Bringing a baby home for the first time might seem like such a daunting task. Many new parents ask themselves if the baby has everything they will need? And because they are parents for the first time, they tend to stock up on many not so necessary items.
The truth is, babies do not need many things in the first six weeks. They need to sleep, poop, be held and fed. The list below covers everything you need to have a happy baby.
Diapers
Babies do the number two a lot. They can go up to four times a day even, because their tiny little body is cleansing itself of meconium for the first couple of days, and later adjusting to the new food their stomach is getting.
Babies can easily go through 8-10 diapers a day. Granted, some babies spend less, but let’s set the average at 7. So an average of seven diapers a day equals to around 200 diapers a month. That is a rough estimate, and every baby is different, but prepare yourself for a lot of diapers.
Wipes and rash creams
With diapers come a lot of wipes. Whether you use organic, home made, or store bought wipes, you will go through them faster than the diapers. For every dirty diaper, you will use one to four wipes. Luckily, wipes are always readily available for any mishap your baby may have, but they also can give your baby rashes. To prevent rashes, use a lot of baby cream. The greasier, the better. Baby poop tends to stick to their skin, and be very resilient to come off. So, by using baby creams, you are also saving on baby wipes in the long run.
Clothing
Babies grow so fast! They can grow up to 5 centimeters in the first month alone! It doesn’t seem much, but 5 cm can be 10-12% of their overall height (or better, length).
Therefore, try not to go overboard with the baby clothes. Given the fact that babies sleep for around 20 hours a day, it will be easiest to put them in onesies most of the time. And since they are going to grow out of them within the first month, having more than six onesies is simply excessive. You can, of course, buy some extra cute clothes for taking pictures.
Baby bottles
Whichever way you choose to go when feeding your baby, having bottles is always a good backup, even if your baby is exclusively breastfed. It is a good idea to have some bottles on hand, so you can pump your breastmilk and someone else can feed your baby. So, having a bottle to substitute breastfeeding is a good backup plan.
And, if your baby is bottle-fed, you need at least three to four bottles, to keep up with the feedings, and have the time to properly wash and sterilize the bottles.
Nursing essentials
If you are a nursing mama – congratulations – now you have so many other gadgets that you need. Nursing bras, for nursing on the go, nursing pads, to soak up all the excess milk you may produce, and of course – the breast pump. Having a good breast pump can help you so much. It will latch onto your breast, and in the first few days, when your body is producing much more milk than your baby can eat, it can help reduce swelling and pain. Additionally, it can help boost milk production, so be careful how you use the pump, and how often, and consult a professional if you need advice.
An elastic wrap
Having an elastic wrap is maybe the most important thing to have when having a baby. Babies love to cuddle, to be held, and to hear their mom’s heartbeat and smell her. No wonder that the first three months of the baby’s life is called the fourth trimester – the baby is still extremely attached to the mother. And it can be overwhelming to a new mom trying to adjust to this completely new life with this tiny miracle. Having an elastic wrap will enable you to get at least some things done, while still carrying your baby, and making them calm and happy.
Congratulations, you have a baby, and with it, a thousand other things. We hope this list of necessary things will help you navigate your next shopping trip. Good luck!
