Mommy Must-Haves #2
I have so many things to share, that I had to make another post!
Here we go for "Mommy Must-Haves #2 for Newborns!
Dishwasher Basket
No matter if you plan to use bottles or not...get this Munchkin High Capacity Dishwasher Basket! It's super cheap too...only $5.99. It is a lifesaver with all the little things you'll be washing. Bottle nipples, bottle rings, pacifiers, toys, infant spoons-the list goes on. When we first came home from the hospital, we washed everything by hand. Why? I have no idea. My tip for washing is this...use the dishwasher! Just be careful that you don't wash bottles/nipples in the same load as dishes from pasta-hello discolored bottles!
Bottle Brush
We use the Munchkin Bristle Bottle Brush. It was wonderful for washing nipples, pacifiers, pump parts or anything else small by hand. We had one in a pump bag and one in the kitchen.
Bottles
Speaking of bottles, even if you plan on nursing, get a few bottles. It's a good idea to have some on hand because you never know what will work for baby. We planned to nurse, but she had other ideas. We used the Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle and loved them. We used the 4 oz size for quite a while, and the 9 oz for a little bit as well. Kind of like diapers, what works for one, may not work for the next. So, take the bottle samples from anywhere and everywhere you can to find one that works for you.
Clothes That Are Too Big
Everyone always registers for newborn and 0-3 month clothes. You know what's really helpful? When people gift you clothes that are 12, 18 or even 24 month, 2T or 3T! It's nice to build a stash. Most people gift the smaller sizes, which is great! But they outgrow sizes sooo fast, and it's fun to have bigger sizes too. We received a couple 2T and 3T outfits for her baby shower, and it's been fun to pull them out.
Always try to have a few outfits on hand that are one size too big. That way, when the pants are just a little too short, or the shirt is a little too snug, you've got some others to pull out.
Pajamas With Zippers
Carter's fits true to size, and they have super cozy fleece pj's for the little ones too. For the cold winter months, we like using fleece. We usually throw a onesie under it, especially if we're using cotton pajamas. We love Carter's footie pajamas!
Another great place to look for pajamas is Target. The Cloud Island brand is super soft and cozy!
As with clothes and diapers, try to have at least one set of pajamas in the next size up. That way you're always prepared.
Nightgown
These are wonderful to take to the hospital when baby is born! They're also nice to have at home with a newborn. They make diaper changes so slick and easy. Again, Carter's for the win here. They call them Sleep Bags & Gowns. Let's hope you don't, but if you do find your sweet babe in the hospital, these nightgowns will be a lifesaver. When we were in the hospital with our 4-month old who had RSV, these came in so handy. The cords and wires could hang out the bottom. That would have been difficult with zippers.
Variety of Diapers
Do yourself a favor and get a couple different brands of diapers. You never know what will work with your child. I had seen several family members and friends use Pampers, so that's what we stocked up on right away. For whatever the reason, they didn't work for us. In my opinion, they seem so much thinner compared to Huggies. We ended up exchanging all the boxes we had for Huggies Little Snugglers. Always buy the biggest box you can...it's the best deal. She blew through a few sizes, so my tip is to always have one box of the next size BEFORE you actually need it. We're in Huggies Size 4 Little Movers right now (at almost 17 months), and we've got a size 5 in the closet. When they start moving around, switch to the Huggies Little Movers. Once they get in to the bigger sizes definitely invest in the nighttime diapers (Huggies starts at Size 3).
Stain Remover
While we're talking diapers...let's talk stain removers. I've yet to find one I love that gets all the stains out. I could usually get those pesky blowout stains out after several washes. But now that she's older, we're getting food stains and those are ruthless! We've tried Dreft, Shout and a few others but cant' seem to find a good one. Other parents, what's your go-to stain remover?Car Seat Covers
I live in Minnesota, so a warm car seat cover is a must. We loved this Skip Hop Stroll & Go Car Seat Cover. It's so snug and toasty! A plus is that it is super easy to clean.
For the spring and summer, Canopy Couture has some adorable options! We purchased the Kendra style and received so many compliments on in! They do sell what they call the "Whole Caboodle" that includes a seat cover, headrest cover and a lap blanket. We did purchase this, but then realized it was not safe to have anything added between baby and car seat. I know there's conflicting thoughts on this, but that's what we chose to do.
Clock
This one might seem silly. It didn't take us too many nights of getting up to wish we had a clock in the nursery. I'm not finding the exact one we have, but it's similar to this. I want to say I got it at Walmart? Just something cheap and simple that you can dim and see in the dark. We don't actually use the alarm, but like to dim it as low as it will go just to have.
