75 Comments Add your own

• 1. mar  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:02 pm

  man, i was just last night trying to compile a list of great 80s tunes in my head. (heaven help me, i have no idea why.) i missed out on all the videos, so most of these are a first view for me. i didn’t see the a-ha “take on me” video until i was almost 18 & i think that was a pop-up video or best of countdown.
  also, mum relied on the colace (stool softener)
  and i do not understand the pregnant ladies (my friend had her little boy w on saturday night) who are so surprised by their exhaustion. you are growing a freakin’ person! why wouldn’t you be tired? recline in bed and have adam feed you bon-bons (or whatever floats your boat at this stage) and enjoy the rest, please. you deserve it!

• 2. aly  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:05 pm

  that video is FANTASTIC with it’s weird blurry dancey prancey people there… plus, after the title all i could think was fleetwood mac’s “little lies” which was clearly not the same.

  as for baby supplies, i haven’t a clue, but am hoping that the stool softner comment can be scrubbed from my brain. that’s…. horrifying to us non-preggos. here’s hoping we ARE all “unique snowflakes” and you wont need that?!

  how about a teddy bear?! or a blankie!?

• 3. Jen  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:14 pm

  I’ll give an amen to the suggestion of stool softener. I didn’t take the advice of the discharge nurse and get me some until a couple weeks post partum, and oh, I paid for it. Trust me when i say you don’t want anything, er, substantial having to work its way from your body for at least a few weeks after giving birth. Sorry, but it’s true!

  As for other essential items:

  - nipple ointment/creme (I recommended Medela)
  - Boppy or similar nursing pillow
  - onesies with the fold-over cuffs (we’ve discussed this offline)
  - large square receiving blankets for swaddling (Aden and Anais is a good brand, as they are very stretchy, allowing for a tight swaddle)
  - Baby Oxy Clean (available at Target) for getting out stubborn poop stains

  That’s all my weary mind I can think of at the moment, but if you want a more detailed list, I’d be happy to talk more offline.

• 4. Mimi  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

  I want to say YES, YES, YES! to all of Jen’s suggestions above. As long as you have a Boppy, lots of onesies (or layette gowns), lots of receiving blankets, and some nipple cream you should be good to go! I might also add in that you’ll need lots of maxi pads, but it might bear repeating because you really don’t want to be without those.

• 5. Raven  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:24 pm

  Okay I am usually really good with the holding of my advice giving tongue on the internets (especially as a very irregular snowflake) so take or leave this little list as needed.

  Mylicon

  Some kind of nursing pad that works? 13 years ago they did not work so well and my husband’s friend had to inform me that I had leaked through my shirt. THE HORROR.

  Cloth diapers, best burp cloths ever.

  Vibrating bouncer chair. Sprog LIVED in that thing.

  Waterproof lap pads and crib pads. Sleepy husbands are not so hot with the leak proof diaper technique.

  Laundry soap and stain remover of choice (I did a metric crap ton of laundry)

  Aquaphor, Sprog was prone to dry skin and this prevented his ever having cradle cap.

  Sleeper gowns. No snaps made for easy diaper changes at night.

  That’s all I can think of, it was a wicked long time ago. I really hope you don’t need the stool softener but OH! I just remembered… they have this numbing spray for stitches? It’s AWESOME. I can’t remember what it’s called though; I got it in my kit from the hospital (along with the stool softener actually) I’ll go to the store and see if I can find it for you and get the name. (I hope you don’t need that either, but just in case)

• 6. Sarah  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:35 pm

  a few thoughts…I’m a big fan of Soothies–best thing to slap on your nipples hands down when you’re first breast feeding. and reusable–just stick them back in the freezer for a bit. and speaking of freezing your bits (nice, no?) the L & D nurses were great about packing a newborn diaper with ice and then giving it to me to wear to help with the swelling that is a natural result of pushing a baby out your vagina. I found it less messy to get one of the ice packs they sell for injuries, wrap it in a towel and stick in my pants. not in the least bit sexy, but it did help. just reading what I’ve written is making me think, Jesus, did I really sit on an ice pack for a few days??? oh how quickly we forget. and I also am on board with the Colace—seriously, that and prune juice…
  With regards to baby, a boppy, a shit ton of shows on the DVR because seriously, they eat all the time and you can only stare at the magic that is your baby for so long. and the sleeper gowns–no snaps, just whip that diaper off in record time…

• 7. Amanda  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

  First off, don’t be above riding these last few weeks out on the electric cart at the grocery store. I sure as hell wasn’t.

  Secondly – you already know about the nipple shields, so there’s that. (Please tell me you already bought them! They prevent NIPPLE CHAFING! This is paramount!)

  I could not live without a vibrating bouncy chair, an electric swing and a really GREAT baby carrier. I loved both my baby bjorn and my hotsling and used both until they were too grimy to even give away. But all of these are things you won’t use until the baby is a couple weeks old anyway (right around the time you decide to put her down for the first time and Adam is at work).

  Also – BEER! You’ll finally get to drink it again! (Although honestly? Pour yourself a glass NOW if you want. Just pretend you’re European!)

• 8. Elizabeth  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:39 pm

  Hmmm. A shitload of diapers and wipes, some boob cream, and lots of wine, and pre cooked dinners. Oh, and a noise machine. And lots of those green pacifiers (soothies) they give you in the hospital. Tons of those little side snap t shirts. Those mitten things to cover their hands so they can’t scratch themselves. maybe a sleep sack, if they don’t like being swaddled? We did the swaddle until a bit later.
  We had to run out and buy a co sleeper to put in the middle of the bed because that’s the only place he he would sleep and I was terrified I’d roll over on him. butt you can buy these things if you need them after the fact.
  Also, this sounds dorky, but a chart and a pen by the side of the bed to keep track of feeds, if you are going to nurse.
  and tons and tons and tons and TONS of stuff to read. Nursing is SO boring, right away ,and you have to do it ALL THE TIME. So I pounded through books and magazines and the newspaper every day.
  Oh, yes the stitch numbing spray FOR SURE. They gave me that at the hospital.
  Oh, and Lilypadz. I LOVED those. Thank god for those.
  Mylecon, baby tylenol, and baby wash.
  And the vibrating chair, definitely.
  Oh, and a Boppy, for the beginning.
  Oh, and donuts. Lots and lots of donuts.
  But out of all of those things? The white noise machine and the Lilypadz saved my life.

