When my friends (I'll call them Bryan
and Julie) found out they were going to have their first child, they
were so excited. Excited, and scared. Suddenly they found themselves
in this 'world' they knew nothing about, a world filled with diapers,
car seats and 'onesies'. They didn't know what they would need for
their new addition, so they got advice from everyone around them.
Unfortunately, they were told so many conflicting things and ended up
registering for items they had never heard of before and ended up not
needing. Is this you, or someone you know? Are you wondering what
you really need for your new baby, as opposed to the random
things your cousin has been telling you? Never fear, I'm here to help
(cue Mighty Mouse theme)! Here are a few of the things you need for
your new baby; it's not as long of a list as you might think.
Are you going to breast-feed? Make sure
you get at least one nursing bra. That way, you don't have to go
topless to feed your baby. Also, get some good nipple cream. Your
nipples can get pretty chapped by nursing, so it's important to get
something that can soothe them. You can find it at most drug stores.
Also, some women have a problem with embarrassing 'leakage', so get
some nursing pads you can wear in your bra to keep any excess milk
from showing and staining your tops.
Many women like to use breast pumps so
that they can fill bottles and feed their babies on the go. A good
one is worth its weight in gold!
Since you probably won't be staying in
one place all the time, you will need a good car seat. The best ones
will have a detachable 'seat' so that you can carry your baby around
without having to unbuckle him. Trust me, if your are able to get
your child to sit still or sleep in the chair, you won't want to
disturb them if you can possibly avoid it! There is a right and a
wrong way to install a car seat, so either follow the directions from
the box or have someone show you how to use it properly.
Also, find yourself a good diaper bag
big enough to store diapers, wipes and lotions. Another thing that
is helpful is a pack of disposable changing pads you can cover public
changing tables with, or use to keep other surfaces from getting
dirty. Huggies makes both washable and disposable changing pads.
Above all, you will need something that
is just for yourself! Having a new baby around can be very stressful,
so you will need some way to relax. In addition to getting your
husband or other family members to help with the baby so that you can
actually get some sleep, it might do you well to get a pedicure or
some comfy slipper socks; the ones I have have shea butter inside
them to help soften your feet as you wear them. Julie had a really
hard time doing things like pedicures, toenail painting or leg
shaving for herself at first because she still had some of the 'baby
belly' left. Not only did a gift of a pedicure do well by her feet,
it also saved her sanity by getting her out of the house with 'just
the adults'!
I hope I've given some good ideas for
things for your baby registry or wish lists. It can be overwhelming
with so many options, so it's good to know where to start!
