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Baby Must Haves: Months One and Two
I have always found these "Must Have" posts so helpful on others blogs, so I knew I wanted to share my personal must-haves when my time came! These were my absolute must-haves for Baby Girl Emma, during months one and two!
Months 1&2 Must Haves by stresscasey
There is a great debate on which nursing pillow is best between the Boppy, the Breast Friend (hehe), and all the other ones out there nowadays. I was stuck on getting the Boppy for some reason, and it worked out fine for me. Near the end of Emma's second month, I stopped using it nearly as much for nursing (we had to try some alternative positions for overactive letdown), but I still use it to prop her up and for tummy time. I have covers from Etsy shops: The Pink Polka Dot, and Creative Seams.
I go through these like they are bottles of water, but I think I am extra leaky (TMI?). I have two sets of Bamboobies, and I wanted to like them so much, but I much prefer the disposables. It feels so wasteful, but I soak right through the Bamboobies pads in the middle of the day, and they show through shirts more easily than the Lansinohs. The disposable pads do show through some tight shirts (even with a bra, which is irritating), but whatareyougunnado.
We have the Platinum My Little Lamb Edition, but I think the necessity is just this particular swing. I believe the main difference between the platinum and deluxe editions are the lights above the swing and the ability to plug it in to the wall. For me, the plug-in is completely worth it, as Emma loves her swing and takes at least one long nap in it daily, let alone the other times throughout the day she spends in it. She started liking the swing around week six, and has loved it ever since.
Emma sleeps with white noise on all night long, and we play it through the iPad next to her Pack n Play. We use this app, because you can lock the screen and it still plays, as well as open other apps while it runs. When she moves to her own room, I think I will invest in a sound machine, but we may continue to just use the iPad and Sleepy Sounds, as it has worked well for her up until now!
Emma does take other pacifiers, but these are her favorites. We did not offer the pacifier until getting the go-ahead from a Lactation Consultant, and her weight had surpassed her birth weight. She does not take the pacifier too often, but it does soothe her when she is fussy, and sometimes helps her to fall asleep.
This is an item that many won't need, but if you do - it's a lifesaver. Or for me, a breastfeeding saver. Had my Lactation Consultant not had me start using one of these, I don't think I would still be nursing my baby girl. Due to a poor latch at the beginning, and letting it go too far and getting some bad wounds, I used the nipple shield every single time I nursed Emma for over 4 weeks. Only at the end of her second month did I wean (without pain, and successfully) from it. The contact nipple shield has a special cutout so baby still gets skin to skin, which is important for letdown and bonding. I encourage anyone having any pain to seek out a Lactation Consultant immediately, and see if a shield may be an option for you.
Emma has been swaddled up in one of these blankets almost every night since coming home from the hospital! At first, Handsome Husband preferred the hospital receiving blankets, but once he realized how stretchy and thin these guys were, we switched without looking back. These are also wonderful covers for breastfeeding because they are so thin, and the perfect blanket for a warmer day where baby needs a little coverage, but nothing to overheat her.
I can't tell you how wonderful these things are. I definitely saw these on someone else's must have baby items lists, and I'm so glad I ordered them before Emma arrived. We actually ordered another pack a week or so after coming home from the hospital because we were going through them so fast. Emma loves to pee right after you get that diaper off (especially when her Daddy is changing her), so these save us from having to take the changing pad cover off and wash it multiple times a day!
This little sleeper was the only thing Emma slept in her first week or so home from the hospital, and for the first month the only thing she napped in (other than our arms or on our chests, of course!). It has an incline which makes baby feel a little more comfortable (I hear it is especially great for babies who suffer from bad reflux), and looks so cozy! We have the Platinum My Little Lamb Edition, which vibrates, and I think she likes that as well. She stopped using it as much when she started loving her swing, but still takes a nap in it a few times a week.
We have the Elite Edition Graco Pack 'N Play, in the pattern Cascade. I chose it to be gender neutral, as I'd like to use it for future babies as well! It also goes nicely in our bedroom - another plus. Emma has slept in her Pack 'N Play every night in our room since about her second week home. She started out in the Newborn Napper, and moved to the regular bassinet mattress inside the Pack 'N Play at about a month old when she started seeming a little uncomfortable in the newborn napper. I was worried about her sleeping on the bassinet mattress, as it seems so uncomfortable (it is very thin and kind of hard feeling), but she never seems to mind it! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a firm and flat surface for baby to sleep on, so this is a safe alternative to a crib so we can have her in our room at night for now. We also look forward to taking it with us to family and friends' houses in the future!
Do you have a little one? What one item would you say was your absolute must have for the first couple months?