Pairs Of Socks And Booties
You have to keep those little baby toes warm somehow! These are especially important if you are having a baby in the winter time. If your baby is expected in the summer, you probably do not need to go out and buy a lot until it starts to get colder, or you might, depending on how cool you keep your house during the summer with the AC!
Health & Hygiene
Use outlet covers in your home to prevent your baby from getting shocked.
Whats In This Article
Undoubtedly, you want the best for your little one.
Thats why this guide relies on information from reputable sources, like the American Academy of Pediatrics, for example.
Drawing info from such sources makes it a lot easier to trust your choices. And with such reliable information, you can be sure your little one gets the best care possible.
Diaper Pail With Built
There are all sorts of diaper accessories that youll need , but one of the must-haves is a diaper pail. Youll be going through a lot of diaper changes, so having a place to immediately dispose of dirty diapers is essential. This is the original Diaper Genie, which locks in odors to keep your nursery smelling fresh and clean.
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How Many Newborn Diapers Do I Need
Wondering how many newborn diapers to buy? Chances are, its not as many as you think. Most newborn diapers fit babies up to 9 pounds. Given that the average newborn weighs between six to nine pounds at birth, most babies outgrow newborn diapers within the first few weeks of life.
Even if your newborn is on the smaller side, they will likely outgrow the newborn diaper stage after a few weeks. After all, most babies gain more than two pounds within their first month of life! Some babies skip newborn diapers altogether and go right into size 1 diapers.
After the first few days of life, most newborns need around ten diaper changes a day. This means that the average newborn will only need one or two packs of newborn-sized diapers .
You can confirm that your babys newborn diaper fits correctly if you can comfortably fit two fingers between the diaper and the babys belly, and one finger between the diaper elastic and your babys thigh. If your baby is between sizes, or if youre experiencing a lot of diaper leaks, that usually means its time to size up.
The bottom line? Buy diapers based on weight, not age. And if you want to add diapers to your registry, consider registering for larger sizes that your baby can grow into.
Things You Need For Diapering
Changing Table: this is the next important thing you need in your babys nursery. This table is a safe space to change your little ones diaper. Changing tables come with drawers and cabinets to store your basic things such as diapers, creams, wipes, and fresh clothes. Having your items within reach makes changing diapers easier and keeps your baby safe from falling off the table. Just make sure nothing is within reach of the newborn.
Diapers: no matter how many packets of diapers you stock up on, you will always need more. You wont believe it, but babies go through around 70 diapers per week! Choose the right diaper size for your baby and invest in diapers that keep your baby dry and comfortable.
Diaper Rash Cream: If your baby is fussy and cranky, they likely have a rash. Babies get rash from time to time. Switch to other diapers if the baby is experiencing rash too often. Before buying rash cream, consult your babys healthcare provider for advice on which cream or ointment is best.
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Baby Proofing Complete Bundle
Although it may seem like you have some time before your baby is mobile, youd be surprised what they can get into when left to their own devices. Its best to prepare for all eventualities, which means baby-proofing your house. Youll find lots of different options on the market, allowing you to secure just about anything. This is a great kit that has a little of everything, including outlet covers, corner guards, adjustable locks, and hidden locks.
What About Diapering Services
If your motivation to use cloth isn’t based on finances, and the prospect of home laundering is an intimidating one, you may want to opt for a local diaper service. As a rule, services now use biodegradable detergents in their cleaning process rather than the harmful phosphates of old. Like disposables, the costs of using a diaper service plus diaper covers will fall in the range of $2,000-$2,500 over a three-year period.
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Getting Started With Cloth Diapers
Are you wondering, “how does cloth diapering work?” The best thing a cloth-diaper newbie can do is go to a storewhether it’s a big chain like Buy Buy Baby or a local baby boutiqueand check out the options in person, says Bryana Guckin, owner of Diaper Junction in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mother of three, who has sold cloth diapers in-store and online for nearly a decade. “There are so many choices, it can be overwhelming,” she explains. “If you can see the diapers up close, they make a lot more sense.”
Before you invest a big chunk of change in a particular brand, try a variety of different styles and types of cloth diapers to see what works best for your babe. You could also borrow from friends, try consignment stores or online diaper-swap sites, or visit the Facebook and Twitter pages of various brands, as companies sometimes issue calls for testers. In the end, it all comes down to your personal preference.
Just as you do with new baby clothes, you’ll want to run just-bought cloth diapers through the laundry. Set the cycle on hot with a bit of mild detergent. The exceptions: diapers made of hemp, which need to be washed as many as 8 to10 times before becoming absorbent cotton, which needs to be washed 4 to 5 times and bamboo, which should be washed 2 to 3 times.
