I found some things I can't do without (so far) for the first month and other than the obvious necessities, I narrowed it down to these NINE items.
1) Aden + Anais Swaddle Cloths- I'm sure most of you have heard of swaddling and receiving blankets but I LOVE these specifically. They are made from 100% cotton and completely breathable so no worries about baby getting too hot. Estella's "PJ" to go to bed usually consist of just a onesie with gloves & socks then we swaddle her in these...she's super comfortable (temperature wise) throughout the whole night. I use the other "receiving blankets" that can also be used to swaddle as burp cloths and to help with breastfeeding rather than swaddling because they get too hot for her. It is WORTH the money. We got 2 of these sets and they are MORE than enough! We got them as gifts from our registry so thank you family and friends!
2) My Brest friend- Such a cheesy name BUT it completely fits its purpose. I am getting better with positioning that I can breast feed in public now without this BUT at home, it is so much more comfortable (especially in the first couple weeks when BF is super challenging). It's better than the boppy (which I have and will use for her when she's older-not for BF though) because it is more firm and you can BF almost hands free if you're that good. Sometimes it comes on Zulily (another great deals site) and you can get it for super cheap. I bought mine gently used from Craigslist for only $10!!
3) Homedics Soundspa Lullaby- We got this as a gift from our good friends, Nirav & Tiffany, and we LOVE IT. I have it in the nursery and if I nurse, change her diaper, or clothes...we turn it on to "Ocean" and try to establish a relaxing atmosphere for her in her room and she loves it. It also has a light visual show thing with little picture slides that we hope she will enjoy when she's a little older.
4) Shea Moisture- I am OBSESSED with this line. I used their raw shea butter every night to help prevent stretch marks (which I don't have!) I also recently picked up their shampoo and conditioner and I LOVE IT! So there was no question that I wanted to try out their baby products. We have their all over wash, baby oil (we use rarely since you don't want to oil them up all the time because their little bodies are capable of moisturizing their skin on its own), body lotion, and diaper rash ointment. We LOVE all their products and she hasn't had any negative reactions to it since it is high quality, organic, and no weird chemicals or colors. Try it out! They carry it at Target and Walgreens.
5) NoseFrida nasal aspirator- Okay...before you stop reading and GAG..this thing is AWESOME. Yes you do technically "suck" the snot out of your baby but you don't eat it! haha It doesn't even get close to coming in your mouth because of the filter apparatus in it. The tube only graces the small opening of your baby's nostril compared to the typical suckers that go in their nose and can cause irritation! Plus this thing gets boogies all the way up there that you can't see but definitely hear! Newborns (especially) have a lot of fluids to clear after swimming in you for 9 months and we found this to be gentle and actually entertaining because it always catches her off guard! Worth the money for sure.
6) Lansinoh lanolin cream- Who forgot to tell me how freaking hard breastfeeding is? I thought boob + mouth = done. Umm..not so simple...and we are still adjusting and tweaking now and it's been a month. Well the first 2 weeks...especially first week was HELL and fire on my nipples and boobs. Engorgement plus sore nipples that bled (sorry to be graphic) and scabbed (ehh!) was miserable. Well this cream helped me get through it so thank you for all the recommendations from the moms out there!
7) Closer to Nature Nursing Cover- I got this cover as apart of a baby shower gift before I knew about the "free" udder covers (you only have to pay for shipping). I think they virtually fit the same purpose so do what is best for your budget obviously. I love this one though because it is very very soft, wide so you feel comfortable nursing, and it has a little area that is like a burp cloth to use which isn't the best but it is nice that it's there. I've had success using this to nurse in public and I feel completely comfortable...although it always makes me nervous that there will be a gust of wind haha. But seriously this fabric is soft and heavy so I don't think a gust of wind would do it!
8) Johnson's Nursing Pads- Breastfeeding can get messy too especially when your body is trying to turn up the knob or down the knob as to how much milk your baby really needs. I am making TOO much as of now so these were great. I tried the Medela disposables...Medela reusables...and the Lansinoh disposables but these were the most comfortable although they are a lot thicker. Try different brands out and see what works for you!
9) Medela Pump in style advanced- This helped me so much while I was engorged because it is so painful especially when you want to avoid plugged ducts (which I had a couple and OUCH!!) and mastitis (which I thought I had). This is a great quality pump and when we start bottle feeding, it will be great to still feed her breastmilk since we are ANTI-FORMULA (unless we medically need to for any reason).
Well how can I talk about baby products without showing you a cute picture of my little baby? :)
I hope to share my "favorites" here and there and feel free to share yours too! I love experimenting and exploring..there is so much more to learn.
Stay tuned for Estella's one month update tomorrow! :D
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