5 things that you don’t need on your baby list

5 things that you don’t need on your baby list

1. Lots of clothes that are 6 months and above

◦ I know it’s really temping but do not put clothes that he/she will not use in the first 6 months. Especially if your child is a premie or grows like a weed. If people give them to you and you don’t have them on your list then that’s fine but chances are that if you put clothes that are 7-12 months then they will get you that instead of 0-3 or 3-6. My son was already in 6 month clothing at the age of 4 months.

2. Newborn clothes

◦ Most babies will only fit into these for a week or two. If you do have a premie then by all means get them but for the most part have on your list 0-3 months clothing.

3. Wipe warmers

◦ For one thing this is just a extra gadget that you don’t need. Many babies have survived with wipes that are not from a wipe warmer. Plus wipe warmers dry out the wipes faster. Wipe warmers are very much unnecessary and most of the time your newborn will be drowsy at night when you are diaper changing them. Plus if the wipe warmers is defective you could be possibly run the risk of it being a fire hazard. Also, if the baby is always used to warm wipes then it could be problematic when you are out and about and all you have is cold wipes.

4. Swaddles/sleep sacks.

◦ I’m going to get a lot of flak for this but swaddles that have the arms in you don’t need. You are just prolonging having to deal with the startle reflex at night. I’ve taught infants in a Montessori classroom and the ones that had a harder time falling asleep without one were the ones that have slept with sleep sacks with the arms in. The only time my son had one was in the hospital. It took him a week or two at the very beginning to learn not to sleep with it. If you wait till 3 or 4 months you are just adding onto the reasons why your baby is more cranky at night on top of teething. However, if you are going to buy one then look for a brand with the arm holes so you can put their arms out. Also, again this is a item that the baby industry says that you need in which you don’t really need. Many babies have survived with out being swaddled at night for the first 12 weeks outside of the hospital.

5. Nursing bras or pads.

◦ This is something that you need to buy on your own! You need items that the baby is going to need only! If you are going to nurse your baby that’s great but people are not going to buy that for you. They are going to buy items that are specifically for the baby.

5 things I’ve learned being a new mom

5 things I’ve learned being a new mom

1. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

◦ If things get really hard ask for help from your support team. It’s okay to ask for help from your partner, parents, and friends when you are having a hard time. Having a infant is tough in and of itself. This also helps when you just need time to yourself.

◦ 2. Don’t be afraid to talk to someone.

◦ Especially if you are dealing with anxiety and post partum depression. I thought that I wasn’t going to have depression because I’ve handled kids for years being a teacher. Boy was I wrong. My body could not handle the change of hormones and talking to someone and taking the right medications helped a lot.

3. Don’t plan big life events in the first year

◦ This one is really important especially when you have a infant and are trying to get into a routine. My husband and I put our house up for sale when our son was two months old. That combined with my post partum and covid on top was not a good situation. While I am glad that we are in our new home my husband promised me to not ever put us through that again.

4. Have a support group.

◦ This is extremely important especially going through post partum depression. Anyone that will be able to help you or even talk to you when things get hard. It also helps to have someone that already has kids and can give their advice.

5. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries

◦ This is especially important when it comes to grandparents or strangers. If you don’t feel comfortable then just say it. You are the parents and only you can decide what you want for your child.