when i think of it, there’s not as much baby gear needed in the first few weeks than you’d assume. it’s really kind of silly the amount of things we register for and receive in anticipation. since bringing a newborn into our home, there are definitely items we would have ditched from the list, as well as added. obviously every little human’s needs are different. here are the absolute essentials that have been working best for us…
the number one baby gift you’ll receive is clothing. whether you like it or not. and realistically, in the first few weeks, whatever you can get on fastest and change diapers in most easily is what you’ll go with. even if it means spending a few sleepy days in the same ensemble. rule of thumb…the less snaps and buttons the better. bonus if it doesn’t have to pull over a fragile wobbly head. we’ve found kimono wrap shirts and/or onesies like these to be a perfect choice. if they include the flip down mittens you’re really set, as newborns seem to scratch the ish out of their soft little faces. if you’re venturing out of the house, our favorite is still the stylish stripe jumpsuit by tooby doo. keep in mind newborns are miniature! we’ve found most 0-3 outfits are still pretty roomy while newborn pieces fit pretty perfectly.
do yourself a favor and hold off on purchasing 900 bottles and coordinating accessories. we made this mistake. who knows what’s gonna work for your babe once they arrive. do get yourself some newborn bibs and scads of burp cloths. having a microwave steam sterilizer on hand and the boon lawn countertop drying rack has made our cleaning process of all 900 bottle and breast pump parts all the easier. and lastly, if you’re nursing and not into whipping it out in public like me, get yourself a dria cover.  it can easily be tossed in your purse, doubles as a car seat/stroller cover and looks way better than those horrendous ‘boobie trappers’ that i wouldn’t be caught dead in.
good luck swaddling a newborn as tight as the hospital does. by morning, blankets and body parts are everywhere. these swaddle blankets became our saving grace and keep our little houdini contained for the night. underneath, we’ve found sleep gowns like this one from american apparel to be key for quick, quiet diaper changes in the middle of the night. and i swear johnson’s bedtime lotion helps zonk our mini out at bedtime.
the hospital sends you home with pampers swaddlers diapers. not only are they super soft and absorbant, but they have a wetness indicator. genius! if your miniature is anything like ours and gets all noisy and squirmy during changes, i promise these are a god send. while you’re at it, make sure you have plenty of flannel lap pads on hand. you’ll be changing bums in every location of the house, therefore you’ll appreciate catching the uncovered accidents on these rather than the sofa.
we’ve kind of created a mini monster, meaning that in all of her free time logan would rather be in your arms over anywhere else. we haven’t yet found the perfect piece of equipment to sooth her anxiety and give our arms a rest, however we do have a couple items that buy us a few extra minutes…the boppy pillow which can be thrown around anywhere in the house to prop a curious baby and the mamaroo seat which provides motion and sound. if all else fails i toss on the sakura bloom sling and wear her around the house and neighborhood.
as you know, i’m a stickler for documenting. so it’s no surprise that i spent some time researching and choosing tracking applications that work best for us. for feeding i went with ibaby feed timer, which logs every feed whether it be from the breast, bottle or expressed. i find it super helpful in knowing when logan’s next feed is due along with determining patterns in her feeding/sleeping schedule. for diaper tracking i went with baby tracker: diapers. both applications are straight to the point, no bells, whistles or unnesesary features…just what you need when time is sensitive.
and that’s a wrap. if anything, i hope it helps blondie prepare. have a happy weekend!
photo by arte vitae
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