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What Baby Will Need
by Lori Ramsey
What could a
tiny, helpless newborn need in terms of material things? I mean these tiny
helpless creatures just need food, clothes and love, right? Well, I was totally
amazed at all the stuff my tiny newborns needed. More stuff than anyone else in
the household it seemed.
Probably the most important thing you will need to get your baby home is a car
seat. The hospital will not let you leave with baby unless you have a proper car
seat in your vehicle. These cost anywhere from $25 to several hundred and come
in a variety of styles and colors.
Baby will need a variety of clothing. I'm sure you've read in magazines and such
that baby needs so many shirts, buntings, etc. But in actuality it depends on
what time of the year baby is born. You'll want several unisex "onesies" as well
as several footed "pajamas" and/or gowns. These will certainly get you through
the first few weeks and depending on which sex you are having - you'll want cute
little outfits to accommodate the season. A lot of times - conventional clothing
swallows newborns - which is why the onesies and pajamas are so nice at first.
Have on hand several pair of socks and be forewarned - these little socks have a
way of disappearing or loosing a mate. It's best to buy them in bulk packages.
And if it's cold out - a knit hat or two is necessary.
The next important thing for baby is a place to sleep. Whether you decide to
co-sleep (allow the baby to sleep in your bed) or not - I think it's important
to have a safe place to put baby to bed otherwise - for naps and such -
especially when baby is old enough to start rolling over. A crib is something
you can put baby in from the very beginning - and it's the safest place for baby
to sleep. A bassinet is nice - and baby can sleep in it up to about 3 months of
age. A bassinet is nice because of it's mobility - and at night the bassinet can
be pulled right up to your bedside. Be sure to stock up on about 5 or 6
receiving blankets - these work well to swaddle baby in those first days.
The "little" things that a baby needs are many. If you plan on bottle feeding -
be sure to have several bottles with appropriate infant nipples. If you plan on
breastfeeding - have a breastpump and a couple of bottles. Don't forget the burp
rag. A clean cloth diaper, wash rag, small towel or receiving blanket will do
for this - and they make "burp cloths" too! For bath time, baby will need a baby
bathtub - unless you want to bathe your baby in the kitchen sink - the bathtub
is too big right now. There are baby washcloths and towels out there, you may
also use regular ones. The only difference is the size and softness of the baby
towels and cloths. A bottle of baby bath will do. It's not necessary to have
separate baby shampoo (unless you want it)- as the baby bath will clean both the
body and the hair. Powders, lotions and oils are strictly up to you and they are
not a nessecity for baby.
For first aid purposes you may want to have on hand some infant acetimetiphen
(Tylenol) for fevers and simethicone drops - for gas. These are safe to give an
infant. Be sure to also have a good baby thermometer and a nasal aspirator. Many
hospitals send these home with the newborn.
A high chair is an important item that baby will eventually need. Though you
probably won't put baby in a high chair until he/she is about 6 months old - it
is a necessity at that time. You may want to consider what type you will want -
and keep in mind traveling. Some high chairs fold up for easy travel - or you
can buy little booster/portable high chairs that work well under traveling
circumstances.
These next items I'm going to talk about are not necessarily a "have to have"
but are more or less a luxury item and many go a long way in helping make life a
little easier with baby. Bouncy seats - seats that are cloth and have toys that
can be attached are nice. Some babies will not care for them - but they serve a
nice place to put baby other than crib or bassinet. A baby swing - and I prefer
the battery operated swing -can be a God-send for some parents. Then you have
your "jumping johnnies" (seats that attach to doorways and bounce), playpens or
yards, exersaucers, changing tables and walkers. All these things serve to help
with baby - but if you never have one you probably won't know what you're
missing.
One more important thing - last but certainly not least - diapers!!! Whether you
choose to cloth or disposable diaper your baby - be sure to have a good supply
on hand. A newborn will go through 6 to 10 disposables and more cloths a day.
And don't forget the wipes - whether you buy the disposable wipes (which come in
a variety of formulas) or use wet wash clothes - you'll have a good stack of
them on hand - a newborn also soils several times a day - a breastfed newborn
will have a bowel movement just about at every feeding.
The market is chocked full of "baby things" for parents to buy. You'll probably
find an item for every possible situation you'll encounter with your little one.
Companies know that new parents will just about buy anything for their new
addition - and rightly so, we do all want what's best for baby, right? Happy
shopping!
©
by Lori Ramsey of
Stages in Pregnancy
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