There are about a billion unknowns that come with having a baby. One of them is, "What kind of stuff am I going to need?" Since Tuck came early, we weren't exactly prepared. I had my sister in law Jamie compile me a list before I registered that really helped and then from my own experience of being a mother now, I can say I know what has worked for us and what we like. I want to make a list for my own future's sake or anyone who is curious about what I think in regards to baby preparedness. :)
1. A good rocker/glider: We have a rocking recliner that is in the nursery for Tuck. We were gifted one from Big Lots (!) by my in laws and it is absolutely so perfect and comfortable. Tuck was in the NICU for almost two weeks and that, along with a few other things, affected his ability to nurse. Tried as I might, he just wouldn't. So, I thought, this chair really isn't going to get utilized as much then. Wrong! It was so nice to have this rocker/recliner for those early mornings when we would fall back asleep with him on my chest. And Taylor loves it for doing Tucker's night time feedings. And now, we just sit in the chair before naptime and have a little chat and story time. So whether or not you plan on nursing, I would invest in a really comfortable chair because you will probably spend a lot of time in it!
2. Boppy pillow: This is a no-brainer, I feel like. Pretty much every new mom that I know of gets one. I used it when we attempted to nurse. But besides that, it has been super nice to place around him while he was unsteady with sitting- so if he fell it almost always caught him. And when they are smaller, you can used it for tummy time as well. And now that Tuck can give himself his own bottle, we prop him up in the Boppy and he is supported enough to feed himself!...until he rolls to his tummy :)
3. Swing or something similar: I know some people feel this isn't necessary. However. If you want to get things done around the house, a swing or rocker of some sort is super nice! We had the Fisher-Price monkey one. It swang in different directions and played music and had a mirror/mobile. And it plugged in- which meant no need for batteries! Sometimes Tuck would nap for hours in the swing. And when he figure out how to look up, he loved seeing himself in the mirror and watching the mobile turn.
4. Lots of blankets: Ok, I know mom's don't really love receiving a million blankets, but if you're anything like us, you will utilize ALL of them. Not at the same time, obviously. We received probably 12 or more blankets total. When your baby is small, it's super nice to have a really soft, smaller blanket to wrap them in. And as they get bigger you can use a bigger blanket. We would use the blankets to cover him while he was in the stroller or carseat, as well. We have different blankets that we use for playtime, too. I have a few I rotate out. Every day when he wakes up I'll lay the blanket out on the floor and spread some toys out. This saves your rugs/carpet from any spit-up moments that happen. And the ones that they use at night have to get rotated every so often for this very reason as well. Babies will spit up in the night or pee through their diaper and wet their swaddle/blanket/sheet.
5. A few different crib sheets: We have a total of four or five crib sheets. We change them if they ever get dirty from the previously mentioned reasons. :)
6. Baby carrier: When your baby is small, this is an ideal way to get things done around the house while still comforting your little one. We have the Infantino baby carrier and a Moby wrap. (I know a lot of moms love the SollyBabyWrap as well) I never figured out how to use the Moby in time- once they get too big it's hard for them to be in fabric wraps like that because they will sag- but I'm so glad I'll have it for future babies! But to this day, we will put Tuck in his carrier while we do dishes or work around the house.
7. Burp cloths galore: You will never have enough of these I feel like. I stuff a few in the diaper bag, and then some in every other room in the house. My favorite are probably the actual cloth diaper kind (Osocozy), but those are a little more expensive- but worth it.
