Don’t worry… I won’t be turning this into a mommy blog where all I write about are nipples and breastfeeding and gas, but on occasion I will be sharing some things that I think are worth it because they might help someone out. Wilder is now one month old, and we’ve settled into somewhat of a routine. By now I know what items are really working to help us function more smoothly and happily in our daily lives, and today I am sharing a little guide full of new mom and baby must haves that have been essential to me this past month. Anything that helps another woman keep her sanity is worth sharing! (This post contains affiliate links.)
My first few must haves for moms are mainly for the breastfeeding moms out there. I am nursing Wilder and did so with Sawyer as well. With Emmy, we had issues and it just didn’t work out, so she was formula fed. I am of the mindset that you do what works best for you and your baby, and especially do what keeps you sane!!
With summer approaching I wanted to have something a little prettier to wear under dresses and tanks and was thrilled when I found these lace nursing bralettes. They help me feel a little trendier and sexier even when I am feeling at my least attractive.
For the more functional form over fashion, I love these nursing bras I found on Amazon in a set of 5… super inexpensive! They’re really comfortable and I love that they come in an array of neutrals to wear under anything.
I recently purchased a dress just like this one to wear this summer. I love wearing dresses, but it’s hard to find summer dresses that are great for nursing. The button front on this one means I can unbutton it and feed Wilder easily. I wore it just the other night with a lace bralette to Emmy’s choir concert and felt comfortable and pretty.
Nursing pads are essential as you will sometimes spring a leak… for me it tends to happen overnight when I am lying on my side. Either way, you’ll want to protect your clothing. In the past I used disposable nursing pads, but they can be costly and wasteful. This time I tried Bamboobies and I looooove them! They’re velvety and soft which can feel great when you’re sore and tender.
This organic nipple cream was used every time after I nursed Wilder for the first few weeks. It helped keep the pain at a minimum and is safe to use and for baby to ingest.
One other thing that is just for mom that I have to mention…. Always Discreet Boutique! One of my close friends had a baby in February and she told me about these… life changing! I used them for the first two weeks when I was still bleeding a lot. They are a million times better than using a big pad in your own underwear… more comfortable and you won’t ruin any of your undies!
Now let’s get to some of the items that we’ve used with Wilder this past month.
Wilder appears to have acid reflux (I am currently eliminating some things from my diet to see what helps) and spits up a lot, during and after feedings. Those little bibs are cute, but this boy needs full on coverage. These bandana bibs from Target are a larger size that work well to protect his clothes. We were also gifted some white terry cloth bibs embroidered with his name, and they’ve been incredible. They’re large, absorb well and can be spot cleaned with bleach if needed. A bib goes around that little neck before each meal.
A friend gave us these adorable flannel receiving blankets which we’ve been using as burp cloths. They’re the perfect size and can be folded to be reused. I place one over my lap before I sit Wilder up after eating to protect my clothing!
With acid reflux comes fussiness, but one of the sure fire ways to calm Wilder down is to swaddle him. We swaddle to soothe, and also before we put him down to nap or go to bed at night. I am a big fan of the Cloud Island line from Target because the huge size is awesome for wrapping tightly around a squirmer, and they are much more affordable than others I have seen. We bought this “Hello World” set as well as the desert cactus set. We’ve got some other sets as well… we go through a few blankets a day between leaking diapers and spit up.
Speaking of soothing babies, these soothie pacifiers are the best! They’re the perfect size and I happen to love the mint color. We use these to help soothe Wilder when he’s fussy, and sometimes to help lull him to sleep.
Aquaphor! You need aquaphor!!! Wilder got a pretty bad diaper rash the first week, and it was awful. The poor kid screamed every time he had a dirty diaper or needed a diaper change. We tried a few things and in the end, aquaphor healed him and made diaper change time all the more pleasant. He also has a bit of dry forehead skin as well as baby acne (signs of eczema), and I’ve started using this on it and have noticed a difference.
Because the weather is already warm and Wilder likes to be swaddled often, we stocked up on simple, easy on and off onesies. They’re comfortable for baby, inexpensive, and low maintenance. Trust me, you don’t need to cute “outfits” because a baby is much happier in something simple. We bought these cute onesies from Target.
With all of this spit up happening, you better believe you’ll be doing laundry frequently. I bought Mrs. Meyer’s basil laundry detergent and I love love love how soft and fresh all of Wilder’s clothing, blankets and bibs smell. We use wool dryer balls to minimize waste and to naturally remove static and lint.
When it comes to baby gear, there is SO MUCH on the market with all the bells and whistles… these are the items that we’ve found have worked well for us. I’ve kept it pretty minimal with gear, and nothing here requires batteries.
We have two carriers, a wrap and a more sturdy one, and we really use both. I found this organic cotton wrap carrier on Amazon with great reviews and a great price. It’s comparable to the top rated well known brands, and works the same. To be honest, it took me some practice and I had to watch a youtube video to figure it out, but we’ve got it now! We love to use this for more casual outings such as the grocery store or farmer’s market. Wilder pretty much just goes to sleep when he’s in it. We also have this Tula free to grow carrier which you can use as soon as baby is 7 pounds. I wear Wilder in this when I take the dogs for a long walk. He sleeps in the carrier, and the dogs and I get exercise so we’re all happy! When I had Sawyer there wasn’t a carrier like this that could be used so young so I had to wait a while to walk my dogs comfortably.
My friend Brittany recommended the Baby Bjorn bouncer as well as the Tiny Love toy arch to go with it. It’s the perfect position for Wilder to be in when he’s feeling gassy or needs to poop, and the toys are a great distraction from gas bubbles. The bouncer also folds down flat making it really easy to store and much less of an eyesore!
Once Wilder has digested his food and is able to lay on his back, he loves his Lovevery Baby Play Gym. I did my research on gyms and this was the one that seemed to be developmentally the best and not so harsh on the eyes.. Wilder already loves staring at everything on it, and especially loves hitting the hanging bell.
When it comes to sleeping, we use a bassinet in our room. We did that with all of our babies, and it’s just what works best for us. Brittany was kind enough to loan us a bassinet, but if I had bought one, I love the look of this one and definitely prefer a portable bassinet.
We got this Wavhello SoundBub white noise machine bear before Wilder was born. I knew it would be handy, but I didn’t know just how handy! It’s portable and rechargeable. We clip it right onto the bassinet and when Wilder is having trouble falling asleep, we turn on the sound of ocean waves which generally helps lull him to sleep. It’s been a life saver and I can’t recommend it enough! If you are looking for a gift idea for a friend having a baby, I suggest you get them this guy!
Phew! That was a lot of information and I hope some of these new mom and baby must haves helpful. Feel free to email me or comment with any questions about any of it, or any other items you wonder about as well. I’ve created a little shoppable boutique for you below in case you want to find anything I’ve mentioned. Thanks so much!
