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theripertoire · 7 years ago

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My List of Newborn Essentials, 0-3 Months

Photocred: Janis Sarraf Tabet

Sometime in March of last year, I found out I was pregnant. Getting pregnant was the absolute last thing on my mind, and traveling the world with my husband, who I’d just married, was on the top of my list. Little did I know that the only list I would be making for the months that followed was newborn must-haves. Finding out you’re pregnant for the first time is surreal. It’s exciting, terrifying, stressful and beautiful all at once. What they don’t tell you though, is that being pregnant is the least difficult chapter in motherhood. Once baby is in the world, it’s a whole new ballgame, and everything becomes so fast-paced, you finally realize what the terms superwoman and supermom mean. What does help is being organized and managing your time efficiently. I was never a fan of “routine”, but I now find that it’s what keeps me and baby sane. The first step in being organized is being prepared with all you may need at home to make baby’s stay as comfortable, safe, and convenient as possible for the both of you. This starts with making a list of newborn must-haves. This is basically a long, long, VERY long list that gets longer and longer the more you research online and ask friends or family for advice – which is exactly what I did … and then went on to buy every item that was recommended to me. In my opinion, no price was too high and no list was too long. I was willing to buy anything and everything for Brandon – and that’s what hubby and I did. And what a waste of money and time that was! Once baby B was born and for the weeks that followed, I realized that the only opinion that mattered in determining what newborn must-haves to purchase is your baby’s and your baby’s alone. In my case, Brandon hated so many of the highly-rated and super expensive purchases, no matter how hard I tried to make him love them. So, we spent our first two weeks buying even more must-have products; including alternatives to what we had already bought, in addition to things we had never considered. So, I decided to spare other mommas the time and money and say it like it is: you will need to buy tons of new stuff for baby, just not all the things you thought you might need, and certainly not the overhyped, overpriced, cutting-edge, award-winning products that claim to be most loved by babies everywhere. The best thing you can do is start off with buying a few essentials, then move on to the rest once baby is born and your needs and routine have been established.

In any case, I’m sharing my list of must-haves and luxuries. It’s tried and tested, and I’m hoping it helps some of you somehow. This applies for newborns – from 0 to 3 months of age.

Here goes:

Around 7 bodysuits and pajamas for each age. I was advised to only buy 5 of each, which I realized was a big mistake (especially since I have a baby boy, and peepee fountains are staple in our daily lives). Aside to pee surprises, do consider the vomiting, poop explosions, and diaper leaks that happen almost everyday. There’s even one day where we went through 5 outfit changes. I got better at controlling and avoiding these surprises as the weeks passed, but I reached a conclusion that 7-9 of each is a fair number. Plus, it’s nice to see your baby in different outfits! This is only an exception for newborn pajamas, depending on your baby’s birth weight and height. I actually bought 9 newborn PJs for my baby, but he outgrew them once he hit 10 days. So, he basically wore each pair twice.

And now, for some advice on where to buy them. Personally speaking, my favorite bodysuits were from Petit Beateau and Mothercare. Great fit, excellent cotton and long-lasting quality. As for the pajamas, my favorites were from Mothercare, Mamas & Papas and Carter’s, followed by Jacadi and Petit Bateau. I had splurged on other more high-end brands, which I realized were so impractical; their cotton wasn’t fantastic, their fit was almost always too small, and getting those pajamas on and off was a hassle – and a complete waste of time and money. My second piece of advice is to buy cotton pajamas whether winter or summer – unless you’re in a super, duper cold climate. I bought so many velour pajamas before Brandon was born. He never wore them, and they didn’t maintain their quality after washes. I switched to cotton after week one. My third piece of advice is to buy pajamas for the first month and nothing else. Save the cool/cute/more complicated outfits for later. During this period, your baby is super wobbly and it’s stressful enough to get those pajamas on and off during the first couple of weeks. Imagine trying to put a suit and tie on that tiny human! Once baby hits the 40-day mark, do as you please! And my last piece of advice is this: whenever you find cotton pajamas with a zipper instead of buttons, BUY IT! It makes life so much easier (Mamas & Papas and Carter’s have lots of those).

You will also need socks. I found that 7 pairs are enough too. You can buy the 0-3 months and take advantage of them for longer. My favorite socks were from H&M as well as Mamas & Papas.

Bonnets – you’ll need around three. You can also get two or three pairs of mittens. Brandon only wore mittens on five occasions. Another option is buying pajamas that have built in mittens. I personally like to keep baby’s hands bare so he can use them for self-soothing and discovery. I loved the bonnets and mittens at Jacadi, Petit Bateau, Mothercare and Tartine et Chocolat.

