Search the net and you’re sure to find list upon list of what you need for a new baby. Most of those lists go way overboard. Babies don’t usually need much at all. Here’s a list of what I found, through my own experiences, to be the most useful.

Clothing

Plenty of t-shirts and sleepers. If you only want to do laundry every few days, figure around 4 tshirts, and 2 sleepers per day. This may be a bit more than necessary on most days, but there will always be the occasional day, or days, when baby is spitting up more than normal, or has messy blow-outs. You’ll appreciate the extra tees.

Diapers and Wipes

Disposables or Cloth. In todays internet world, you will find diapers and wipes in variety of styles, patterns and personalities. The options are even wider for cloth than they are for disposables, can you imagine? There are some really ingenious designs that make diapering a baby’s tush almost seem exciting! And the following within the cloth diaper community feels the same way. However, beware, you may end up needing to one day admit “My name is ___. And I’m a cloth diaper addict.”

Can’t talk yourself into cloth? No worries, the disposable diapers have come along way and while they aren’t soft natural cotton and wool, they do keep your baby dry and don’t leak.

How much of each? Only keep a couple jumbo packs of disposables on hand at a time. Babies grow so fast you aren’t always able to guage how soon they’ll be into the next size. Planning on using cloth? A dozen or two dozen would probably be a good start. What I’ve seen is cloth diapers are an addictive thing and you may end up with wonderful cloth diapers coming out your ears! Wipes? I always buy by the package and sometimes by the box. Making your own? A yard of flannel or fleece would probably yeild a good start.

Blankets

Receiving blanket. Those itty bitty blankets you wrap a newborn in, but after the first month aren’t good for much baby wrapping. But if you, like most women, end up with a few dozen of them, they make great lap pads, burp pads, and for mom, use them to wrap your hair when you get out of the shower - they are light-weight so they don’t fall over when you are tending to baby, or use them as a nursing pad when you are bra-less. They work just fine. They may also be used when baby is going bare - to catch any accidents.

On the other hand, a couple of really nice, kid-sized blankets are must have!

Sling or Carrier

The online mothering community has been inundated with every type of baby sling and carrier you could imagine, and then some! Padded to unpadded slings, pouches, wraps and carriers. These, like cloth diapers, may lead to addiction, tread with caution! But a good carrier is a must have. You even see mothers in the public eye touting their babes in slings nowadays. It’s no longer alternative, having paved a path into mainstream.

Structured carriers are great too. Do some research and where possible, give one a test run. Some communities offer baby wearing classes and have slings you can test. Some online shops will even send you a used sling to try, reserving cost on your credit card - then applied back when you return the carrier.

Sleeping Area

Co-sleeping has become more commonplace practice, but it isn’t always for everyone. Not to mention, some moms, even the attachment parenting mom would like a place to lay baby. Some ideas include a bassinet or cradle, a travel crib, a moses basket, or many others. This is something you may need to experiment with to find the best fit for you and the baby. Different stages of babyhood may require some changes.

Pad an out of the walk-way area of the floor with a couple receiving blankets and make a little nest for baby to lay. No extra expense.

Required:

Car Seat

Unless you live in a walking/biking community, chances are you’ll need a carseat. For safety’s sake, do your research on this one. An infant seat is nice when you can take it in and out of the car easily while baby sleeps, but any secure, up-to-date infant approved carseat is great, necessary! Also, take note that not all car seats fit all cars.

Optional:

Stroller

Most mothers who “wear” their babies say you don’t need a stroller. Strollers don’t have to recieve use directly from the baby to be useful. It comes in handy to carry coats and jackets, drinks, purse or diaper bag, extra diapers, change of clothes, not to mention any purchased items on your outing. As an added benefit, it leaves mom pretty hands free - you get really good at pushing a stroller with one hand! If you opt for a stroller, choose one that has drink carriers.

Bouncy Seat

A bouncy seat comes in handy so often, that while I’d classify it as “optional”, for myself, it was necessary. I loved our bouncy seat as much as baby enjoyed it. I carried it everywhere with me, to the bathroom for instance. It was a great baby holder while I took care of bathroom duties, did the dishes and cooked dinner. Baby and I would sing, talk and play while I got chores done.

Diaper Bag

Any bag with a couple pockets works well. The younger the baby, the bigger the bag needed. As baby grows and has less accidents (i.e. spit up, bottom blow-outs), you’ll get more efficient at packing just what you may need. Don’t go overboard on a diaper bag with all the frills. A nice canvas bag, decorated by you and siblings, works just as well. Toss in a couple gallon-sized baggies for messes, a couple of receiving blankets for padding and you’re good to go!

