Girl's Ghost Tutu Halloween Costume

 

Ghost Tutu on Etsy for $35

I am tutu obsessed! I am constantly making my little one a tutu to wear! This is such a cute friendly girl ghost costume! 

Wouldn't your little one look adorable in this??

Teething Tips and Remedies

Most babies between 3 months and 12 months (according to webmd.com). Some babies will react fine to teething, with hardly any symptoms. Other babies will cry non-stop, won’t sleep and good luck if you ever want to go somewhere in public. I don’t blame them for being fussy and having a hard time sleeping, babies have never really experienced pain before. So, to them, a cutting a tooth can hurt pretty bad. The good news is, finding out what helps sooth your baby can save you a lot of time, and make your little one feel better. This is not medical advice, just simple tips from moms to moms. Always check with you baby’s Pediatrician to confirm or before giving your baby any medicine.  

Symptoms of a Teething Baby:

-Drool, Drool, and MORE DROOL

-Fussiness

-Chewing on Fingers or Toys

-Refusing to Eat or Drink

-Swollen or Sensitive Gums

-Problems Sleeping

-Low-grade Fever (debatable)

-Diarrhea (debatable)

-Pulling on Ears (due to fluid build up)

Check out one of these awesome baby teeth charts to track when your child's teeth should come in, and write down the day that they do!

1. Baby Teeth Chart from Turtle Soup Daily

2. Baby Teeth Chart from Anbesol Baby

There is no right way or wrong way when it comes to parenting and taking care of your baby. What works for one baby, might not work for another. This is a list of just a few things you can do at home to make your little on feel better. My advice is to know the signs and symptoms. Babies grow at different rates and they will cut teeth at different times too. Be aware of the most when most babies will cut certain teeth and try to keep track, that way when your little one isn’t feeling good, you will understand why and know how to help them!

1. Give them lots of love and attention: a lot of babies love to cuddle with their Mommy or Daddy when they’re sick and don’t feel good. Try not to force them to play, if they want to cuddle forget about the dishes that need to be done, call for take-out for dinner, and spend time snuggling up with your little one. Babies love to chew a lot, so letting them on your hand or finger is useful, but it hurts when they cut through their teeth!

2. A Cold Wash Cloth: the cold will help sooth babies gums. Try getting a pack of cheap soft wash cloths for babies, and soaking in cold water. You can let the baby chew on it, or wrap it around your finger and let them chew on it. If you go out, carry a wash cloth with you and order a glass of ice water to sooth your baby when you go out to eat.

3. Let Them Chew on a Raw Carrot: especially with their first teeth, babies will not be able to bite anything off of this. Let them chew on a cold raw carrot, watch them carefully if you let them hold it! It could be a choking hazard.

4. Other Frozen Fruits and Veggies: Use a mesh food teether and put frozen fruits or vegetables in them. If they are frozen, your baby won’t be able to bite off any parts, but it will still be cold, hard, and flavorful!

5. Teething Rings: love these. My baby was very young when she started teething, she couldn’t hold a toy in her hand.. so, when she started holding toys, the small teething rings were the best thing for her! And she loved being able to hold a toy all by herself. A lot of people will put these in the fridge or freeze them.

6. Sophie the Giraffe: I know a lot of people who have loved this! It’s a great toy that looks very fun and friendly, while giving the effects of helping to sooth a teething baby.

7. Pacifier Teethers: I love the whole Tommee Tippee collection. I’ve used pretty much all of their feeding products. This brand sells teethers that look like a pacifier on outside, but the baby is really chewing down on, on their gums. There is also one that is flavored, the Razbaby Razberry Teether. I wanted this, but couldn’t find it in a store when my baby started teething.

8. Gum Soothers: I love these. Most will come in a medical kit that you will buy or with a tooth and gum cleanser. My daughter loved the tooth and gum cleanser, it’s a rubber brush that goes over your finger. I bought it as her first tooth brush, to get into the habit of learning to brush our teeth. She loves it; she would probably sit there for an hour chewing with the rubber gum soother.

