My Top Five Newborn Things

Everyone says there are different baby "necessities", and since I've just exited the newborn phase for the third time, and since I have plenty of friends baking new little ones in their ovens, I thought I'd share my top five, absolutely gotta have 'em baby things.  (This list is limited to the first three-ish months of babyhood, and it is my opinion.  These are the things that were most used by me and my three newborn Bugs.)

1. Pouch SlingMy pouch sling is from Kangaroo Korner (which is now discontinued, unfortunately!)  I have had this pouch sling since Ladybug was a newborn and my babies spent plenty of time in it for their first three months of life.  It got us through church, through the mall, through dinner sometimes, through fussy times, through walks at the park... I adore having my babies so close when they are so small, and all three of them loved being so close to me too.  Usually they would go right to sleep when I put them in the sling... {sigh} and I would just kiss their little nummy baby heads.

2. Bouncer Chair

A bouncer chair is a vital part of our baby stuff.  Just having somewhere to put baby while I'm showering, or cooking, or disciplining a sibling, or answering the door is a must for me!  It travels easily from the living room to the kitchen to the bathroom to wherever I need it next, and baby can be where I am, and see what I am doing.  I don't need all the fancy-schmancy tricks some of them perform-- you can keep the vibrating and the music, just give me a plain ol' bouncer seat for my newborns!


3. Swaddle Blankets

All three of the Bugs loved to be swaddled for their first few months of life.  I think that the coziness of being tightly wrapped up feels secure to them.  And when you look at their conditions before entering the world, I can't say I blame them for wanting to be wrapped up to sleep!  I had some official velcro "swaddlers" with Ladybug, but much prefered a simple cotton blanket swaddled around her just like we had learned in the hospital.

4. Gas Drops

I am not sure I used gas drops with Ladybug, but then I had two boy Bugs and wowsers!  Gas drops moved up about seventeen slots on my must-have-for-a-newborn list.  These boys are gassy.  And these drops are magic.  And don't waste money on the name brand-- generic works just as well for waaaaaay less!


5. Nursing Cover

I have nursed on a plane, in a car, on a bus, on a boat, at a zoo, in a mall, in a taxi... I can nurse my babies anywhere thanks to my nursing cover.  I didn't know I would come to  love and depend on my nursing cover as much as I do.  It allows me to nurse wherever I am when baby needs to eat without worrying about all the things I worried about when it came to nursing in public.  Not only does it keep me modest (and warm in the winter!), it eliminates distraction for baby, so they can just eat in peace!  I have a BeBe Au Lait nursing cover, and although it seemed pricey when I bought it, it has been worth every cent!