If there’s one thing I can never keep up with it’s the amount of equipment, and advice, that is pushed upon new mums beginning their parenting journey. Don’t get me wrong, I love to see people and ethical companies constantly striving to make our lives genuinely easier and better. For instance the sustainable Danish company Bibbs are known for their recycled plastic, neutral tone dummies which come in a small variety of shapes and colours with a choice of teat shape; a firm favourite for many Scandinavian families and growing in popularity in the UK too.
There comes a point of overwhelm however, when it comes to huge brands churning out product after product marketed to make our lives more enriched, when in fact all they are really achieving is making parents feel pressured into thinking they need an excessive amount of stuff! Less is most certainly more when it comes to babies. Your home will be filled with a growing collection of toys, books, crafting materials, musical instruments and more as they get older so it makes sense to keep things as minimal as possible while they are tiny.
I’ve come up with a few things that have helped me during the early weeks and months with my babies. Every family is unique however and what’s important to me may not be as important to you:
1. Wrap, and carrier: A stretchy wrap to carry baby in safely meant I could continue to go about my day and ensure the smooth (ish) running of the house. With four children there’s a lot of laundry and so by wearing baby it meant I could keep on top of the washing, while baby snoozed blissfully. Always make sure baby is high enough to kiss and their airways are clear. Guidance on safe babywearing is available at ergobaby.co.uk. I switched to a carrier when baby was about 4 months old, the Tula Free to Grow, as it offered more support and I could carry on with making dinner, walking the dog, and general pottering around!
2. Nappy caddy: Okay, not an absolute essential BUT I love it and it’s been super useful to keep bits in that I might need during the night such as nappies, muslins, breastpads etc. It can also be repurposed when not needed for baby things such as for crafting bits, make-up, toys, you name it! Relatively inexpensive, from Amazon: Felt Nappy Caddy.
3. Extra Large Muslins: I got a pack of two from Sainsbury’s during my pregnancy and I never imagined they’d feature so much in my life. I use them as a blanket or an extra layer in the car seat. I’ve even been known to use one as a nappy! They’re great as crib sheets or for the Moses basket, and most importantly for a game of Peek-a-boo.
4. Ewan the Dream Sheep: Now this is not something I never needed with my previous three children but with this baby she needed a bit of extra assistance to soothe her at night time in the early weeks and months. Ewan emits a variety of white noise sounds and glows a gentle red hue when activated. It really is a lovely little sleeping aid and I got well and truly sucked into the hype but I can definitely see how it’s so popular!
5. Simple bouncer chair: I’m not talking your all singing all dancing, swaying and looping around mechanical chair thing no. Those things might be great but going forward, baby may not settle without being swayed a certain way without Twinkle Twinkle playing in their ear. A portable, basic comfortable bouncer, or rocking, chair that you can easily slide into the kitchen for when you’re making breakfast. Equally when you want a quick shower and need to keep an eye on the baby. You’ll probably find that baby has plentiful stimulation just by listening to you and observing their surroundings.
I have never found the need for a specific baby changing table. It’s always seemed logical to just change baby on the bed, or on the floor using a mat. I’ve also realised that a baby bath is absolutely not essential when those little bath frames exist that just sit inside your regular bath. The list of stuff that is pretty pointless is quite endless and so I’ll save that for another time!
When we break it down to the proper essentials like clothing, nappies, a safe place to sleep and the baby being fed anything else really does seem like an extra so it’s important to give it some thought.
What’s important to you and your family? Is there anything specific to your needs that’s worth investing in?
Always here to listen to others’ perspectives. Have a great week!
Sophie x
The Local Mama Blog Editor
@sophieandteamt
Comments