—

Judi Cox is a work at home mom living in the Ohio Valley with her husband and 4 children. Judi’s interests include working websites (two of her websites http://www.momslittlegarden.com and http://www.mommamuse.com).  She enjoys gardening for fun and for the birds, playing with the kids, reading, and promoting other mom businesses.

You will find this and more of my articles listed on Google Base - Judi Cox.

As featured on Mom’s Little Garden

Nine months of pregnancy seems an eternity when you get that little pink positive on the test stick. In this day and age, we no longer have to wait until we start having symptoms of pregnancy, which can start as late as 8 or 10 weeks for some. Instead, we have pregnancy tests that will determine a positive just days after conception. This can make the pregnancy journey seem even longer!

While you are growing, suffering morning sickness and anxiously awaiting the new addition to the family, here are a few ways to memorialize your pregnancy; both for yourself and to pass along to the child in the future.

Write It

If you don’t already, now is a great time to take up journaling. A hardback journal to write would give you the option of writing any time, while eating breakfast, in bed, or in a waiting room. Picking out the book could be a special in itself, as you will be picking something that touches you. If your penmenship is not something you particularly want to share, journaling online offers a wide variety of options. Generally called “blogging”, a web log has been a popular method of writing thoughts, opinions and sharing knowledge with others. There are many blog communities, each offering different perks. Some provide private post options, so your posts are viewable to the general public, only to those you allow. Some allow categories, giving you the option of writing about things other than just your pregnancy. Others still, are aimed just at moms or pregnant moms. Take a look around and find one that has a good feel for you.

Pregnant Belly, Say Cheese

Take monthy pregnant belly pictures. Start at the beginning, or as soon as you are able. There may not be much of a baby belly at 8 weeks along, but when you have a whole pregnancy worth of belly shots, you’ll have fun looking at where you started and where you ended!

Some tips for taking monthy belly pictures: Be consistent. Stand the same way, by the same wall or door (or similar). Wear similar clothing (like a pair of sweatpants that you can wear almost throughout). Show bare belly, or wear a shirt - or do one of each every time. The more consistent you are, the more obvious the pregnancy changes when looking back.

Studio Pictures

You’ve got the digital camera taking your own pregnant belly pictures, but a professional photogragher will make some beautiful pictures for your baby belly book. Consider including siblings, if any, your partner, and take pregnancy pictures that aren’t so “traditional”. Strip down and wrap up in white robe, or guaze - with a dark background, this is beautiful. Siblings touching or kissing baby belly makes for a touching moment. And your partners hands on your belly, speak love. Of course, studio pictures are best towards the end of pregnancy, but don’t wait too long either!

Some studios specialize in pregnancy and newborn pictures - check your phone book or ask around.

Belly Cast It

Belly Cast, or Belly Mask, has become a popular method of preserving pregnant bellies. Belly Cast kits are inexpensive and easy to find, particularly online. They are easy to do, but don’t try to do a belly cast yourself! You will definitely need another set of hand and sometimes an extra set is helpful. No baby belly inhibitions? Make a party of it! Invite your girlfriends over for some messy fun. In the end, you have a plaster cast of your belly to decorate, hang on the wall or sit on a shelf.

Decorated Belly

Women are becoming more willing to bare their pregnant bellies. Decorating your baby belly is a fun way to show it off. Wear it around the house, or out in public. Make a party of it, or do it yourself. But don’t forget to take pictures!

Semi-permanant belly decoration - Henna is a type of skin dye that will essentially “stain” the skin, essentially, a non-permanant tattoo. Women have been using henna for years and years. Henna kits are widely available. A simple design or something elaborate - it’s all up to you! Do be careful in the sun with a henna’d baby belly. Your skin may tan and when the henna wears off in a week or more, you may end up with a reversed belly tattoo.

Paint it and wash it - Skin safe paints are a great just for fun project to do with siblings. Get into some comfy clothes, get a glass of water, juice or your pregnancy tea and sit back. Let the kids paint. Don’t forget to Take Pictures!

Belly Pillow

Whew! The pregnancy is over, or close to it. Grab your favorite maternity top, your sewing machine and some good stuffing. Sew that shirt into a pillow; square, round, or just sew up all the openings and leave it full size! This is a great momento to pass along to the baby. Do it for each pregnancy and each child will have their very own “moms favorite maternity shirt pillow”.

Regardless of how much you do to memorialize your pregnancy, enjoy as much of it as you are able to. Those nine months, though they seem long while you are counting the days, when looking back, it’s just a snippet in time.

—
Judi Cox is a work at home mom living in the Ohio Valley with her husband and 4 children. Judi’s interests include working websites (two of her websites http://www.momslittlegarden.com and http://www.mommamuse.com). She enjoys gardening for fun and for the birds, playing with the kids, reading, and promoting other mom businesses.

You will find this and more of my articles listed on Google Base - Judi Cox.