9. Amber Teething Necklace: I don’t know too much about these. They are made with Baltic Amber, a rock, which has an acid in it that works as a natural pain reliever. It works by the rocks, being heated up from contact on the skin and releasing an oil that is said to help with the inflammation and pain associated with teething. Now, after I researched this I found out, that they are NOT meant to be chewed on and could be hazardous. Also, they are not recommended for babies younger than 36 months. I’m not sure why other people have tried these, but they seem to be a popular “green” option, even though they aren’t recommended for babies of teething age!

10. Mommy’s Teething Necklace: There are necklaces that Mommy can wear and your baby can chew on. You can find some on etsy.com or try to find a tutorial to make your own. I have heard great things about these!

11. Teething Biscuits: my mother suggested these to me for my teething baby, however, I could not find them anywhere! There are a bunch of great recipes to make your own at home on the Wholesome Baby Food website.

11. Medicines: Although, it is not proven that babies get fevers because of teething, mine did. It’s just not proven, but many things in life have yet to be proven. Most Pediatrician’s will recommended giving a baby Tylenol (a pain reliever/fever reducer) when any fever occurs, because fevers can be dangerous to a young baby. It is NOT recommended to give your baby a pain reliever medicine for teething, when there is no fever.

12. Teething Tablets and Gels: They make a variety of teething tablets and gels. Teething gels, like Orajel, seem to numb the gums. Some parents are not ok with giving their baby medicine that has numbing medicine in it, but then again every parent is different. I recommend doing your research on teething medicines and talking to your child’s Pediatrician before giving them to your child. 

Read the article: “Are Teething Tablets Safe?”

Please comment and say what has helped your child the most when they were teething?

Are Teething Tablets Safe?

As a Mother, I want only the best for my child. As I’m sure we all do. And we also, don’t want our baby to suffer through the pain of teething. When my child started to cut teeth, she wouldn’t eat and she didn’t want to sleep. We had to take her to the ER, because we were afraid she was getting dehydrated. It was a rough time for us each tooth that came in. I would know that the nights she would not sleep were the nights that her teeth were cutting through the skin.

So I looked for ways to sooth her pain, and I came across a highly debated topic.. Teething Medicines. Some doctors recommended it, and some do not. Some parents allow it, and some will not. I collected some information and links, so that you will be able to read the ingredients, the doctor opinions, and other Mother’s opinions. As for me, I am not saying one way is right or wrong, every parent has a different parenting style. My opinion will be at the bottom of the page. Read my article "Teething Tips and Remedies"

What are Teething Tablets?

Brands such as Hyland’s and Orajel make Teething Tablets, which are tiny little dissolvable pills that go under your child’s tongue or can be dissolved in their bottles. They are meant to help with your child’s pain due to teething, however, most will say they are homeopathic and contain no pain or numbing medicine.

This link is for the Hyland’s Teething Products and will tell you all the facts about their teething products that you need to know.

What is homeopathic?

“Homeopathy demonstrates that a substance that produces a certain set of symptoms in a healthy person can cure a sick person experiencing those same symptoms. For instance, onions make your eyes water when you cut them. If you have a cold or allergies and your symptoms include a runny nose, the likely remedy to treat your runny nose would be Allium Cepa, which is made from onions.” (hylands.com)

What is the debate about?

Teething tablets, like Hyland’s contain belladonna. Belladonna is a plant that can be poisonous when ingested by the mouth. Some people will think that it is not FDA approved, and because the bottles were recalled in 2010. However, the tablets were voluntarily recalled because there were different amounts of Belladonna in each tablet and they did not have child proof caps. The amount of Belladonna in each tablet is now 0.0000000000003%. Hyland’s says “to further clarify the homeopathic dosages of Belladonna in Baby Teething Tablets, a 10-pound child would have to accidentally ingest, all at the same time, more than a dozen bottles of 135 Baby Teething Tablets before experiencing even dry mouth from the product.”

This link will tell you about Belladonna, what it is, what is it used for in medicine, and the effectiveness of is.

This link will take you to FDA’s statement about Hyland’s Teething Tablet’s when they were recalled in 2010.

This link will take you to Hyland’s statement from when it was recalled.

What are other Mom’s saying about these products?

You can read the comments below, as well as my own opinion on teething tablets.