Blankets, bedsheets and mattress protectors. Many may advise against the use of blankets, but I am personally pro-blanket. I bought all of Brandon’s thicker blankets from Mamas & Papas and Zahar Kids; and the light cotton ones from Petit Bateau and Zahar Kids. You will need three to four of each. One mattress protector will do, and two to three fitted bed sheets should suffice. I also bought all of those from Mamas & Papas.

Burp cloths. Buy A LOT! I think 12 is a good number. I loved the ones at Zahar Kids, Mothercare and Carter’s. In addition, you can buy those packs of little square towels from Mothercare. You will use these for everything, from bath time and feeding to cleaning and changing diapers. Two to three packs will do. I started using bibs once Brandon was a little over two months and salivating a lot. You will also need around 5-7 bibs.

Diapers. You will need tons of diapers. TONS!!! In my case, we use Pampers Premium. Both Brandon and I loved them. We have a diaper change every two hours – till today.

Baby wipes. I personally prefer using cleansing water (like Uriage or Mustela) with cotton pads specially-made for baby. Baby wipes are excellent too, but make sure you purchase a water-based, brand for sensitive skin that has the least amount of chemicals possible. The last thing you need is nappy rash!

Nappy rash cream. I like Sudocrem and Mustela 1 2 3.

Diaper bag. I love the Skip Hop and Jacadi diaper bags. They’re both practical and stylish. In the diaper bag, it helps to have the following: a full change of clothes in a Ziploc bag, six diapers, wipes, nappy rash cream, scented diaper bags from Mothercare, a closed bottle of water, two clean feeding bottles, and formula incase you are formula-feeding, or expressed breast milk if you’re breastfeeding, two pacifiers, hand sanitizer, two burp cloths, a muslin cloth and two square towels).

Diaper caddy. If there’s one thing I learned after three months of being a mom, is that there’s no way to get through the day without being organized. I love having a diaper caddy or simply, any form of storage for all the essentials I’ll need around the house for baby, or simply to be placed near the changer for ease of access to everything. You can put everything in there, from wipes and diapers to everything related to baby’s toiletries and hygiene. You can even stick a changer in there and carry it around the house with you to avoid jumping from room to room in case you need to clean your baby or go for a nappy change.

Tommee Tippee Sangenic Nappy Disposal Bin. I’m obsessed. I tried the Ubbi Diaper Pail, which was indeed roomy, but I wasn’t too impressed. This, on the other hand, is my favorite thing about changing diapers. It’s an epic must-have.

Peepee teepee. If you have a baby boy and want to avoid peepee accidents. Placing a cotton pad over his peepee also helps as an alternative to the teepee, which isn’t always as handy as a cotton pad.

Bathtub. This all comes down to personal preference. Some love to buy the “Blooming Bath” and place it in the sink. I loved this and wished I had bought it for B when he was a newborn. Instead, I bought the Chicco Cuddle & Bubble, which is so practical. It was recommended to me by several mommas, and I can’t recommend it enough! It has a level for storage, a changer and a tub. Place it in your bathroom, and it’s all you’ll need for bath time. Mind you, you will need to buy a newborn seat or large sponge for to place baby on while in the tub. Another excellent option is the Béaba tub with its seat. My baby loved this one the most, but carrying him naked across the bathroom to place him on the changer is the only downside to it.

Shampoo and body wash. I absolutely love Mustela shampoo and shower gel. Alternatively, there are some great organic brands you can find on Amazon. However, my current favorite and current obsession is Burt’s Bees Baby. I’m obsessed, it smells like heaven and leaves skin silky smooth - and my baby loves it.

Hooded bath towels. I think 7-9 of these is a good number. I loved the ones at Carter’s, Mothercare and Petit Bateau. My personal favorite though is the PUJ towel. Although these are used for older children, they still have a hood and are super thick, long, snuggly and Brandon loves them. We started using these at 3+ months, but that’s also for another blog post.

Soft hair brush. We got ours from Chicco and loved it.

Nail scissors. Also Chicco. Look no further.

Soft bath sponge. We loved the Chicco sponges. Make sure to wash and air dry very well after each bath.

Rectal thermometer. Until baby is 3 months old, the only accurate way to take his/her temperature is rectally. The Chicco digital rectal thermometer never failed us.

