Top 10 Items for Baby & Mom

 

MY TOP 10 ITEMS FOR MOM

1. THE BOPPY PILLOW

For any breastfeeding mom, I definitely recommend a Boppy Pillow.  I have literally carried this thing around with me everywhere.  I sit with it, I sleep with it, I sleep on it, and I've also used it to prop up my baby when dealing with her indigestion issues thus far.  It is comfortable and gets baby up to right where she needs to be if you are holding her in the "common" breastfeeding position.

You can get a Boppy Pillow - HERE

2.  Palmer's Cocoa Nursing Butter 

Being that this was my first baby, I obviously had no idea what I was in for with my decision to nurse my baby - And neither did my boobs...When a part of your body is not used to the sucking, pulling, and sometimes biting that you may go through when feeding your baby, you may experience things like, cracking, bleeding, scabbing.  OUCH.  Using this cocoa butter definitely helped in healing and giving my nipples relief.  I was able to use it on a as-needed basis and its safe for your baby.

You can get Cocoa Butter - HERE

3.  MEDELA DISPOSABLE NURSING PADS

I don't have a lot to say about nursing pads other than, regardless of whether or not you decide to breastfeed or formula feed, your boobs are going to leak.  Period.  I've tried various brands of nursing pads, and the Medela Brand were the ones that worked for me.  I also tried using washable breastpads, but honestly, it left me with that same feeling you get if you've ever worn clothes in the shower - Soggy, wet, and a little gross.  The medela pads have adhesive on the back sides to stick to the inside of your bra, but to honest, I never really remove the tabs.  If it works for you, it works for you...I also just give in and spend the extra $5 or so to get the big box - It's worth it.

You can get Nursing Pads - HERE

3. TUCKS MEDICATED COOLING PADS

Hallelujah.  Period.  These were a saving grace.  When the nurse showed me how to use these shortly after I had pushed my watermelon sized miracle out of my nether regions, I thought I was going to cry with joy.  Everyone talks about the pain of going through labor, but nobody ever tells you about the horrendous pain you go through afterward.  And afterward-your pain assistance options are a lot more limited.  These pads are used to place on top of your ginormous pads post-birth.  They provide cool, relief to your otherwise traumatized lady parts.  They should provide you some in the hospital.  At one point I talked my nurse into giving me an extra container to take home.  Take advantage.  TRUST ME.

You can get Tuck's Medicated Pads - HERE

(However, they typically give you some in the Hospital - Get as many as you can ask for to go home with!)

4.  SWIVEL GLIDER

This glider was one of our "big purchases" and I'm so thankful we squeezed the pennies out and scavenged the couch cushions and baby savings to splurge.  I've spent many a night and day in this chair in the nursery.  The nice thing about this recliner is that you can sit and sleep in it.  We looked and sat in many chairs and rockers with ottomans before making our decision. (Which we I highly recommend doing)  In the end, this chair ended up being more affordable than buying a rocker and ottoman (they get you on the price for the chairs and then the extra $200 for the ottoman).  The nice thing about this chair is that it reclines so you can put your feet up, swivels, and lays back as well.  With the 15% off coupon we had from Babies R Us, we were also able to save quite a bit more money.  Though it takes up a little more space, it looks picturesque in the nursery, and is quite comfortable.

You can get our Swivel Glider - HERE

5.  ALWAYS MAXI PADS
As in ALWAYS get the LARGE ones.  After you have a baby, you can expect to change your baby's diapers as well as your own.  You'll need these once you run out of the monstrous pads they give you at the hospital.  And you'll need to make it work for about 6 weeks.  Just get the large package so you can save Husband from going out to try and figure out what he's gone to get. 

You can get the Always Overnight Pads - HERE

6. WITCH HAZEL AND A PERRI BOTTLE
The perri bottle is another wonderful relief tool they give you in the hospital that make you cry tears of joy.  It's main use is to keep your lady parts clean and to assist you during the healing process.  Basically, you're  supposed to use it everytime you visit the ladies' room.  I liked to mix the warm water with a little bit of witch hazel.  Again, tears of JOY. 

Witch Hazel - HERE  

7. WATER BOTTLE
Not only did I carry around a water bottle during my entire pregnancy, but I did all the time after baby was here.  Water is super important in general.  It helps to detox your body and nourish it at the same time.  It helps immensely with your breast milk supply and can even be beneficial in your post-baby weight loss.  Stay Hydrated!  It's important.