This link will take you to a Circle of Mom’s forum about using teething tablets.

This is a good current article that about teething that also says that Orajel for babies was recalled.

My opinion:

As a Mother I wanted my daughter to be comfortable. I used the Hyland’s teething tablets, and found them to work wonderful! I researched them and talked to my child’s Pediatrician before giving them to her. I did have one person who called me out as a bad mom because I recommended them to someone she knew. Well, this lady, who I don’t know, said it was putting unnecessary ingredients into my child’s body. She also, informed me that the product was recalled, but she had the reason wrong, which I had already known because I have looked it up. When another Mother asks my opinion on anything, I will always say the same thing.. "this is what I did, but Mommy knows best, so do what is best for your child". I am not judging any parent, this is just my opinion. And unlike the woman, who claimed to have a 20-something year old child that she never gave medicine to, but just let them “suffer through it”, I can realize that different people have different opinions and I am not trying to force mine onto anyone.

My Mother and Mother-In-Law have both tried to tell me things that they did. But as I tell them, we are rapidly advancing in technology and medicine from 20 or 30 years ago. So if there was a medicine that could give my child some comfort, help her eat, and get both of us some sleep, I would look into it.

The medicine worked great for me. I would give her some at night when it was the worst, and some when she woke up during the night sometimes. These let her sleep good and be comfortable. She had stopped eating, because it hurt so bad, and we were almost hospitalized for dehydration. But after giving her these, we never had another problem.

If you have used any type of teething tablet or teething gel, or have an opinion on why you didn’t, PLEASE COMMENT! I want other Mom’s to read what another Mom has experienced. You can also, leave links to any pages you found that were helpful in making your decision. Thank You!

Tips For First Time Dad's

Remember those baby books your husband never read? Or those classes that he would rather have stayed home and watched football than go to? Yea, me too. The truth is we as Mother’s spend 9 months preparing for the baby. We budget our finances, we buy the crib and diapers, we take Lamaze classes, we read numerous articles, we talk to other Mom’s and ask for advice, WE PREPARE. Most guys aren’t like us, they won’t read the books and they won’t feel prepared. If your husband is the guy that reads the baby books, consider yourself lucky. Do you blame them, though? After all, you will be the one going through labor, which the anticipation of the most painful day of your life can make you want to be as prepared as you can be.

You know that saying.. “Women become Mother’s when they find out they are pregnant, and men become Father’s when the baby is born.”

It’s true. For some men, it will take a week or a month for those “daddy instincts” to kick in. These are a few tips for new Daddy’s. If your hubby won’t read this, just try to explain these things to him. Good Luck!

1. Take Time Off Work. Be prepared to leave work for at least a week. You will need to be there when your wife and baby are in the hospital. It is also important for you to spend bonding time with your baby. Take a week to help the mommy out and get to know your little baby.

2. Stay At The Hospital. For all that she just went through, don’t leave your wife alone while you go home and sleep. If you have kids try to get someone to watch the while you’re at the hospital.

3. Clean Up Around The House. A new mom will be going through a lot. They will need to rest and recover from labor. She won’t have time to do the laundry, vacuum, do the dishes, or take care of any pets you have. Her time needs to be dedicated to learning how to take care of her baby, bonding with her baby and recovering from labor. If you are horrible at cleaning, or just hate it, try buying disposable dishes so you don’t have to do the dishes.

4. Get Her Food. A new mom shouldn’t drive for 6-7 weeks after labor. Go to the store for her, ask her what she wants and make sure to pick up lots of food. A breastfeeding mom needs to eat just as much as a pregnant woman. She is still eating for two, if she’s breastfeeding! Make sure she has time to eat, watch the bay for her so she can relax and eat dinner. If all else fails, order take out!

5. Offer to Help. There might not be much you can do, but always ask. Even the little things count, so if she asks you to just hand her things or wash her breast pump for her, do it. Trust me, she will be exhausted.

6. Take the Night Feeding. If you are bottle feeding your baby, try to take turns during night feedings. Everyone needs sleep! If you are breast feeding, ask if she can pump before she goes to bed, so you have one bottle for a night feeding.

