Top Ten Products For Newborns (and New Moms)

Apparently it’s baby season. I can’t go a week without finding out about a new baby or a baby-on-the-way. It’s pretty great. All these fresh little people make mine seem less terrifying. It also helps me feel like part of something larger. Like a club. A mom’s club. I admit sometimes I wish it was a bit “cooler” (replacing dirty diapers with frozen margaritas and stories about spit up with stories about romance), but community is great and it’s fun to share nursing tips and hemorrhoid woes with each other along the way.

I am obviously not a parenting expert. Not only am I just one month into this gig, but parenting “experts” do not actually exist.  That said, I do have a teeny bit of experience handling newborns now. Some things have been easy, others have not. This week’s Top Ten List features a few products that have helped make things a bit easier. Happy Baby Making!

|1|

Miracle Blanket

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

Behold the miracle blanket. As soon as this kid first popped out, he wanted to be swaddled like nobody’s business. I know it seems a bit pricey for a piece of fabric, but you won’t regret it when your baby is easily swaddled in a seconds and sleeping soundly for (I hope) a hours. Soft, efficient, easy to use, and one of our baby’s prized possessions.

 |2|

Moby Wrap

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

I’ve tried out a few wraps and this one is the best by far. Waylon loves it and usually falls asleep in minutes, much preferring it to the stroller. Baby Daddy enjoys it too and has commented that it is very comfortable to wear.

|3|

Soothie Pacifier

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

The books will say not to give a baby a pacifier before they are a month old, but when your one day old is screaming like a lunatic and not hungry or wet and just wants to suck–you give in. Especially if your newly needed nips are cracked and bleeding.

We gave Waylon this pacifier when he was fresh from the womb and haven’t looked back. It helps calm him down and is a life savor in a crowd. There are currently two of them in this house and I make sure to know where both are at all times.

 |4|

Boppy

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

This thing rocks my world. The famous boppy is the perfect platform for breastfeeding. It makes you more comfortable, the baby more comfortable, and allows for you to be hand free if you’d like to be. Machine washable, slip-cover ready (recommended), and an easy way to make feeding a better experience for everyone.

|5|

Lullabies by Jewel

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

Truly a beautiful soundtrack for little ones and Mamas too. Forget silly songs with vegetables and reward the whole family with this gem (or jewel…pun).

 

|6|

Tiny Pants

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

I love tiny pants. Weird? Carters has a whole bunch of different colors and patterns that are all soft, comfortable, and wearable even when they are slightly too big or small. Waylon has lived in them and (in my very biased opinion) has looked just fabulous.

 

|7|

Nursing Tank Tops

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

Newsflash! Most nursing bras are uncomfortable. Before I had the baby, I spent much time and money trying to find the perfect nursing bra, unaware that I would never wear one. Luckily the nursing tank top was invented. I live in these. I wear one to bed and change into another to wear all day long. Not only are they more comfortable, they are easier to maneuver and allow you to shed layers of “regular” clothes to feed without becoming immodest. I have two (black and white), and plan to invest in a few more because of constant use.

|8|

Breast Pump —> click here to see it on Amazon.

For some reason I thought pumping would really hurt. It does not. And it’s a lifesaver for a few reasons:

1) 4am feedings are brutal and if Baby Daddy is feeling generous, he can do it.

2) I can run to the grocery store in peace and leave hungry baby home with someone.

3) If my arm gets severed off–baby won’t starve.

I’m slowly building up a supply thanks to this gismo. God bless modern technology.

|9|

Lanolin

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

The first few days I breastfed, I did not own Lanolin. As a result, my nipples cracked open and bled, making every latch feel like a terrible, awful titty twister. Lanolin saved my life (and my breasts). Contains no preservatives or additives of any kind and does not need to be washed off before feeding.

|10|

Sitz Bath

—> click here to see it on Amazon.

I’m just going to say it: I have anal fissures. I went to the doctor yesterday thinking I was battling hemorrhoids but as it turns out, that area got torn open during delivery, resulting in poos that feel like shitting glass. Hooray!

One of the solutions offered was the sitz bath. Lucky for me, I stole a bowl from the hospital so I already had one. You fill it with water, sit it on the pot, and soak for a bit to ease the pain and help heal many of the post-birth issues that happen downstairs. It will, literally, save your ass.

Good luck.

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