills during each feed. This helps me avoid so many messes, where milk spills to my bra or top and sometimes even my underwear.
Nose aspirator
I tried using the one they give you at the hospital but M hated it and I felt it was mostly useless. This one is electronic and rechargeable and has three suction levels, to collect those boogers faster. M is still not thrilled about it but he doesn’t hate it. It makes such a good job that I just don’t see us switching to something else, it also comes with a plastic set of tweezers which I use when there’s a stubborn booger that doesn’t want to come out, but I usually go in and out like a ninja before he even registers what is happening because I am terrified of hurting his nose with them. It also has a colorful light and a song to help distract baby while going to town.
Tumbler
I used this one since pregnancy and honestly, didn’t get it soon enough. I couldn’t commit to an overpriced tumbler, but when I found this one for less than half the price, I had to get it. During pregnancy you need tons of water so this tumbler helps avoid having to constantly refill it, and when your baby is born, you will find yourself trapped under a baby more often than not, so less trips to the fridge (or anywhere where you refill your cup really.) The one thing I had to do is exchange the straw for a stainless steel one because I don’t like plastic that much as you know, and since I use it 24/7, I figured it needed to be addressed.
Nursing bras
These I purchased since I was pregnant, I just didn’t see the point in getting new bigger bras for pregnancy and then nursing bras for after having M. These are soft, comfortable and easy to open the clasp even with one hand, which is very useful. They come with extenders which I did use while pregnant and with removable pads, which I removed completely. I originally was looking for cotton ones, preferably organic, but I found even the most expensive nursing bras weren’t cotton. And now that I am in the thick of it, I’m glad I didn’t get those pricier ones. These bras are getting a beating! Between me sweating like crazy and milk accidents, I need to not feel bad about throwing them in the wash/dryer often.
Night light
One thing we are not using so much anymore but was so useful during the first weeks was this night light. With just a touch you turn it on and off or dim or brighten the light. It is small but mighty, giving a soft warm light, and saved us during middle of the night diaper changes and feedings. I feel like it would be a great light to bring on trips and when he is older in case he gets scared at night.
Crib/Play Pen
Since we wanted him to sleep with us in our room (not co-sleep) I was looking for something that smaller than his actual crib. At first I was thinking of a bassinet but the weight limits had me thinking that we were going to still need to get something else in a short time. so it wasn’t sustainable.
We wanted to be able to move it around the whole first floor while he napped/played. And even though it ended up not fitting through the door frame, it is still light enough so we can carry it and turn it to make it fit. You can elevate the mattress for when baby is small and one of the sides of the pen opens halfway in case you want to attach it to your bed, and make it easier to check on baby.
It comes with a little tray like situation to keep diapers, wipes and other things you might need for diaper changes. Plus it has the changing table that attaches to the top. It is not the perfect crib but it has been very useful, and I like that it transitions to a play pen so that we can use it for longer than only a couple of months.
This is also the one that we’ll be taking with us for trips (if we are driving). You need to get the mattress separately as with all cribs, ours is double sided for when he uses it as a play pen. It is no longer available but I am attaching one similar for you.
Oxi Booster for Laundry
This is the last thing that has helped me so much. You know there’s the occasional poo-splosion. Well, this is just the thing to get that nasty stain out. All I do is rinse the area of the clothing with water to get all the excess first. Then I fill up the sink with maybe 1/2″ inch of hot water and sprinkle a bit this directly on the stain. I then proceed to forget about it, usually a few hours. By the time I remember the stain is gone. I then rinse it, let it dry before dumping it with the rest of the dirty laundry. So far all his clothes still look like new, even with some pretty epic blow outs.
Even though I’ll include it on another post, I still wanted to include it here. It has saved me so much time. Cleaning those messes can get overwhelming. Being able to leave the clothes alone while tending to your baby is a win for me.
One other thing that helped me was that I had other things already saved on a list just in case. I had made some research while pregnant but wasn’t sure if it was going to work for us. Most things I didn’t end up needing but I’m glad I had them saved them for ease of mind.
That is it! As you can see these are all kind of simple items but for me they have made all the difference. When you are in that newborn stage, practicality is better than anything else. Little by little, you start feeling more at ease and more confident as a mother. You can do this!
