Well it’s been 5 weeks since our little bundle of joy arrived, and I think we’re finally hitting our stride. Each day is getting easier and more predictable and we are adjusting well to the new normal. Don’t get me wrong, each day also brings a new challenge (cough, #mallmeltdown, cough)Â but we’re lucky to have a pretty chill little dude on our hands, who just rocks the heck out of baby cargoes. I can’t even.
I’ve been thinking about some things that have made our lives a little bit easier over these past several weeks and thought I’d share 5 Must-Have Items for New Moms including helpful products I find myself using every single day. Funnily enough, I only had one of these items on my registry (the monitor) and have found out the “hard way” how much they’ve all come in handy. Hope I can save you the trouble! :)
Baby K’Tan Sling
I ordered the Baby K’Tan Sling one hot minute after reading fellow blogger Kayla’s post on Babywearing about a week after Lincoln was born. This carrier rocks and let me tell you why. First of all Lincoln loves it. ‘Nuf said, right? If he’s being fussy or just wants to be held, I’ll pop him in the Baby K’Tan and he’ll fall into a deep sleep within 5 minutes if he’s tired. And when I say deep, I mean deep. I have vacuumed with him in it and he doesn’t bat an eyelash. Furthermore, when I transfer him from the K’Tan to his swaddle to go down for a nap, he usually sleeps more soundly.
Besides all that, wearing Lincoln lets me keep my hands free to do stuff around the house. He loves directing me through emptying the dishwasher, doing the laundry, and taking walks around the neighborhood. Selfishly, I love snuggling him close and tight to my chest, too. :)
Order the Baby K’Tan based on your height, as the sling will stretch and grow with your child (up to a certain point/age, of course.) If it becomes too loose just wash/dry, then blammo, it’s back to normal. Visit Kayla’s post above for more benefits on babywearing!
SwaddleMe Swaddles
For the first week I was convinced that Lincoln hated being swaddled. He’d fuss, fight, and wriggle his little arms out every single time I attempted to swaddle him in a blanket. I was seriously stressed because once his arms were free they’d wave and wiggle about keeping him awake. Then I remembered my sister-in-law had given me one of these SwaddleMe Swaddles and it seriously saved our lives. Turns out Lincoln LOVES being swaddled…correctly!
I wasn’t swaddling him right or tight enough with a regular receiving blanket. These SwaddleMe Swaddles are easy to use and wrap him up super tight, which babies love. I went out and bought a zillion (ok, 4) as soon as I realized how well they worked. We use them everyday and Lincoln just loves his little straight jacket.
Motorola Video Baby Monitor
This Motorola Video Baby Monitor is a life saver. Not only can we hear when Lincoln fusses, but we can also SEE what he’s up to. A lot of times he’ll semi wake up, squawk for a minute, then put himself back to sleep, and if I wasn’t able to see that his eyes were closed while he was doing all this I’d be running up and down the stairs even more than I already do! This monitor is a bit pricey and a “nice to have” item, but it sure makes life easier.
Hands-Free Pumping Bra
Wow, awkward picture much? I don’t think this must-have item needs too much explanation. If you are a pumping Mama, you’ve got to get one of these hands-free pumping bras. Just trust me!
Aden and Anais Blankets
I had so many people recommend Aden and Anais Blankets to me when I was pregnant, and now I know why. Most receiving blankets are tiny and shrink in the wash. What I really needed was big, soft, light-weight blankets to use in a variety of ways, and these are it.
I use these blankets for laying out during play time, covering Lincoln’s car seat carrier and stroller to block the sun, and as a light-weight breathable blanket when he gets a chill. I know many people also swaddle with these blankets, but the SwaddleMe’s are working best for us. Bonus points for Aden and Anais blankets coming in the most adorable patterns!
