When I first was trying to make a baby registry I went to multiple sites multiple stores trying to find the best deals or pick out which store has most of the things I liked or wanted. That’s when I discovered the gem that is Babylist. It is a free baby registry site that allows you to add items from any store or website to your registry. I was able to completely customize my registry to what I wanted and needed.
Babylist also lets you break your list into categories making it easy to take it one step at a time. First, I thought about everything I would need for feeding, bathing, playtime, clothing, and last but not least things that would help me keep my sanity during those brutal first couple of months.
I will put a link to my baby registry in case it is helpful for making your own list. Basically, I put everything I could possibly need and sent it to a lot of people, hoping that in casting a wide net and having a large range of things people could get that I would get the most help. It worked well for me and I highly recommend.
With that being said there are a few things I have found were essential in those first couple of months.
After months of being in the womb I think babies’ get used to the sense of motion. So a rocker is my first must have, my baby had a really hard time falling asleep initially but as soon as we started using the rocker she started being able to sleep better and for longer stretches.
Probably the best gift I got at my baby shower was a gift certificate to monthly supply of diaper and wipes. By using a gift certificate it allows the mom to pick the size she needs and I loved the Honest Company Diaper Bundle because it gives you a month supply of diapers and wipes and they are good quality.
One thing that is also helpful is Grocery store giftcards. You can get such a wide variety of essentials at the grocery store and having giftcards can help lessen the financial burden of those first couple months when you are figuring out everything you need.
One thing the nurses at the hospital told me to get was organic coconut oil, and I am so glad I listened. Coconut oil can be used as an antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral treatment on skin. It can be used as a nipple cream, it can be used as a lotion for you and your baby, and I have also used it as a substitute for diaper rash cream. It is a fraction of the cost of many of the creams for sale and it is natural and it works. You can buy organic coconut oil at pretty much any store and it is something you will use all the time.
When putting clothes on your registry I highly recommend putting bigger sizes because babies grow insanely fast. it is better to have clothes that they can grow into than having to spend money on new clothes every month.
When at the hospital I always heard the term skin to skin. Skin to skin contact with your baby is so important for so many reasons but it can be hard to find time to just lay down with your baby. I found that a baby carrier was a great way to do skin to skin while still giving me the freedom to get done what I needed to get done. Both me and my boyfriend were able to use which also helped take some pressure off of me.
One thing I debated whether or not to put on my registry for a long time was a Robot Vacuum. I thought I was being bougie and not economical but I think it is one of the main things that saved my sanity. When you are trying to heal physically after childbirth the last thing you want to do is bend over to sweep your floor but it can also be just as stressful to let your floors get dirtier and dirtier. My Eufy vacuum, affectionately named “Jeffrey” is the absolute best investment. He saves me so much time, energy, and gives me the freedom to do other things I need to do. It’s an investment but it’s worth the price to get your time back.
My beautiful baby has such a hard time pooping and can gets so bloated from gas. At first I did not know what was happening because all new babies are a little fussy. But once we realized gas was the problem we started giving her Mylicon and noticed a drastic difference. All babies are different but this worked miracles with ours and it’s very safe.
Navigating a newborn baby can be stressful and difficult. Hopefully these tips can help make it a little easier. Also if you are a new mom feel free to share tips you know in the comments below!