How To Wash Cloth Diapers
After taking off cloth diapers, place them in a holding container. Some parents put the diapers in a wet pail filled with some water, so they can pre-soak before a wash. Others shake the solids into the toilet and drop the diaper into a plastic-lined pail after a change.
Do whichever option you prefer, or try this method from Beth Eckert, founder of The Cloth Diaper Connection. Instead of having an actual pail full of water, you rinse the diapers off after changing your baby, then throw them into the dry pail. This way your diapers are still getting the benefit of getting rinsed and a mini soak because they’re in the pail soaking wet. You may find it helpful to keep your cloth diaper pail in the bathroom if you use this method.
Follow these basic steps to launder cloth diapers:
- Remove inserts from pocket diapers.
- Always use the highest water level allowed by your washer.
- Begin with a cold rinse, with no detergent.
- After the cold rinse, run a regular wash cycle on hot, using 1/4 cup detergent. If you’re using a cloth diaper detergent, follow the instructions on the package.
- Follow up with an extra rinse on cold to ensure all residual detergent is completely rinsed away.
- Dry on hot.
Don’t worry that washing cloth diapers will leave your washer stinky. It will be exactly as clean as the diaper and drains to the same place your toilet does.
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Graco Travel Lite Crib With Stages
Why pick this one? If youâre looking for a small and portable baby crib that you can take on vacation or a visit to the grandparents, then consider this Graco Travel Lite Crib. It weighs less than 20 pounds and conveniently folds into a matching travel case.
This crib has two mattress heights, and you can eventually convert it into a play yard.
The crib has an overhead canopy, which you can use to block out a little light. The hanging plush toys that attach to the canopy may be fun for your little one to look at, though you’ll want to remove them for safety’s sake once your child can reach up and pull them down.
Pampers Parents also like that the mesh sides are breathable and allow you to see into the crib more easily. The wheels assist in moving the crib from room to room, and it comes with a quilted mattress pad.
Highlights: There are two buttons you can push to easily fold the crib for travel or storage. The bag that’s included has a convenient handle.
Price*: about $147.99 on
Pampers Parents pros and cons:
Get Your Baby To Sleep Safely
1. The Snoo robotic bassinet
Without question, the hardest part of the first six months for all four of our kids was sleep deprivation. So, tools to help your child sleep better are high on our list.
The Snoo is a bassinet you can use from birth through 6 months, designed by sleep expert Dr. Harvey Karp. It robotically rocks your child to sleep . The company claims this can boost sleep by 1-2 hours per night. In addition, the Snoos unique design adds the safety factor or preventing your baby from rolling over.
We spent a lot of time with the Snoo and found it awesome and as advertised. It isnt cheaplike $1,595 not cheapbut sleep is priceless and a new rental option is available that makes the Snoo significantly more affordable. Since its a big purchase, our review can help you make the decision of if its right for you. The Snoo is available on Happiest Babys site.
2. Sleep sacks
Research shows babies sleep better when theyre swaddled. In addition, American Academy of Pediatrics SIDS Guidelines strongly recommend you do not give your baby a blanket. For both of these reasons, weve used and highly recommend sleep sacks. A sleep sack swaddles your baby and makes it much less likely that youll screw up swaddling.
3. A rock-solid baby monitor
Many baby monitors on the market suck. They lack range, have poor picture or audio quality, arent intuitive, or fall short in some other important category.
4. A bedtime book
5. A safe crib safe crib mattress
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How Often Should You Change Breast Pads
Whatever option you go with, make sure to change out your nursing pads whenever theyre wet. Not only will this help reduce the chance of irritation or infection from bacteria, but it will also reduce the risk of leaking through your bra and shirt.
On average, most women find they need to change their breast pads out every 3-4 hours, totalling 12-16 pads a day, or 6-8 sets. But, of course, this is just an average. Every person is different in how much milk they produce.
Newborn Essentials For Cleaning
- Regular milk bottle brush and a few small brushes small brush is for brushing the nipple bottle.
- Thin brush OPTIONAL for cleaning breast pump parts or for when you have the Dr. Brown milk bottles. They have these vent insert and you need a thin brush to clean them.
- Small, tall tray with holes to place the brushes. You can also just hang the brushes on a hook on the wall, if you have the space.
