Baby Essentials

So, what things do you have in the house that you find are essential with having a baby?

I'm still learning. DS had his first cold this week, but it came on overnight when no chemists were open. DS was grizzly all night and couldn't sleep because he couldn't breathe properly. I'd heard about Fess Little Noses - but as it was the middle of the night we couldn't buy it (no 24 hour chemists here). DH went first thing in the morning, and what a difference it made!

Other baby essentials for while DS was sick were baby panadol and a digital thermometer.

What other things have you found essential with a baby? Not necessarily for when they're sick, but have saved you in a difficult situation, etc?

Aww you should have sent me a text - we have about 3 bottles of fess here!!!! ;)

Ummmm.... something to cut their nails. Definitely. I don't use a thermometer anymore cos I can tell when they are running a temp just by touching them, but use panadol and SM33 for sure when they are teething :)

We've had a lot of success with infants friend and gripe water. Mostly for bad wind but I did give the infants friend the other day to try relax her when she was overtired but still wouldn't settle.

For when he's sick...digital thermometer, plenty of syringes & droppers, nurofen, dimetap, fess + the snot-sucking thing lol!

For his eczema and nappy rash...dermaid has been great. For when his skin is not flared up...moogoo MSM cream!

In general...sling, swing, mobile (often distracts him for a few minutes of relief!), play mat, jolly jumper (!), teething toys - these are things that are used every day!

a vaporiser!! cant believe i didnt buy one 3 years ago :doh:

:yeahthat:

don't know what i'd do without ours!!

A vapouriser huh? I hope this isn't a daft question, but what exactly are they/do they do? I had another mum mention one IRL today too.

Definitely kiddie panadol! And NEVER forget to take it when you go away!
Vicks, if you don't have a nice oil like sweet almond oil and some cedarwood/eucalyptus with chamomile essential oils (I have quite a few essential oils, and some ESSENTIAL essential oils!) to rub into chests and backs and soles of feet for congestion at night.
We have two therms and never remember to use them - by the time DS has a fever, we know about it and don't need to know precise temps to know when it's time to take him to medical advice (HOT to touch is different from 'warmer than usual').
Like a PP said, a good sling is my number one absolute essential! In the absence of medications from pharmacies, going nekked under a wrap sling for the both of you will regulate the baby's temp better than lying alone, unwrapped - the skin to skin contact has various effects in the little one's system physiologically till you get to medical advice, including helping any distress the baby might be in.

I second Mayaness's advice about the sling - couldn't live without mine!! These are my baby essentials:
Baby Panadol, Nappy Mate nappy rash cream, Daktozin antifungal nappy rash cream, Fess Saline spray with the nose sucker!:clap:, Dermaid for rashes / eczma.

My gorgeous girl is being the clingiest baby this week and my sling has saved my bacon!:doh:

Roman Chamomile, lavender and tee-tree oil - 3 things in varying combinations with cue almost any ill! lol

A good supply of ice blocks too.

WRT the fess - breastmilk up the nose works wonders ;) And it's free!

Sterla

A vapouriser is this machine that you fill one section with water, and put eucalyptus oil in another section. The machine boils the water, and the steam from the water blows past the oil; filling the room with eucalyptus and steam - the perfect combination for a baby with a stuffy nose!!!

They're incredible.

'Essentials' I couldn't have done without; definately my HAB sling, Nurofen strawberry flavour (she now sucks it like a lolly, couldn't take panadol she had reflux didn't like it and would throw up everywhere...if only I knew about nurofen in the beginning!! Think you need to have a few different 'flavours' of medicines on hand so you get to know which one they like.), Vicks baby balsam-basically baby vicks but not as strong and has
lavander and something else to sooth, Amolin baby cream for nappy rash...fantastic cream also works wonders on dry mummy hands from constant washing, vaporiser-also can't believe I waited a year until buying one!! Safety nail clippers, heaps of cotton buds when they're little to do between toes-unreal how much fluff gets between those little toes :lol: and outer ears not inside ears, baby oil for craddle cap-again something I thought wasn't a 'necessity' until I was advised to get it :redface: , as she got older a basket of toys near the change table to keep her occupied as I changed her to stop her climbing everywhere!!

On a feeding side/starting solids definately couldn't live without ice cube trays to freeze my home made baby food into batches and glad snap lock bags to store the once frozen cubes in the freezer. That's all I can think of for now if I think of anything else will pop back, think we all learn as we go and that's what they mean when they say there's no instruction manual! If I have another one I'll definately be way more prepared!! Good luck :)