You can get a Water Bottle like the one I've Been Using - HERE

8.  MEDELA PUMP & SAVE STORAGE BAGS
I've been breastfeeding exclusively, but about a month in I started to pump and store my breast milk in the freezer as well.  I received a ton of breastfeeding storage kits and bottles etc.  However, aside from my breast pump, these bags are the only accessory I've used so far.  It's always good to store your milk in case something goes awry.  It's better to be safe than sorry.  I also wanted to be able to bottle feed baby girl and have my husband be able to feed her once my milk supply was established.  These bags hold 5oz. and even have a special bag to pump adapter.  (Though I prefer to just pump into a bottle and then transfer)

You can get the Medela Freezer Storage Bags - HERE

9.  NURSING TANK TOP
I can't express the importance of having a few items on hand to make breastfeeding more convenient.  Breast feeding brings a whole new meaning to shopping for clothes with "easy access."  HA!  Along with a few nursing bras I bought at BUYBUY Baby, I found these super comfortable nursing tanks that I could wear at night and during the day at Target.  After I had baby girl, it was the perfect replacement for the hospital gown.  It made me feel a little more "normal." 

Nursing TankTop - HERE

10.  FULL COVERAGE PANTIES
After you have a baby, you'll need those giant pads up above that we were talking about.  Before, you may have worn that cute lacy underwear and may have invested in those cute pieces of lingerie.  After baby, I highly suggest the (temporary, but very necessary) transition to granny panties or full coverage underwear.  My personal favorite were the boy short design.  I had several pair that I was able to use.  Keep in mind, they may be compromised at some point so put aside your personal favorites.

Some Comfortable - Full Coverage Underwear - I had a pair of THESE

(Just keep in Mind, they could very well be ruined at some Point, so really any full coverage cotton panty will work.)

MY TOP 10 ITEMS FOR BABY

1.  LITTLE REMEDIES NEW PARENTS' SURVIVAL KIT

I can't express enough how wonderful it was to already have this kit on hand.  As listed in the description below, you never think about dealing with a sick infant until it's actually happening.  Having this kit on hand before this happened for us, saved us from not being able to necessarily pick up these items in the middle of the night due to a store being closed or other unforeseen events.  Not to mention that if you price out each of the products individually, they add up to be way more than the kit itself.  It also allows you to try out these products to see which work best for you and your baby.  The kit contains the Little Remedies nose saline and congestion products and a very handy and easy to use nasal aspirator, tummy relief products for gas and discomfort, and fever reducer/pain reliever.  Always read the directions and age limitations and adhere to them.  We've used the Gas Relief drops and the saline drops and aspirator several times.  I highly recommend.  ANNNND it is a great baby shower gift.

You can get the Little Remedies Survival Kit - HERE

2. COMFORT & CARE ESSENTIALS KIT
This is another very useful kit.  It contains Infants Tylenol, Infants Motrin, Johnson's Baby Lotion, Desitin Diaper Rash Cream, and Johnson's Baby Wipes.  Our baby girl came down with a cold a couple weeks ago shortly after her 2 month appointment and her 2 month shots.  We were able to use the Tylenol to ease the pain and avoid fevers.  You shouldn't give your baby Motrin before they are 6 months so hold onto that.  Always make sure to adhere to the dosages on the box.  Doses are based on your baby's weight; not age.  Ask your doctor for the correct dosage based on weight.  We've also used the Desitin diaper rash cream to give relief to baby girls' diaper rash.  Again, it gives you the opportunity to try things about before committing.

You can get the Comfort and Care Survival Kit - HERE

3.  BABY SWING
One thing that I've learned is that you never know what your baby will take a liking to.  We actually initially purchased the 4moms MamaRoo because my husband thought it was the coolest thing on the planet.  For the first couple of weeks, we were able to put her in it, but pretty soon after that, we couldn't put her in it for more than a few minutes.  Baby girl likes to be mobile and is the definition of the "perpetual motion" baby.  My mom had purchased a Graco Swing for my niece and it turned out to be the only thing I could put her down in.  Eventually my husband and I bought one for our home and I am SO GLAD that we did.  We actually took her to the store and tried out putting her in different ones.  It's different for every baby, but this was the one that worked for us and made it possible to get laundry and dishes done and to have some "me time."

We got our Swing - HERE

4.  GRACO PACK N' PLAY AND NAPPER

It was really important to me to have my baby near me in her early months.  Aside from the fact that I was breastfeeding and it made it a whole lot easier to reach for baby in the middle of the night, this pack n' play ushes up perfectly next to the side of the bed and helped to relieve some of my new mom anxiety.  I could simply lay my hand on her chest or glance to the left of me to make sure my little love was still safe.  It also comes with a changer that attaches to the pack n' play if you prefer to make late night changes even more convenient.  My husband and I have also always loved to go on adventures and trips.  A pack n' play makes it super convenient to do so.