7. Bond with Your Baby. You may not think that they will remember this, but bonding as a baby is very important. It lets the baby know, that you will meet their needs too, not just mommy. Take the baby and let the new mommy get a nap, or a shower, or go out by herself for an hour (even if it is just to the grocery store). Take these opportunities as bonding time with your baby.

8. Be Prepared to Make Emergency Store Runs. Even if that means going in the middle of night. Trust me, there will be a time when your wife or the baby needs something now and you need to go get it. Be prepared to buy the stool softeners, pads, diapers, or diaper rash cream.

9. Be Supportive. If all else fails, be supportive. A new mom might cry, or be mad, or be stressed.. just go with it. Be there, be supportive. Don’t argue with her. Even you being next to her will probably make her feel better. Talk to her; ask her how her day was. Take her for a date night when you’re ready to leave the baby. But the most important thing to remember is to be supportive!  

I would love for you to comment! What is your best advice for a first time dad? 

Cool Whip Paint Play

 I had no idea just how many toys I would buy within my daughters first 2 years, and I’m only half way through! It never really occurred to me when buying these toys that she would grow out of them within weeks. I never used that swing I got, she hated it.  I got super excited when she started holding her teething toys and went out and bought a ton of them. She had her favorite one or two, and the rest hardly got used. The Bumbo was useful, but only for the first few months. The walker I bought, she will probably never push again since she can run perfectly fine, that lasted about 3 weeks. Basically, there are toys for every developmental stage, and the older she gets, the more toys there will be. My living room has now become a bright play room.

I was going through Emma’s toys the other day, seeing what I could get rid of. She didn’t like this one bit. She held out her little hand to the 7 or 8 toys I had collected and looked at me like “Excuse me, those are mine”. I told her they were baby toys and she was too big for them, but I guess she had to see for herself. I handed the first toy to her, a teething ring, she looked at it and threw it on the ground, holding her hand out for the next one. We went through all the teething toys, rattles, wrist bracelets and car seat toys, with her throwing each one onto the floor. Then when there were no more toys in my hand, she walked off and went to go play with one of her “big girl” toys. Just for a laugh, I picked her up and put her in that saucer that sits in the corner and we haven’t used in months. I put her in there and my little girl acted like I just put in her jail. She tried to get and out and the started to whimper, tried to get out again and then let out her big “I’m really mad now” scream. She was only in there for about 45 seconds..

Now, that I’m mostly past that “Everything I find will go into my mouth” stage, I’m excited to try some of the sensory activities with her that we can do together. Most of these are fun dollar store activities. I found this cool whip paint play on Pinterest, and since it was fine even if she did eat it, we tried it. I did this activity when Emma was almost 11 months old. It only lasted about 5 minutes, but that was probably because I was scared she was going to get the paint everywhere, and she was mixing all the colors, that the paint turned black, and I was scared it was going to stain her skin. I loved this, and we will definitely be doing this again, with one thing different. I recommend doing this in the bathtub, it gets messy! I definitely didn’t like cleaning black, blue, and pink paint off my couch and floor!

Here’s what you need:

Lite Cool Whip (just in case they eat some), Food Coloring, Muffin Pan

We did this in the living room and I just laid a towel down to catch any mess. I gave her a spoon, the cutest little girls 1^st spatula and a silicone basting brush. I highly recommend doing this in the bathtub. 

Trust me, it gets messy! 

And here is where we ended.; when the paint started to turn black, and she decided to eat it.

There is another variation I have heard of before for older kids. It uses shaving cream instead of whip cream. But whatever you use, I hope you had fun with you kids, I know I did!

Surviving Baby's 1st Cold

I know that feeling where your baby wakes up screaming in the middle of night with a fever, tons of mucous and the most heart breaking “I don’t feel good” cry. I’ve been there. When you get ready to give birth and bring your baby home, most people don’t plan for when they get sick. Yes, you have a humidifier, thermometer and nasal aspirator. But do you really know handle this? When babies get sick, it comes on fast, there are no warning signs, or things leading up to it. It will just happen sometimes when you least expect it. My advice it to be prepared. Whether you are pregnant, or have a little one who hasn’t had a cold, or has and it really rough on the both you, be prepared for when the next time comes around.