• 9. willikat  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:43 pm

  I don’t have kids. But maybe your husband could bring you fresh flowers. Or some DVDs to watch while you’re nursing?

• 10. Kristi  |  February 5th, 2009 at 10:59 pm

  I second all said above, except the boppy was never high enough for me to nurse comfortably with so I just used pillows. Not one to let my boppy go unused, I used it to sit on as a donut for that OH SO TENDER AREA! Worked great. Tucks medicated pads are also great if you’re prone to that kind of thing.

  The spray is call Dermoplast and I still use it for everything! It is the best stuff. I think they might have it at Walgreens.

• 11. Blythe  |  February 5th, 2009 at 11:14 pm

  I was a huge Breathe fan and could not understand why they didn’t become a supergroup. I can still sing most of the songs from that album off the top of my head (How can I fall? How can I fall? When you just don’t give me reasons…) Where are they now, indeed.

  A good supply of disposable breast pads was a must, otherwise I seemed to wake up in a puddle of milk every morning. I didn’t have access to Lilypadz but they sound great too.

  The one thing I sent my husband out to buy in a panic was the infamous donut pillow. He found a really nice one that was stuffed like a beanbag (vs the inflatable kind), and it seriously saved my life for many weeks.

  I’ll second those gowns with the elastic at the bottom. No one wants to have to maneuver snaps in the middle of the night.

  Dark-colored sweats/PJ bottoms/lounge pants (also good for the hospital). I had some really lovely pink ones but frankly there was just too much, well, potential for leakage and stains for me to be comfortable wearing them for a while. And on that delightful note, I shall close.

  (And don’t worry, there will be times when Adam will be glad to feel useful by running out to the store and getting the stuff you figure out you need. Not that he won’t be useful just being there and being a dad, but I think those first few weeks of nursing and healing can make dads feel a bit helpless.)

• 12. Angella  |  February 5th, 2009 at 11:15 pm

  BREAST PADS.

  Hot, I know, but necessary. At least for me. I never felt “let down” (My boobs are effed) so the breast pads were my life saver.

  The baby will be fine.

  

• 13. Carla Hinkle  |  February 5th, 2009 at 11:50 pm

  1. Nipple shields … the kind that you put over your sore, chafing (possibly bleeding) nipples so that the baby can eat and yet you are not screaming from pain. Maybe this won’t happen to you but it sure as hell happened to me … twice.

  2. Some kind of nursing pillow. The Boppy was always fine for me but I hear My Breast Friend (gag) is much better. If you can get over the name. (I could not.)

  3. Velcro swaddling blanket. If the baby likes swaddling, these are virtually impossible for them to undo. Buying you a few more precious hours of sleep.

  I hear you on the exhaustion of late pregnancy. Sometimes I just wished someone could sit me on a dolly and roll me around. Never happened.

• 14. Leah  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:25 am

  Breast pads. YES.

  Swaddling blankets: Have several different kinds around. We stole some small flannel ones from the hospital, got some large flannel ones from family, and got some schmancy muslin ones from friends. We thought that thirty-plus blankets was a little much (seems everyone wanted to get/knit us blankets), but we’ve used all of them because not every blanket works for every job.

  Sleep gowns and/or sleep sacks: Less snapping and unsnapping at night! Get at least five.

  Hats: Again, we had about thirty hats, which I thought was waaaaay more than enough, but it seems we’re always misplacing them and needing to return to the big bin o’ hats to get a new one. And of course, steal as many from the hospital as you can (we got four!) because they’re the most likely to stay on.

  Camera: USE IT. Use it often and without discretion. Before you know it the Little Miss will be two weeks old and she’ll look like a different person.

• 15. Maggy  |  February 6th, 2009 at 2:36 am

  I loved the car mirrors. We had one in the back seat that faced the baby so he could watch himself, and then a little one to put on the sun visor in the front seat so you can see the baby in the mirror. I could have used the little mirror even earlier: when the dogs are in the car, I count them every so often to make sure they’re both there. Not sure where I think they’re going to go…
  Keep tissues and a water bottle handy. Nursing made me super thirsty, and tissues are helpful when a peanut butter commercial make you weepy or Jon Stewart makes you laugh til you cry. (I watched the Daily Show while pumping for almost a year. Maybe I should write to Jon Stewart and let him now that laughter is good for mama milk.)
  And now the gross part: stool softener is good. You won’t want to push poo out, but you can put counter-pressure on the perineum while you’re pooping. I recommend rubber gloves. Just grab a few from the box off the wall at the hospital. Hope I haven’t offended anyone. I work in pediatrics (and I have two dogs), so I have the “It’s just poo.” attitude.
  Re: exhaustion: I’m 21 weeks pregnant and get tired walking to the mailbox.

• 16. amber  |  February 6th, 2009 at 4:18 am

  Ugh! I hate when people say, “oh, she’s just jealous.” It was recently suggested to me that I disliked this girl just because I was jealous. For what reason, I asked, a bit haughtily, and then added: She is rude most of the time, immature, and negative about everything she possibly can be. WHY would I be jealous?

  You rock, as usual.

• 17. Swistle  |  February 6th, 2009 at 5:47 am

  Totally agree with the “jealous” thing. I also hate when men do it. Like, a pretty or thin woman behaves badly and the other women dislike it, so the men all say patronizingly that it’s just that the other women are JEALOUS. Hate.

