So every mum to be buys a million things they probably won’t use but has to buy because it’s a right of passage into motherhood. Now we’re 3 months in, people have asked me what are the must have products you actually use with a baby, so as we enter a new year, with lots of lockdown babies on the way, here’s the products you will actually use in 2021!
Moses basket or Snuzpod
We began with a Moses basket for her to sleep in during the day which ended up being her bedtime bed especially in the first few weeks. We didn’t use our snuzpod until week 5/6 as she found it too big/wasn’t as settled in it at first. The best part about a Moses basket was that if she fell asleep downstairs you could take her up without disturbing her. We have stopped using the basket as much now and the snuzpod is amazing as a next to me crib, I like the storage underneath, easy to put her in, mesh sides and easy to move around your bedroom too. I don’t actually have it attached to our bed, you don’t have to, she seems happier on her own and she’s literally in arms reach just not with the side down.
Nappy caddy
If you buy one thing for a mum to be, make it a nappy caddy for downstairs and the first few weeks. We purchased a caddy that we filled with nappies, cotton wool, wipes, creams, outfit changes and nappy bags for those first weeks. Ours was from Amazon and cost £12 (some are cheaper but this seemed a bit sturdier than the fabric ones.) We would use this caddy not only downstairs during the day but upstairs for the night changes which happened more frequently in the first weeks. It was at the foot of the bed so we could easily use it on the bottom of the bed so she stayed in our bedroom and didn’t get too disrupted in the early weeks/frequent night feeds. Now we just use it for daytime changes and it just has nappies and wipes in (plus some medicines). But this is so invaluable and such a useful gift to give someone!
Muslins
YOU CAN NOT HAVE TOO MANY MUSLINS. The first week we would shout at each other saying “Where are the muslins?!” We now have a constant pile in the lounge and one wherever she is! Until their mouths get a bit bigger too, they are just a constant dribble fest and if you like your clothes being clean then a muslin on the shoulder after feeding is a must. It’s also pretty handy when you have to use your hand to catch sick… which yes I have been there. Sometimes it’s all you can do! You will also find you use muslins for your own needs such as tears, wiping up and more! The best ones we have are John Lewis (£8 for 6) as they’re quite large, Primark does them quite cheaply too but these are quite thin.
Aldi nappies
Now this is all about preference for you and your baby but we found Aldi Premium nappies have been our favourites so far, no major leaks, keeps her happy and no crazy nappy rashes plus they’re super cheap compared to most!
Sleepsuits
In the first few weeks of baby, forget all those pretty outfits… everyone is right, you don’t need them at such a young age. As cute as outfits are, save them for the 0-3 sizes. Babies only need vests and sleepsuits up to 1 month I’d say. You’ll be changing them frequently anyway and with sick, wee and poo, it is so much easier to change them with sleepsuits. Supermarket brands like Tu Clothing and Next have been my favourites so far!
Angelcare Bath
If you want to make bathing easy, angelcare bath support is the way to go! It’s soft for babies to lay in, allows them to be warm on their back and bum and is great for both parents or one to bath them as they can’t slide or move about. We find our baby loved this more than a small bath downstairs on the floor as the bath is bigger and so much easier to get the temp of the water right.
Childs Farm Bath Products
For bath time bubbles, we’ve loved the Child’s Farm range, it smells of oranges, is natural and creates lots of bubbles! Big fan of their products, smells and ethos! We use the bubble bath which comes with a handy pump and we’ve also used the body wash and moisturiser which has suited newborn skin from early days!
Play Mat
This is a life saviour for keeping a newborn entertained. Whilst they can’t do much in terms of playing by themselves for a few months, a colourful play mat is great for development! Any works! Ours is a hand-me-down but you can get great sensory ones these days too!
Bouncer/rocker
It wasn’t until 2/3 months until we used our bouncer but we also purchased the Joie Serina rocker which Romilly has LOVED from day one. This is a life saviour for nap times when they won’t settle anywhere else and like the rocking motion that you can’t keep up with every time, it’s also nice to keep her calm during the day too. We have a bouncer in the kitchen so she can sit in there with us during dinner or when I’m cooking so she can look around!
Pram
A pram is a big essential, everyone has their preferences and favourites, we got a Mamas and Papas ocarro! I was sold from the outset for it and wasn’t swayed by any others but I highly recommend going to the showrooms, test them out and make sure it fits your car!! Mine doesn’t and I have a Juke so now I need a bigger car oops!
Sleeping Bags
Whilst swaddling is the aim, Romilly only enjoyed this in the first few weeks, once she found her position, she’s been an arms out gal all the way. We had a couple of sleeping bags ready for the later months but we didn’t expect to want one before 6 months. So we ordered a couple and they’ve been amazing. We particularly like the designs and price of the Tu Clothing range. She is starting to realise that sleeping bag time means bedtime and they’re fab if your baby doesn’t like blankets/kicks them off overnight. I like how safe it keeps her as she cant get covers over her face but she also gets to keep nice and warm! Sainsbury’s have been my favourite so far but looking to try more!
