Inspiring Motherhood

...Finding joy in mothering...

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Clothes for your Newborn

I loved shopping when I was pregnant. I was so excited to buy cute little outfits for my little bean. It was my favorite pastime. Once I hit 24 weeks, I began making long lists for the baby, things I needed and things I loved to have for the newborn.

Clothes for your Newborn

Buying Clothes for your Newborn

Here are a few tips for shopping for your baby specially if you are a first time mom:

  1. Make a list of the number of items you will need for your newborn. If you have a baby shower, it is wise to wait till it’s over so that you can return whatever you don’t need. It’s better to buy clothing in 0-3 months sizing rather than NB sizing. Once my baby hit the 9 month mark, I began using tees and shorts, shortalls with polos and other 2 piece outfits. Until then, I preferred one-piece clothing. This was my list for my little boy who was born during summer:
    * Body Suits/Onesies – 6
    * Side Snap Suits – 3
    * Outfit for Church – 1
    * Baptism Outfit – 1
    * Socks – 4 to 6 pairs
    * Cotton Sleepers/Pyjamas (zipper and not press buttons) – 6
    * Romper – 2
    * Cotton Coveralls (footless) – 2
    * Matching Shirt & Pant Outfits – 2 (We rarely used these during the first 2 months)
    * Cotton Blankets – 3 or 4
    * Swaddling Blanket – 1
    * Bibs and Burp Clothes – Atleast 6
  2. Stay away from Jeans and other heavier material for newborn babies. Cotton is your best friend during summer.
  3. I never used hats with my newborn. The hospital gave us 2 which we used for the first week.
  4. My mom also bought couple of sleeveless cotton tanks but we didn’t use it much. I preferred body suits to tanks.
  5. Shortalls keep falling off the shoulder but they definitely look cute on a newborn.
  6. Pants and shorts can be snug on a newborn’s waist. I waited for 3 months before trying those on my baby boy.
  7. Keep in mind that your newborn may not prefer being swaddled. It’s wise to buy just 1 swaddle initially. We used the Halo Swaddle until 8 months.
  8. I loved the Clearance section at Kohls. I would often find body suits for $1-$2 and other adorable outfits for less than $5. Whenever, I had a 30% Discount Coupon, I would visit Kohls and buy clothes in sizes ranging from 0-24 months. Also, their website has lot more stuff than you will find in the store. We bought the baby’s crib, bath tub and plenty of other useful stuff online from Kohls.com.
  9. I also bought clothing from Amazon.com for great prices. I found the Gerber and Disney clothing to be reasonable priced on Amazon.
  10. I had a price range (budget) and would often stick to it while shopping. Again, I didn’t want to splurge on baby clothes. I know many people are comfortable with hand-me-downs. This is what I approximately spent on each piece of clothing:
    * Body Suits/Onesies – $1-$3
    * Outfit for Church – $7-$10
    * Cotton Sleepers/Pyjamas – $5-$7
    * Romper – $3-$5
    * Cotton Coveralls (footless) – $3-$5
    * Matching Shirt & Pant Outfits – $2-$6
    * Shorts – $3-$4
    * Tees – $2-$3
    * Pants – $4-$6
  11. Dressing for winter can be little more tricky with a newborn. Since my baby was born in summer, we didn’t buy winter clothes in the 0-6 month range. Also, keep in mind that you need to buy clothing one size bigger for winter. Here is what I used during winter with my baby boy:
    * Zippered Fleece Sleepers/Pyjamas – 4
    * Fleece Bunting – 1
    * Fleece Pants – 3
    * Thermal Tees – 3
    * Full Sleeve Bodysuits – 3
    * Fleece Pullover Hoodies without Zippers – 3
    * Fleece Jacket – 1
    * Thicker Blanket – 1
    * Sweater Vest – 1
  12. I made the mistake of buying a few Fleece Jumpsuits/Coveralls with snaps for my baby boy. Somehow, they were a pain with all the press buttons and the crotch area would be ridiculously snug. Better to stick on with Fleece Sleepers with Zippers.

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Least Useful Baby Items

In my last post, I wrote about most useful baby items as a first time mom. Here is another list which will be useful for first-time parents who are planning to shop for Baby Stuff. These were the things which we used the least during Baby’s First Year. Some of these items weren’t needed as I was a first time mom but may have been useful with a second or third child.

