My Maternity & Newborn Baby Wishlist

Mum and Newborn Essentials

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Now I’m getting a little further along in my pregnancy I’ve started thinking about all those things I want and need for myself and the new baby once we’re home. Of course I started making this list before I properly announced my pregnancy on my blog which has just grown bigger and bigger. I am really trying to reign it all in a bit though because we are bringing the baby into a flat. We are already incredibly short of space as it is and in fact we are going to need to move and get rid of stuff before we can bring in the bigger purchases. I mean, as it currently stands, this little one doesn’t even have a chest of drawers or wardrobe for clothes. I am going to have to make use of what we already have to make sure we still have lots of space in the home without feeling too crowded. Hopefully, next year, we will be able to afford to move house!

I did quite a lengthy update of my first trimester and how things were going. At that point we hadn’t bought anything for this little one because I really want to find out the gender. However, that doesn’t stop me putting a list together and coming up with a bit of a wish list.

Breastfeeding Essentials

I fully intend to breastfeed for at least six months with this new baby. The truth is though, my breastfeeding journey with Evie was awful. I was belittled by a nursery nurse acting in place of my health visitor because Evie wasn’t gaining weight. I was forced to combination feed with formula at a really emotional state and before breastfeeding was even established. In hindsight, thinking about this continues to make me quite angry because I don’t feel I was given enough of a chance to try. Yes it was hard and I was feeding around the clock but this has made me really want to try and avoid formula milk. I have no problems with those that bottle feed at all because I know I am going to struggle and quite probably avoid breastfeeding in anywhere but my own home. Because of this we have made the choice to use breast milk exclusively with a combination of breastfeeding and expressing. I’m really happy with this choice and I am confident this will be the absolute best choice for our family.

My breastfeeding essentials are going to include the following:

1. An electronic double breast pump – I’m currently looking at the Medela Swing pump
2. Breast pads
3. Bottles, bottle brush and steriliser
4. Freezer bags for breast milk
5. Support pillow
6. Lansinoh cream – this is amazing for cracked nipples and I will absolutely have a tube at home for those first couple of weeks. It’s pretty amazing on cracked heels too!

Newborn Bedside Crib

For this baby I really want to get a bedside crib because they look really lovely. I’ve never had a problem co-sleeping and did with Evie, particularly when we lived in the hostel together. It’s not something I’m ruling out with this baby either but Adam does have some reservations as he is a roller in the night. A bedside crib sounds like it will be our best option. Our hope is that it will last between birth and we are able to move next Spring (hopefully) because we just don’t have the space in our bedroom for a full sized cot. There isn’t space in Evie’s room either and I really want to avoid them sharing a room with such a big age gap. There are loads of amazing bedside cribs available and I am absolutely stuck for choice! My two favourites are the CHicco Next 2 Me Side Crib and the SnuzPod 3 in 1 Bedside crib.

Newborn Baby Sleeping Bag

I love Grobags or baby sleeping bags. They are perfect to keep baby snug and warm at night. Our baby is due 20th September so it won’t be long until those nights are feeling colder and darker once again. There are lots of these available and they were so great for Evie, who was also a September baby, and loved being kept snug in her sleeping bag at night.

Newborn Baby Pushchairs

Now this is probably going to be one of our biggest purchases because they just don’t come cheap do they? I have my eye on a couple that are absolutely lovely but really I want to go out and test drive a few before I decide on which one is for us. Adam is 6’5″ and I’m 5’4″ so ideally we are looking for one with a height adjustable handle to make it easy for both of us. Despite not being a driver we are considering a travel system just because we’re still going to need a car seat for getting home from the hospital as well as any journeys we do make with friends or family. I like the idea of having a travel system that goes from newborn bassinet to stroller too and hopefully it will last us a couple of years.

Our favourite is the Giggle2 Cosatto Pram which comes in loads of different colours and I see them in use all the time. We’ve already had a bit of a play around with this one in Mothercare, however, I know there are a few others out there that I want to try too. Mostly, the pushchair will be upright and ready to use at a moments notice because of the amount we walk but we would like one that folds quite small. So far, in theory and appearance the Giggle2 ticks all of our boxes and is at a comfortable height for both of us to push. Later down the line though, we might find an even better one.

Baby Bath & Changing Unit

Now I know a lot of people would say that actually these aren’t an essential. You don’t need a baby bath if you can bath in the sink or in your own bath. You could simply use a bath seat instead to keep handsfree too. However, for us, a bath and changing unit is a bit of an essential because it doubles up as storage space. I will be keeping this in my bathroom which is actually bit enough to hold it without it getting in the way. We then have a place for storing nappies, bath toys, wipes, creams and all the other bits that you always need. It’s as much extra storage for us as anything else. Being in a flat means that nothing is far away so I don’t have to rush upstairs to change the baby when I can just go into the next room. We had a changing table with Evie and it really came in handy. It was still in use as she got older for storage too.

I love the look of the Easi Peasi Fable Changer by Cosatto. There’s even a magical unicorns design which Evie is very much drawn to.

Stretchy Wrap for Newborns

I didn’t have a wrap with Evie so babywearing is completely new to me. Hopefully my plans for a VBAC go ahead as wanted and I can start wrapping up soon after. I love the idea of having the baby close to me, comforted and most importantly being hands free. As I’ve mentioned before we walk a lot and sometimes a wrap or carrier is going to be easier and quicker than a pushchair or big bulky pram. The idea of having the baby close and secure whilst I help Evie with her homework or get on with a few things around the house really appeals to me as well as when getting out and about too. I don’t know if it will help with breastfeeding just because there aren’t many positions I can really feed in due to my size but wraps seem to be used for so much more. I want to watch a few videos and have a practise tying it all together before the baby is here to try and get some practise in.

Baby Play Mat

I had a couple of these soft activity mats with Evie when she was little and think they’re great for tummy time. I especially love ones that have lots of textures for babies to feel and play with as they start getting a bit bigger and it will add a nice bit of colour into the living room too. We won’t be getting much when it comes to toys because of space but I think a play mat like this is a great buy.

So that is our little list of newborn baby essentials to help me with breastfeeding, getting out the home and giving the baby a little quality tummy time too. What essentials would you recommend for a new baby? 

 

 

For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.