This is a list of Must Haves Items for Babies 1^st Cold! Trust me, you should make sure you have everything on this list, so you won’t wake up at 3am and need to run out for some fever medicine. I have also, included a list of Tips for Surviving Babies 1^st Cold, so check that out too!

1. Pedialyte: Babies get dehydrated fast when they run a fever or have diarrhea. They will also have a very small appetite and might not want to eat food, or even drink milk. Try to keep a bottle of this on hand at all times. Remember, that it doesn’t stay good for long after its open!

2. Fever Wipes: This is just an alternative product to a wet wash cloth that you could hold onto your baby’s head to keep them cool when a fever strikes.

3. Boogie Wipes: I love these! They are grape scented, saline covered wipes and will get off all that dried on snot off your baby’s face!

4. Baby Cold Rub: This will help your baby to breathe better, and to clear out their stuffy noses!

5. Fever Reducer Medicine: ALWAYS keep this stocked at your house. Make sure you have an accurate dosing chart, I recommend printing one out, verifying it with your Pediatrician’s office and keeping on hand for middle of the night fevers!

6. Thermometer: Make sure you know what your baby’s temperature is and watch for it to go up. You may want to call your Pediatrician or take your baby to the ER if it gets too high (I’ve done it!).

7. Vaseline: this has multiple uses, but if you take your child temperature rectally, this is a must!

8. Humidifier: this is a must! It will keep the moisture in the air and help you baby to breath better and to loosen up mucous in their nose. You can even buy the vapor blocks to go into the water, check with your Pediatrician that your baby is old enough before using it.

9. Johnson’s Soothing Vapor Bath: when all else fails to get baby to rest or calm down, give them a bath. This vapor bath wash, will help you baby breathe easier and get their noses clean!

10. Nasal Aspirator:  the picture looks like the generic one a hospital will give you, but there are many different kinds to buy. This is the one I prefer. You might have to clean your baby’s nose out every few minutes, but that’s ok.

11. Saline Spray: Make sure you use this with the nasal aspirator to loosen up mucous in your baby’s nose; it will get their nose clean faster by using this! 

12 Tips for Surviving Baby’s 1^st Cold

1. Stay Calm: It is hard for any parent to see their baby sick. Try to stay calm and focus just on getting them better. Know that you are prepared and that this won’t last long.

2. Know When to Call the Doctor: Check their fever often, if it won’t go down or keeps rising with medicine, call your doctor. Call if your baby starts vomiting or has diarrhea. Call if your baby is under 6 months old. Go to the ER if your baby has trouble breathing or an extremely high fever.

3. Treat Fevers: If your baby has a fever, give the right dosage of fever reducer. I recommend printing out a chart with the correct dosages on it. You can also use a cool wash cloth or use fever wipes to put on their fore heads.

4. Clean Out Their Nose: Do this often! Sometimes, you might have to do it every few minutes. Clean their nose out before giving them a bottle or trying to put them to sleep, they won’t eat or sleep if they can’t breathe well threw their nose.

5. Use Humidifier: Put this in their room to help them breathe better when they sleep. You might have to go fill it up while their still asleep.

6. Keep Them Comfortable:  Dress them in light clothing. There is no need to keep their room extremely warm. Just make sure they are comfortable. If you normally cover them with a blanket or rock them with a blanket, continue to do that. It will make your baby feel more secure and comfortable.

7. Keep Them Hydrated: Babies tend to have a low appetite when they are sick, make sure they are at least drinking milk. If they refuse to drink milk try pedilyte and call your Doctor.

8. Sit In A Steamy Bathroom: If your baby is fussy, try to sit in the bathroom with the hot water going. It will calm your baby down and help to clear out their noses. Do this for 15-20 minutes before putting them to sleep, if you have had trouble getting them to sleep.

9. Give Them a Bath: a lukewarm bath will help your child start to feel better. They may even want to splash and play.

10. Prop Up Their Bed: When a baby has a stuffy nose, they can breathe easier at an angle. So prop up some comforters UNDERNEATH the mattress, NEVER in the crib with the baby. Make sure it is enough of an angle to help their breathing, but not too much where  

11. Let Them Cuddle With You: Babies need their Mommies when they’re sick! Spend as much time as they need cuddling and rocking them.

