Before I begin I need to make it very clear, just in case you are under any illusion that I'm some sort of expert on this subject, I am not! BD (Before Dolly) I didn't have a clue about babies and all the stuff they need. I remember being left in a room with my niece when she was tiny and not knowing how to talk to her so I sat there and simply say "alright?" Fast forward 10 years or so and I still didn't have a clue what I was doing so luckily my friend @Sammyshowbiz came to the rescue with an incredibly helpful email. She had her baby Daphne a year before so everything was fresh in her mind. Since then a few friends and family have had babies and I've added to the email and sent it on. I thought it might be helpful to share with any preggos out there or friend's of preggos so here goes...
THE BABY STUFF EMAIL
FOR JUST AFTER THE BIRTH...
Good hand cream and lip balm
I don’t know whether it was hormones but after I gave birth my hands and lips were SO DRY. Also, your hands will get really dry from all the bottle washing. Sam
I go through bottles and bottles of Carex Complete Sensitive Hand Wash. It’s always on offer so stock up. You will wash your hands constantly. No one wants poop under their nails, especially if you bite them. TRUST ME! B
Good eyeliner and bright lipstick
I haven’t gone a day without my Mac liquid liner and Lady Danger lippie. These were my saviours through pregnancy and since Daphne’s been born I’ve made sure I do my make-up every single day. It makes me feel human and like I’ve achieved something! Sam
Amen to that! I'm useless at doing eyeliner but I swear by a bright lip to liven me up and make me feel and look better. B
Whether you breastfeed or not they’ll try and make you right at the start. This is the best nipple cream and really works. Sam
I didn't breastfeed so I can't comment on this but I can help with bottles. I used Dr Browns and loved them.
These combined with Infacol helped stop the dreaded wind. B
Breastfeeding for us was a nightmare, but these really work. They just make it easier for the baby to latch on. I wish I’d had some to hand for right at the start. But you can always get someone to run out and buy some from Boots. Sam
Fearne Cotton recommended these to me! They’re the best. The most natural wet wipe you can get. Daphne has never had any nappy rash. I bulk buy them from Amazon. Sam
They were great for when Dolly was tiny. I tried cotton wool and water as recommended by the midwife but then I realised I could use these wipes. They are really wet and less hassle. Now Dolly is on solids I need something more than water so have moved onto Johnsons Sensitive because she has quite sensitive skin. B
I couldn’t breastfeed right at the start and I hadn’t even thought about getting formula but luckily a friend had given me a couple of little bottles of Aptamil ready-made formula. They were a lifesaver when I was suddenly panicking about how the hell I was going to feed Daphne. Get a couple in so you have them. Get the small bottles so you don’t have to throw much away. Sam
I bought these as I had a feeling I wasn't going to breastfeed. I suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum throughout my entire pregnancy (but that's a whole other post) and had to be induced two weeks early because they were worried I might get postnatal. I decided to not put myself under anymore pressure and bottle fed Dolly instead. Dolly didn't take to the teat on the bottle of these but luckily the midwife in the hospital had softer teats that we used at the start. B
GET LOTS OF…
Muslins
Giant muslins
You’ll probably get some as presents but a couple of these are really handy for breastfeeding or sun shades over the pram.
Bibs
Again, you need clean ones all the time. You can’t have too many.
Blankets
Who knew you'd need lots of little baby blankets? Not me. Luckily a friend had given us a load but we used them for lots of stuff - like to pad out her pram and cot etc... I picked up some from charity shops too. Sam
THE BEST THINGS WE BOUGHT...
This was AMAZING. It’s a little marshmallow pod thing that helps them sleep as it replicates the feeling of the womb. It means they can’t roll onto their front too. It also means you can put them to sleep in it and then move them somewhere else
This really worked for me too. Dolly loved it and meant we didn't have to buy a Moses basket. B
At first I thought this was a bit of a con, but it’s been amazing. It seals away the nappies so they don’t smell. We didn’t use it for the first couple of months as the nappies aren’t bad - but after that it’s been amazing. You have to buy the refill cassettes but they last for ages. Sam
This baby bath is SO GOOD. For the first couple of months Daphne was so small we just washed her in a washing up bowl. But then we used this bath. It has a little seat / support in it so you don’t have to awkwardly hold the baby. It’s brilliant. And cheap. Sam
We used this too and it was perfect. B
My cousin @Edelmeere who I like to call MotherMeere (I have her on seed dial for all my mummy questions) told me about this duck that tells you what temperature the bath water is which was lucky as I wasn't convinced about the elbow rule. B
Dunno why but she loves it. But it's probably just a Daphne thing (they won't all like the same stuff.) If we stick her under it she's happy for a good 15 minutes which means I could run and wash my hair etc… Sam
It’s expensive but it’s really good for their backs. And it collapses down flat so you can stick it in the car and take it with you. It’s brilliant. Sam
I would also recommend that you get a cheap one that vibrates or plays music for when they are really tiny and then get the Baby Bjorn bouncer when they are a bit bigger. B
You won’t need it at the start but this highchair is amazing! It’s simple, small, light and looks nice. Plus the tray snaps off so you can wash it up. Much better than a lot of the bulky highchairs around. They’re expensive but I got mine on eBay. Sam
Gro Company Gro Egg Baby Thermometer and Night Light
A friend bought this for me and it's amazing! It changes colour so you know if the room is too hot, too cold or just right. I still use it now. B
I love this stuff. Whenever she has any dry skin I use it and it sorts everything right out. She also had that cradle cap for a bit and I’d massage this in every day and it cleared it up after about 3 days. Sam
Sound Sleeper app
It plays lots of different white noise sounds and really helps Daphne go to sleep. Especially the womb sound. I just have it on my phone and pop my phone in her cot / pram. Sam
I didn’t use this but I did buy Ewan The Dream Sheep who we still use and he is AMAZING! WE LOVE EWAN.
Someone is bound to buy you one of these. It’s brilliantly designed for them to hold on to for teething. Sam
ANY EXTRA ADVICE…
Pack a bag early
Just with a few basic bits in. I hadn’t done mine and she came 3 weeks early. Dave arrived at the hospital with enough stuff for us to have a gap year away yet nothing of any use like a nightie. So just pack a couple of bits a month in advance. Sam
Get bottles and a steriliser
And unpack it and know how to use it. We got home from hospital at 11.30pm and she needed feeding with a bottle (which I hadn’t even thought about) and we didn’t have anything sterile. The whole lot hadn’t even been opened. It was really stressful. Sam