  My favorite early-days baby equipment:

  1. La-Z-Boy rocker recliner. For dozing while feeding the baby and for sleeping in with the baby when the baby didn’t seem to want to sleep without being adhered to my body.

  2. Vibrating bouncy seat. Some babies hate these. I say it’s worth the gamble because some babies LUH-UH-UH-uv them. At our house we had an 80% love rate.

  3. Baby swing. I had one that could be set to swing either side to side or front to back. I used that thing so much, I’m not sure how it didn’t wear it’s way through the floor. Again, some babies hate, but at our house we had a 100% love rate.

  4. FOOD. Food food food. Preferably food that can be quickly heated. Like, tupperwares of chili, or bags of muffins.

  5. Comfort books (for me, Maeve Binchy) and comfort TV (for me, sitcoms I watched as a child), for baby-feeding activities.

• 18. The New Girl  |  February 6th, 2009 at 6:28 am

  I would say a lot of what the other people have already said. A good swaddler, though, for us was essential. I used The Miracle Blanket, (I think that’s what it’s called.) I used that sucker until my kid was busting out of it like Houdini.

• 19. Kristin H  |  February 6th, 2009 at 8:18 am

  Oh my, this is going to be the longest comment section ever. After having kids I discovered that I loved giving other people advice about what they need and don’t need, and I imagine lots of other people are that way too. But it’s funny how what was a necessity for one person was so not for another. For example, I never used breast pads though I nursed both kids past a year. So! I’ll keep my two bits brief.

  I totally, totally used my boppy every single day, multiple times a day. And I only WISH someone had told me to get a stool softener. Because: yes. The Miracle Blanket is indeed a Miracle with a capital M, though I didn’t have one at first. Everything else you probably have. Oh! Also, I used a ton of breast milk bags with the first kid, and then realized on the second that that was a total waste of money and ziplocks work just fine. (So much for brief!)

• 20. Allison  |  February 6th, 2009 at 8:27 am

  I don’t know how useful my assvice will be but the thing I was glad I had when we came home with Maggie was a bunch of TV shows on DVD.

• 21. Paula  |  February 6th, 2009 at 8:28 am

  I think someone else said “layette gowns”…not sure if those are the same one’s that have a drawstring at the bottom or not. If so, layette gowns were a necessity for us since my son had jaundice and had to have this hose with the light source at the end snaked up him for hours at end. What else could he possibly wear?

  My Mom had bought me a few and I thought they were so old fashioned…until I needed them. I made her go out and buy me a ton more! Just FYI…

• 22. Ali  |  February 6th, 2009 at 8:53 am

  A comfy recliner

  A bassinet

  Laundry detergent with absolutely no fragrance (even my dreft has fragrance and it terrorized my daughters newborn skin)

  A swaddler, like the miracle blanket, that has velcro

• 23. Ali  |  February 6th, 2009 at 8:55 am

  Because it affects to many newborns, I would research acid reflux and SILENT acid reflux. Silent acid reflux means the acid comes up in their throats, but they do not spit up. My daughter had this, and she was miserable for weeks before it was properly diagnosed. Know the symptoms before hand so you are armed with knowledge.

• 24. Jess  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:28 am

  Are you going to turn all the advice you get here into a handy little booklet for those of us who have yet to go through it? Please?

• 25. 3carnations  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:37 am

  Are the stool softener people suggesting it for you or for the baby? Either way, ask your doctor first. For yourself especially if you will be breastfeeding.

  Lots of burp cloths, Little snap up t shirts instead of onesies to go under clothes for the first couple weeks. They are comfier while the are where the umbilical cord was cut is waiting to fall off. Nursing pads – I used to generic disposable type sold at Babies R Us and they were great. I tried the washable ones – Not so great.

• 26. jonniker  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:40 am

  Stool softener for yourself, not the baby — apparently things are … slow to move after delivery. Not laxatives.

  And it’s perfectly fine during breastfeeding, as it is also acceptable during pregnancy. (Colace, that is, which is, I believe Correctol, but don’t quote me on that. I have some generic stuff that is just plain colace.)

• 27. Aprylsantics  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:47 am

  Honestly, I had a boppy and it never really worked right on me. Maybe I needed lessons or something. I found it was much more comfortable to use a couple of standard pillows on my lap. Pillows are great for everything. I had a friend who put them in a nice rectangular (new) laundry basket and carted the baby all over the house with it. I know. Who needs an expensive Moses basket when there’s laundry baskets!!! You’ll be surprised at how much useless crap they make for newborn babies.

• 28. Aprylsantics  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:48 am

  Forgo to mention cloth diapers. We used them for everything from burp cloths to covering the changing pad. Indespensible.

• 29. Ilana  |  February 6th, 2009 at 9:56 am

  1- Baby Boppy (life. saver)
  2- Baby Swing (same applies)
  3- Breast pads–the kind in hte yellow box are the best, the brand is escaping me now.
  4-When you’re at the hospital steal HUNDREDS of those pads that they give you. Pads at the store pale in comparison and kind of hurt. Steal, steal, steal.
  5- A sleeping bra. I wore mine for four weeks straight with both my babies until the “girls” unengorged themselves. Super cheap so you can buy in a couple sizes at motherhood maternity.
  6-Blankets to swaddle her up.
  7- We’re binky snowflakes.
  8- I also struggled big time with breastfeeding at first, so we bought the expensive pump. Worth it’s weight in GOLD.
  9-Size one diapers. My babes never fit the newborn size.
  10- Lots of little sockies.
  11- Spit rags. Good times.
  12- A good camera.

  It’s wonderful. You’re gonna love it.

• 30. bessie.viola  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:21 am

  ooh, I LOVE talking about baby stuff. It’s all so cute and wee and fresh. Exciting! Most of these have already been brought up, but hey, if more than one person finds it necessary it’s valid, right?

