Life with a Newborn
Updated: Jan 27, 2020
Hello all! I gave birth on December 27th, 2019 so my baby is now 2 weeks old. Currently, I am feeling great! Here are some must haves that will tremendously help transition new moms into motherhood:
For Baby
Ointment to apply after each diaper change to prevent their delicate skin from developing a rash!
https://www.target.com/p/a-d-original-diaper-rash-ointment-4oz/-/A-12279597
A cover that can be used to cover the baby. This may also be used to cover yourself when you are nursing in public!
https://www.copperpearl.com/products/the-classic
A baby wrap so you can safely hold the baby whilst walking around and getting things done. This Boba wrap is the exact carrier that I use!
https://boba.com/collections/boba-baby-wraps/products/boba-wrap-black
A bathtub that is safe and grows as your newborn grows!
Baby shirts with built-in mittens to prevent the baby from scratching themselves. Also, if you put a zipped onesie over this, the baby’s chest will still be covered when you are changing them and it will keep them warm!
A great rocker! The Mamaroo is a great option, but there are plenty of other affordable rockers available!
A bassinet is also a must have! I personally have the Snoo, which I talk more about later in this blog post.
https://www.happiestbaby.com/products/snoo-smart-bassinet
This is my stroller and it is a must have! The car seat locks in safely and it comes with a bassinet! If you plan on having more children, you won’t need to buy a new stroller because it is durable and reliable and has the option for 3 kids with its kickstand!
https://uppababy.com/vista/overview/
For Mom
Leaking pads to prevent leaking breast milk all over your clothes
Shapewear or waist trainers to help shrink postpartum bellies
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073P5WQNV/ref=twister_B073P6RDL9
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GFJM8FB/ref=twister_B07CJ7JM66
Feminine pads because you will be bleeding for about 1-2 weeks after birth! Make sure to choose the correct pads based on your flow because everyone is different!
https://always.com/en-us/shop-products/menstrual-pads
Protein-rich snacks and fluids, especially if you are nursing! Aside from drinking plenty of water, try the Pink Drink from Starbucks to help with breast milk production.
And last but certainly not least...support from your significant other, family, and loved ones! Remember, your happiness is important and will help you take care of one another.
Although this is my 3rd baby, the transition has still been tough for me! The hardest part is having to simultaneously care for my 2 older children. My eldest son just celebrated his 4th birthday on New Years Eve and my second-born son turned 2 in October. So, at one point I had 3 young children under the age of 4 for a couple of days and it was crazy! But because I come from a Mexican family, I have a lot of help from my loved ones. Traditionally, my family makes new moms like myself stay at home and nest for 40 days. It’s amazing because they help me cook, clean, and make sure the baby is very well taken care of. Therefore, my family has been so amazing in helping ease myself into being a mom of 3 boys! My sons have also been so cute and excited to be with their new little brother and it has been really fun spending time with my all of my loved ones.
Here is the scoop on the Snoo, which is a $1200 bassinet that safely straps, rocks, and plays soothing white noise for the baby to help ease him to sleep when he is crying and fussy. A lot of people told me that it was super expensive and were unsure if it was worth it, but I think that it’s great and works very well! However, my issue is that I usually end up taking the baby out of the Snoo to nurse and I forget to put him back in, so he just ends up sleeping closer to me and wakes up more frequently when he is in the Snoo. Other than that, the baby has been really great and calm.
The baby also had his first check-up it went great! The doctor was impressed that he had gained weight. He also gave us some helpful pointers such as massaging the baby’s ears and rubbing their feet when they get fussy. This helps soothe them because it works similar to acupuncture. The baby is also nursing very well; I’ll give some nursing tips in a follow-up blog post!
Lastly, I am so happy that I no longer have Gestational Diabetes! It was an immense struggle having to constantly monitor my diet and blood sugar each day. But now my blood sugar is back to normal and I can finally enjoy sweets again, which is really nice!