Becoming a new first time mom is scary! To top it off, there are a million products to choose from to help your baby sleep or become the next Einstein. What is a mom to do? Let me share with you some of my top ten items that I couldn't live without being a first time mom.
10. Swaddling blankets: Anything to keep your baby wrapped up tight during those first few months is gonna help you get some sleep and maintain some level of sanity. Trust me.
9. Bibs, washcloths, burp cloths: You can't have too many of these. Really.
8. Bottle rack and brush: If you plan to do some bottle feeding, these are a must! Having a separate area for your bottles is nice so you always know where baby's items are and not floating around on your dish-washing rack.
7. Swing: Babies love motion and well, I can't be swaying my baby all day without my back hurting. We got a hand me down swing which was such a lifesaver during the first couple of months. When you have to get things done around the house this is great! My baby could stay in this thing all day if she had it her way. Be careful not to use it too much though, you baby will get addicted to always being swayed. I learned the hard way. Turn it off once baby is asleep!
6. The Happiest Baby on the Block book by Harvey Karp M.D.: This book helped me so much through the first three months of my baby's life. He explains this as the "4th" trimester and why your baby is so helpless during it. He gives you tips on how to keep your baby quiet by using methods of swaddling, side positioning, swinging, shushing and so forth. A good easy read that explains and helps out new moms greatly.
5. Sound machine: We bought the Munchiken sound machine which comes with 6 different sounds including white noise. There is a timer that goes up to 60 minutes, volume control, and even a switch to turn it on when it hears your baby crying. There is a nice dim blue nightlight which you can choose to turn on and a projector with a few different animals that rotate. There is not a single day that goes by where I don't use this thing. I turn it onto the lullaby music whenever it's time for my baby to sleep. She understands this is her cue to go to sleep and works like a charm!
4. Travel system: Who likes to wake a sleeping baby? With a travel system, you can just pull out your sleeping baby in her car seat and snap it in your stroller. You are good to go! Try looking for lightweight framed strollers that will be much easier for you to tote around.
3. Graco Pack & Play: I love this thing. I received the one with the bassinet and changing table for my shower. You get three items in one which is amazing and also better for people who are strapped for room in their house like ourselves. The bassinet pulls out and so does the changing table after your baby gets older and can't be left on the top half anymore.
2. Ergo Carrier: I can't vouch for any other baby carriers but I love me my Ergo. I use this to tote baby around for walks, around the house or when I don't feel like taking out the stroller. My baby loves it because she is close to mommy and gets to explore the world. She always passes out in the Ergo if I take her for a long enough walk so this thing must be pretty comfortable for her.
1. A good camera and external drive: These precious moments only last so long. Preserving those memories mean so much to our family. Make sure you get a good camera before you even get pregnant if you can. Then you can capture the whole pregnancy process. Don't forget to get an external drive to house all your video and pictures. What's the point in taking all these pictures and videos only to lose them if your computer crashes?!
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