  - Mylicon
  - Boppy. LOVED this.
  - Bouncy seat. Was the only way I showered for weeks.
  - Lots of receiving blankets, for swaddling and spit-up wiping
  - Breast pads. Oh, you never think they’re necessary until WHOOPS you have giant targets on the front of your shirt. In front of your husband’s grandmother. OH the horror…
  - I couldn’t have gotten through bf’ing without my pump. But that’s normal, I don’t think. But the Medela PIS – ROCK STAR.

  One of the best pieces of advice I got for bf’ing was to set up a little “home” where I’d be feeding. I had my glider, with a little table that had some easy snacks, water, a magazine, the Boppy… made it MUCH easier to just go to work when baby was hungry. (I don’t even know if you’re BF’ing – SNOWFLAKES and all – but it was so nice to have this done when I got home from the hospital.)

• 31. Penny  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:23 am

  The boob was the almighty pacifier (and I highly appreciated having a boppy to help with that), but also we couldn’t live without a swaddling blanket. We opted out of the “miracle blanket” frenzy and just went with a 42″ x 42″ inch piece of material, and it was perfect. Woe was us if we forgot to bring it somewhere.

  The other stuff is just fluff, really. To most people I would say, “you will WANT to leave the house and take a trip to Target for the other things,” but in your case I suppose you have to order them online. Have lots of diapers of the newborn and size 1 variety – more than you think you will need – and a place for her to sleep, and that’s really, really it. I’m assuming you have enough clothing and blankets to keep her warm in chilly vermont.

• 32. Lynn  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:28 am

  I totally agree with Swistle — if you are breastfeeding you will need a LOT of food. Get several boxes of things like granola bars, power bars, pre-mixed Instant Breakfast because you will need to eat in the middle of the night. Seriously, keep them at your bedside.

  Also, I would recommend having a gentle, manual breast pump for the first couple of weeks. When your milk comes in (day 3-5) you will not recognize your chest — it’ll be like having two cantelopes up there, and I am usually a AA cup! The pump will help with some of the swelling, and some babies sometimes have a hard time latching in this period, so a bit of pumping before feeding can make the whole event more pleasant for both of you.

  Lastly, I’d recommend having some sort of baby carrier — a sling or a Baby Bjorn or something like that. Around about six weeks of age the baby will start having a fussy period after dinner, from say 6pm to 8pm, and you will find yourself walking, walking, walking. It’ll save your back and arms to have something to carry the baby in.

• 33. Rosie  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:31 am

  My advice is: relax. Whatever you don’t have, you can get. You won’t need most of the stuff that you already have, although it’s nice to be prepared. What works for one baby and mother doesn’t work for all. And you WILL figure out your baby and what she needs, largely through trial and error.

  And here’s where I confess that I didn’t take my own advice. I scoured the internet for ideas of what I’d need, compulsively made lists, bought everything ahead of time.

  Whatever makes you feel ready, or as ready as you can, do it. Have fun!

• 34. Penny  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:31 am

  Oh – totally disregarded things for YOU. For YOU I would recommend the boob cream and disposable breast pads, and I hope you can find a good couple of nursing bras for the beginning, when your boobs will be fluctuating and huge. You will even want to wear one to bed, so start out with non-underwire if you can stand it.

  For the nether regions, there’s maxi pads, stool softner and prep-H pads. Steal as many of the wonderful mesh panties as you can from the hospital, those are great to use then toss. If you end up with a c-section, you’ll want something to wear that opens in the front yet does not have elastic low around the waist.

• 35. ali  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:44 am

  100% my bouncy chair.
  it was HEAVEN. a place to put my babies so i didn’t have to HOLD THEM ALL THE DAMN TIME.

  also? lansinoh.

• 36. 3carnations  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:47 am

  Oh gosh, the moses basket. Got a beautiful one at my baby shower…Put baby in it once. Baby gave me a quizzical look “Why are you keeping me in a basket?” and promptly burst into tears. Never used it again. Regift?

• 37. Mariah  |  February 6th, 2009 at 11:00 am

  Stool softener+metamucil+fibercon+prunes+bran muffins+a leather belt to bite on

  But seriously, I was grateful for the following:
  Breastpump
  Way more nursing pads than you think you’ll need
  Way more Tucks than you think you’ll need
  Kiddopottamus swaddle blanket (it’s a no-brainer at 3 am)
  Medela nipple cream (softer than Lansinoh)
  Truly comfortable nursing bras (surprisingly hard to find)
  BOUNCY SEAT

• 38. Danell  |  February 6th, 2009 at 11:50 am

  I agree with Rosie- totally relax, what you don’t have you can get…because the ONE greatest thing to have postpartum it sounds like you already have: someone who willingly shares the work with you those first few days to weeks when you just need to recooperate.

• 39. Lori  |  February 6th, 2009 at 12:24 pm

  My Mom, a sling, our arm’s reach co-sleeper, calendula cream (for you), a&d ointment (for baby), dvr and homemade chocolate chip cookies.

• 40. heels  |  February 6th, 2009 at 12:35 pm

  Cloth diapers for burp cloths
  Aquaphor (still a necessary item even three years later)
  bouncy seat /swing/ both
  Boppy
  sling/front carrier
  GIANT water glass for you
  lots of brainless movies
  thermometers (at least 2!)
  witch hazel pads for your lady bits
  squirt bottle (again- for your bits) (this was a LIFESAVER)
  Lots of extra absorbent underpads for the bed so you don’t have to sit in a regular menstrual pad for too long.

• 41. -R-  |  February 6th, 2009 at 12:46 pm

  I didn’t read through everyone else’s comments, but the only way our son would sleep the first few weeks was when he was swaddled in a Miracle Blanket.

  Try not to stress because while you’re at the hospital you’ll figure out what you need, and A can run out and get things for you and baby.

