Little things...what do I need?

[ILoveMySofie]

Can some of you mamas who have a bit more brain left than I do post here your suggestions on what kind of less obvious baby items I need/may want to have on hand?

You would think Id know having had DD but I swear i cannot remember anything!

What I mean by little things- ok I have got a thermometer, some rags I cut up to use as burp cloths and all purpose wipes, a hooded towel, got little scissors to cut nails with (really hate doing it with clippers)..hmm think thats it. oh and got nursing pads too.

anything else im missing either along those lines or just anything that you can recommend that helped you make everyday life with baby easier?

thanks so much!

[PajamaMama]

peeking in from April's ddc...

If you do not have any lansinoh (nipple cream) for yourself yet try to at least get a sample from your midwife or OB office, I had to send my dh out at about midnight when we had our 2nd daughter because I was in agony and he had to go to WAL MART to get it because there was no place open that sold it besides that.

[risen_joy]

I definitely second that one!!! Sore nips are no fun when you have not (or can find not) the lanolin!! (Note to self, make sure ds hasn't toddled off with it again!)

Are you pumping at all? Freezer bags are good to have handy if so.

Snacks!! Good and easy food to grab when sitting down for those "eternal" nursing sessions!!

[4imprints]

hmmm...do you mean just for baby or for you too?

For baby.....I like the thermometer strips instead of an actual thermometer, something for diaper rash, lotion for dry skin, in addition to the normal things

For mom.....pads (I like two different sizes - bigger for nighttime), something for hemrroids, a heating pad - I personally like a bag of rice that can be either hot or cold for those sore spots,

Jeez ---- I really can't think of anything!! It seems my big issue this time around was making sure the other kiddos were set up and organized - not the baby!

[Turkish Kate]

Bottled water and juice. Portable snacks that you can leave at the bedside--nuts, granola bars, etc.

[Yo Becca]

also for you (if you do OTC meds), Motrin or other pain/swelling med and Colace or other stool softener. A few pairs of lounge pants and some good snacks. A sitz bath tub and herbs.

The baby is pretty easy for those first few days, as long as you have a good diaper stash and can nurse 24/7 Oh, laundry detergent is pretty critical.

I'm worried I'm overlooking something for DD... I have some new toys and books stashed away if she's feeling ignored or in need of entertainment. I guess I need to keep talking to her about what's going to happen...

[deuxceleste]

Hm.

Bulb syringe, thermometer, clippers, ummm... it'll be a while probably but baby bathing gear, (no, not talking about an actual bath), soft soap like dreft or ivory for baby laundry and diapers, lotsa momma pads for bleeding, nursing pads/bras in whatever combination, that's all that comes to mind at the moment, but i'm thinking of subbing this thread

[ILoveMySofie]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

ok, I do have the lansinoh, and I have actually been using it already for a few weeks...

have the pump too...dont have anything to store pumped milk in but I dont plan on pumping until a few months from now so I got time to get the milk storage together.

Got the laundry supplies today as a matter of fact-it was fun going to the store to choose new stuff because a couple of months ago we switched to using all natural cleaning products for everything at home...and Im test driving new laundry soap and softener. So today I got Ecover. Doing a load right now to see how i like it.

Thanks for bringing up the snacks! I totally was not thinking about them. Will definitely be nice to make a stash on both ends of the apartment with the bottled water and the snacks.

Now, what is a sitz bath? And what are thermometer strips?

[Mavournin]

Originally Posted by deuxceleste

soft soap like dreft or ivory for baby laundry and diapers,

I don't recommend Dreft. Especially if you do cloth diapers. Dreft is a soap and not a detergent and it leaves fatty residue in your clothes and will eventually build up enough to inhibit a diaper's absorption. I also (personally) think it's overly perfumed. Blech.


I'm sort of minimalistic about birth/baby supplies. But I think my one big thing is witch hazel pads. Tucks aren't sufficient IMO, for real PP perineum comfort pour some witch hazel in maxi pads and put them in the freezer. Cool and comforting when it feels like the yoni is on fire.

But maybe also...
peri bottle and tincture of calendula (makes "wiping" those first few days oh so much easier)
cabbage leaves
someone else to cook and clean

[Sunshinesmiles22]

This is our first, but I can suggest a great laundry detergent. A few, in fact. The first, not all natural, would be All Free and Clear. No scents or dyes. Our diaper supplier recommended that one for diapers. Also, Ecos and this one called Country Save from your local health food store. Ecos is much easier to find, but Country Save is supposed to rinse completely clean with absolutely no residue left behind. Hope that helps.

[Mizelenius]

Do you have a baby carrier ready?

