12 Essential Items Every New Mum Needs (But No-one Tells You About!)
Having a baby involves buying a lot of kits. Friends and family members will tell you all the obvious big things that you need such as a stroller, car seat and a crib, however, they can often fail to mention the small specific items that can be a huge help as a new mum.
Here are just some of the items that every parent with a baby wishes they had bought before.
A stylish changing bag
Sometimes referred to as nappy bags, these satchels are necessary for carrying all your baby kit such as diapers, wipes, pacifiers, teething toys, bottles, and bibs. However, as many new mothers soon realise, these bags also become your handbag replacement – carrying two bags is too much effort, and before long your changing bag is your storage unit for everything from baby stuff to house keys to your phone. It’s worth shelling out on a stylish changing bag that you’ll want to flaunt. People are going to be seeing that bag every day, so make sure that it’s not something ugly that you’ve bought purely for practical reasons (although practicality is very important – a regular handbag won’t do).
A baby sling
Strollers have their limitations. If you want to go on a long country walk or ride the subway or climb up lots of stairs, you may find that a stroller is simply too clunky. A baby sling allows you to carry your little one everywhere whilst having your hands free to do whatever you like. You can even use it at home whilst doing housework allowing you to keep your baby close whilst getting chores done. All in all, this is something that’s definitely handy to own. There are many different styles of slings on the market including pouches and harnesses – shop around to find the one that suits your style the most.
A travel cot
When visiting friends and relatives, it can be a pain not being able to stay overnight if they don’t have a cot. This is where travel cots come in handy. Having one gives you the option to travel, knowing that you’ll always have somewhere for your infant to sleep. It can also come in handy when going on holiday – whilst some hotels supply cots, many don’t. Look for a cot that’s light and collapsible enough for your needs. Some are so small they can fit in a suitcase, whilst others are a little bulkier.
A travel high chair
It’s possible to take a regular high chair with you when travelling, but only if you’re taking a large car with you. Travel high chairs and much like travel cots, offering you more flexibility to travel where you want so that your little one always has somewhere to eat. These items may not be necessary until your child is eating solid foods, however, it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead and get one.
A portable pacifier cleaner
Many parents give in to pacifiers – when your infant is constantly looking to suck or chew something, these little devices can keep the peace. The problem that every parent finds with pacifiers is that babies have a tendency to spit them out whenever they no longer need them, which often results in them falling on the floor and getting covered in muck or dust. You may not always be in a situation where you can clean the pacifier under a tap, which is where travel cots come in handy. Using these tools, you can sterilise pacifiers on the go and keep your infant happy avoiding those awkward public screaming fits.
Teething toys
When babies are teething, they may want something more than a pacifier to keep them distracted. Teething toys are great for giving your baby an outlet for their chewing, helping to relieve the pain in their gums and prevent tears. Whilst you may have friends and relatives gifting you with lots of toys, these tend to be soft toys and not the hard plastic toys that are needed for babies to really get their teeth into. Newborns aren’t likely to need teething toys so this may be something you want to buy at a later date.
Nursing bras
If you’re breastfeeding, a nursing bra is a must-have accessory. Whilst you can stick with a regular bra, you may find that these don’t offer the access that you need when feeding. On top of this, nursing bras can provide added comfort and support, which can be helpful given that you’re likely to be experiencing a lot of pain and heaviness. Even if you’re not interested in breastfeeding, having one of these bras could help to ease the discomfort.
Nursing bras come in different styles, colours, and sizes. Check the proper fit and quality of the material to ensure comfort when using a nursing bra. Nursing bras are essential when traveling with your baby, giving you privacy and security.
A nursing pillow
Holding a baby for long periods whilst breastfeeding can get tiring, especially when doing night feeds. A nursing pillow gives you some extra support, adding more comfort. Whilst you can always use a standard pillow, the specific shape of nursing pillows makes them more efficient.
Choosing the right nursing pillow for you will ensure that you feel comfortable when breastfeeding your baby, making the experience less stressful. In this way, you can focus relaxing, which helps in breastmilk production and mother-and-child bonding.
A breast pump
The biggest problem with choosing to breastfeed over formula feeding is that you become solely responsible for feeding your infant. You have to do all the night feeds, which means that you constantly get an interrupted sleep. A breast pump can allow you to transfer your milk to a bottle so that your partner or a relative can also take turns doing the night feeds. This could help you to get more precious sleep and feel like your child is less dependent on you whilst still giving your child your own milk. It’s often worth paying extra for a mid-range pump – these will offer more comfort than a cheap one and maybe more efficient at extracting milk.
What are the two types of breast pumps? You can purchase a manual breast pump, which is more affordable than electric or automatic ones. But, it’s practical to get an electric breast pump to save time and avoid stress pumping your breast manually.
A lactation massager
Many new mums that are breastfeeding experience trouble producing milk at some point. This could be due to dehydration, although it could just be trouble expressing milk. A lactation massager can be a handy tool to help you express milk, taking the stress and discomfort out of breastfeeding. You can shop for these tools online – you can often buy them in a kit with a breast pump.
Some mothers, even if they use lactation massagers, produce less breastmilk. If you’re having problems producing enough milk, you might want to consider taking lactation cookies. Many mums ask, “Do lactation cookies work?” and the answer is yes. Lactation cookies are considered superfoods, helping support breastmilk production. For instance, they contain super galactagogues, which aid in increasing prolactin levels to produce more breastmilk. These superfoods help decrease cholesterol and increase iron levels in the blood They also help strengthen immunity and cardiovascular health.
A sleep sack
Sleep sacks are pretty much-sleeping bags for babies. Infants often need to be swaddled tightly at night in order for them to sleep – they’re so used to being in the tight confines of a womb that a large cot can seem unnatural. For a baby’s first few months, you may be able to get away with using a blanket to swaddle them. However, as babies start to gain more control over their limbs, they may start to kick off blankets in the night. A sleep sack can allow limb movement whilst giving them that feeling of being swaddled – many parents find that it helps restless babies to sleep through the night, which is what every parent longs for.
Blackout curtains
Babies can develop a habit of waking up the moment the first crack of sunlight appears in the morning. If you don’t want to be woken up at 5 am every morning, it could be worth investing in a pair of blackout curtain for your bedroom if you don’t already have some. You can also buy blackout blinds if you think you’d prefer these to curtains.
Article by S Powell.
