Preparing for the arrival of a baby can be overwhelming. So much needs to be done, so much needs to be bought. If it’s your first one, you need to register for the baby and it’s hard to know where to even begin.
Since our son was adopted, we asked that the baby shower be given after his birth. We had three weeks between his arrival and the baby shower. We borrowed a co-sleeper, blankets, a bouncy seat, and a boppy pillow from my sister. We bought a few burp cloths, onsies, a couple outfits, bottles, a bag of diapers and wipes. While we didn’t have much when we brought him home, we had just what we needed.
When it goes beyond the every day basics of baby needs, everyone has their own list of “must haves” for a baby. My house is small and I didn’t want to clutter it up with big items the baby may or may not use. Not all babies like swings, and quite honestly we didn’t have the space for one, so I didn’t get one. We survived!
There are four “must haves” for me though! Here they are…
1. Travel System (Carseat/Stroller)
You need a carseat to bring the baby home in, and well, let’s face it…a stroller just makes life easier. I laugh every time my Grandma sees our travel system and says, “This is the niftiest contraption ever made! They’ve sure made a lot of improvements since I was raising children.”
2. Bouncy Seat
The biggest thing to look for in a bouncy seat is to find one that actually bounces a little! Some of them have absolutely no give at all, which defeats the purpose. The week we brought Gavin home, friends gave us our bouncy seat (much to my husband’s delight, as the one we borrowed from my sister was pink). This new bouncy seat played music and vibrated, which helped if the little man was particularly fussy.
3. Baby Carrier
For me, a baby carrier is a must have! My little guy lived in one for at least the first four months of his life. Even now at a year old, I still will occassionaly carry him in one if needed. I went for walks and hikes with Gavin in the carrier, cleaned my house, washed dishes, led children’s choir and taught Sunday school lessons. It comes in super handy when your little one wants to be held and you need to get things done.
I have two carriers. The first one is the Jeep carrier. I used this one when we were out and about. It’s easy to strap on and for the most part it is comfortable. The heavier my son got, the more it dug into my shoulder and hurt my back if he was in it for any length of time. However, Gavin logged many hours being carried in it!
The second carrier I have is a Moby Wrap. The only negative I have about it is that it has so much material, which makes it difficult to put on in public places. If I know I’m going to be using it, I simply put it on before I leave the house. That being said, I LOVE the Moby. It is super comfortable to wear, it holds the baby close to your body, and gives awesome back support. As my son increased in weight, this has been my “go to” carrier when I need one!
4. Music
I cannot tell you how many times my Gavin is crabby or unconsolable and I start to sing to him, or put on a CD and he immediately calms. It doesn’t even have to be kids music! We often play worship music or hymns for him. His favorite is Jimmy Needham’s “Jesus Paid it All”. It seems to always calm him, no matter what.
What is on your “Must Have” list for baby?
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