Baby Care / Grooming
They use the term "baby care" loosely, don't they?- Nail Clippers - Yep, you're gonna want them. Unless, of course, you prefer to chew your baby's nails down. It is actually a common practice, I'm told.
- Brush & Comb - Really? You don't even know if your baby will have hair yet. And really, a wet wash cloth works fine.
- Digital Thermometer - You might check with the hospital first. The hospital gave me a digital thermometer the last two times I had babies.
- Ear Thermometer - Why would you need both of these? I actually did get a fancy thermometer. Just research and see which you would prefer. I was fine with the freebie digital thermometer for Sasha, but with Spencer's increased risk of getting sick (and some other factors), I wanted something better.
- First Aid Kit - I don't specifically have one, but most first aid kits I've seen include bandages and ointment. There are some things that are good to have in case of emergency, so you could either register for a good kit or put one together yourself / register for the individual items.
- Humidifier / Vaporizer - I don't consider these necessity for most babies, but I'd read it was important to have a humidifier for babies with DS. I actually already had one already. I still registered for another, nicer model.
- Gas Relief Drops - Really? What if you don't have a gassy baby? Spencer gets gas, but not so much that I feel the need to medicate him. I'd suggest waiting to see if you even need such a thing.
- Pain Reliever - Again, really?? If you're planning to vaccinate, then yes - go ahead and put this on your registry. Otherwise, I am not sure I like the idea of assuming you'll need pain reliever. On the other hand, it sucks to need it in the middle of the night and not have any on hand. This one could go either way.
Bathing
- Tub - These can be handy in the first few months, but I really just prefer to get into a big tub WITH my babies. These just don't seem worth the expense at all.
- Robe - Really? A towel is fine, thanks. Have you ever tried to keep a robe on an infant? We received one as a gift for Sasha and while it was adorable, it wasn't very practical.
- Sponge - I wouldn't have even thought of these. A washcloth is fine, thanks.
- Hooded Towels - Your regular ol' bath towels will work just fine. I rather like having one for each of my babies, though. I received them both as gifts (one for Sasha and one for Spencer). They're a bit thin for Sasha now, but she still uses it. She especially loves to wear it to be "Super Sasha!"
- Washclothes - Totally optional. Regular washclothes work just fine, but it can be nice to have some lighter weight / smaller ones. I liked to use thick baby washclothes for cleanup after meals, too, until I got cloth baby wipes.
- Bath Toys - Well toys are optional, right? I could see having a couple, few items. I don't want my bath tub to be full of stuff I have to try to make sure gets dry. Sasha has a few hand-me-down boats from her sister and foam letters that stick to the wall when they're wet. I don't like toys that hold water at all, they'll get moldy and gross. Oh, and measuring cups or other plastic / metal cups make great bath toys anyway!
- "Soap" - You probably want something for washing baby, but I bet if you're reading this blog you're pretty picky about what. I'd certainly recommend registering, if your chosen product is available at one of the stores that offer registries. Otherwise, you'll probably want to pick up this product yourself.
- Shampoo - The baby wash I chose (with my mother's help) doubles as shampoo. I like this feature! Versatility is my friend!
- Lotion - This can be a total must have, especially if you have a Winter baby! You might be pretty choosy on this one, too.
- Baby oil - I do not own baby oil. I honestly don't know why you would. I used to know people that shaved with it or used it after shaving. I think people used to use it for tanning... I don't know why you'd use it on a baby. Its kind of gross. But if you want it, go for it!
- Cotton Swabs - The only reason I ever needed these was for applying Gentian Violet to a thrush infected mouth. I don't think you really have to have these for a baby, but I also think most houses have them on-hand anyway, don't we?
- Diaper Cream - There is a good chance you'll need this, though breastmilk is great for diaper rash! Picky or not, you might want to add this to your registry.
- Petroleum Jelly - If you want this, I bet you already have it on-hand, too. I don't use the stuff. I love Unpetroleum Jelly, but even then I had very rare occasion to use it.
- Cotton Balls - This is pretty much like the swabs. People that use them generally have them on hand. I've never had to use one on a baby, I don't think.
Now that we've finally worked our way through all of the "Must Have" categories and items, what are your top 3 must haves for a new mom?
Let me know if you have a Monday Minimalist post and I'll share it on my blog.
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