Welcoming a new baby into the world is an incredibly exciting time but also a daunting period, especially if you are a new parent. You will be receiving advice from all quarters and often some of it is conflicting, leaving you in doubt as to the best course of action. It goes without saying that you are going to need to do an awful lot of preparation to be in the best possible shape for their arrival, and due to the many thousands of things swirling through your head it is likely that you will overlook some of the more important items. In order to ease your passage into parenthood, we are now going to take a look at the essential things that all new parents should have for their babies.
Nappies
We’ll start with the most obvious thing, but also something that many new parents underestimate the quantity that they are going to need. In a previous lifetime, nappies were made of cloth and were washed nightly, but this environmentally clean usage has sadly come to an end as most parents now use disposable nappies. Your baby is going to take a lot of feeding in their early years, so consequently, there is going to be a lot coming out of the other end, so make sure that you have a plentiful supply in your nursery and that your travel bag is packed with spares whenever you leave the home.
Carriers
A baby carrier is a crucial part of your armory as a new parent, as you will need a carrier that is comfortable for both parent and baby, but that is also lightweight enough that you can survive several hours on your feet at one time. It is often worth investing in two carriers as carriers for dads can be more robust and are slightly larger than those intended for new mothers. Men also often prefer a carrier that is more masculine than the often pink female version, because an image is everything in the modern world.
Baby monitor
As much as we love our newborns sometimes we have to leave them be and let them sleep while we try and get on with the rest of our lives. Investing in a baby monitor is a great way of doing this whilst also giving you the peace of mind that you will immediately be alerted should your baby wake up, or if anything untoward happens. They are inexpensive and modern versions come with cameras as well as audio, so if you really have to, you can sit in another room watching your newborn tot dreaming away.
Portable changing unit
As we mentioned in the nappy section, your baby is going to need their nappies changing an awful lot, and more often than not this will need to do when you are outside of the house and in public. To ensure that you can change nappies in the best environment, invest in a changing unit that offers comfort, privacy, and the space to carry any extra gear such as wipes and creams. You will be more than grateful at how clean they are and the fact you can change their nappy with the minimum of fuss whether you are in the park, at the beach, or enjoying a beer in the afternoon sun.
Nipple cream
I write this as a man as my only experience of sore nipples is when I forget to apply vaseline when I run in the rain, but from what I’ve heard nipple pain is a very real problem for breastfeeding mothers. Nipples become cracked and dry and feeding your newborn can often be a chore when actually it should be a great time for bonding between mother and child. Carry a pot of cream wherever you go and use it after every feeding session, and suddenly breastfeeding will become pleasant once again.
Onesies
Onesies are essential for newborns because they allow for easy changing of clothes and can be washed and reused time after time. Babies like being sick, and they also like throwing their food around so they are going to get rather filthy rather quickly. If you have a plentiful supply of onesies in your bag, they can be changed quickly and will look the part again in no time at all.
As we have discussed there are many things to think of when you are a new parent, but there are some essentials that you can’t live without. Make sure you have ample nappies and that you have a great portable changing station. A comfortable carrier is a must, as is a monitoring device to allow you to have some time to relax, and if you are breastfeeding don’t forget the nipple cream. Follow these tips and your introduction to parenthood will be as smooth as possible!