8. Good quality baby soap and lotion: Tucker has veryyyy sensitive skin and so we've had to be really careful about what we put on him. Most babies' skin is this way, though. Originally we would use the Johnson&Johnson lotion and wash, but he was getting eczema like patches all over. I asked his doctor about it, and she says she really doesn't like Johnson&Johnson products for this reason. We switched to Aveeno baby cream wash and a Calming Comfort Eucerin (Target brand is cheaper) lotion. The wash is a little more expensive, but a little goes a long way. Babies aren't naturally very dirty, so you just have to use a little when you wash them. We saw improvement practically overnight! We would also use Aquaphor for the dry skin on his face from drooling. (Also cheaper to buy the Target brand.) But we still use Johnson&Johnson for his hair :)
9. Good diaper rash treatment: This one has been the hardest. I originally bought some Desitin because I was recommended that by so many people. And it worked at first! We really didn't have any problems with diaper rash until about a month ago- and then it seemed like nothing worked. We tried A&D (Target brand) and that helped for a while, until the rashes started again. Finally, my mother in law told me to try some Bag Balm that she had, and it cleared it up practically overnight! So great. Bag Balm is made for cows, actually! Haha. They would use it after milking cows so as to heal and prevent cracking. I always remember my aunt using it on her hands and my mother in law was doing the same thing! So we thought we'd give it a try and it worked! The main ingredients are petroleum jelly (vaseline) and lanolin- both of which are very safe, so I wasn't worried about it at all! So really, you just have to try a bunch to find the best for your baby, but this is definitely my favorite. Also- it's super important to make sure your baby is completely dry before putting on any cream like that, because it will lock in the moisture and create the rash. That's helped a ton, too!
10. Good diapers: For the first three-ish months of Tucker's life we used the traditional disposable diapers. I liked the Costco and Target the best. (Probably Target the bestest, and I know a lot of people really like their diapers.) When he turned three months, we made the switch (plunge) into cloth diapering and it has been so nice! We have saved tons of money and didn't really spend much to buy our supplies! We use a cloth diaper prefold and cover system. My favorite covers are the ThirstiesDuoWrap and ImagineOne. They are super easy to use and really cute! For my prefolds, I use Nicki's Diapers but I know a lot of moms like Osocozy. Then we use a Snappi to keep the diaper in place. Cloth diapers were a little difficult to get used to, but so nice after you figure it out! I usually wash them every 2-3 days and rotate covers every 3 ish days (or sooner if needed) to be washed as well. I have a total of 36 prefolds and seven covers that we use regularly. We still have a small pack of diapers on hand, however, if we ever go out of town or have someone babysit.
12. Swaddles: Tucker was never good at staying in a swaddle, but we loveee our Aden & Anais swaddles. They are a little pricey, but so worth it. we have four muslin ones and one bamboo one. When we put him down for the night, we wrap him in these (under his arms so they are free to move). They're also super nice to use in the carseat or stroller (or for a nursing cover, I imagine).
13. A good electric breast pump: I really wanted Tucker to nurse, but since that didn't work out, I committed to pumping for as long as I (sanely) could. Most insurances will provide you with a good quality pump. I used the Medela double electric pump. If you plan on exclusively pumping, you will spend a lot of time with this bad boy so you better like it. The only thing that would have made this pump better is if it was cord free. I know Medela makes kinds like that but usually insurances won't cover those. But still, this is a $240 pump that you're getting for free. Pretty nice, if you ask me. Make sure to always clean the parts thoroughly. I got mastitis twice and that really sucks. So as long as everything is sterile, you should be home free!
14. Stroller: Ok, I really just want to put my plug in for the BOB stroller because it is amazing. We received it as a gift from my aunts and will probably never have to purchase another stroller again! (unless we by chance had twins one year). It is pricey but so worth it. It is a jogging stroller and the smoothest ride your baby could ever dream of. When they are still small enough to be in a carseat, you will have to purchase an adapter, but they make adapters for most brands of carseats. Its easy to open and easy to click your little one in. It is a little heavy, but as soon as your "mommy muscles" come in you won't even notice ;) It makes going on walks SO much nicer!
There are other things you need, obviously, but those aren't at difficult to pick out. Your baby will obviously need clothes, probably bottles, toys, etc. I'm glad to make a list because this mama brain of mine will definitely not remember these things one day!
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