We got our Pack N' Play - HERE

5.  PLAYTEX DIAPER GENIE ELITE
Diapers may not smell initially - especially if you're breastfeeding, but believe me when I say, they will.  I have seen and been around a lot of diaper pails.  Some of them flat out stink.  When we were searching for diaper pails, we looked at several of them.  We also took into consideration the cost of bags etc.  Personally, I just wanted to make sure that we got one that didn't smell.  I am really glad we decided to go with this pail.  Yes, there are bags you purchase with this one in particular, but after the use of it, I'm glad we decided to make the commitment.  If worse comes to worse, you can still use it without the bags.  It's easy to use, convenient to store and has a foot pedal.

You can get our Diaper Pail - HERE

6.  DIAPERS AND WIPES
These items are a given.  However, definitely not ones you can do without.  My advice here is to try out the different brands to see which ones work best for your baby.  When I was pregnant everyone was always very quick to offer advice.  I had heard that Huggies were better for boys and Pampers were great for girls.  Thankfully, we decided to do a diaper raffle for our baby shower and we haven't had to purchase diapers at all and we're 3 months in.  BEST DECISION we could have made.  We have tried out every brand - Pampers, Huggies, Luvs, Generic, Honest.  For my baby, Pampers were the preferred brand.  But, again, go with what works best for you!  You can also take advantage of the Pampers Reward Program. 

You can get Pampers wipes and diapers at any Babies R US, Target, Walmart, BUYBUYBaby, Etc. 

7. GRACO SNUGRIDE CLICK CONNECT 35 INFANT CAR-SEAT
After reading reviews and ratings online and going to the store to look and touch and feel the different car seats, we decided to go with the Graco Snugride Click Connect 35.  The one pictured below we had on our registry.  My husband and I have two vehicles so we were also looking into a second base for his car.  However, we got lucky and Babies R Us just so happened to have a carseat and base in their clearance section for $50.00.  This is the price of just a base.  And guess what?  It was the same exact car seat.  When we asked the lady working there why it was on clearance, she told us that graco had decided to repackage their product and therefore they had to put it out on clearance to make room for the new product.  The car seat is easy to install, easy to use, and easy to clean.  On top of that, it's surprisingly light to carry as well.

We love our Graco CarSeat - HERE

8.  SWADDLEME BLANKET
Some babies like to be swaddled and some absolutely do not.  Our baby just so happens to be a pretty restless sleeper and loves to be close to mom or dad-especially at night.  This SwaddleMe blanket has convenient velcro fastenings and nice feeling, comfortable, breathable material.  If you're not a master swaddle pro with receiving blankets, this is the option for you.  They help to keep the sleeping space clear of excess items and blankets, while keeping the baby feeling warm and secure.  In the back, there are also slits for car seat straps.  They come in a TON of really cute patterns.

SwaddleMe - HERE  

9.  SERTA PERFECT SLEEPER CONTOUR CHANGING PAD
A changing pad is a changing pad.  I know you can basically change a baby anywhere...(I've changed baby girl on plenty of various surfaces)  However, this item I've put on here as more of a perk convenient item.  The cool thing about this changing pad is that we were able to use a dresser as a changing table.  The contoured edges help ease your mind about baby rolling off the side at any one point and help to encourage baby from rolling over and staying in one place.

You can get the Changing Pad -HERE

10. ZIP UP PAJAMAS SLEEPERS
These are the most convenient clothing items for newborns.  They keep the baby cozy and warm and the zipper makes it super convenient when you're changing diapers in the middle of the night.  It's a whole lot easier than snapping shut a bunch of buttons-Ain't nobody got time for that!  This pajama was my absolute favorite.  Super soft and how cute are those butterflies! The sleeves also have foldovers to act as mittens to prevent your baby from scratching herself in the face and the footies keep baby's feet warm!

These were my favorite Pajamas - HERE

(+1) 11.  PHILIPS AVENT PACIFIERS
Though we didn't receive any in the hospital, I've heard that they do give them to the newborns.  I personally chose to hold off on giving baby girl a pacifier for the first month and a half to prevent nipple confusion (just in case).   Pretty soon, I gave them to her when she was being overly cranky.  At first, she wasn't really interested any way.  I bought a pacifier from every brand trying to find one that she preferred, but in the end, this was the one she took to.  I liked the ability to stick my finger in the back to help soothe her and get her to suck.  The only thing I had a little trouble with was finding a clip that worked for them.  I eventually found that the clips with the loop that you can pull through the hole was the best option.  I also really liked that the pacifier most closely resembled a "nipple."

You Can Get These Pacifiers - HERE