Just Another Newborn Essentials List

There are lists like this all over the net. But hey, why not throw in my two cents?!

Here is what I had and actually NEEDED/LOVED for Soph when she was just a wee little poppet.
Read actually needed because I had a room full of stuff.



Bassinet - I almost didn't get my Moses basket. I nearly let a few people talk me out of it. Thank goodness I got it! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it. To start off with, its beautiful, and amazingly made (in New Zealand by Baby Trenz). Not to mention that it was the handiest thing we had. We had it next to me while I was on the couch (or my human nest) and it got carried back and forward from our room to the lounge each day. Sophie had her day naps in it up until she turned 3 months, and she has just gone into her crib at night time, so well after 4 months. When she wigged out in the evenings, one of the ways we would calm her was by rocking her basket back and forward. The basket now sits in her Nursery with all her soft toys in it, and will be in use if we have another babe, and will be hers for when she has a kid. The New Zealand wool mattress is warm and soft and airs well. I truly love it.

Swaddles - well, in truth we never burrito baby swaddled her because a - it was so bloody hot, and b - she got really annoyed being all tight and wrapped. But I did loosely wrap her in it, and the muslin was good with just a nappy when it was really warm. Plus we used them as a blanket in her bassinet.

Singlets/Tank tops - I had none of these before she was born (bizarre since I had every other piece of clothing).  These were great to get a little something on her without over heating her, and I know we know have heaps of them since the weather has cooled turn, so if babe is newborn in Summer or Winter they seem pretty essential.

Muslin washcloths - they got used for everything from bath time, to cooling her down in the heat.

Blooming bath - Sophie's first baths were in a plastic tub, and then she moved into a bigger plastic tub. Now she has baths and showers with us. The blooming bath served a couple of uses. Most importantly, it cushions her wee head against the edge of the tubs. The petals can be folded down to create a little seat to adjust the depth of the tub too. Also, well heck, it looks absolutely adorable too. I still use it against the end of the tub when she baths with me and she loves the bright color of the cushy petals. Oh, and importantly, I just drain it in the shower and throw it in the washing machine. Very durable and dries in the sun, or from a spin cycle.

Oh sweet baby. You were so tiny.

All in ones - like you know the pj/onesies that just button or zip right up. The easier the better. Cos those brand new little babes don't like having their nappies changed.

White noise machine - A heartbeat one in her bassinet seemed to help with keeping her naps long.

Coconut oil - We used this for cradle cap, dry skin, and eczema. But remember, don't oil up babe and carry her around. They are slippery suckers!

Feeding pillow - My boppy was the BEST. I swear by it. For balancing her while she was feeding, for propping her up, for tummy time. And I still use it - 6 months later, for when she has her bottle, to help her learn to sit, and to prop her up on her belly. Bestest. I think my sister didn't have one for her first born, and then did for her second, and she said it made such a big difference.

Ikea Play gym - Literally the best $20 purchase I made for her. She has loved it since really early and still lobes it now.

More Unsolicited Advice For New Mamas

I am no baby whisperer, super Mom or well, anything special really.
Just a scientist with a five month old.

But, I got these pearls of wisdom gradually, and often in hindsight, and wish I had read them all in one spot in the beginning. Some of these are tips from others (thank you friends and lovely ladies from my mothers group) and some are me reflecting on her newborn stage. Anyway, I hope they help at least one new Mama out there xo

No two days, nights or weeks will ever be the same. Something might work one day and babe will hate it the next day. But that's okay. Things don't have to be the same. The sooner you accept that anything goes, the easier the process will be.

Let your body recover. You just made a human. That is astounding.

Babies don't cry to annoy you or keep you up. They cry to communicate or because, well, they are babies. Don't take it personally. Remember they just came from a pretty primo warm hot tub in your belly and well, now they are learning that sometimes life sucks. So yeah, its totally fair enough that they might bawl sometimes.

Burp babe as much as possible. I didn't realise how important this was for ages. I don't interrupt feeds to burp her, but if she comes off the boob, she's getting burped.

Time is relative. Those long nights can be lonely. And they can feel like they drag on. But the only thing which is guaranteed is the passing of time. Take it in small amounts. Before you know it a week, a month, a few months will have passed. Remember - this too shall pass.

Do you know anyone else having a baby around the same time as you? Having someone to message at 3 am or to bounce "is he doing this...?" Questions off is super important. I had two friends who I chatted to daily and still message as new challenges or happy moments come up.

I personally wish I hadn't even thought about schedules and sleep training till she was 3 months old. I stressed so much that we should be doing it when I should have just been enjoying her sleeping on me.

My health nurse told me that babes have a period of digestion settling between 2-10 weeks. Week 6 is the peak of the adjustment, and babe can go to half feeds or be grizzly and farty. I literally didn't read that anywhere else and if I hadn't known that I would have been stressing out trying to understand what was wrong.

If you ever feel like you can't do it. Guess again. You are doing it right now. And you are doing a better job than you know.

I used to worry that she was feeding for too long. And then I worried she was feeding for a really short time. Bottom line is she was putting on weight and generally happy. So I should have calmed my arse down. 

When you are getting ready to transition from bassinet to cot, put babe in the cot for day naps and keep them in the bassinet at night for another wee while (for us it was a month). Then when it's time to sleep in the nursery at night they are familiar with their surroundings. 

They can't stay awake forever. In theory.

It's okay to cry. 

There is such a thing as the "witching hour" (I had never heard of this, and thought I was doing something wrong). Babies (in general) will lose their shit from late afternoon in to the evening. Just take a deep breath and know that being there is comforting. And if you need to put babe down and walk away for a few minutes - there is nothing wrong with that.

Be kind to your partner. They are learning things too. Just because you think things should be done a certain way, doesn't mean its universal.

Everyone is different. And everyone has an opinion. Just do what feels right for you. Conflicting opinions will come from everywhere. "So and so" doing something one way doesn't mean you have to as well (for example, crying it out or not, co sleeping or not, cloth nappies or not, etc. etc.).

A glass of wine and some fresh air can move mountains (although nothing really replaces sleep, so nap when you can and chip away at that deficit).

If you or your partner can take time to prepare snacks or one handed meals, do it. Often eating intervals are few and far between. I found frozen smoothie packs SUPER handy. And the veges and fruit are so good at making you feel better.

Take any help you can get. Frozen meals are the most helpful kind of help I think. In fact, if you have the option for baby shower gifts, maybe you could ask for a frozen meal? If someone offers to help. Take it. You would do the same for them.

Breastfeeding is not necessarily the easy and straight forward process one might think. But that is a whole post in itself.  

Baby stuff is expensive. And all babies are different. So some will like a swing and others will detest it. If friends offer to loan you things. Take them and try them.

Find a mothers group. There is nothing like hearing you aren't the only one getting no sleep to make you feel less insane.

Oh!! And, I nearly forgot this one. We were trying to get Soph to take a bottle of expressed milk at about 6 weeks and she hated it. Persevering with it was stressing us out and we nearly stopped. But a friend and my Mum kept pressing us to try so I could get a break from feeds sometimes. My friends advice - sometimes babies hate things Sarah. Simple as that. So, keep trying. They need to learn new things.

Last of all, spend as long as you want staring at that beautiful baby. There is nothing like a newborn cuddle. Kiss them. Squeeze them. Take photos. Love them. They are precious.And when you look back on it, the time flies.

Phew - that was a lot of things!
Do you have any tips for new mamas?
What would your biggest piece of advice be?