• 42. jonniker  |  February 6th, 2009 at 12:48 pm

  Oh you guys, this is fantastic, thank you. And I do have most of them, save for a few, so I AM FEELING BETTER ALREADY. The one thing I will say, though, is that there is no “running out and getting” really much of anything, except for diapers and food. Remember, we are … well, in the sticks. So online ordering it is! Ergo, I’m feeling very desperate to get everything ahead of time, because if not, I’ll have to wait 3-5 days.

  This is probably not a prudent financial move, but my God, the NESTING.

• 43. Rebecca (Bearca)  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:00 pm

  OK, most of my items people have mentioned already. But the things I could not live without in the early days include:

  1) Swaddling blankets. Large square ones are great, but I also found the Swaddle Me and the Miracle Blanket EXCELLENT because they are much harder for the baby to get out of. You must have total immobilization of the arms for them to get any rest! It sounds kind of mean, but it WORKS.

  2) Lansinoh cream – very soothing for the tender boob area after a couple days of a hungry newborn!

  3) Everyone is saying Boppy, Boppy, Boppy – and no doubt they are good. BUT, in the early days when I was struggling with nursing, the My Brest Friend pillow (OH MY GOD I KNOW) was a godsend. If you can get past the name, it’s a huge help. You secure the pillow around you and it really helps bring the baby to breast level. I found that my babies would kind of slip down in the crack between the boppy pillow and my body. The MBF has a flat surface, so no slippage. It was really a big help for me.

  My baby girl turned one today, so I’m honestly so jealous of you about to have a newborn. They are so tiny, and so precious, and there is just nothing better. Awwwwww!!!!

• 44. Cobwebs  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:00 pm

  Wipes, and lots of ‘em. Get one of those big refillable tubs and a whole bunch of refills. Baby wipes are second only to duct tape in the number of things they can be used for.

  Set up two or three diaper-changing stations throughout the house with a few diapers, a portable changing pad, and wipes. You won’t want to be running halfway across the house every time you need a diaper.

  We have a large and curious dog, so instead of a regular bassinet we got a “playard” with a bassinet insert that fit on the top. The baby slept in that for the first several months, and the playard itself was a safe place to park him when I needed both hands to do something.

  For the first few weeks, those were really all we needed (along, obviously, with things like clothes and bottles). Newborns aren’t much more than sacks of mush that cry a lot, so they don’t need much in the way of specialized equipment.

• 45. Shutter Bitch  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:12 pm

  For me, it was the baby monitor. I know a lot of people think that because it sounds like Darth Vadar coming through the monitor and it magnifies the breathing sounds that it worried them more, but I’m not one of those people. I didn’t want to wear my babies (take that Birthing Class Doctor from HELL) and so when they did fall asleep, I’d put them in their crib and did things around the house, like watch Dexter and surf the web. So while I did want to have a break from them to get stuff done and maybe go to the bathroom in peace, I wanted to be reassured that they were still okay. Enter baby monitor. I got one that I felt reasonably amplified the sounds in the room so I wasn’t storming in there every three and a half seconds to make sure they were still breathing, but that didn’t make it sound as if their lungs were working so hard that they would jump out of the baby’s body and run a marathon around the room either.

  I’ve heard video monitors help too because you can see but can turn down the sound. I never wanted to part with that kind of money. And just for clarity, my kids aren’t twins, but since I have two, and the monitor was my crutch for both of them, it works to say the ubiquitous “they.”

• 46. Raven  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm

  Kristi is right, it is Dermoplast. GREAT STUFF!

• 47. H  |  February 6th, 2009 at 1:55 pm

  Stool softeners (about a week after my son was born, I “birthed” a “dry grapefruit” if you know what I mean – and it was not pleasant.)

  Vibrating baby chairs didn’t exist when I had kids, but my nephews and nieces have one and they all love it. For one of my nephews, we referred to the chair as the “pooping chair” because it loosened him up regularly. Therefore, the cover to the vibrating chair was often laundered.

  I guess this is a poopified comment. Sorry!

• 48. Danell  |  February 6th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

  That’s actually part of what I meant when I said having someone there willing to share the work:

  Where “sharing the work” translates to “willing to make an annoying number of trips in the car to pick up items which have been suddenly deemed absolutely indispensible RIGHT THIS MINUTE”…(it takes us a half an hour to get to the nearest grocery store!)

• 49. Danell  |  February 6th, 2009 at 3:18 pm

  and AND AND ANYBODY who VIDEOTAPES YOUR PREGNANT SNORING had BETTER be willing to go out and buy as many Tucks Pads or Preparation H as YOU DEMAND and better be willing to drive FOUR STATES AWAY if needed.

• 50. jonniker  |  February 6th, 2009 at 3:20 pm

  HAHAHAHA, that’s so funny! Seriously, it didn’t bother me at all. It was … it was hysterical. I had no idea I was that loud. And he wasn’t MEAN about it, I promise.

  (Also, rest assured, we’re all up on Tucks and Prep H. And because I am PARANOID, I would NEVER let him drive hours to get something without me. I … I know this. In hormonal states, I get very anxious about people dying and getting into accidents.)

• 51. Cari  |  February 6th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

  Since we are all about the poop in these comments, I don’t feel too terrible seconding the mention of the squirt bottle for your girly bits. I had a little tear and a couple stitches and had to squirt warm water on my parts when I peed because it BURNED (omg i thought I was going to die). They gave the bottle to me at the hospital, so no worries about running out to buy it.

  Also, breast pads and several sleep bras (my boobs had to be contained at all times for at least 8 months) and something to do when you are feeding. And definitely some oxy clean for stain removal.

• 52. Anonymous New York  |  February 6th, 2009 at 4:11 pm

  I’m scared to ask or google about the maxi pads and I’m now sorry to learn what colace is. Dear Lord in heaven. Thank goodness babies are so cute.