Mouche Bebe and Physiomer/Sterimar Bebe. The brands I really liked for the mouche are the Picot and the Physiomer. You will also need salt water for cleaning those nasal passages, and the best two are the Physiomer bebe and the Sterimar bebe. Combining the mouche with the salt water is the most effective way to clean the nasal passages.

Organic almond oil for babies. I love to massage this onto baby’s skin after each bath. It’s the only product that has prevented eczema, cradle cap and dry skin so far.

Pediavit D vitamin for baby. This was prescribed by my pediatrician. Please always consult with your baby’s pediatrician ONLY when it comes to vitamins, formula, feedings, and especially medication.

Water thermometer. The Chicco was my favorite. We always kept water at 37-38 degrees Celsius.

Room thermometer. I love the one by Avent. It’s excellent, and you can use it for both bath water and room temperature.

Feeding bottles. I found eight bottles to be an ideal number. While I was breastfeeding, I loved using Munchkin Latch bottles for my expressed milk. Overall, it’s an excellent slow flow, anti-colic bottle for newborns. I then switched to Dr. Brown’s (wide neck) when I began formula feeding, which are our favorite and what I’ll be sticking to till he stops bottle feeding. After Brandon passed his three-month mark, we started using Tommee Tippee as well, but I’m leaving the 3+ months products for another blog post.

Pacifiers and soothers. I love the Dr Brown 0-6 months soothies. They’re the only ones Brandon liked. Avoid these if you’re breastfeeding. Bottle sterilizer. I tried a few, and to be honest, the Avent was my favorite. It has tons of space to fit several bottles and different bottle sizes, two compartments (you can use the small one alone for fewer items or smaller bottles), and is super easy to use and clean.

Bottle warmer. This is a must for breastfeeding moms who store their breast milk in the fridge or freezer. My favorite is the Avent, and I used it several times a day throughout the time I was breastfeeding. Its only downside is it tends to overheat the milk, but one you get the hang of it, you know exactly how long to warm up the bottle without overheating it.

Breast pump. Buy a Medela breast pump and don’t even think twice about purchasing another brand. If you have the opportunity to rent a hospital-grade one like the Medela Symphony, do so by all means.

Avent breast pads – nighttime. During breastfeeding, I used these day and night because of their high absorbency and cotton feel.

Nipple cream. You will certainly need this if you’re breastfeeding. I used Marcalan and loved it.

Nursing bras and shirts. This is more for you than baby, but it makes it that much more convenient to nurse your baby when wearing one. I had two or three of each, which I bought from Mamas & Papas.

Nursing pillow. This is also a must during breastfeeding, as it’s more comfortable for both mom and baby. I love the pillows at Mamas & Papas and Le Bouquet. You can also leave your baby to lounge in it for a few minutes each day.

Container for formula. If you’re formula feeding, this comes in so handy for preparing the portions ahead of time, especially for feeds outside the house. A brand I love is Munchkin.

Travel cot. I own the Chicco in Lebanon and Graco in Qatar, and these are excellent when placed bedside in your bedroom. They each come with a changer, convert from cot to playpen, and can be packed into their bag and taken with you anywhere you go. I love having this and believe it’s a must for every baby. An alternative (up to a certain age) is the Next2Me bedside crib by Chicco. I used this with Brandon as well and fell in love with it. The proximity is everything, and I believe is essential in the first weeks. If I were to choose, I would use the Next2Me for the first six weeks, then the Graco till he moves into his own room. You could always just buy the travel cot, set it up in your room and stick to that till baby is old enough to sleep in a separate room.

Cot. We bought our nursery cot from Mamas and Papas, and I love it. Price versus quality versus esthetics are all on point.

Dresser + Changer: We also bought the dresser in the nursery from Mamas and Papas and I love that as well. We bought a beautiful changer that we set on top and use the drawers for his towels, bed linens, pajamas and clothes. It’s both practical and visually beautiful.

Rocking chair. This was perfect during nursing, bottle feeding, and putting baby to sleep.

Bouncing chair. A great choice is the mamaRoo by 4moms, which you can find at the Cookie Dough Boutique or Just Kidding. Another good one is the Chicco Polly Swing.

Baby dock. I loved using the Cocoonababy, and so did Brandon. This is definitely a must in the first two to three weeks, at least during lounging and naptime. I know there’s a lot of ugly publicity with regards to sleep positioners, so I won’t insist on them. But, in our case, this helped my baby sleep so well during the time that he was adapting to life outside the womb. I also asked my pediatrician about it, and she said she loved it too for afternoon naps around the house. It was a great way to keep Brandon close by and cozy.