White Noise Machine
You will never sleep in silence again, luckily white noise is good for everyone but if your baby is ever fussing and overtired. Crank up the white noise and you’ll send them off to sleep pretty quickly! It’s only in week 10/11 we’ve been working on this more and it’s been great for us to get her off to sleep at night. We put it on, she self settles and its relieved us of the two hours of rocking we used to do! I wish we used this sooner! This is £30 from Amazon but worth every penny for a good sleep! This is one of those MUST HAVE products you wouldn’t think to buy initially but I highly recommend it.
Portable/USB/Bedside Lamp
I don’t like leaving the bedroom to feed, whether it was breast or bottle, I wanted to stay in my warm bed and not be on my own in a colder room. Dan picked up this USB portable bedside lamp that you recharge with a phone charge style plug. It has various settings including colour changing (good for sensory when they’re older) a normal light which can dim or go brighter but also you hold down to turn on a very dim night light. The night light setting is not enough to read a book but enough to navigate the bedroom, pick up baby, see baby and put her back without disturbing her. Couldn’t recommend enough!
If you’re formula feeding…
Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine
If you’re formula feeding, like we did from 3 weeks, a prep machine is a must have. Not everyone likes them but we think it’s an absolute godsend. I couldn’t imagine waiting for the kettle to boil, cool, then cool a bottle now with a screaming baby in my arms. The prep machine makes a bottle in just a few minutes and is perfect for night time feeds too. We simply wouldn’t be without it now. You just must keep them clean and it will work for you!
Mam Anti Colic Bottles
By chance we were given a Mam bottle at our private scan, so when we needed to give a bottle of formula in the very early days, it was a saviour since it was all we had a 3am! The bottles are anti-colic (stop air getting in and causing them too much wind) and are shaped really well. Romilly took to them amazingly and what’s best is they self sterilise in the microwave so ideal for travelling or quick use! They take 3 mins for one bottle to sterile with water so make the perfect option for a crying baby! Mam bottles paired with perfect prep means you’re looking at five minutes top to make a bottle from scratch which is far quicker than any other brands or options! Even if you’re not intending to use a bottle, I recommend having one in just because you don’t know how things will go and if you just need to express or use formula even if for one night, it will really be your saviour in the early hours and there’s no shame in using one! Pick up your bottles from Amazon here.
If you’re breastfeeding…
I breast fed for the first three weeks pretty much exclusively bar the last week and I really struggled with it all in the end, however, I have a few products that were lifelines and meant I could continue even if it was just a few days longer, without them I would’ve given up even earlier!
Haaka
The amazing Orla Harrington gave me advice on breast feeding in the early days and told me about a Haaka. I hadn’t heard of one before and couldn’t get my head around how it worked but essentially no one tells you that when you feed, you often get a let down/leak on the other side or other breast. Not everyone does and sometimes it takes a bit of work to make it happen but it was so useful for us as it meant we could collect the let down/milk as I had a low supply. You essentially pinch it as its silicone, it sucks onto your breast and it collects everything safely without falling off/needing to be held. It’s free milk and is great for anyone with low supply or looking to collect milk for future use as it’d only go in a breast pad other wise!
Meadela Breast Pump
I never expected to need a breast pump but it was SO hard in the initial days to get my supply moving and stop the engorgement so a pump was the first thing we purchased the day after she arrived. I sent Dan out and he got a manual one which did the job but was a lot of effort. The Medela electric swing pump is perfect as you don’t need to press anything to get it working and it seemed to provide more milk in one session than manual use. I used this until the day I stopped breast feeding and it was perfect for the transition. If I knew more about expressing from the beginning, which FYI, NO ONE TALKS ABOUT, then I would’ve probably been more comfortable to combination feed instead. However by expressing, it meant Romilly got every last drop of my milk before we switched to formula which was amazing and I’m so grateful I did that.
Reusable/Washable Breast Pads
Expect the first few weeks of your baby to be covered not only in sick, wee and poo but also milk. Once it comes in, it gushes out! I was using Boots disposable pads initially but these felt so scratchy and stiff which wasn’t making me feel all that comfortable. I also ended up with a bit of mastitis (also, no one talks about that – infection in breast!) so my boob (note one, that was fun) absolutely swelled up and I was in so much pain. The reusable pads were bigger, softer and easier to just wash and go again. I would highly recommend these to any breast feeding mum because the disposable ones are not only bad for the environment, but so uncomfortable!
So that’s my must have baby product run down for any babies due this New Year in 2021! What were your must-haves for those first few weeks and months? Romilly is now nearly three months and it’s flown by but I wish I had a manual for some of these items! It’s all the things you think you’ll use, you don’t!