Again, living in Minnesota means dry winters. We use the Safety 1st Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier. While we love the cool mist, the water reservoir/part where the tank sits seems to get sooo disgusting! We typically leave this on pretty high, so we end up refilling it every night.
We have two carriers. We have the Moby Evolution Wrap Baby Carrier and the Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier. I'm not an expert in either of them. Shortly after our daughter was born, it was winter and then Covid hit. So needless to say, we didn't really go anywhere. We used the wrap more when she was an itty bitty baby, and the convertible carrier when she was a little older.
Make sure to purchase one that is ergonomic/will hold your child's hips in the proper position. Again, do your research, consult with doctors and choose the one that makes the most sense for you.
The 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier has four positions to hold baby. So this is great from very early on through the toddler years. Make sure to double check that your carrier is meant for your child's weight limit.
The convertible carrier definitely offers more support in my opinion. With both of them, my advice is to practice in front of a mirror several times. I always felt like I couldn't get the wrap tight enough. I'm looking forward to using the convertible carrier more this summer! Not a lot of advice here, other than do your research and choose one with great reviews.
Boogie Wipes
At first, I said, "Why do I need boogie wipes? Can't I just use a Kleenex or regular wipes?" Let me tell you Get. The. Boogie Wipes! They are wonderful. The saline, aloe, chamomile and vitamin E make these so soft. Just do it. You won't regret it. Get a pack today and see for yourself. We keep a pack in the diaper bag and a pack in her bedroom.
Nose Frida
Whoever invented this needs a medal...seriously! As much as my daughter HATES this, it's been such a life saver. This is far less invsive than a regular bulb syringe. All it took was one time of her squirming and getting it jabbed too far up her nose (resulting in a nose bleed), for us to get the Nose Frida. Our doctor recommended this too, especially when we were battling RSV.
At first, I couldn't get past the concept of sucking boogies out of her nose. Just replace the filter and you'll be good to go! My husband has yet to use this. He can't bring himself to. Men!
Bath Tub
Get a bathtub that can be used longer than just the newborn phase. We have the Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling 'n Seat Tub. Use the soft, mesh sling for newborns and use the baby stopper to prevent baby from slipping or sliding once they are a few months old. When baby is old enough to sit up, use the sit-me-up support, and then take it out and have a toddler tub. We are still using the sit-me-up support. Without it, she seems to slip and slide everywhere!
We only have a shower in her bathroom, so this works great as an alternative At almost 17 months, she's just about ready to be done with this small tub and transition to our regular size tub.
This tub comes with such a cute water squeeze bottle and whale scoop. This is great for rinsing! Our daughter loves watching the water come out of the bottom. It's one of her favorite bath time toys.
Towels: You don't need special baby towels. They'll grow out of them so fast anyways. We had a few right away but quickly decided to just use our regular towels. Now that's what we use all the time. Save yourself the money and stick with what you already have.
Wipe Warmer: My philosophy is...wipes won't be warmed up when you're out and about, so why warm them at home? Just start off with regular wipes and your baby will never know the difference.
Bassinet: Hear me out on this one. I know there's lots of push to keep baby in your room for so long after birth. We did not. Her room was right across the hall, and she went in her crib the day we came home from the hospital. If you choose to keep baby in the same room, save the money and go right for a Pack 'n Play that has a sleeper for newborns. You'll be able to use it in your room and later on for travel. So instead of spending money on a bassinet that will only be used for a short time, go straight for the Pack 'n Play.
Baby Shoes: Yes, they're so cute. But are they functional? Absolutely not. No shoes until the child can walk. I've read that it's best to avoid shoes completely until they can walk. Definitely do your own research and check with your doctor. We started with these soft booties once she started to toddle around. Really the only reason we put our daughter in shoes early on was because she was in daycare. You never know what fun stuff they'll find, so figured it was best to protect her feet.
Bottle Warmer: Same concept as a wipe warmer...you more than likely won't warm bottles up when you're out and about. Our daughter got milk straight from the fridge/freezer. If it was relatively fresh breastmilk, she had it straight out of the fridge. If it was frozen, we thawed the bag in a bowl and she drank it. Save yourself the money and just use warm water and a bowl.
Baby Powder: We have some, but we've never used it. Maybe it's a thing of the past? I feel like we used this all the time growing up, but now we never use it. I'm fairly certain the one we got before she was born is still in the closet unopened.
What's something you purchased that you found out you didn't need or didn't use like you thought you would?
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