Ohhh good! I need a memory refresh too! I'll see if I can remember.
5 Things I couldn't live without:
1. Dummies: I was adamant I wasn't going to use a dummy, but bub was a comfort sucker, and life just became much easier!
2. Ocean Wonders Aquarium & CD player with 'Music for dreaming' cd: The music was a good sleep-time cue, and if I left bub in a dark room he'd fret sometimes - the lights on the toy gave him something to watch, and by the time it turned off, he was settled. He still plays with it at 17 months (when he hasn't worn out the batteries from constant pressing!).
3. Glider chair: I probably could have lived without this, but I really enjoyed putting my feet up and rocking during feeds/settling - I was comfy enough to nap too! Also having somewhere comfy to sit while helping bub to self settle (or just somewhere to sit while watching him sleep ).
4. Baby rocker with vibration: Great to have somewhere for him to be if he was awake when I needed to be doing something like cooking/showering - he just wanted to be able to see me.
5. My mum/dh/family/friends: Cooked meals and brought frozen ones over, came and did dishes and washing, watched bub while I napped, did a night feed so I could sleep through. ASK for help, don't let people visit without doing a job 'yeah you can see the baby, and can you bring milk, bread, and 4 cans of tinned soup on the way?' Seriously, do it.
6. (I know you said 5 BUT) Digital Camera: They grow and change SOOO quickly at the start, have it always charged, always out, always on hand ready to go. They'll never be that little again.
3 Things I didn't need:
1. Baby monitor - I didn't buy one, was meaning to, but bub's room was near ours, and I didn't count on developing 'mother ears', where I heard every snuffle and sigh.
2. Booties/rubbish socks: Some socks are great and stay on - most fall off. When you find socks you like (bonds usually are good), get them.
3. 0000 clothing: Bub was 9.4 lb, so lots didn't fit even from birth! My advice is to get one or two things in that size, and if bub is small enough, send mum or dh to the shops with that item and say 'get more of these'.
I reckon perhaps research even the things you might not be intending to buy (things like glider chairs, feeding cushions, baby carriers, dummies, monitors, change tables, baby baths, cradle/bassinet) - so that if you decide after bub is born that you want/need something, you can just send someone else out with all the information - and say 'come home with this chair' or 'I want these dummies'. Rather than wondering what the best ones are when bub is 2 weeks old, or spending ages browsing/shopping yourself!
1. Safe and Sound baby capsule- I needed to get out of the house on a regular basis so the capsule was great as i kept my sanity while DD slept. She stayed in until she reached the weight limit.
2. Baby bouncer- Great place to put DD when i was in the kitchen cooking or when i wanted to vacuum around her. Also used it to feed her before she was able to sit in a high chair. We use to take it outside too and only stopped using it when really started to move around
3. CD player in her room- Its part of her sleep routine
4. Maclaren stroller- so light and easy to get around. DD can lay back and sleep in it too.. i think its the vogue.
5. Infa Baby bath, infa baby seat and stand for the bath- Great height, easy to fill and empty. DD had lots of fun until she was about 7 months and to tall to have some real fun in there.
Things i could live without:
1. The $500 valco three wheeler. For some reason i wanted a three wheeler and being 7 months pregnant when we bought it DH lifted it in the shop and told me it wasnt to heavy. Hmm. I found it really big, had to put shopping around it in my hatch back and i avoided a lot of shops as i couldnt fit in coz of the back wheels. It does have its great features but didnt suit me. (wish i knew)
2. The 50 bonds singlets i got at the baby shower (from 0000-0) i hate them...they dont cover her back properly...i went and bought a lot of singlet suits which i found great for winter when everyone was picking her up and holding her, her tops would go up but her back was still covered.
3. The Medela swing breast pump. Very good, i highly rate it but i bought it for the wrong reasons. (to use at home while dd was in SCN so it was easier for me) Am a SAHM so didnt really use it much. Very expensive for the short use i got out of it but hoping to use it when we have another bub
1) Lights and sounds music box : great to send him off to sleep and easy to put on if he stirs halfway thru a sleep. It just lulls him back into the land of dreams!
2) Music for Dreaming cd - great to play while he is sleeping in case of any loud sudden noises - i constantly drop things and this helps him sleep right through it
3) Swaddle Rug - DS had to be wrapped for sleep (gosh this is all about sleep so far!) and when he easily escaped from normal bunny rugs. This has a 'pocket' for their legs and velcro tabs to keep them wrapped securely. Now he has outgrown wraps, we have moved onto sleeping bags and couldn't live without them either. Gives you great piece of mind that if they escape their blankets in the middle of the night, they are still covered.
4) Baby Bjorn - DS has reflux so to begin with i carried him everywhere in it. It really saved my sanity and helped him too. Great for doing the shopping if you think they are to small to go in the capsule part of the trolley and great if you are nicking out to the shops but don't want to lug the pram and also gives hands free!
5) Baby monitor - especially now DS is own room but great for the beginning - while he was sleeping i could go and sit out on the front steps and have my lunch and get some fresh air, or hang out the washing and still be able to listen for him.
6) If i can add a 6th - baby bath. My back got to sore to lean over the big bath and it wasn't practical to shower with him every night (he is a chucker so needs bathing everyday!). I could put the bath over the kitchen sink and he was my height, so no sore back.
And i agree with a baby swing too! Especially one that rocks itself. Allowed us to eat dinner without tag teaming it and is now good for DS to go in if he needs a bit of quiet time.
Things I didn't need -
1) Lots and lots of fancy baby clothes. DS lived in jumpsuits for a long time. It was so impractical to dress him up and then have to undress him for sleep. Which they hopefully will do alot of!
2) Mittens! We got given stacks and stacks. He never used them because he could pull them off and i was scared he would choke. The Bonds wondersuits have the fold down sleeves that make fantastic mittens
3) Mobile over cot - as in one with dangly toys hanging off it. it was so distracting for him that i had to take it away which i feel bad because it is beautiful and cost my sister a lot of money. We use the light and sound box and it is way better
I have thought of one more thing that i love - Modern cloth nappies! They are great, throw them in the wash, save heaps of money on disposables (we use a mix of cloth and disposable) and they are just like a disposable in the way you put them on.
Chalalan - after i posted this, i realised what your sig said. I am so sorry, my heart goes out to you xx
Last edited by mrscricket; February 21st, 2008 at 10:46 AM.
Great stuff! Keep them coming!!
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I'll see if I can remember.
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