03 May 2011 2 Comments

Newborn Essentials

27 weeks - almost in my third trimester already so I’m starting to think of the things that I need to prepare (baby items that needs to be taken out of storage) for our Small Fry #2.

When you’re pregnant with your first child, you see a plethora of  things they say you need for a new baby, but once your bundle of joy arrives and start using those things, you realized that you really don’t need them and they’re just a waste of money. However, this doesn’t mean you need nothing because there are a few necessities most families need to care for a newborn and of course, everyone’s list is different. 

Here are the things that I find essential (not including the bare basics like diapers, wipes, onesies, etc.) for nurturing a new baby and are so nice to have during the first few months.

Arms Reach Mini Co-sleeper Bassinet – As new parents, we naturally felt anxious about leaving our baby alone for even a second. It was so convenient to have him sleeping literally right next to me in bed but without having to sleep “in bed” with me & Michael so I didn’t have to worry about rolling over on him. It also made exclusively breastfeeding so much easier because I didn’t even have to get out of bed. I could breastfeed in a semi-awake state and then fall back asleep easily which is priceless when you are waking up every 2 hours!

Fisher Price Cradle Swing  – Our Small Fry wasn’t a very good sleeper – the minute we put him down once asleep, he would wake back up so this swing was a life saver! Jordan naps so much more peacefully and a lot longer. We used the swing until Jordan was too big and too heavy for it.

Good quality Rocker/Glider -  This is one thing I really wish I had when Jordan was a newborn. Since his nursery isn’t too big, I didn’t feel like crowding it with a huge rocker/glider so we just bought a cheap rocking chair at Ikea and I still regret it to this day! Most babies (most especially my Jordan) love being rocked to sleep at night, and this would be so much easier with a rocker/glider. The nights can be long with a newborn, especially if he or she has days and nights mixed up and does not want to sleep during the wee hours. Gliders/rockers allow you to have somewhere comfortable to sit while you hold and spend quality time with your baby. Needless to say, I’m definitely going to get one this time around!

Avent Isis Duo Electronic Breast Pump -  If you plan on building your milk supply and continuing breastfeeding when you go back to work, you must get a good double electric pump and you must pick the right pump for you. Not all breast pumps are the same and what works for me may not work for you.

I was very excited when my cousin gave me the Medela Pump in Style because I heard great things about it. It’s one of the best and most popular electric breast pumps out there. However, I was only getting an ounce at the most per breast even after two months of using it. Out of desperation, I asked my husband to get me a manual pump (Avent Isis) that suppose to mimic the sucking motion of baby even though I was honestly very skeptical about it. I was thinking that I have a Medela electric pump that cost over $300 so how could I possibly express more milk with a $40 manual pump? Well to my surprise, I got 2 times the amount of milk if not more! With that, I immediately ordered the Avent Isis IQ Duo Electric Pump on Amazon and it worked great in building my milk supply and helped me breastfeed/pump successfully when I went back to work.

Lanolin Cream – For the breastfeeding mommy, this is a must! It was great in healing and preventing cracking, bleeding and any other unwanted discomfort.

Bobby Pillow – With all the baby feeding that goes on in the early months, your arms are bound to get sore. The boppy pillow let me and my baby relax and bond while he eats. Even the hubby find it very useful when he had the feeding job!

Sleep Sheep – It’s a soft stuffed sheep with a sound machine that projected soothing sounds to help a baby fall asleep and when Michael first saw it, he decided that we just had to have one. I’m not sure if he just assumed that Jordan wouldn’t be a good sleeper, or if he just felt that the soothing sounds would provide him with some comfort. Whichever it was, I’m so glad he bought it because it really did help our Small Fry sleep better during those first few months!

California Baby Calendula Cream – If you have been following my blog, you know why this is a must for us. It’s not only great for baby’s skin but it’s also great for that newborn cradle cap.

Burp Cloths – I say that this is your first defense against frumpiness! LOL. Seriously though, if you don’t want to smell like spit all day long, you really have to invest in some burp cloths.

And the most important of all….

A supportive and helpful husband – Seriously!  I couldn’t have made it through without my wonderful hubby. We were new parents, were sleep deprived but I’m so glad he was able to take off work for a couple weeks and really figured it out with me. We are such a great team and I’m so thankful for his never ending support, helping daddy attitude and how willing he was to do anything and everything: from warming up store bought food (he can’t cook but he makes the best grilled cheese sandwich! LOL) to doing and folding laundry to running errands, etc.

by Joy in Newborn, Product Reviews