• 53. Julie  |  February 6th, 2009 at 4:14 pm

  I’ll leave a few cents, echoing everyone else.

  If you plan on using a pacifier, have the kind you like with you for immediate use. I hated the kind they gave my kids in the hospital, and it took forever to transition them. In hindsight, I’d have brought mine with me and given them to the nurses.

  My mom recommends drinking fruit nectars to help with, um, processing. Usually tastier than prune juice.

  Big thumbs up for the Miracle Blanket. I will not confirm nor deny that I needed a 2 day training class to learn how to swaddle the darned thing, but it was the only thing that could keep my daughter wrapped up (it’s like a tiny straightajcket) and get her to sleep toute suite.

  Don’t forget to have any medications you’re willing to give the baby on hand, like baby Tylenol, saline nose drops, or gas drops. It’s no fun to need them at 3AM and have to contemplate a drugstore run.

  And buy stock in OxyClean. Seriously.

• 54. Traci  |  February 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pm

  Delurking to comment for the first time (love your blog, and appreciate the knitted woman parts humor):

  All of my suggested items are listed in other comments, but I would have a logistical suggestion, which holds true whether you’re nursing or bottle feeding (but esp w/ nursing, since your body part is involved directly in the feeding process). Figure out where you want to be sitting, and put together some sort of tray/side table contraption. I liked these things by me when I was nursing: water, tissues, cuticle cream, telephone, junky magazines, catalogs of non maternity clothes, remote controls for TV- sucks to start nursing and the tv remote is on the other side of the room. Both of my boys liked to eat when the rest of us were eating as well, so that meant figuring out how to nurse and feed myself at the same time (you could wait until after, but sometimes you’re hungry, or you don’t want your food to get cold). Practice feeding yourself or giving yourself a manicure with a huge blanket-covered cushion on your lap (oh wait, you’re pregnant, no cushion requred) to see how it all comes together…

  There are so many unaccounted-for little details of having a newborn… like running a three-legged obstacle course you’ve never seen before, but with an overdose of hormones and a partner (your baby) who can’t speak English. Good luck!

• 55. Nicole  |  February 6th, 2009 at 6:19 pm

  A good nursing pillow. I thought the Boppy, while great as a place to lay the baby, sucked as a nursing pillow. The unfortunately-named My Brest Friend nursing pillow was incredible! My 1st son created piles of laundry every day (he had reflux and spit up A LOT), so I went through a lot of Dreft. And we had some trouble nursing in the beginning, so had to supplement with bottles. A bottle drying rack and holder for the dishwasher were helpful. A Snap n Go stroller to hold the car seat. Both of my sons always fell asleep in the car, but I never had to wake them up when I moved them to the stroller because I just put the car seat in the snap n go.

• 56. Nicole  |  February 6th, 2009 at 6:27 pm

  And also meant to add- I used to get so thirsty while nursing, so I learned to always have a glass of water at my side before I started to feed my baby. The other thing that shocked me was how often I had to nurse. I felt like 75% of my day was spent nursing. It was overwhelming, but it soon passes. The other thing that is helpful is to have a stockpile of meals pre-made in the freezer before the baby arrives. SO HELPFUL! Good luck- such an exciting time!

• 57. Megan  |  February 6th, 2009 at 6:52 pm

  You realize I’m totally mooching off your site, and writing all this down, right?

  A couple of things I didn’t see mentioned (and honestly, like I have a clue, but these are just a couple of recommendations people have made to me):

  - Moby wrap–my niece was inconsolable for the first few days at home, except when she was in this. And it gives you your hands back, to do things while she’s snuggled in there.

  - This isn’t so much an actual thing…but when you first go to the hospital, bring a swaddle/receiving blanket w/ you, that smells like home. Use it w/ the baby (in addition to the hospital ones), so she gets familiar w/ those smells. Then, when you go home, bring some hospital blankets home, and DON’T wash them at first–they now hold the familiar smells in a strange place. I guess it helps ease the transition?

  - Oh, and our Target only carries the Baby OxyClean in the powder form. I don’t know if this is true of every Target, but just wanted to mention. BRU carries the powder AND the spray, which I hear is magical.

  Lastly, once we’re both thoroughly sleepless and exhausted from the upcoming events, we have to meet up so I can take pics for you! Probably not newborn pics, seeing as we could go on the same day, but at some point!

• 58. Lippy  |  February 6th, 2009 at 10:00 pm

  If you have more than one bathroom, make sure each one is stocked with the magic spray, Tucks, and a squirt bottle. No fun yelling for your husband to find these things while you are trapped on a toilet. Stool softener cannot be mentioned enough. Make sure they give you some in the hospital.

  Tivo anything remotely interesting, when you are feeding them in the middle of the night it is a godsend. Plus with Tivo you just need your remote, I would have forgotten to put a DVD in then been trapped on the couch with nothing to distract me.

  Also not all babies like the pacifiers they give in the hospital, we ended up buying 10 different styles for our daughter, turns out she is a thumbsucker. But my son loved only one brand so maybe buy an assortment, they should sell a sampler pack so you can try them all. Breast pads, my favorite were the Johnson and Johnson, they are contoured so your boobs aren’t lumpy, and soft! I bought one brand that was like sandpaper, ouch!

• 59. Rae Ann  |  February 6th, 2009 at 11:57 pm

  The best thing I bought for the return home after the baby was born was Depends. Screw maxi pads. Way too much opportunity for leakage. I just slapped on the ol’ adult diaper and didn’t worry about mucking up my PJs or my nice sheets. Not sexy, but then neither was I for a long time after the kids were born!

• 60. sarawr  |  February 7th, 2009 at 12:10 am

  I could not have lived without tiny, dollhouse-sized clothespins when my son was all new. Seriously, they are awesome. They keep baby socks together! They keep tiny baby mittens safe and in one place so the baby’s face doesn’t get scratched! They can be used for nose-pinching, when diapers require it!

