$419.79. That’s how much we ordered from Amazon week 1 of bringing home baby (Non-Amazon orders not included). Not because we didn’t have showers, or receive gifts, but because, like you will hear throughout your pregnancy, each pregnancy, delivery and baby is completely different and you can never fully prepare for it. If I’m being honest, I may have went a little overboard – we will just blame it on hormones and call it a day. Week 1 and 2 you are in survival mode.
When I was preparing for baby- I researched and read at least 100 “Best Baby Registry” or “Must Haves for Baby” lists. 85% of it you will not use those first couple of crucial weeks. The basics – that is all you will need to get you through those first couple of weeks. One thing I cannot stress enough, do not neglect yourself, mama will need just as much as baby.
- Stool Softeners– What the what? yeah you read that right, Stool Softeners. Never in a million years did I think this item would one day make my mommy must haves list…let alone the number one spot. Thank the good lord for my older sister. She had recently had a baby (make that two in about two years) so the experience was all still fresh in her mind and she let a sister know what was up. She gave me a bag of basic items which included stool softeners. “You start taking these AS SOON as she comes out” she told me, with this crazy look in her eye that only people who have seen some stuff have. I really want to go into more detail about how crucial this is….but I’ll spare you. Just, trust me.
2. If you plan on breastfeeding or pumping you have to have these items.
- Breast Pump– About night 3 of being home, Maren decided, out of the blue, she was NOT going to latch. I tried for an hour to get her to nurse but she was not having it. We had no backup, because up until then, she had nursed with no problems. So at about 2 in the morning, with a screaming, hungry baby, Chase was putting together my pump. She never latched, but I ended up pumping enough to give her a bottle and satisfy her. I did a lot of research on pumps and went with the Medela Sonata. I love it. It’s super quiet, it has so many great features and if you download the app it will automatically track your pumping sessions. Pumps can be expensive but are a necessity and most insurance companies will pay or reimburse you for it.
- Extra Pumping Parts– You will get sick of washing parts. Order Extra.
- Nursing Bra– The Cake nursing Bra and Bravado brands are amazing, I’ll probably continue wearing even after my pumping days are over, they are that comfy.A hands free pumping bra is a MUST. I purchased the Bravado hands free nursing bra. It attaches to all the nursing bra’s I have. Being that some pumping sessions take anywhere from 15-30 minutes, it’s nice to be able to use your hands during that time. I also ordered a generic 5 pack of extra nursing bra’s that were perfect for wearing around the house.
- Nipple Cream– Unless you enjoy pain – get nipple cream. I used Lansinoh Nipple Cream.
3. Maternity Undies – I found the Mliizykki Pregnant Woman’s Bamboo Fiber Ultra High Waist Maternity Underwear on Amazon and they are probably one of my favorite purchases. They are great during and after pregnancy. The just keep everything…together and smooth.
4. C-Panty – If you have a C-Section, you have to have these for your recovery. They give you support and help with recovery. Shout out to my girl Lindsay, who ordered these for me the day I came home.
5- Heating Pad– If you have an epidural or a spinal, you may want to get a heating pad. They had to stick me several times to get the right spot for my spinal and my back was so sore for about a week…to be honest here I am 6 weeks out and every now and then it is still sore. Using the heating pad really helps with the discomfort. You can put it on the back of a chair and use it as your nursing, pumping, rocking, etc.
6. FOOD– Maren came when we least expected it….isn’t that the way? Unfortunately we had not been to get groceries in several days and at the time we didn’t think about that at all. Luckily when we got home from the hospital my mother in law had bought groceries and that was such a huge help. Chase’s aunt also brought over muffins. Muffins were a great thing to have on hand especially when nursing – you never know when you are going to get a chance to eat again so having quick, calorie dense snacks were awesome.
7. DockATot – Maren naps in her DockATot every. single. day. This is the perfect little napping center. It is portable which is great for moving baby from room to room if you are trying to get a few things done and washable so if your husband spills spaghetti on it (like mine did) you can easily remove the cover and wash it.
8. Diaper Genie– I originally left this out of my initial list, not because it’s not great, but it’s because I don’t know what life is with out it. Chase and I both love this thing, it is easy peasy to use and contains the smell of the dirty diapers.
