Must-Have Baby Items

When I was expecting I read a lot of expectancy books. No amount of reading prepared me to be a mother for real. After all the reading I still found myself helpless in many situations in terms of taking care of my newborn. I hope that my articles will help you be more prepared.

Must-Have Baby Items

For baby's room:

1.A well-built baby crib.

2. A dresser and a plastic changing pad. The dresser should be tall enough for you to change your baby comfortably. Leave the plastic changing pad at the top of the dresser, by doing so; you have just turned your dresser into a changing table. Store diapers, diaper wipes, baby powder, and diaper cream in the top drawer of the dresser.

3. A soft rocking chair to rock your baby.

4. A night-light will help you navigate around your baby's room.

5. A pack of pacifiers to soothe your baby, when he/she gets fussy.

6. At least 3 soft cotton blankets to wrap your baby because newborns love to be swaddled.

7. A crib mattress protector. This is a great investment because even the best fitting diapers still leak.

8. A minimum of 3 sets extra soft cotton crib bedding (at least 200 thread).

For baby's wardrobe:

1. 2 or 3 cute outfits are good enough because newborn usually stays home a lot for the first few months.

2. A few pairs of soft cotton socks to keep your baby's feet warm.

3. A minimum of 6 cotton footed pajamas, because a newborn spits up a lot.

For feeding:

1. Feeding bottles. Yes, even if you are planning to breastfeed. Because it is good for you to get some rest and give daddy a chance to bond with his baby.

2. Breast pump. This is a must-have item for a breastfeeding mom because it gives you the freedom of taking the baby out in public, and a chance to take a break whenever you want.

3. Infant Formula, if you plan on bottle-feeding your baby. Choosing the right formula is hard. You should do some research and also talk to your doctor about it. Ask your doctor for samples of formula and see if your baby tolerates those before buying the formula in bulk.

4. A minimum of 10 cotton burp clothes, you may still find yourself lacking them because newborn spits up a lot.

For Hygiene:

1. Disposal diapers or cloth diapers. Newborns soil their diapers after each feeding, be prepared to buy a lot of diapers.

2. Diaper Wipes. You can either buy or make your own wipes. You can even use cloth wipes.

Baby wipe's recipe:

2 TBSP Baby Shampoo

2 TBSP Baby Oil

2 CUPS warm water.

Mix everything up in a spray bottle, and spray on either paper towel or washcloth.

3. Diaper cream helps prevent diaper rash. I personally prefer Vaseline.

4. Baby powder helps keep baby's bottom dry.

5. Baking soda soothes diaper rash. Just put 2 tablespoons of baking soda in baby's bath water.

6. Baby no-tear shampoo and bubble bath.

7. Baby bathtub.

8. Baby's detergent. Babies have very sensitive skin, it is best to get special detergent just for them and wash their clothes separately.

For Transportation:

1. Baby car seat. Buy from reputable companies like Evenflo or Costco.

2. Baby stroller. Strolling your baby around the neighborhood is a good way to get out of the house, get some exercise, and get a little sunshine for both mommy and the baby.

For entertainment:

1. Your time, love, and attention. Newborns need a lot of human interaction to help them figure out their world. They like to be held to feel loved and secure so that they can explore the world on their own later in life. You cannot pay too much attention or love a baby too much.

2. Read to your baby. Take your baby to the library and check out books that your baby will enjoy.

3. Classical music soothes a baby, and enlightens his/her mind. You can also check those out from the library.