My List of "Must Haves" for a Newborn

So, many of my friends are having babies.  I thought I'd ring in the New Year with a list of the things I was soo grateful to have when Mia was first born. Having a new baby is amazing and wonderful, but can also be stressful! This is just a fun list of things, and they aren't in any particular order. Enjoy!

#1:  BOPPY PILLOW!

 I absolutely love this thing. Its a cuddly perfectly shaped "pillow" to support your baby when you need to set her down for a few minutes and want her to stay safe. They say not to let babies sleep in them, but Mia falls asleep in hers all the time.

 

#2 : BURP CLOTHES

These are a must have, especially if you are bottle-feeding, supplementing or pumping. My baby is especially drooly, and we dont feed her without a burp cloth. They are amazing

#3: BOTTLE WARMER

A real time-saver. Since microwaving bottles is not recommended, it can take forever to heat up your bottle in hot water. The bottle warmer is so easy and quick, we even take it with us when we travel!

#4: SWADDLE WRAP

Babies love to be swaddled. Swaddle blankets are great,but if you have a mover and wiggler like I do, she(or he!) will soon be breaking out of her blankets and then waking herself up because she's not swaddled.  The swaddler is great because it has velco so they are nice and snug and cant really get out of it. Mia started sleeping better as soon as we got one (thanks Sonja!)

#5: SOOTHIE PACIFIER

Other pacifiers just don't cut it. These are actually the ones we give to parents in the hospital, but they really are the best. If Mia is fussy for any reason, we give her the pacy and she couldnt be happier! The only downside is that you cant attach them to a pacifier clip, but hey, for a happy baby, its worth the trade off! It even helps her fall asleep at night which is wonderful. I like that you can put your finger inside of it so she can get a good suck on the pacifier.

#6 NETFLIX!

Netflix you wonder? Yes! It is an absolute must-have in my opinion. There are so many times that I watched it while feeding Mia just so I wouldn't fall asleep during feedings! It can really help get you through those first sleepless weeks when you are too exhausted to do much of anything else.

#7 DIAPER GENIE AND CHANGING TABLE

I combined these two because I had a picture of both of them together :) Not everyone claims to need a diaper genie, but it our house, its a must have. Our dogs love anything that smells disgusting, so diaper genie is the perfect way to hide stinky diapers. And its just plain convenient. There are many forms of changing tables, and its just so helpful to have a nice soft, clean place to set your baby down to change him/her. I love having bins underneath to easily grab diapers and other essentials.

#8 BABY SWING

Mia loves her swing. She loves the motion, the little toys hanging down and the music. She recently started talking to the toys which is adorable. Its such a great place to set her when I need to get stuff down around the house. She is happy in there for a long time and will usually eventually fall asleep!

#9 A GOOD BOTTLE OF WINE

Of course, I'm not breastfeeding so its a little easier for me to claim this as a must have. Sometimes after hours and hours of crying, there is nothing like a good glass of wine! For you breastfeeding moms out there, you can have a glass after you baby goes to bed for the night; or if shes still getting up to eat, theres always the good ole "pump and dump" method ;)

#10: INFANT TUB

Having a tub that is safe for a young baby is a must have. I love Mia's tub. My sister and I found it at Target on clearance. It has a mesh portion for her to lay in so that her head is supported and above water. It makes bathtime so easy! Remember, never leave your baby unattended!

#11 INFANT CARRIER
When you want to bring your baby with you, but don't want to pack a stroller or lug around a carseat, an infant carrier is the way to go. Now, I have a Target version of the Baby Bjorn, and I'm not completely happy. It hurts my shoulders after a while. I'm thinking of getting a Moby wrap. But I do overall love having something to carry Mia around in.  I love having her close to me!

#12: Instant Hand Sanitizer!
To conclude my list of must haves, I am a huge fan of instant-hand sanitizer. As a nurse, I'm pretty much obsessed with hand washing. I have a pump by Mia's changing table, and I use it constantly. Anyhow, you can never have too much around the house! But, if you get anything on your hands (poop, etc) you should always wash with soap and water.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this fun little list, and I wish you a very happy New Years!!