  1. Diaper Bag – Not really needed. I used a big handbag instead of a diaper bag. Since I breastfed my baby, I didn’t need to carry bottles or formula which meant I didn’t need too many compartments for my bag.
  2. Play Gym – Baby used it for a month before becoming bored of it. Then we moved the little one to a regular mat on the carpet.
  3. Baby Carrier – A friend gave me her baby carrier. It wasn’t ergonomic and I used it only a couple of times. As a first time mom, I could manage without a Baby Carrier. My hands were enough for carrying the little one or I would use our stroller for outings and daily walks.
  4. Bassinet – A friend gave us the Arms Reach Co-sleeper Bassinet but I didn’t find it useful. The crib was much sturdier and the correct height for me. Baby preferred sleeping in the crib from the first day.
  5. Muslin Swaddling Blankets – These are really soft but expensive. Our baby preferred the Halo Swaddle to these.
  6. Summer Infant Swaddleme Swaddle – We hardly used it for a month with our newborn who quickly learned to free his arms from it. We switched to the Halo sleep swaddle and used it for a long time.
  7. Newborn Outfits – I didn’t buy any newborn outfits for my baby but I was gifted plenty of these by good friends. I didn’t get a chance to use any of those cute outfits as my baby moved to 3 month old clothing within a few weeks. I wish friends had gifted these in larger sizes.
  8. Infant Shoes – We used these very rarely since infants don’t really need shoes until they are walking around.
  9. Crib Sheets – I purchased four, cute little crib sheets and guess what? Two is all that we used the entire first year.
  10. Tiny Bibs – My baby wasn’t a spitter. I never had to use bibs for my newborn. I used it only when I started solids and I preferred the bigger plastic ones.
  11. Nursing Covers – I didn’t use these at all! When I had to nurse in public, I would find a private spot or mostly nurse in the car.
  12. Toys – My baby didn’t need stuffed animals or other toys for entertainment during the first 6-8 months. Plastic cups, bowls and spoons did the trick.

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Most Useful Baby Items

As a first time mom, these are the things I found most useful during Baby’s First Year. I know the list will vary from Mom to Mom but these are the things which worked well for us. I know there are so many baby items available in the market and it is really tempting to buy everything on your wish list. Do your research and buy only what you need and not what you want.

  1. Nursing Pillow – My friend lent me her nursing pillow and I loved it right away. The brand was “My Breast Friend“. So comfy and gave me the right support I needed to hold my newborn. I used it for 6 months. I thought I could simply use ordinary pillows during the first few weeks but I was so wrong. My back hurt when I used ordinary pillows to nurse.
  2. Baby Crib – We used the Da Vinci Kalani Mini Crib with 4 level mattress support till the baby turned 1. We bought an extra mattress for the crib. I loved the crib as it was a perfect fit for our mid-sized Master Bedroom. Good choice if you are staying in an apartment or a small house.
  3. Baby Bath tub – I loved using “The First Years Infant to Toddler Tub with Sling“. We had a big counter in our Master bath and the tub fit perfectly on it. When the baby turned 10 months, I moved this tub to our bigger tub and our little one would have so much fun playing in it during bath time. Be sure to use an anti-skid Bath Mat when you move it to the bigger bath tub.
  4. Chicco Cortina Stroller – Really useful during the early months when we went for daily strolls in the evening. The stroller seat can be reclined fully and I could use it with my newborn by adding a few extra blankets for support. The stroller is bulky if you plan to use it single-handedly all by yourself and it will occupy majority of your trunk space. My husband was there with me during our grocery trips and outings, and so it didn’t make a difference to me. This stroller was part of our travel system but we used it without the Infant Car Seat most of the time. My baby didn’t like being strapped in the car seat while going for walks. Some Moms prefer using the Infant Car Seat with a stroller frame.
  5. Footed Cotton Sleepers with Zippers – Our baby wore these during bedtime in the summer months. Warning: Do not get the ones with press buttons!
  6. Body Suits or Onesies – Good to have atleast 6-8 pieces. In summer, onesies are all that you will need as playwear.
  7. Baby Bouncer – Useful for putting down baby for a much needed break. We got a basic model from a friend and it was nothing too fancy but served our needs.
  8. Halo Sleep Sack – We used it for naps and bedtime till baby started moving around (8 months approximately). I hated all the other swaddling blankets. This was the only one that or baby couldn’t break through.
  9. Baby Blanket – Light, cotton blankets for summer and heavier ones for winter specially while taking baby out in the car seat or stroller.
  10. Feeding Bottle – We used Evenflo classic bottles for giving water and juice until baby learned to drink from a sippy cup. I guess any brand will work.
  11. Soft tip Sippy Cup – We used the one by NUK when we introduced cow’s milk after the baby turned 1.
  12. Booster Seat – We used the Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster seat for feeding solids. I didn’t want to buy a separate high chair for our small dining room. This booster seat worked well for us as it could be attached to our dining table chair. Baby began sitting on it comfortably around 7 months.
  13. Baby Monitor – Since our Master bedroom was on the upper level, we needed a monitor whenever we were downstairs. My husband bought VTech Safe & Sound Digital Audio Baby Monitor from Amazon. I didn’t know what I had been missing until I began using a baby monitor. It gave me so much peace of mind.
  14. Humidifier – Must have specially for Winter Season. We used it in summer as well.
  15. Pacifier – My baby gladly accepted a pacifier when he turned a month. We have used different brands like Philips Avent, Nuk etc.
  16. Nasal Aspirator – A friend gifted us the Nosa Frida and I have used it gladly to suction out little noses.
  17. Thermometer – A must for every household. We used the digital one we got from the hospital.
  18. Travel Changing Pad – A must when you are using the public restroom for changing diapers. I still use it for my toddler.

This list doesn’t contain basic stuff like Diapers, Wipes, Blankets, Towel etc. as we will know those are essentials. I will be coming with a List of Things I wish I had during the first year and another list of things which weren’t really needed or all that useful for us.

Update

I have come up with the List of Least Useful Baby Items.