I haven't found I've needed that much . . .

wipes, dipes (I also use both as nursing pads at home), covers, water bottle, bulb syringe, saline drops, clothes (we've gotten by on just 6 outfits!), slings, pads for me, blankets, carseat . . .that's about it. I have had no BFing soreness this time, thankfully (maybe because I only just stopped nursing DD?) so haven't needed lanolin.

[ILoveMySofie]

yep, got the carrier.

Decided on the hug a bub, and traded an mdc mama for something :-) so I didnt have to buy it! I love it! Im going to practice tying it on today.

And also waiting on the mammas milk pouches for me and Db from an mdc co-op!

[deuxceleste]

Originally Posted by Mavournin

I don't recommend Dreft. Especially if you do cloth diapers. Dreft is a soap and not a detergent and it leaves fatty residue in your clothes and will eventually build up enough to inhibit a diaper's absorption. I also (personally) think it's overly perfumed. Blech.

I don't do detergent.

[Yo Becca]

What is a sitz bath:

It's a little basin that sits in your toilet to allow you to soak your perineum to help it recover and heal. If you deliver in a hospital, they can give you one. It has a bag that you fill with hot water (you can also steep herbs to do an herbal bath, but just the hot water helps), then you put the basin on your toilet, sit in it, and open the tubing to let the water fill the tub. Any "overflow" spills into your toilet. If you have stitches, hemmorhoids, or soreness, it helps the area heal. Personally, I also just felt cleaner since wiping was not something I was into for those first few weeks (although I also used my peri bottle religiously to rinse - getting a shower every day is challenging with a newborn, so a nightly sitz bath was nice). I had a 3rd degree tear that took weeks to heal, and I really valued nightly sitz baths. DH would take the baby and send me in, and having 20 minutes alone in the bathroom with the crossword was a sanity saver.

If you don't have the basin, you can just draw a warm bath and add herbs if wanted. I'm not much of a bathtub person, I prefer sitting up and the convenience of just getting my bum wet . I ordered the Herbal Afterbirth Bath from this website, and I'm looking forward to trying them out: http://www.inhishands.com/html/orderherbs.html they smell amazing.

[Full Heart]

Originally Posted by Mavournin

I don't recommend Dreft. Especially if you do cloth diapers. Dreft is a soap and not a detergent and it leaves fatty residue in your clothes and will eventually build up enough to inhibit a diaper's absorption. I also (personally) think it's overly perfumed. Blech.

They are a detergent. I contacted them and asked directly. They were one of the first actual detergents and not soaps. I have used it on diapers and it works fine, no build up. Everyones experience will vary of course. But they are not a soap .

To the op - I just realized today I need another diaper bag. But I think I am just gonna use a tote I have laying around. NB dipes are so small. So do you have a diaper bag? lol A very dim bulb for in the middle of the night diaper changes was a God send for me. I was keep the light on in the bathroom with the door cracked before that.

[Mavournin]

Originally Posted by Full Heart

They are a detergent. I contacted them and asked directly. They were one of the first actual detergents and not soaps. I have used it on diapers and it works fine, no build up. Everyones experience will vary of course. But they are not a soap .

Huh. Interesting.

I still think it smells though.

[ILoveMySofie]

Yo Becca-thanks for the bath explanation. It sure sounds nice. Like, I wouldnt mind one right now even

Full Heart-crazy that you mention a diaper bag because today I was given one as a gift, and a very fancy one at that!


could it really reaaaaaaly reaaaaaaaaaaaaaly be that i have everything i need?

[risen_joy]

If you don't have the basin, you can just draw a warm bath and add herbs if wanted. I'm not much of a bathtub person, I prefer sitting up and the convenience of just getting my bum wet . I ordered the Herbal Afterbirth Bath from this website, and I'm looking forward to trying them out: http://www.inhishands.com/html/orderherbs.html they smell amazing.

Just ordered some!!! I can't wait to try them out!! THanks for the tip!

[MonTana Mama]

I like to have popsicles in the freezer-yummy and cold. And some hard boiled eggs for a quick protein snack.

[Avena]

here are some things I just had on hand for our birth last week,

For Mama:

*Aloe Gel, this was soo soothing/healing to put on pads!
*Heavy flow pads
* Sitz bath herbs
* Teas
* Witch Hazel for your bottom, also soothing/healing
* Comfy clothes
* Breast pads
* Some soothing soy wax candles w/essential oils
* Stock up on juices, water and food
* Arnica homeopathic 200 X for afterbirth cramps/soreness, this stuff is amazing!
* Afterbirth/cramp RX Tea & Tincture, this was VITAL!!!
* Sling

For the babe:

* Loads of blankets
* Cloth wipes
* Diapers!
* Weleda Soap
* Powedered Herbs for cord care
* Clothes that are easy to get on/off the new babe
* My babe was born last week and we live where we have tons of snow, so baby woolens came in very handy!
* Sling

Best of luck & wishing you a wonderful birth