So I searched on the internet, hoping to find a post exactly like the one I'm writing. What I (as I knew mom) wish I had, or had more of, after having my little bundle of joy.
1. Receiving Blankets
For one of my baby showers, a friend bought me a 5-pack of receiving blankets, and a few other people got me some other types of regular blankets. I thought that I would never really have her wrapped up, and she'd only use them every once in a while because when I worked at a daycare, I never swaddled my babies, so I didn't think I'd swaddle my own.
Boy, was I wrong. Emma LOVES to be wrapped up nice and tight. As she is getting older she is growing out of it more, and doesn't need to be swaddled to sleep. But in those first few weeks it was the only thing that would make her really cozy.
Now, you may be asking yourself or saying, well just reuse the one you had used earlier, and 5-10 really would be all you need. And, in a case where babies aren't messy, this makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, babies are a big ball of mess. If she would spit up a little, you don't have time to run for something to wipe it up, especially if you just settled down into a comfortable position. You use the blanket. If they accidentally pee through their diapers, the blanket gets it too. Pretty much, you need at least twenty of these babies to not run out before laundry day.
2. A Bouncer Seat
If you're like me you will at some point want to clean your house, or go to the bathroom, or take a shower, or make yourself a sandwich or do something in which you don't really want your baby in your arms. So you wait until she is dead asleep in her bassinet right? WRONG. You eventually will have to learn how to do things with her awake, because let's face it, they don't stay this way forever.
I absolutely hate putting her in her bassinet when she is awake. It is a fuzzy cream colored bassinet, and has absolutely nothing stimulating about it from her perspective. And in those moments when she is awake, I want her to be able to look around and visually explore, not stare at some cream colored fuzz while I'm doing the dishes. So if you have a bouncy chair, then you can sit her/him in it while you're doing something else and they can look at you, look around at the colors and shapes in the room or look at the toys that many of them come with.
I originally had a swing for this purpose, but it sits her upright and well... swings her, and I wanted something that would lay her flatter so she could stretch her muscles and wouldn't get her used to falling asleep with the swinging motion so she sleeps good in her bassinet.
3. A swiss army bassinet.
I originally just had a pack-and-play with an bassinet attachment that I was going to use as a bassinet. But luckily, the hubs Granny bought us an actual bassinet and I am in love with it.
It vibrates, plays music, and my favorite part: has wheels! I take Emma out into the living room when she gets fussy in the middle of the night, and instead of having to pick her up, hold her while I make a bottle or anything else, she can stay in her bassinet and be soothed by the vibrations and music until I'm ready to feed her. And then, after I'm done and she is starting to fall asleep, I can set her in her bassinet and if she fusses a little still, whoever is in the bedroom sleeping (whether it is my husband, or if he is taking a turn, me) doesn't have to have their sleep interrupted by a baby learning to go to sleep. We can sit in the living room where we take her to feed her until she is asleep and then roll her back into the bedroom for some more sleep.
What about you? Was there anything you wish you had before you had your first baby?
I wish I'd had a better baby bath tub. Bath time was a constant struggle. I dreaded it and I'm sure she did too. A year later I found the best one at ikea.
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