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| Brayden & Boppy |
I have survived what all the baby books
consider the most chaotic stage of new mommyhood! Looking back, I recall a few
little things that made a big difference in getting me through it all. So that
I don’t forget should we ever brave a second baby, and in case it helps any new
moms get through it all themselves, I am going to record those things here…
1. A ceiling fan. Forget the cute little safari
animal mobile, colorful rattles and crinkly taggie blankets. A regular old
household fan is enough to holds a baby’s attention better and longer than any
newborn toy I’ve found. (The little mirror on his activity mat comes close).
I’d heard of cardboard boxes keeping toddlers busy, but apparently the good
ole’ house fan is a newborn’s muse.
2. Sleep Sacks. As it turns out, not all babies
like to be swaddled. Mine is and always has been one of them. A sleep sack is a
nice alternative to the traditional swaddle-sleepwear. The baby’s legs and body
are loosely contained, but his arms are free to flail. Every night, we zipper
Brayden into his little sleeping bag, and he seems to love it!
3. A Boppy pillow. I think Brayden’s first true love
in life was Boppy. In the early weeks, he wasn’t particularly fond of laying
flat on his back which made it really hard to put him down, even if it was just
to make myself a sandwich or change my clothes. But Boppy elevated him just
enough to make him comfortable, and
secured him in place enough to make me
comfortable. Now that Brayden came to terms with being on his back, Boppy still
offers a comfy perch from which he can look around or practice building his
neck strength during Tummy Time. Of course, I wouldn’t leave a baby
unsupervised in the cushiony half moon of a pillow (there is a large tag
advising against it in case parental instinct doesn’t kick in), but it is a
great little device for a baby’s temporary and supervised safe-keeping.
4. Burp cloths. Lots and lots of them so that they
can be stationed everywhere from your shoulder to the nightstand and the coffee
table in the living room. If you are as lucky as me, you will have a crafty
friend that makes adorable ones by garnishing cloth diapers with sewn-on strips
of colorful fabric. Who knew that spit-up cloths could be so fashionable? But
should you not have a pinterest savvy, artistic-minded pal, any burp cloth
will do!
5. A stroller with car seat attachment. I cannot
tell you how useful it is to be able to pop baby out of the car and into a
stroller when I am running errands. It’s not that it’s hard to take the little
guy in and out of his car seat. It’s just that he falls asleep nearly every
time we go in the car and I love not having to wake him up. If your stroller
doesn’t have a car seat attachment, consider purchasing something like the
Graco Snugride stroller. I received mine at my baby shower, and I leave it in
my trunk for whenever I am shopping. It’s essentially a stroller frame with
wheels specifically built to hold my Graco car seat. It is not suitable for
walking on rough surfaces, but it’s a great supplementary stroller to my
beloved City Mini by Baby Jogger.
6. An extra set of arms? Evolution has yet to
supply new mothers with any additional baby-carrying appendages. And sometimes,
no matter how much baby loves his boppy, stroller, car seat, or swing, baby
just wants to be held. And baby’s desire for closeness usually strikes when
mommy is engaged in a characteristically two-handed activity like eating a
steak dinner or straightening her hair for the first time since baby’s birth. That
said, should another person not be available to play Pass the Baby, a smart
investment for new moms is a sling or front carrier. Baby gets closeness and
mommy gets full functionality of her arms. That’s a win-win.
7. Dry Shampoo. Washing your hair becomes less of
a priority and styling it a novelty. Thanks to the gods of hairproducts, it’s
easier to keep your hair fresh with this blessed innovation!
8. Nursing Paraphernalia. In addition to standard
feeding accessories like bottles and a warmer, should you choose to breastfeed,
you will need a long list of items you never imagined existing before making
the commitment… nursing pads (Nuk Advanced Dry are my favorite), a breast pump,
nursing bras (Target has a good selection), a nursing cover, and Lanolin (lots
of it). But above all, you will need a little something called Perseverance.
For something so natural, breastfeeding can be surprisingly complicated and
incredibly uncomfortable in the beginning. Which is why it might also be useful
to recruit a Commiseration Comrade, someone who has been there done that to
remind you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, that it gets worse
before it gets better, and that the craziness of it all is actually quite
normal.
9. A travel playard. Being such a mobile couple, I
don’t know what we would do without our pack and play. It is far from the most
souped-up one on the market, but it does have an attachable changing station
and bassinette that zippers in to make a sleeping infant easy-to-reach. Personally,
I can’t imagine needing more than that. The crib folds up easily and packs
nicely into a carrier smaller than a golf bag. It’s, in a word, awesome.
And, last but definitely not least…
10. Someone to share the experience with. Whether
it’s a mother, brother, significant other or friend, or any combination of
loved ones, recruiting a support system is my most important recommendation to new
moms. I’ve always liked to think
that I can do it all. But when it comes to having a baby, I don’t think that
it’s realistic. It’s been wonderful having people to enjoy the baby with. And,
it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a small army vying for the chance to cuddle
with the baby so that you can take a nap or a long shower.