9. Bassinet – The first week was trail and error with Maren’s sleeping arrangements.We tried this in bed co-sleeper bassinet thing – it ended up being a bust because every time we moved she would stir. Then we moved to a pack and play – which was ok, but I couldn’t see her so I still didn’t sleep well it was also low to the ground so I feel it was too drafty for her. I was about to break down and buy the halo bassinet – even though it was expensive and I had heard mixed reviews from those who had one, I was desperate. I was on the phone with my mom as I was about to order it and she informed she had just purchased a bassinet to keep at her house if I wanted to use it first, just to test it out. IT. WAS. AWESOME. It was a Delta Children Bassinet from Wal-Mart and it has been great. It’s tall enough to where I can see Maren, it has breathable fabric and the walls are high up I feel it helps keep the air from blowing on her. It also has wheels so you can move it from room to room effortlessly or lock the wheels in place. The cherry on top – this bassinet is $29.99 compared to the Halo Bassinet $299 price tag.
10. Glider/ Rocker. We are only a few weeks in but I feel we have already rocked enough miles to go around the world twice. This is a very important purchase so naturally – I researched the heck out of it. I wanted a glider that was cute but also comfy without being too expensive. After several months I found it – the Delta Children Middleton Nursery Rocker It comes in four colors, we went with the Sea Breeze, it’s more of a grey/blue and looked perfect in the nursery. I was very specific in what I wanted as far as functionality. I wanted a glider that not only rocked back and forth but also swiveled from side to side. This one does both, as a matter of fact I can turn circles in it if I wanted. It really came in handy while healing from my C-section. Instead of having to twist my body to reach something on the table, or move the entire chair when the sun was peaking through the window, I simply just turned it whichever way I needed. I also wanted to make sure I got a glider that wasn’t too deep. Moving around with a sleeping baby takes skill, I didn’t want a deep chair that I would have to wiggle or make big movements to get out of. This chair is perfect, it’s shallow enough for me to comfortably get in and out of but deep enough that my husband can sit comfortably in it too.
11. Moms on Call Swaddle– So chase and I were both pitiful at swaddling. We started off with the Halo Sleep Sack which was great, but Maren was so tiny it couldn’t get quiet tight enough on her. Moms On Call Swaddle to the rescue. I had already bought the Moms On Call book and the swaddle was a must have in there sleep routine suggestions. Chase and I watched their video and practiced – total game changer. Before using the moms on call swaddle Maren would have to be completely asleep before we laid her down. Now, when she is swaddled we can lay her down even if she is not all the way asleep and she will drift on her own…it’s nice :).
12. White Noise– Again, total game changer. We got this recommendation in the Moms On Call book. We started off just using our phones, but the only issue with that is if you need to use your phone while the baby is asleep. There was one day I didn’t call my mom back for 3.5 hours because I was using my phone as white noise. Again – research – and ended up ordering the Lectrofan Noise Machine It is small yet powerful. You can order it in white or black, it doesn’t take up a lot of room so it blends with it’s surroundings. It’s amazing how loud that little guy gets. This is great especially if you have other kids or a noisy house, the noise drowns everything else out while baby sleeps.
13. Disposable under pads. My brilliant husband ordered these before we even left the hospital. I remember questioning him “why are you ordering those?”…I’m just going to blame it on the anesthesia. I’m so glad he ordered these because as we quickly found out, babies love to pee as soon as you take the diaper off. If she got even a tiny bit of urine on her changing cover, in the wash it went…and that gets annoying. We ordered them in bulk here. These are a MUST have. We use it on top of her diaper pad and cover so if she decides to have a little accident while we are changing her we simply throw away the under pad and replace it. Badda Bing, Badda Boom.
14. Philips Dimmable LED Smart Light. Again, Another brilliant purchase by my husband. We actually have these under our bed as well they are motion sensored so during those months of pregnancy when I was getting up multiple times a night they would come on as my feet hit the ground so I wouldn’t trip over anything. The ones we put under Maren’s bed are controlled and not motion sensored, they put off a sweet warm glow for those early morning feedings so we don’t have to worry about turning on a lamp or blinding overhead light.
15. Support– I tip my hat to single parents who do it completely alone. I honestly would not have made it the first week without my husband, family and friends. Unfortunately, support is not something everyone has. Chase stepped up and took on so much as I was recovering. Our families were there if we needed anything at all. Having a support system was so beneficial, it was nice having friends who had similar experiences to talk to and seek advice from.
I’m super excited to use additional products as Maren gets a little bigger – we have already started using her Solly Wrap, which we love but I want to use it a little more before going all in on a recommendation. I will review other items like car seats, strollers, etc – but these were the items that got two newbies through month one.
Threads: Dress Asos. Chase- shirt Banana Republic, jeans American Eagle