Congratulations on your upcoming bundle of joy! Being a new mum is such an exciting and sometimes daunting adventure. With so many options out there, it can be hard to know what to buy and what to pass on for your little one. That’s why I’m here to help make your journey a little easier.
As a mum myself, I understand the overwhelming feeling of trying to find the perfect items to fill your nursery. I spent hours researching what I needed and things I thought I needed when I was pregnant with my little one. Once he was here though, I was surprised at how much we really didn’t use or even need, and what was just cluttering up our cupboards.
In this blog, I’ll share my personal experience and provide some tips on what you should be buying for your little one on the way. I’ll also provide a few suggestions on what you can wait on or forgo altogether, so don’t worry, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed.
Whether you’re a first-time mum or a seasoned pro, I’m here to provide the friendly advice and support you need to make the best decisions for your baby. So let’s get started on making the most of your new mom journey!
When TJ was born in the middle of winter, our living room with the fireplace lit became a cozy and comfortable place to spend most of our days. We loved snuggling and cuddling with him, but there were times when we needed a safe space to put him down for a moment. That’s where the Cushii came in! We had tried a larger baby lounger, but it was too big and TJ almost got lost in it; the Cushii was the perfect size for snuggling him in safely when he was next to me. With it, I could even take a moment to enjoy a cup of tea or pump milk without having to juggle a newborn.
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As I’m writing this post, my 8-month old son, TJ, is happily playing on this amazing playmat. It’s been a lifesaver – providing a place to set him down while I make a cuppa, as well as being a source of fun and entertainment for him. And the best part is that this playmat grows with your baby, from lying on their back, to tummy time, and eventually, when they can sit up, playing the keyboard! I only wish I had bought it earlier, it would have been so helpful in those early months. If you’re a mom looking for a versatile playmat for your baby, I highly recommend this one – you won’t regret it!
There are so many different sound machines available and I honestly don’t think it really matters which one you get, but I love this particular machine because it’s powered as well as rechargeable. The ability to pop this in the pram to take on the road was what initially enticed me into purchasing this item, but I later found out the better benefit was actually when you have blackouts. We often get blackouts due to living in a more remote area,and when you hear your baby start to wake in the middle of the night because the sound machine has turned off, trust me – you’ll also jump on Amazon to order this.
As a new mother, I was all geared up and ready to be a breastfeeding mama. I had invested in the awesome pump, the Haaka, bought the nipple shield, and all the other necessary things that I thought would make breastfeeding a breeze. But when my milk didn’t really come in, no matter what I did, I had to work out the bottle thing pretty quickly! Warming up bottles in the middle of the night when it’s freezing cold and my baby screaming, increased my PDA tenfold. I had to find the quickest way possible to make a bottle, so I bought and returned a number of bottle warmers in search of the best solution. The Baby Brezza was the answer! It kept the water warmed to the perfect temp, so I could simply pop a bottle under the tank to fill and add the formula, shake/swirl and be ready to feed in less than a minute! If you’re a new mother looking for an easy and efficient way to bottle feed, I highly recommend the Baby Brezza.
There are many ways of cleaning your bottles, plates, dummies etc, but I always liked to keep TJ’s things separate so I could use bottle cleaning fluid, and scrubbing brushes that hadn’t been contaminated elsewhere. The collapsible sink is wonderful as it fits easily in our double sink. I can use it to clean all of TJ’s bottles before giving it a rinse,fold it up and store it away. I also like that in the future when we are done with the bottle stage it becomes a handy addition to our camping kit for when we are on the road!
Oh, the nappy bag! It’s taken me about 6 months to get the right setup for us. I tried multiple different bags and organisation options until I found this particular backpack. This style of backpack is perfect for being on the run and having all the things in case of an accident. A lot of nappy bags are difficult to get items out of whilst holding your baby, whereas the opening of this bag opens wide and stays open – so you can grab all the things you need while keeping a hand on your bub. I also love that bottles are accessible from the front of the bag, and the secret access panel at the back makes it easier to get items from the bottom of the bag.. And the final thing I love about this bag is that I can wear it on my back, hold my baby boy, and still reach around to the side pocket to grab the spew rag – because there’s no doubt he will spew at least once down my top or in my hair whilst we’re out and about.Buy Now
The first time TJ got sick, I woke up in the middle of the night to hear him having a hard time breathing because his nose was blocked. A 3 month old doesn’t know how to blow their nose and the stupid snot sucker I had did nothing to help clear his tiny little nostrils. So, the next day I raced out to the shops and picked up the only snot sucker that was available and luckily, it was perfect. . The main reason I love this snot sucker(seriously, the things you talk about and the stuff that makes you happy as a mumma) is that there are multiple sucker heads – so when your baby is a newborn it can actually get into their nose and clear out all the snot. Lovely.
Wondersuits / Onesies – Mitts mits mits
A newborn’s arms are wild and crazy, and unless you remember their mitts when you put them to bed, they can wake up looking like they’ve gone a few rounds with Mike Tyson. There are so many onesie options available, but I highly recommend that you buy suits with built in mitts and socks to cover their toes and hands -keeping them nice and warm and prevent them from scratching themselves.
Overall, this is just a list of things that I found really helpful with a newborn. Most of these items I didn’t have when TJ was born but as I learned more I found what helped. There are many things to buy for your newborn but don’t get overwhelmed or put yourself in financial stress, you just need to start with a place to sleep, a way to feed, clothes to wear, and your love.
Sleep Sacks / Swaddles
You might believe, just as I did, that the swaddle was the holy grail to a sleeping baby. And it absolutely is, unless you have an escape artist on your hands like myself.. For the first month, I just thought I was terrible at swaddling because it would just come undone and wake him up. So, one night I thought I would try TJ in a sleep sack. When he woke up several hours later,my heart dropped. Hehad never slept this long, soI turned on all the lights absolutely terrified that something had happened…. Thankfully, it hadn’t. TJ was nice and snuggled up in his sleep sack, and even the dancing arms hadn’t gotten loose. The only thing that did wake him up was me turning on all the lights! ***facepalm***
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