  You should be able to find them in the craft section of most any store. They are not metal…. pokey pins; they are those wooden doohickeys that open like tiny jaws. They are miniature and therefore useful for keeping miniature baby junk all together. They are awesome.

  (Thus I spake. At length. Gak.)

• 61. Newt  |  February 7th, 2009 at 2:50 pm

  My first baby is almost one month old, so I can just look around the room and tell you what is needed. Let’s see

  –We find those miracle blankets too complicated for quick swaddling, so my vote goes to the Kiddopotomus Swaddle Me kind. Two quick flaps, two velcro tabs, and it keeps my baby snug as a bug.

  –The first month has been an all-out war against baby gas pains. We use Mylicon (Before every feeding works best) AND Gripe Water (when he starts to fuss–usually 30 minutes after a feeding, but not every one. We have Baby’s Bliss brand, but any brand that doesn’t include alcohol or bicarbonate is safe).

  –This isn’t an equipment issue, but along the same lines, burp the baby more than you think you need to. We stop every five minutes during feedings, and do both over-shoulder and over-hand patting. He sleeps SO much better since we figured this out.

  –Steal the big huge drinking mug from the hospital and keep it next to you at all times. You’ll suck down 32 ounces in mere minutes, and mere mortal tumblers will just not satisfy.

  –Instead of buying a white noise machine, you can download white noise, or ocean waves, or rainfall from itunes. We just keep the ocean waves playing all the time in baby’s bedroom. Not only does it help him sleep, but it also masks some of his little sleep noises, so we don’t rush over to the bassinet every time he sighs. This means we sleep better, and more importantly he sleeps better because we don’t pester him. We don’t hear him really until he really means it.

  –If you have one of those big inflatable exercise balls, you might want to have it at the ready. When the baby needs to be bounced, it’s easier to sit on the ball and bounce than to keep walking around the house for hours.

  –If you are breastfeeding, have some tops that button or zip down the front. I seriously didn’t think of this, and have been rotating the same two zip hoodies for four weeks now. Not sure when the breastfeeding is going to get less frequent and I can wear something without immediate access. Hope it’s soon.

• 62. Jess  |  February 7th, 2009 at 3:06 pm

  I definitely agree re: the stool softener. Oh the agony of pooping after childbirth! Also that antiseptic numbing spray if you have an episiotomy or tear. I spent most of my non nursing hours on the toilet just spraying that stuff because THE RELIEF. And plenty of diapers, nipple cream, wipes, frozen foods, movies to watch at 3AM and you’re up with a wide awake baby and you are so full of adrenaline it actually seems not that bad to be wtching a movie at 3am. You’re welcome!

• 63. clickmom  |  February 7th, 2009 at 3:30 pm

  So glad I’m not in your shoes, or maybe your swollen feet is more accurate, but I’d say the one thing I couldn’t do without was nursing shirts (and bras). My babies nursed a lot and I wasn’t about to shut myself away in another room so I could strip down and nurse. I lived in my nursing shirts, they made life wonderful.

• 64. susan  |  February 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pm

  Lanolin for sore nipples. Pronto. And then in no particular order: a pacifer just in case because oh my god if you need one you need one ( I swore no baby of mine would ever use one and ahahahahaa), qtips and alcohol for belly button care, nail clippers, one of those bath things that goes in the sink, t-shirts that don’t cover the belly button for early on, wash cloths, blurp clothes, more little t-shirts and onesies, a very soft baby brush,
  And for you, a squirt bottle for you poor over worked hooha. Don’t even ask. You’ll just be all, “where’s my damn squirt bottle with cold water who took it WHO?”
  And you have a boppy pillow, right?

• 65. annabanana  |  February 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am

  OH MY GOD!! I’m a few days behind and reading in bed as usual Sunday morning to catch up. I am dying that you remember that ‘office conversation’…but his advice was the best! I bought up lots of Colace and used it before and after babies were born. My system was all effed up as I had roids the size of apples. Could not sit or shit those last 3 weeks…SO FUNNY THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION! Sorry for yelling. It just brings me back to those wonderful gab sessions we had in your office. Oh how I miss you. Anyway, thanks for making me laugh very out loud this morning & here’s my list:
  1. Colace
  2. Donut to sit on..aah (again, this was in use before birth..)
  3. Tucks. See #1 &2
  4. Cloth diapers for burp pags, wiping this, wiping that…
  Now four years & 2 years later, they are in use as dolly blankies. Quite a bargain at Target.
  5. Little baby facecloths & washcloths
  6. Pillows. Boppy was my friend for back support and for babies to sleep on, but I needed lost of maliable pillows piled in my arms and on belly to nurse comfortably..ya know, to find just the right position.
  7. Comfy tops. I lived in gap cami’s (ordered xl w/support) & zip sweat shirts for easy boob access..
  8. YES! Steal the hospital maxi pads & undies!
  9. Stock up on frozen meals you like. Nursing can (literally) suck the life out of you so you must replenish yourself and I found myself starving suddenly…and thirsty. Get lemonade! Marie Callender entree’s! Stock up on any comfort foods that you want. You won’t regret it!
  I remember eating a lot of good old prince spagetti with butter & pepper..It felt very soothing nourishing!
  10. ICE CREAM (baby & mama need calcium
  11. Oh the booger snorter sucker out thing…it comes in the baby kits w/a thermometer, etc.
  12. Carmex or vaseline for lips. I had chapped lips for months..freaking still do…probably not baby related!..
  13. Tissues. Everywhere. Buy 8,000 boxes & put them everywhere, in your bed, beside your bed and in every corner of every room.
  That’s all I can think of right now. Thanks again J, for the funny old memory! I can’t believe you remember that conversation! Now be sure to heed the advice! Buy Colace..
  Love you!!
  Bananana

• 66. Laura  |  February 8th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