Honorable Mention: Total Baby App
I used the Total Baby App on my iPhone religiously for the first two weeks after Lincoln was born. It keeps track of feedings, diaper changes, sleeping patterns, and more and comes in so handy when you’re so sleep deprived that you can’t even remember what you did five minutes ago, let alone what side your baby last nursed on. I don’t use it so much anymore, but honestly couldn’t have lived without it at the beginning. $4.99 well spent, in my opinion!
What are some of your must-have recommendations for new parents?Â
(FYI I bought all of these items myself, and the links in this post go to my Amazon affiliate shop!)
Nicole 09.10.2013
Love this list! We used Total Baby for 2 months and it was the only way I remembered which side I last nursed on in that newborn haze…so glad you loved it too! I like the Summer “Swaddle Me” swaddles too, but prefer the Kiddopotamus ones. They’re stretchier and stay on better. Last but not least, here is my one MUST HAVE item for all mamas of infants: http://lifeasalindquist.blogspot.com/2011/01/products-we-endorse.html Hope you have one!
Tara 09.10.2013
We are expecting our first child Christmas Day, and I have all these items on my list (and actually already purchased the app). Woohoo! Thank you for sharing–I am loving your newborn updates and trying to learn as much as possible :)
Karen 09.11.2013
Is this my SIL Tara?
Karen 09.10.2013
Thanks for the suggestions and links! We’re having #2 and I think I’ll get some swaddlemes – but – the link you posted is only for boy themed swaddles. I’d love to purchase from your amazon shop to give you a kickback – but is there anyway you could have options for other colors? Same with the swaddle -we aren’t all size xs:)
Congrats on your little one – love his name!
Iowa Girl Eats 09.10.2013
So sorry about that – for some reason it won’t let me add a product AND let you choose the size/colors, etc!
Crystal C. 09.10.2013
Looooove the A&A blankets…our little guy (who is 5 months now) has liked them from the start, and he especially seems to love them lately. I will drape it over his lap in the car and twisting and playing with the blanket (now that he’s figured out he can grab everything) keeps him entertained for a long time. We also liked the Swaddle Me Swaddles when he was a bit younger and every little thing would wake him, including moving his own hands. Right now we’re using the lightweight sleep sacks at bedtime and he’s able to fall asleep easily in them; planning to transition to fleece sleep sacks now that it’s getting a bit cooler at night. I would say the Rock and Play was a huge lifesaver when we first brought our guy home…he was a preemie and had pretty rough acid reflux, so a lot of the time the only way he would fall asleep was on our chest or in the Rock and Play. I’ve never seen these Wabbanubs people are talking about, but now I want to find one – our guy has gotten into the habit of taking out his pacifier with his hands and trying to put it back in, and when he can’t, he gets upset…sounds like that would help!
Christine 09.10.2013
Such a great list! To add something: when my son got older, our must have item was a tag toy that I found on etsy. It is called JuteBaby and it is a rattle and toy and teether. We didn’t go anywhere without it!
Erika 09.10.2013
All great items! I also used the Aden & Anais blankets for a coverup while breastfeeding – just tie two corners together and loop it around your arm.
One thing that I had to run out and get was the mattress pad covers – and you definitely need more than one of them!
Christie 09.10.2013
I agree with all of the items on your list though we did slightly different brands – moby instead of k’tan (I hadn’t heard of k’tan), angel care monitor instead of motorola, medela hands free pumping bra. I LOVED the swaddle mes and used them religiously until my kiddo was like 5 months. We still use the A&A blankets sometimes at 19 months.
emily 09.10.2013
i love this list! i just had my little girl 2 weeks ago and would agree with all that’s on your list! question for you… i cannot figure out the baby k’tan for the life of me! i watched the videos, read the instructions… serious mommy-brain right here! i got this wrap instead of the moby or boba because it seemed easier to use. however, i’m majorly failing at this… any tips/suggestions would be great! thanks a ton!
