Splurge or Save? 10 MUST HAVES For Your Newborn!
The Items You Need For Baby, Plus Where to Find Them!
Getting ready to welcome a new life into the world? It’s certainly thrilling to know that you’ll be a mother soon, but responsibility will kick in before you know it. Planning ahead is always a good thing. Enrolling in the courses at NewbornCourse.com , taking the correct vitamins, and eating healthy for two. Just before that little bundle of joy arrives, here are some things must have items that you can go with a cheaper option or to splurge for.
1. Infant car seats
After your little one arrives, safe transportation from the hospital (if not a home birth) should be planned accordingly. This is a necessity even after coming home from the hospital, so when the mother is well enough, family visits can be accomplished with more assurance for your baby. Make sure to get a well recommended car seat that could possibly last until the toddler stage. Your baby’s safety is a top priority when in a moving vehicle and is the right of the law. Make the right decision and don’t be afraid to splurge on your child’s safety.
2. Stroller/ Baby carrier
Once your baby starts to grow, it will be harder to carry them around as much as you used to. Having a stroller will make it much easier, but the only downfall is packing it away all the time. Newborns are required to have a stroller that can fully recline because they aren’t able to sit up on their own. At about 4 to 6 months of age, strollers with suspension features and are non-reclinable are to be recommended. Take extra care in choosing a stroller because you might choose more than one depending on your child’s growth. So going cheap is probably not the best option.
3. Cribs/Bassinet/Linens
It is best and safer to your newborn sleep separate from the parents. The need to have more contact with your infant will be strong, but it is also a safety hazard. A mother’s body will still be healing and needing rest, so the possibility of falling asleep is more likely. Having a crib or bassinet in the same room is highly recommended and gives the baby practice of sleeping by itself. Affordable cribs can be reliable, so the decision is yours when choosing. Linens must also be taken into consideration. What is highly required is that it should be 100% breathable and most likely 100% cotton so that the baby will stay in place. Linen is not hard to come by, but take it into thought on how your baby should sleep.
4. Baby Monitor (Optional)
Unless you and your baby are sleeping in two different rooms, having a baby monitor is mainly optional. This is definitely a pricey option, but as long as you know how your baby is doing then go for it. Battery operated monitors, whether visually or verbally functioning, aren’t always reliable but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be tried. If the expense is alright, try it out and see how you like it and if it isn’t for you, give it to a friend who you think can use it.
5. Bottles
Sometimes infants don’t latch on while feeding and this may seem worrying, but it is normal. Infants can be fed from a bottle if this is the case, so selecting the right one is in order. There are different bottles that your infant can be fed from since he/she can not sit up on its own. You can try a 4 oz bottle or even an 8 oz bottle with only 4 oz of milk in it. Do not wait until your big night or first day back to work to introduce your baby to the bottle. If being breastfed, introduce your child to a bottle unhurried and in a calming setting. There will be many bottles in your future, even if it’s just one child, don’t skimp the price.
6. Breast pump (if necessary)
Breastfeeding is a chore within itself. It is up to the mother to decide if they want to continue to produce milk for her baby or try a formula. Not breastfeeding for the long haul does not make you a bad mother. It simply means you are taking your body into consideration and the growth of your child.
7. Baby Bathtub/Bath needs
A bathtub for an infant can be something as easy as placing a towel in a kitchen sink and filling water in. If you think that is not as sanitary, it is completely understandable, and a bathtub for your child is certainly in order. In the beginning, a sponge bath with a warm, damp washcloth is all your newborn needs. Before getting you baby their first tub bath, wait until his/her umbilical cord falls off after about 13-15 days. When the baby is ready for the tub, it’s fine with just warm water.
8. Rocking Chair/Glider
Now mommy has a chance to relax while cuddling with her newborn. Rocking chairs and gliders can help soothe your child to sleep and even soothe the mother from a good or rough day with the new little resident. A rocking chair isn’t so much of a necessity, but a little something for mommy after a long day. It would be wise to make sure most expenses go to the youngster and if there is change left over, see if it’s worth it.
9. Baby Medical Kit
Infant first-aid kit must haves: Infant and/or child thermometers (both digital and ear or rectal), children and/or infants’ acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as recommended by your doctor, rubbing alcohol swabs to clean thermometers, tweezers, and scissors. This is to name a few but this should be a priority. Checking in with your doctor about certain medicines for your baby should be first nature. Knowing what your baby can a cannot take and having it available can lessen the worrying need, but it doesn’t hurt to call you doctor and ask questions.
10. Pacifiers
Sucking on pacifiers is a good thing. Infants under 6 months who suck on pacifiers are at a lower risk for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Doctors suggest weaning children off pacifiers between ages 6 to 12 months. Not many pacifiers are needed, but it would be a good investment rather than sucking their thumb.
Being a new parent can be exciting and nerve wracking, but it is better to be safe when caring for your little one. Information on preparing for birth, preparing a nursery, or creating a birth plan can be found at https://newborncourse.com/