  I always love and fear these comment threads! Who doesn’t love to recommend baby gear??
  I used a lot of the stuff mentioned already. One of my favorite things was the Medela Quick Clean Steam bags, or something like that- they are plastic bags that you can reuse 20x each to sterilize bottles or pacifiers or breastpump parts in the microwave. They were awesome when I needed something clean but didn’t have time to run the dishwasher, and they don’t take up all your counter space like the stand-alone sterilizers.
  This is random, but for us with 20 people in and out of the house in the days after the babies came home and with me using….more that usual, I guess, we went through toilet paper like crazy. Not a big deal when we ran out, except my MIL was the one who went out for replacements and I swear she bought Soviet sandpaper. And postpartum is, uh, not the time for anything but the Good Stuff.
  And food. Lots and lots and lots of food that you can eat quickly and with one hand. Hot food especially always made me feel better when I was hormonal and exhausted.
  And you can’t have enough of those bulb aspirators, one of my babies had newborn congestion and we used ours constantly. Stash them in strategic locations around the house. Oh, and a carseat bunting, if you don’t have one yet, they are a necessity for winter babies.
  And a GIANT water bottle for you. Something with a straw or a pop-top so you don’t need your hands to open it. If you breastfeed, the thirst is OUT OF THIS WORLD. (related, I guess, if you don’t drink tap water at your house, stock up on bottled or get a brita)
  best of luck! I hope your head isn’t spinning too much!

• 67. Nora  |  February 8th, 2009 at 5:21 pm

  A chair. As nice as you can get, glider or rocker. One of those Ikea bouncy chairs would work fine. And something to put your feet up. And a table to put all the water and food you will have to drink. And Netflix. Definitely Netflix.

• 68. Briana  |  February 8th, 2009 at 6:30 pm

  I could only bear to read the first 15 lists of things, but did not see IBUPROFEN on there! I used this alternating with the good pain pills for the first few days, then all by itself for a while. No one really tells you about the pain you will have at home, and it’s harder b/c there aren’t a bunch of nurses around. (ok for breastfeeding too)

• 69. beyond  |  February 8th, 2009 at 11:13 pm

  wow people like to give advice.
  (comfort) food in the freezer. so you don’t have to worry about starving for the first month or so. a decent bottle of red wine. stool softener seems like a great idea (from what i’ve heard), there are good herbal ones.
  seems like the internet is holding its breath. good luck!

• 70. JenK  |  February 9th, 2009 at 12:05 am

  When you’re at the hospital they will give you some of those ice packs that get cool when you squeeze all the little jelly balls inside of them. Steal as many as will fit in your diaper bag. You will use them for your lady parts and your poor mishandled boobies for a while. They are the perfect level of coolness without freezing your labia to your…well… you know.

  Also?

  A portacrib.

  A million diapers and wipes. And more wipes. And more WIPES.

  Socks by the truckful. They always get lost.

  Throw out every bib given to you and replace it with a spit up cloth. Preferably terry cloth or some other absorbant material.

  Easily portable, one handed snack foods. Something that you love that can be consumed while you are holding a baby in the other hand. I consider pizza the perfect food. Chocolate covered pretzels rank high also. Buy enough to last a month. Then go back in a week and buy more.

• 71. Amanda Brown  |  February 9th, 2009 at 12:15 am

  The Miracle Blanket has been heaven-sent for bebe #2, who loves to be swaddled. I highly recommend it!

• 72. Kristen  |  February 9th, 2009 at 11:09 am

  OK, the boppy is great, but what I recommend is, if you have a multi-story house, get one boppy per story. No, I know, it’s insane, but I just KNOW that if I had only one boppy, it would ALWAYS be on the EXACT WRONG LEVEL OF THE HOUSE. So I have an upstairs boppy and a downstairs boppy.

  Also, when you’re ready to come home from the hospital, get your husband or a friend to go to the grocery store and stock your house with veggie and fruit trays and other stuff. The stuff you left will have gone bad, so it’s nice to have some fresh, healthy snacks that you don’t need to prepare.

• 73. Kate  |  February 9th, 2009 at 11:38 am

  I would highly reccomend the Itzbeen timer (got mine from Amazon). I never used the alarm feature, but it was great for remebering when (and from which side) I last nursed the baby. Also great for communicating back and forth with the hubby when the last diaper change was – just look at the timer. It’s very easy to use. Just push the appropriate button each time you feed the baby or change a diaper. Then you can always look and know how long it’s been.

  Also, I second the reccomendation for having a nursing station set up. Mine ended up being in our bedroom next to the glider. On (or near) the little table I kept:
  The Itzbeen timer
  Baby nail clippers
  the TV remote (MUST have tons of stuff available to watch – either loaded DVR, or substantial Netflix subscription)
  Cordless phone (ringer set to low or off)
  Nursing pads (I tried washable and disposable and ended up likeing the disposable Lasinoh ones the best)
  Lasinoh lanolin
  Giant water bottle
  Box of tissues

  Even though I had planned on the baby sleeping in the room with us at first (we used an Amby Hammock – we liked it a lot, but it was pricey and we could have made do with out it), I had set up the glider and changing table in the nursery. I made husband move both of those items to our bedroom the second we got home from the hospital.

  Based on a firend’s suggestion, I bought mens boxer briefs and wore those with the giant maxi pads for the first few weeks at home. Not super sexy (like anyone immediately post partum feels sexy), but pretty comfy.

• 74. Meg Baker  |  February 9th, 2009 at 1:20 pm

  Ask for advice and you’

• 75. Amanda of Shamelessly Sassy  |  February 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm

  I do sort of love that Etta James’ geriatric ass is promising ass whippings to people, in spite of the whole situation.

Leave a Comment

Name Required

Email Required, hidden

Url

Comment

Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Trackback this post  |  Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed

This blog is protected by Dave's Spam Karma 2: 277841 Spams eaten and counting...