Wednesday, July 6, 2011

top 10 items that every new mom needs that she doesn't really know she needs

I had a baby shower when I was pregnant with my first child. I got all the essentials and basics that I needed (or more so, THOUGHT i needed) and was left with plenty of other odds and ends items to spare. I of course ended up with a swing, a bouncy seat, the bedding set, clothing, bottles, binkies, blankies...I'm sure you understand. But as those first few days and weeks went by at home with a new baby, I had found there were plenty of baby items I didn't receive, or never even thought about, or frankly never even KNEW about at the time. So here, I am compiling a list of the "top 10 items that every new mom needs that she doesn't really know she needs". And please, feel free to add along any items you feel should be added to this list (or would be on your own top 10 list!). Be sure to add links and URL's so we can all find your items on the web or in a store somewhere.


photo from Exergen.com
I was a bit of a "Fever Fanatic" when the kids were little (if you ask hubby, I'm sure he will say that I still am), but when the kids had even slight fever's, I wanted to monitor them closely. Our pediatrician uses the medical grade version of this Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer, and when I found out I could buy this one at Walmart, I was all over it. The price isn't even that bad, you can find for about $30 just about anywhere.


photo from coliccalm.com
This stuff should really be called "Miracle in a Bottle" and if you have ever used it then you know EXACTLY why. And it isn't just for "Colicky" babies either, SO many babies are gassy, we all know that. Colic Calm is an all-natural homeopathic product (that IS FDA regulated), safe for babies of all ages and works like a charm. It IS a little messy to dispense and will stain clothing, so I always gave it to the babies when they were only wearing a diaper, but I'd rather throw out a shirt or onesie and have a happy baby who would sleep any day!  I always tell those skeptics out there to try it, it's all natural, and even if it DOESN'T work, what do you have to lose? This stuff calmed BOTH of my babies whenever they were gassy, had upset tummies, hiccups, or even when I wasn't sure what was wrong with them. Like I said, MAGIC!


photo taken by Steph Precourt
There are SO MANY slings out there and the only way you will know what works best for you and your baby/child is to try them out. This is a picture of the very first time I "wore" Jonah. I met expert babywearer, Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing at a park nearby (can you believe we live within 15 minutes of each other?!) and she showed me all sorts of slings and how to wear them. I know there are many babywearing groups all over the country, find one and try out the slings with your own baby, because the right sling can make all the difference. And YES, you can wear a newborn, and I highly recommend it! Check out The BabyWearer for all sorts of info, and of course, Steph's blog, Adventures in Babywearing!


photo from pacifieronline.com
I know there are a variety of pacifier clips on the market, but when you see the Haba Pacifier Clip, you will see that there is NO COMPARISON. The Haba Clip is made of solid, non-toxic painted wood characters and shapes all along the length of the rope holding the clip to the pacifier. And since it is not a solid, single ribbon, they can make the strap longer, making it so much easier to clip on to the car seat and allows the baby to move freely without the pacifier plopping out of his mouth when he turns his head. Trust me, this is a big deal! When you are driving and the baby starts wailing from the backseat for his binky, you need to find it, and fast. This clip makes it easy and simple to keep that binky within arms (and mouths) reach. It is a definite lifesaver for a traveling mama and baby!


photo from onestepahead.com
Lily was a chubby baby. She had a chubby belly and thighs from out of this world! So It was hard to find onesies that fit her. In order to make a regular onesie fit her thighs it had to be MANY sizes bigger just to accommodate. With these extenders, I was able to fit her into onesies much easier. These also help extend the life of your onesies, especially if you have tall, skinny babies. We all know how fast kids grow, this helps slow down the process just a little bit.


photo from adenandanias.com
Lily overheated so badly as a baby. Even in the dead of winter, she would be sleeping in a short-sleeved onesie


photo from armsreach.com
I was kind of neurotic when it came to obsessing over my newborn babies. I had to have them close-by, at all times. This included while they were sleeping. I knew when I had Lily I wanted a way to keep her close from night number 1 at home, so before she was born I bought this co-sleeper. It was the best decision I ever made. I was able to raise it up to sit flush with the height of our bed, so she had her own place to sleep and I had her by my side. This works well also for breastfed babies since you can just pull the baby close, feed him/her and not have to rustle yourself or the baby getting up and down and moving all about. I know having a baby this close isn't for everyone, and I can respect that. But this worked best for us, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.


photo from homefirst.com
My husband and I had many questions regarding vaccinations when we had Jonah. We researched a lot and made decisions based on our own beliefs. I am not telling you (or anyone for that matter) that you shouldn't vaccinate your children, all I think is that parents should be fully educated and knowledgable about what a vaccine is comprised of and what the components are used for. This book helps with that sort of information. All parents make decisions based on what is best for themselves and their kids, and we are lucky enough to live someplace where we have the ability and right to do so. 

9. Graco Baby iMonitor Duo Room

photo from amazon.com
Unfortunately, I am having a really hard time finding this particular monitor set right now. Luckily, we purchased ours right before Lily was born and I can be honest with you and say it was the best purchase we ever made, hands down. To be able to monitor TWO kids rooms simultaneously has made my life so much easier. I am lucky, most days, both kids nap at the same time, leaving me a few moments to run around the house and do housework or even go sit on the porch and read a book. Without these monitors I would never be able to do that. I can use them in so many different ways it is amazing. I could not live without these monitors, honestly, no one with two kids under 5 years old should have to. If  I can find them anywhere, I will certainly update this post. I think it is a shame Graco discontinued them, they were the ONLY multi-room monitors I could find!

10. Smart Phone

photo from appleinsider.com
Rocking a baby to sleep can be peaceful and heartwarming. But let's be real, it can be boring and tedious as well. If I didn't have my iPhone to keep me company on those many of night that baby just wanted to be rocked or bounced to just plain held for hours on end, I'd go crazy. Not to mention it has become quite an entertainment tool for my kids too. With access to videos and games, I can entertain my now 2 and 4 year old's to no end. I was able to catch up on emails, text, and twitter, all while putting the baby to sleep. I know, some will say i should have treasured that time more, and i DID. But those hours were loooooong.

1 comment:

Rage's Mommy said...

I am just shy of 24 weeks pregnant with my first baby I tend to research when I am suffering from these sleepless nights. I really enjoyed this article and found all the links usefull. I don't use the google communities, but I am a member of the new "Google +" are you? Thanks for all the valuable information :)