Megan 09.18.2013
Ok I don’t know about the agility but I registered for the Moby.. Unwrapped it and took one look before deciding I need something more simple. It’s like 10 feet of fabric! What the!!! So my answer is JJCole Agility Stretch carrier. It couldn’t be more simple. Goes on like a tee shirt & I THINK it carries baby very similar to the ktan. I’m still 37 weeks so I havnt actually tried it with baby yet but my friend swears by it and it looks very easy
Lora 09.10.2013
I agree with almost everything on your list! We don’t have a video monitor and so far things are working out fine without it – I have to run up the stairs often but I also have a few extra pounds that i need to get rid of so I’m not complaining :)
If you are pumping a lot (I pump every 3-4 hours) I would recommend investing in one or two spare sets of parts for your breast pump. The last thing I wanted to do at 3am is wash all those little parts! I have two extra sets so I just put them in some warm soapy water and wash them in the morning.
Emily 09.10.2013
Re: the nursing bra. You can also cut slits in an old sports bra and it works just great through pumping with 2 kids. A lactation consultant shared that tidbit with me.
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries 09.10.2013
All great tips! I especially agree with the SwaddleMe swaddle blankets, hands free pumping bra (if you’re pumping, of course), and a baby monitor (we don’t have a video one though). A white noise machine would be another one I’d add – it’s helped our babe sleep so much better.
alli 09.10.2013
What do you use to test your milk after drinking alcohol?
Iowa Girl Eats 09.10.2013
You can buy testing strips from Babies R Us, Target, etc.
Nichole 09.10.2013
Once they bust out of the swaddle me blankets (which they will!) the miracle blanket is amazing for those babies that looove to be swaddled like my little one did. It truly is a miracle:)
cherubmamma 09.10.2013
The “must have” that I see missing:
lingerie bag(s) to wash tiny baby socks in so they don’t get lost inside all the other clothes in the laundry
Betsy 09.10.2013
Amen! No one told me about one of those until we had gone through at least a dozen missing socks. Hang it near the hamper and it work great!
Cheryl 09.10.2013
We’re only now just engaged, but I pinned all of these to my “future mini-me’s” board! I can’t believe how tiny you look after just producing that adorable little man. Will you be posting how you’ve handled post-baby eating/working out?
Cheryl
http://thestylistquo.com
Lisa 09.10.2013
My son is 13 months old, and baby #2 is due in 6 short weeks. These are the items we couldn’t live without the first time around. I am interested to see if this baby will like the same things.
1. Halo Fleece SleepSack Swaddle
2. Fisher Price Rock and Play
3. Medela Freestyle Pump – a hands-free pump that is super small and portable, comes with hands free attachments that work with any nursing bra or cami so a special pumping bra isn’t necessary
Angie @ Coffee and Cannolis 09.10.2013
I couldn’t agree with some of these more! A&A swaddle blankets are the best for summer months, and good transitions to sleeping with a blanket when the LO is older. My 2-year-old still carries his everywhere like a little Linus! We finally broke down at got a video monitor when we converted to a toddler bed. Best. Decision. Ever. Well, one of! Every little thing we heard in the audio monitor could have been him getting out of bed or just switching sleep positions; we had no idea. We’re not spending all night wondering anymore! Sadly, my son was not a fan of babywearing, but next time we have a LO I’m totally picking up a K’Tan and borrowing an Ergo or something to try instead of just the Moby.
Erin 09.10.2013
If you love your K’tan, check out littlepaddedseats.com or their store in Valley West Mall,or wallypop.net for other baby carries once Lincoln outgrows the weight limit of the stretchy K’tan. Ergo and wraps will save the day as he gets bigger!
Carrie 09.10.2013
Thanks for sharing! I’m due in a couple months and registering is such a tedious process with so many “Must have’s” and options.
Kelly M. 09.10.2013
Thanks for sharing this!! My husband and I are soon to be parents and about to dive into our registry so these are all good things to know and look into!