Yes, having a baby stressful. Having a baby is also an amazing, incredible journey, but it is hard. It requires a great deal of adjustment and adaptation.
So, as baby #2’s due date approaches in 6 days, I started thinking about what items made adapting to baby #1 easier and made sure that they were ready to go!
So here’s my list of my top useful things for managing with a new baby.
Naked Nursing Tank
I found this AMAZING product when I toured the baby show circuit while pregnant with my first – and it is worth every penny!
The women who designed this are from Guelph, Ontario, and the product is Canadian made. The tanks are super light weight and unbelievably cozy – even after several dozen washes! Best of all, whenever I breastfed in public, I didn’t have to show off my belly when lifting my shirt! Different colours are available in different sizes, but good old reliable black comes in sizes xs – 5x! |
Booby Trapper
This was another item I found on the baby show circuit and one that I absolutely love!
You see, I am all for feeding baby in whatever way works best – whether by boob, bottle, formula or pump, so long as baby is healthy and growing and mom isn’t in debilitating pain or stressed out, then perfect! Personally, I was must comfortable breastfeeding in most public spaces with a cover and so loved my Booby Trapper! The Booby Trapper is super light weight and folds to make transporting it very easy. But, my favourite feature is the double rim, which lifts the material off mum’s chest, allowing for better air circulation and since it’s lifted off baby’s face, the opportunity for eye contact and bonding while feeding. TheBooby Trapper comes in a variety of colours and even as a plus size mama, I found that I was well covered with it! |
Baby K’Tan
Sure baby wearing isn’t for everyone, but man did it make my life easier! My wee man wanted to be held all the time, and while I loved all the cuddles, it sure made getting household chores done extra difficult (not that I really did all that much in his first few months anyhow!)
While there are many great carriers out there, I really loved the K’Tan. I found that the sizing fit true to my normal size, which was super helpful. It’s also not too challenging to put on. My husband picked up aMoby Wrap for himself, but found it far too difficult to navigate. Whereas, with the K’Tan I found that it only took two practice tries to get the hang of it. |
Lansinoh Disposable Breast Pads
When it comes to most things, I am hardly brand loyal – especially when they are seemingly small items. However, the Lansinoh Disposable Breast Pads are one of few exceptions.
With my son, I had an over-active let down and an abundance of milk – which means that I had a lot of milk and it came out fast! It also meant that there was a LOT of leakage that didn’t sort itself out until my guy was well over a year. So, I went through a LOT of breast pads. And tried a LOT of different brands in an attempt to save money and the environment. However, the ones that were the most comfortable (even when soaking wet) were always the Lansinoh. I’m not going to lie, I felt really horrible using disposable pads instead of reusable. I tried 3 or 4 different brands and styles of reusable, but each time I found that they leaked, or were really, really uncomfortable after washing. |
Miracle Blanket
The Miracle Blanket is actually one of the first products that I ever reviewed on this blog (read it here), and is still a product that I stand by!
My guy was not a fan of swaddling and no matter how tight we did up receiving blankets, he always seemed to find a way out! That is until we invested in a Miracle Blanket! There was no escape for him and he slept, well, like a baby (not in the literal sense, but in the colloquial)! I had these out and rewashed weeks ago, just in case baby #2 decided to come early. While they are pricey, getting a few extra hours of consecutive sleep is well worth the price of admission! |
My Little Snugabunny Cradle N Swing
Like many of the items I’ve listed, there is a plethora of baby swings to choose from, however, the Sungabunny was an absolute life-saver for me!
The swing is super soft and cozy and the music is very gentle. My little guy LOVED his swing, so when mama really just needed some personal space, he would happily accept this alternative. One of the nicest features of this swing, is that it can be plugged in, so you don’t have to run to a convenience store in the middle of the night and pay a small fortune, when they’ve somehow all run out! |
Summer Infant By Your Side Sleeper
Baby #1 was a terrible sleeper and wanted to be held all the time (he is still a super cuddle bug now). Since he came into the world with a difficult labour and eventual emergency c-section, we made every attempt to oblige in an effort to make earth-side a little less scary.
Needless to say, this made mom and dad very tired for a very long time. Then, after some research, we brought home the Summer Infant By Your Side Sleeper and started to actually get some sleep! We put the sleeper in the middle of the bed between the two of us, so babe could constantly smell us and feel our movements. This was a great help in getting sleep those first few months. The only thing I found difficult was turning to lift him out of it as a result of my c-section. Once I healed, it was no problem, but the first few weeks dad had to do it for me. |
Halo Innovations Bassinet Swivel Sleeper
This item is new for this new baby. With baby #1, we used a cradle that he actually slept in once or twice. So, with baby #2, not only am I hoping that she’s a better sleeper, but also that this splurge will be worth it.
The Halo Innovations Bassinet Swivel Sleeper is a super fancy bed that rotates and adjusts, so baby can be right beside you in the bed, without actually being in the bed. The mesh sides allow for better airflow and allows baby to still smell your presence. It also vibrates, plays music and has a little night light – so you don’t have to get up for the millionth time and turn on the lights to make sure baby is still breathing (not that I ever did this, of course!) I really felt that this was an excessive buy, and fortunately, it was given to us as a gift. However, baby #1 was an emergency c-section and the first few weeks were a struggle to twist and lift him out of the co-sleeper for feedings. If I end up with another c-section, I’m really hoping that this bassinet will help alleviate some of that discomfort this time around. You can get the Halo Innovations Bassinet Swivel Sleeper with free shipping here. |