With baby number two on the way, I’m preparing myself for the unpredictable, exhausting, emotional and challenging times ahead. But despite the hard times ahead, there are some things that helped me make the transition to motherhood a little easier (especially when I had my first baby two years ago).
Here are my top things a new mum may need with a newborn baby:
1. Nappy Rash Cream
It’s easy for your baby’s backside to get very irritated (and raw) with the constant change of nappies. I remember changing up to 12 nappies a day! So, it’s no surprise with that many nappy changes my little one developed some nasty nappy rashes. I used a big tub from Woolworths and made sure I stored it in a super easy to reach pot, so I could quickly grab it at a 3 am nappy change.
2. A super soft bath towel
Bath time is messy, especially when your baby wriggles and kicks water everywhere. The only towel on the market which conveniently wraps around your neck with velcro, allowing you to pick up your baby with both hands safely, is this luxurious cotton towel from an Australian brand called Cuddlebee.
3. Soft muslin wraps
Muslin wraps are handy and you’ll be using them for so many things like covering your bubba from the sun, covering or wrapping them in the bassinet etc. I bought six and still needed more! Bubbaroo (another Australian company) offer a gorgeous three pack made from the softest bamboo fabric – they felt lovely on the skin.
4. Sleeping bags
Swaddling my baby didn’t work because he wriggled his way out and would wake. So, I started using sleeping bags that allowed him to easily poke out his little arms, allowing him to comfortably and safely sleep in it all night. It’s a bit tricky to know which size and thickness you’ll need. However, if you send an email to Nicole from Bubbaroo, she’ll tell you the best size and thickness to put your little one to sleep.
5. Sleep music
While my first baby was around five months old, I took him to sleep school (you can read all about that life-changing experience here). Sleep school taught me so many things about my babies sleep pattern, which I implemented. This meant that my baby slept through the entire night (and during his day naps) from 5 months old to 2 years! Part of the new sleep routine I learnt from Sleep School was a type of music I had to play whenever I needed to settle my baby. You can download Music for Dreaming from Spotify.
6. Attend a sleep workshop
Sleeping was the most important thing with my newborn (second to his milk!). It was important from day one that I nailed his sleeping and one way I prepared myself was attending a sleep workshop. I recommend this by Carolines Angels. The workshop goes for two hours and covers all the information you need to understand how to settle and sleep your baby up to six weeks of age. I had no idea of what a babies potential sleep/feed pattern looks like. So, to get some first-hand knowledge from an expert about what to expect – was an eye-opener – especially in those early weeks where it’s too soon to attend Sleep School.
7. Breast pump
This was a life-saver as I had no idea I would have to pump my boobs! I bought a double electric breast pump. There is no way I could use a manual pump – imagine getting up at 3 am and having to spend 30 minutes pumping the milk before you spend another 45minutes feeding the baby. I bought mine from eBay brand new and saved over $100.
8. Breast pads
I had a hilarious experience with leaking boobs. When my baby was six weeks old, we made time to go out for a dinner date. While walking back home, my breasts started to leak. They were so full because this was the first time in 6 weeks I wouldn’t have breastfed for this long. So, as I walked in broad daylight along Flinders Street in Melbourne, I had drips of milk splashing on the pavement – we couldn’t stop laughing. So, from that moment on, I wore my trusty breast pads.
Here are some other baby and parenting related posts you may be interested in:
Why I took my baby to sleep school and did sleep school work?