- Baby safe dishwashing liquid better to use a separate dishwashing liquid for baby bottles
- Basin to wash the milk bottles Check if it can fit in your sink and visualize if you can, at least, wash 4 bottles in it
- UV sterilizer OPTIONAL- but really convenient as one, you dont need to manually sterilize the bottles and two, can be used to dry and store milk bottles
- Tong for picking the milk bottles when you manually sterilize them OPTIONAL- no need if you have a UV sterilizer
- Travel milk bottle drying rack You can use for traveling or for when you want a proper place to dry your milk bottles, especially if you dont have a UV sterilizer
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What To Consider When Choosing Baby Blankets
- Fabric. Your newborn has soft, sensitive skin and their comfort and safety must come first. Avoid materials or embellishments that may irritate the skin and check labels for washing instructions.
- Thickness. Consider the climate where you live and what purpose your blankets will serve. Unless you live in an especially cold climate, lightweight blankets are a great option, making it easy to add or remove layers when needed.
- Size. Larger blankets can be folded for additional layers of warmth, but might be bulky and take longer to launder. Smaller blankets are great for changing bags.
- Style. If youre planning to swaddle your little one in a crib or bassinet, you may want to consider blankets designed specifically for this purpose.
When Should You Make A Baby Registry
You should feel free to create your registry as early as youd like. In fact, many online baby registries now allow you to set yours to private mode this feature lets you discreetly start adding items in those first few months of pregnancy, before youve announced your news to friends and family. And why limit yourself to just one baby registry? We recommend signing up for several, so you can take advantage of all the freebie samples that come in the welcome boxes provided by your go-to retailers.
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Here Are Some Health And Safety Baby Essentials Checklists Parents Should Know And Be Aware Of:
1. First-aid kit
Many common illnesses can affect newborns and older babies during their first year and beyond. A first aid kit can be useful for issues such as gassiness, a stuffy nose, and fever.
A babyâs first-aid kit should include some practical medical and safety supplies, in the event that your child will get hurt. Some of those are thermometers, antiseptic or rash creams, and bandages.
It should come with grooming supplies as well, such as baby-size nail clippers, cold packs, ointments that are safe to use for infants, and some medication dispensers.
2. Nasal aspirator
Itâs a baby nose clearing device that basically has some suction and it sucks the mucus, whether its dry or wet from the nostril. Medical professionals advise against the use of this more than three or four times a day as it may cause nasal irritation and nosebleeds in your baby.
3. Humidifier
As said above, a humidifier is also a must-have for infants. It can protect your childâs skin from drying out and relieve nasal congestion, itâs especially important if the baby has a cold. Experts advise also the use of a cool-mist humidifier.
4. Teething toys.
Teeth begin to develop while your baby is still in the womb, and tooth buds form in the gums. So itâs best to have teething toys or teethers ready for your baby.
This help the brand-new teeth of babies to counter pressure and can soothe and alleviate pain. Whenever youâre giving a teether to your baby, always keep a bib close by.
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Kidco Swingpod Infant Portable Swaddle Swing
Why pick this one? Although swings can come in handy when you need free hands, this swing is hand held. The swaddle strap keeps your baby secure as you swing. This baby swing was created to help calm colicky babies.
This model not only acts as a swing but can be used as a handy portable changing pad as well. The Swingpod easily fits into most diaper bags or backpacks.
Keep in mind that while manually swinging your baby can be a great thing, sometimes you might prefer to have your hands free and keep your baby in a free-standing swing instead.
Highlights: This baby swing and baby swaddle combination is portable and packable.
Details
Price*: rel=”noopener noreferrer” about $32.76 on
Pampers Parents tip:If you can buy more than one baby swing, consider buying rel=”noopener noreferrer” a standard swing along with this one.
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Grow By Gerber Baby Organic Mittens
Your peanut starts growing nails during week 12 of pregnancy, and they pretty much never stop growing from there. Trimming or filing baby’s nails can be tricky and a chore to maintain.
These scratch-proof mittens keep your little one’s hands covered and are an easy solution to prevent scratches on her sweet face. The mitts are made of soft 100 percent cotton, come in a variety of colors and are machine washable. Plus, the gentle elastic helps them stay put on her tiny hands and wrists. You’ll get three pairs in a package.
Bedding And Sleep Needs
Whatever bed you choose for your newborn , it is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that your baby sleep in the same room with you for the first 6-12 months of life. In addition, bumpers, blankets, pillows, and soft toys are no longer recommended in baby beds. Talk about going minimalistic!
Although the AAP doesnt recommend sharing a bed with your baby, most breastfeeding mothers will fall asleep with their baby in their bed at some point, so its wise to keep a checklist of safe bedsharing guidelines on hand.
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