The months before your due date will be filled with some of the most exciting, stressful and physically awkward moments of your life. Just as the preparation reaches a fever pitch you’re going to have less energy to take care of the details, and more anxiety about the big day. It’s totally normal, and a part of the process. But unless you’re a total Type B personality you won’t be able to keep yourself from crafting endless lists and trying to plan for every detail. Try not to rush through the process. After all, you only have that first baby once in your life! You’ll be able to cut out quite a bit of the stress if you can pick up at least a few of the items that will come in handy during the first couple weeks of your baby’s life. You won’t want to be rushing around from store to store at that point, and with your baby shower on the horizon now is the time to figure out what you’ll need. So here are five must-have items all expectant mothers should add to their list.
Whether you decide to breastfeed or go the formula route you’re going to need some quality bottles around. Chances are you’ll go back to work at some point, and pumping will become a daily reality. Even if that’s not the case there will be moments when the bottle is the best option. Just look for a quality brand with an orthodontic nipple. A lot of kids have oral issues due to bottles and pacifiers, and during your baby’s early development you want everything to go well. Hunt through reviews to find the best options, as some designs even help cut down on colic.
Although it’s not the most enticing image to concoct in the months before your baby is born, spit up is about to be a regular reality in your household. So get yourself some burp cloths. It’s a basic, and you can never have too many. Some people use cloth diapers as an alternative, and they work great as well. But just make sure you have at least a dozen on hand, so you can rotate them as you do laundry.
Another must-have for your little bundle of joy is a set of swaddle blankets. Swaddling is something of an art form, and once you perfect it your baby will sleep calmly and soundly, something you certainly want to encourage. Look for a brand that offers options made out of natural fibers, to help minimize the chance of an allergic reaction. Once you find that perfect set you’ll notice they come in handy in all sorts of applications.
Some mothers choose to purchase complex travel system strollers that allow you to switch the seat in and out of your car. But for a newborn you’re going to need something a bit more tailored. You can’t even leave the hospital without a car seat, and when your baby is that small he won’t fit in the seats designed for older children. So grab yourself a good infant car seat. What’s great about these is you can usually pull them in and out of the car without having to take the baby out, so he can keep sleeping soundly.
So after you’ve got full use of your nursing pillow, your play set, your nursing wrap and high chair cover it will be time for a bath. But the little one won’t be able to sit up in the tub yet. That means you’ll need some sort of infant tub. This is a better option than something that holds your baby in the full-sized tub, because you can wash him without having to use so much water. Set it up right on the bathroom floor before the baby learns how to splash and the whole process will be super easy.
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