Some Newborn essentials
- Alessandra Mathia
- Mar 29, 2020
- 6 min read
You've just had your baby or you're preparing for your little ones arrival. What do you need for and after the hospital for yourself and baby? I'm going to help you with that information. My little one (LO) is two months old and when my husband and I first brought her home, we had no idea what we actually needed. I watched youtube videos, read blogs, even asked my mom, but nothing would prepare me with what I needed when I brought my daughter home. Over time, we learned that every baby is different. I'm not going to tell you what you need to buy or have in order to be a great mom. You're already a great mom. You know your baby best and if something isn't working, don't stress about it. Here are some ideas to think about for you and your LO.
1. Bassinet
If you look online or watch a lot of youtuber moms, you've probably seen a bassinet called the Halo. It's an expensive bassinet that has some good extra features. We didn't buy this because it was too expensive for us. We bought a bassinet from St. Vincent's for 20 bucks. Which was a great deal. We had everything we thought we needed in our room. Turns out my LO hates bassinets which is a very common issue in my moms group. Most of their babies hate bassinets too. I don't think that the bassinet was a big waste of my money because we only spent 20 bucks, compared to the halo, which is almost $300. To me, it would have been a bigger loss if I spent that much money on the halo only to find out that my baby doesn't like it. What we eventually used and still use to this day is a pack in play. My LO just loves it. She's now sleeping 4-5 hours at a time vs. 30 mins to an hour.
2. Bottles
I can not stress how important bottles are! I would buy a couple of different brands at first because babies can be very picky when it comes to these things. Every brand has a different style of nipple. Personally, I was lucky enough to only buy one brand. We use the Dr. Brown bottles. I really like these because they're anti-colic, slow flow bottles.
You might be thinking something along the lines of, "I'm going to breastfeed. I don't need bottles." I thought the same thing. As it turns out, the breastfeeding thing wasn't working for us. I'm a low supplier and I couldn't make enough breast milk for my daughter. We supplemented with formula for awhile, but now we only feed her formula. We had to run out and buy bottles along with formula when we got released from the hospital. So definitely go out and buy at least one pack of bottles with the nipple size of 0 months
3. Wraps or Carriers?
This one is definitely a preference. I prefer the wrap because I'm plus size. With the carrier, it's harder to fit in if you're plus size. It's such a shame that plus size women don't have the option to wear things like this because it doesn't fit them.
Then there's the cost. Carriers are cheaper than wraps unless you get a name brand carrier. Then they're pretty much the same cost. Wraps come in so many different styles that they cost much more. We have the Moby wrap which is $80. If you want an organic, "save the planet" type of wrap, then it's closer to $100. Look around and see which one is right for you. If price is an issue, look at a carrier. If money isn't a problem, then go for a wrap.
4. Boppy Lounger
The Bobby Lounger has been such a blessing for us. My LO loves it so much! She loves to just chill in it all the time. My LO wants to be held constantly, but I can't hold her all the time. This youtuber mom named Kayla Buell was showing off her boppy lounger that her little boy loves. I thought, "Hey, maybe this might work with my baby." I went out to target and got one for $32. We've used it everyday. It makes babies feel like they are being held even though they aren't. I definitely suggest getting one of these as they are such a life saver.
5. Swaddles
There are different types of swaddles including velcro, zip ups, and receiving blankets. I bought a couple of the velcro types and then my mom made us some receiving blankets. My LO doesn't like being totally restricted so the velcro ones are not a hit. The receiving blankets work pretty well, but she can wiggle enough where her hands can touch her face. This is another situation where you have to do what you feel is best. Be sure you have some on hand before you have your baby. Price doesn't have to be a big issue. I got our velcro swaddles from a second hand store. The swaddles I bought were 2 bucks each. I got three of them so it was 6 bucks in total.
6. Clothes
Now this one is the biggy. How do you know what size your baby is going to be? We went to a store and were looking at baby sleepers and we had no idea what sizes to get. A lady came up to us and said, "Is this your first baby?" We said "yes" of course. She went on to tell us that we shouldn't buy any newborn clothing because our baby would only fit in it for a week. We listened to her because we didn't know anything about babies. We only had three outfits in newborn size. It turned out that we were wrong for doing that. Our baby was 5 lbs 11 oz and she barely fit in newborn size clothes because she was so tiny. She was considered a preemie size even though she was full term. When we got out of the hospital, we had to rush to target and buy so many newborn clothes. Today, she's two months and still fits in newborn clothes.
I would give you this advice regarding clothes. Ask your ultrasound tech how much your baby weighs during the ultrasounds. If by your last ultrasound, your baby is still small, then buy more newborn outfits. If your baby is average or larger than average, then don't buy lots of newborn outfits. Instead, buy more 0-3 months clothes. It's better for a baby to be wearing something a little too big than to be wearing something too small.
7. Mom stuff
This one's for you. In the hospital, I wanted to breastfeed. It turns out that I'm a low supplier. Looking back, I wish I had brought my pumps with me to the hospital. If I was able to pump at the hospital with my equipment, then I might have been better with breastfeeding today. Definitely bring a pump with you.
Pads are going to be essential for you during your first weeks at home. I bought the biggest pads I could find. The hospital will send you home with a bunch, so don't worry if you don't have a bunch at home right away. You should also bring old underwear so you don't ruin your good ones. I just used the hospital mesh panties and they're pretty comfy.
You'll definitely want some baggy clothes for after the baby is born. You aren't going to want to wear anything tight following your delivery. I didn't even wear the nursing tank I bought because it was too tight and I was so sore. It felt like my stomach was bruised. I ended up wearing my loose sweatpants and sweatshirt. I was so happy to wear that after my LO was born.
Makeup - I know some moms bring this with them to the hospital but why?! My labor lasted 25 hours, and I wasn't going to have my makeup run down my face because of sweat the whole time. For some, it's a welcomed distraction. For me, it was just another thing for me to worry about. We didn't take any pictures of me in labor, so there was no need for me to wear makeup.
I haven't decided on the "essentials for moms at home", so stay tuned for essentials for moms later to come.
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