There are so many “must-have” lists for the newborn stage and every one of them is different! Here are the items that Paul and I have used most often in the two months Robinson has been in the world…
Changing area – Now that it’s finished, I love our changing room! And am so thankful my husband worked hard to make it look and feel nice. (This was one of those projects that started with “We’ll just add a little here and a little there… No big deal”, and ended with “What the heck – let’s just gut the entire thing!”. Needless to say, despite our best efforts to finish on time, Robinson was sans-changing room for the first couple weeks of his life 🙂 )
Anyway, I would encourage you to set up a changing room that you really enjoy, because you will be spending a lot of time in there. 😉 This is just a closet in which we stuck a small changing table and painted it a nice color. The mirror is a simple, lovely touch that makes it a pleasant place to be.
This is where Robinson’s clothes, cloth diapers, and little health gadgets (nasal aspirator, nail clippers, etc.) are stowed. We do not have a separate baby room for Robinson. SHOCKER, I know! Am I even American?! We figured, he was going to sleep with or very near us (so doesn’t need a crib), and really doesn’t need much besides diapers and some clothes for the first few months. So smaller space for baby = less temptation to fill it with STUFF.
Microfiber antibacterial cloths – These are a wonderful way to clean sticky fingers or give a sponge bath. Our Norwex baby cloths are antibacterial (silver infused) so no need to use soap – just water. The microfiber cleans really well too. I leave one of these near the changing table for impromptu cleanings, and one in our diaper bag (which is not on this list because we actually don’t use it more than maybe once per week right now).
Wrap carrier – It doesn’t matter which kind you buy, we have LIVED in our wrap these last months – we nap in it, walk in it, clean the house in it (when he’s sleeping)… Wrap carriers, whether it’s a stretchy t-shirt material (Moby or Boba) or a woven wrap, are great for the newborn period. They keep the little guy snuggled up like he was in the womb. After carefully weighing our options, we selected a convertible car seat suitable for infants which stays in the car, instead of an infant seat or “baby bucket”. So when we drive somewhere, I put my wrap carrier on, then when we get to our destination, I put Robinson right in the carrier. One main reason we decided on a convertible car seat was so I would “wear” him as much as possible and eliminate the temptation to leave him sitting on his own more often than he ought to.
Bouncy seat – Robinson hangs out in this simple seat (which can vibrate to soothe baby) when we need to set him down when we are, for example, eating dinner or showering. It’s light enough to move from room to room in the house without a problem, and we have even tossed it in the car to bring to a restaurant or someplace where it would be hard for one of us to wear him (remember, we don’t have a baby bucket car seat; this is our solution when we need to set him down instead of wearing him).
Swaddles – We have used both the velcro swaddlers that really keep baby wrapped up tight, and large blankets of various materials (muslin, t-shirt, waffle knit…). We have liked both types (though the velcro does wear out eventually), and have swaddled Robinson every night since he was born.
“Breastfeeding Made Simple” by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett – I read this book for my certification as a birth doula and found it simple and practical. It serves as a wonderful voice of reason amidst the erroneous breastfeeding advice or stories that new moms hear. I recommend this to all of my clients, and loan it out to them when they are close to their baby’s due date.
That’s it! Of course we use diapers and clothes every day, and there are a few other items we use occasionally, but really not much else… In the words of my midwife, “All baby needs is a breast and a smile.” 🙂
What items would YOU recommend to new moms? Answer in the comments below!
Sarah Bruss, Denver Birth Doula 