Baby Gear All New Moms Should Have For The First Two Weeks of Life (Including some they tell you you shouldn't)

For someone who reads a ton of blogs, I'm not sure why it never occurred to me to read a couple of baby blogs, or new mom blogs. Maybe I was just a little too scared of what was coming and thought I'd deal with it a bit better if I didn't know what was headed my way. Or maybe I was just so busy focusing on the impending arrival of our little bundle of joy that it didn't cross my mind to read about what was going to happen once she arrived. Either way, I wasn't really sure what items I would need the most during my first couple of weeks with Kaiya so I just organized all the goodies we got from our showers and prayed it included everything we needed. Reflecting back on the past two weeks I thought it might be helpful to list for other new moms the items I have found essential in successfully navigating the first couple of weeks of motherhood.

Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets

I'm pretty sure every new mom with a set of these would concur with the inclusion of these on this list. They are huge, and they have just enough give to allow a really tight and secure swaddle, and they  have about 100 uses. I throw one in the diaper bag to use to cover the car seat, use as a nursing cover, or as a light blanket on warmer days. These things are money, and let me tell you, as someone who tries to make anything I think can be easily duplicated, gauze like this isn't easy to find. They're a bit pricey, but stick them on your registry because they're worth every penny.

SwaddleMe Infant Swaddlers

Kaiya LOVES to be swaddled. I recognize that not all babies do, but if your little one does, you'll have to either learn the art of swaddling or get yourself a couple of these things. While we've become pretty competent at swaddling with receiving blankets and the Aden & Anais swaddlers, she inevitably manages to free her little hands from our swaddle, thus losing the security she enjoyed while being swaddled. These little things are super easy to stick her in (even at 4am), and she's never freed her hands from them.

Medela Hand Pump

I wouldn't have purchased this myself since my insurance company covered a pump, but my sister included it in her little kit of "things you need" and thank goodness she did. It was super helpful during the "engorgement" stage before my pump arrived, but it's also proven to be an essential part of my packed diaper bag. Kaiya tends to be a sound sleeper, and when she doesn't want to wake up, it doesn't matter what I do to try and wake her, she's not going to wake up. So when "the ladies" need attention, and Kaiya isn't volunteering, this little hand pump is a godsend, and it's leagues more convenient to pull out of my diaper bag than worrying about hooking up to a pump.

Mam newborn pacifiers

Before Kaiya arrived, I had attended a breastfeeding class and read a couple books on breastfeeding. I had been warned about "nipple confusion" and the importance of waiting about 4 weeks before sticking one of these in Kaiya's mouth. Then real life happened and I found that Kaiya was using my boob as a pacifier. Why? Because babies like to suck, and sometimes it has nothing to do with being hungry. So, I caved one day and let my mother stick one of these things in her mouth (which I had lying around because my sister had also stuck these in her "things you need" kit). I should also mention that Kaiya hasn't had any real issues feeding (other than the below mentioned couple of days when my milk came in) and these may not be great for babies who are struggling with latching or feeding.

A Nipple Shield

I hesitated to include these because they're controversial in the lactation world, but ultimately I decided to because I wanted women to know it's okay to use them if needed. The day my milk came in was a breastfeeding disaster day. "The Ladies" were just too big, and too hard for her to recognize. I mean, she was a great feeder from the very first feed but we were learning together, and just when she started to get the hang of it, mother nature threw her a curve ball and changed it all up. For the 48 hours of engorgement, she just could not get a good latch, and both her and I got frustrated with her inability to get a good feed. In a moment of defeat I asked John to go out and get a nipple shield from the store. When he returned I prayed it would work, and wouldn't you know it, as soon as I stuck it on, she was able to latch. I nearly cried with relief (emotional AND physical). I know they aren't recommended (nipple confusion again) and even Kaiya's doctor seemed to hem and haw when I told her we were using one to get through the engorgement days, but we only needed it for three days and she actually preferred not to use it after the engorgement passed so we didn't have any of the weening problems they warned me about, thankfully.

The one thing I heard from every lactation consultant and nursing mom is how vital regular use of Lanolin is to successful breastfeeding, and they were right. Those first few days are pretty painful. But I'm not sure how many people know what Lanolin actually is. It's an animal derived product (sheep actually), and while I have no problems with animal products, what I do have a problem with is how animals are treated as a result of our wanting products from them. Lanolin is derived from wool after it has been sheered from the sheep through a process that includes hot water and some chemicals. I've heard that the wool industry is a pretty cruel industry but being allergic to wool I've never had good reason to think much about it until now. As an awesome alternative to lanolin, I found Angel Baby's Natural Nipple Butter. Made with olive oil, cocoa butter and soothing calendula, it's perfectly safe for baby (and smells yummy!)

Honest Company Diapers

Those of you who know me, know that I'm a bit of a crunchy environmentalist. As such, I have every intention of cloth diapering, and can't wait to share my super cute cloth diaper collection with you. That being said, I have exactly 1 newborn cloth diaper, and have seen recommended that you wait until their umbilical cord falls off before using cloth (because it's easier to fold the disposable diapers under than doing so on the cloth diapers). That being said, I still couldn't reconcile putting chemical filled diapers on my baby, or putting toxic diapers into landfills that would remain there longer than Kaiya, or her children's children, would be alive. Enter Honest diapers (which my mom bought and used to make Kaiya's diaper cake). They are biodegradable, non-toxic, come in cute prints, and (best of all), they cost about the same as other premium diapers (like Pampers). I love these as a temporary solution until we kick cloth into full gear!

The "Hooter Hider"

I'm not exaggerating when I say that this thing is awesome. I literally walked around the National Portrait Museum nursing Kaiya under this thing. It provides tons of coverage, folds up easily into it's little case, and has boning in the top that allows you to easily look down on baby. It's a must for the breastfeeding mom's diaper bag.

I'm sure there are a number of other items that we wouldn't have survived the past two weeks without, but these are my favorite. It's hard to believe two weeks have passed already! I'm interested to hear from other moms though, what would you add to this list??