Stroller. You will need a stroller for everyday, something that’s both heavyweight and versatile, like the Graco Modes or the UPPABaby Vista or the Stokke XPLORY. I also believe a second, more practical stroller is also needed for moms on the go, such as the Doona and the YOYO. I love the YOYO and find it to be a must-have, but we wont be using ours till Brandon hits 6 months because the current 0-6 carrier is a lie-flat, which is an issue for babies with reflux. The Doona, on the other hand, is excellent for babies with reflux, moms with a busy lifestyle, and moms with several cars or no car. The Yoyo is so practical. It folds up into a tiny accessory you can carry with you everywhere, even the airplane. You can later on convert it to a 6+ stroller when the time comes. The Doona can be found at Le Bouquet or Just Kidding, and the YOYO at Cookie Dough Boutique or Just Kidding.

Car seat. I love the Doona, Maxi Cosi and Cybex. The Doona can be found at Le Bouquet, the Maxi Cosi at the Baby Company, and the Cybex at Mamas & Papas. Many prefer to purchase a travel system stroller, which comes with its own car seat. That’s also a great idea.

Flathead pillow. I used the Candide Expert from Moms & Babies during the day time. It’s great for when baby is lying on his back during playtime or sitting in the stroller. So far, no flat head – thank God.

Anti reflux pillow. My baby has reflux, so placing a wedge pillow underneath the mattress has done wonders for us. Even if your baby doesn’t have reflux, many doctors advise on putting baby to sleep on an inclined mattress. It’s much safer in case of vomiting or gagging incidents during sleep.

Baby monitor. The Motorala has been my favorite so far. Its monitor is possibly the best I’ve tried, not to mention its accuracy and detail when it comes sound and image – it’s almost as through you’re sitting with baby in the room. I love that you can also access the cam from your phone when you’re not at home. It’s the best we’ve tried, price versus performance. The one we own is the Motorola MBP854.

Playmat. This is excellent for playtime, tummy time, stimulation, and discovery. I got Brandon’s from Joue Club and Fisher-Price and absolutely love both.

Tummy time prop pillow. I love the one I bought from ELC Early Learning Center. It’s excellent for babies that hate tummy time and great to help them get the hang of it.

0+ Toys. You need these to stimulate your baby at every developmental stage from 0-3 months. I love everything from Fisher-Price and ELC Early Learning Center. Brandon is obsessed with his links from Mothercare.

Crib mobile. These are excellent for putting baby to sleep as well as stimulating baby while awake. I love the Fisher-Price mobiles, though the ones at Mamas & Papas are the prettiest.

Happi Tummi. This is a must for calming down colicky, gassy and fussy babies. It also helps baby sleep better at night. I still use it everyday for gas relief. It just smells heavenly!

Night light. I love the Pabobo night lights from Moms & Babies.

White noise machine. I don’t like to keep it too quiet around Brandon. I love to play music or sounds of the ocean, wind, rain, etc. Not only does it help him sleep better, but it gets him used to dozing off even with some noise around him. An alternative to this is an app called Sound Sleeper. It has the most addictive “noise” options that helped soothe my baby and put him right to sleep.

Humidifier. for dry climates, a cool air humidifier is very helpful for both baby’s skin and breathing.

Hospital grade hand sanitizer. It’s best to keep your hands super clean around newborns, and this is very helpful to have around in case you have relatives or guests over that want to see, touch or carry your baby. I have one in each room of the house.

And last but not least,

A pen and notebook. If there’s one helpful tip I learned from the nurses I worked with, it’s to keep daily record of your baby’s feeds, diapers, naps, vomiting and/or diarrhea, if any, and any changes that may occur. This helped me keep track of my baby’s development, and make sure he’s sleeping enough, drinking enough, and peeing enough. It also helped me identify that his body wasn’t agreeing with a certain formula, as well as figure out that he has reflux. My baby is almost four months old, on an excellent schedule, and I still keep track of everything even when I’m outside the house. Some may perceive this as overkill or neurotic, but believe me, it’s hectic enough in the first months, and it’s easy to forget things, so this has been a lifesaver.

I’m pretty sure there’s tons I’m forgetting, so if there’s something you think I should add to this list, please leave your thoughts in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to add the extra points in an additional edit. Lots of love to all you mamas. Remember, we each do things differently, and there’s no strict right or wrong. You’re all doing the best you can, and deserve to be celebrated everyday! And that’s the most essential point to remember throughout all this.

-R

#featured #Riflections #newborn #newborn musthaves #newborn essentials #baby #baby products #babybrandonbechara #first time mom #mommyblogger

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