After birthing two kids, both of whom were three weeks early, I know a thing or two about what is *needed* once home from the hospital. Eva arrived one week prior to my "big" shower and we seriously only had a handful of things. Two lessons were learned: 1.) Make sure baby showers are before that 37 week mark. 2.) That's all that a newborn really needs - a handful of things (in addition to diapers, wipes and a place to sleep).
Don't get me wrong, as Momma to two girls, I certainly do enjoy the "fluff" but ask me if I ever used my bottle warmer. No.
And side note: This list is not exhaustive of "What Momma Needs" either. You know, like stock up on coffee before you head to the hospital kind of needs. That will come in a later post. I shall carry on:
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If mom friends ask for advice on what makes/made my children sleep through the night early on, I always ask if it's possible they could be cold. It's hard to believe that even in South Texas, when it's 100 degrees outside, that my children sleep/slept better in their fleece sleep sacks than they did in plain pajamas. In fact, just the other night, my husband attempted to cheat by putting Amelia down in a onesie. She was awake within an hour, discussing the matter. Once her sleep sack was on, she was out. For the night.
White Noise Machine (that produces constant noise)
With Eva, we started out with a certain stuffed animal that made white noise for about 20 minutes. It was great, until the thing shut off after the allotted time, which woke her up. There we were, taking laps into her room to turn it back on and soothe her back to sleep. Repeat. Repeat again. Once we invested in a machine with an on/off switch that could be left on throughout the night, she started sleeping in 12 hour increments. Genius and duh. Hit up ole BBB, coupon in-hand, and get some sleep tonight. It's not an obtrusive eye sore either.
As I mentioned, both girls were early - as in "Pack your bag, you're being induced tomorrow" early. With that being said, my milk never really came in. We used Brown's bottles from the get-go. They're pricey and a pain to clean, but so worth it. We've never had any gas issues with either of the girls. And now, they come in pink - a pretty plus for little ladies.
Women who haven't been up at 3am with a snotty kid, think this contraption is gross. It's not. In fact, it's a lifesaver. Toss the bulb that comes in the first aid kit. This is far superior. After two bouts of RSV with Eva, we now worship this thing. Amelia came home from the hospital congested. We used it immediately and have often (infant allergies perhaps?). I won't go into specifics on how it works, except that yes, there is a filter and yes, you will see exactly what comes out from their tiny nose. Stop gagging; it's really not that gross. Go read online reviews and buy one. You'll thank me later. And when your kid shoves a popcorn kernel up her nose on a Sunday afternoon, after you're two mimosas in, you'll be so glad that you have it. True story.
I hope my list helps - whether you need a good/useful baby shower gift or you're panicking because the registry list takes up an entire five pages when printed. Relax. You don't need to spend your life's savings on what *they* claim are baby basics. Save your money for college. And babysitters.
I'd love to know - What items did you find most useful, once home from the hospital?
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