12. Don’t Spread the Germs: If you have other kids or other babies, make sure they aren’t around the sick baby. Limit visitors and going out with the baby, you don’t want to pick up new germs or spread your baby’s germs to another baby!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope this has helped prepare you for your babies first cold, or get through one! 

Leave a comment about what helped you the best for other Mom's to read! 

Registry Must Haves for the First Year

As a new mom, there are a lot of things that I have had to learn. When it comes to being a mom, you try to be prepared as best as you can be. I read countless books and articles and would spend hours researching things online. But, in my opinion, no advice or book or article can prepare you for motherhood. Some babies are polar opposites of others, so one thing that worked for someone else, might not work for you. I am sure that it is probably easier with the second baby you have, maybe labor won’t seem so scary. But for a first time mom, the process of getting ready for the baby can be quite stressful. I can remember going to register and bringing along 3 different checklist of “must have registry items,” and while that was a tremendous help, I had no idea just how MUCH I really needed.

I found myself asking questions like, “Do I really need a wipe warmer?” or “Will I need this use the cold medicine before it expires?” I had no idea how fast babies grow up. My daughter is advanced in my eyes. She held could sit up in her Bumbo at 3 weeks old, she was holding toys shortly after, she said her first word at 4 months old, she took her first steps a 8 months old and could walk completely by 9 months. It’s amazing how fast they learn. One minute, she had just learned to sit up, and the next time I look, my baby was crawling away. It definitely didn’t occur to me how many toys and teething items I needed for the first year!

I made a list of 1^st Year Registry Must Haves.. this doesn’t mean that you should buy ALL of this before you even have a baby. But just keep in mind, that these are the things that will help your baby grow and develop throughout the first year. It is definitely expensive, especially on top of food, clothes, and formula. But babies grow up so fast in the first year, and these toys and items are just for stages, they will grow out of them fast! Enjoy your little one’s while their little. These are the toys and products that I have found to be the most helpful throughout my babies first year, all divided up into separate categories!  I hope this help as you plan for your baby and enjoy their first year of life! 

1. Boppy Pillow: I loved this. You can use it when you breast feed, for propping up a small baby, for tummy time, and as a safety pillow for when baby is learning to sit up!  
2. Mittens: These are for a newborn’s hands so they won’t scratch their face with their nails. Keep in mind, that the Carter’s Sleepers in Newborn and 3 month size, have a hand cover built into the sleeves.

3. Sleep N’ Play: Love these for a newborn! They keep them warm, are easy to change, and are easy for diaper changes. A must for a newborn!

4. Bassinet: There are a lot of different varieties of bassinets, some are available for sleeping next to mom and dad’s bed. Pick one that works for you! These are great for newborns so they can sleep in the same room as you, babies get up so often when they are that little. It keeps the nerves away, some mom’s worry about if her baby is ok, this way they are right by you to check on. I love the ones that have night lights, music, vibrate, or rock. The storage containers are great for a quick diaper or clothes change in the middle of the night!

5. Activity Mat: This is a great developmental toy. Babies love to just lay back and look at their toys or some even have mirrors! Eventually they will pull their toys and roll over on this mat.

6. Infant Car Seat: A must! I love how easy these are to carry babies out with you when you leave the house. They sleep so much when their little and baby can sleep in this when you’re out. There are convertible car seats that will fit a newborn, but I prefer this for a younger baby.

7. Security Blanket: It’s never too early for a security toy, which will one day be comforting to your baby. I have a few, my daughter will sleep with one.

8. Pacifier and Pacifier Clip: If your baby will take a pacifier, the Nubbie brand is the most popular and the one that most hospitals use. There are thousands of designs of clips and pacifiers to choose from!

9. Teething Rings: Babies teeth very early, these little rings can go in the fridge to help sooth your babies gums and they are small enough for your baby to hold it themselves when they are old enough. You can hook these to the pacifier clips, so that your baby won't drop it on the ground and get it dirty! 

10. Hats: A newborn babies body temperatures need to be regulated. Even if it is not cold to you, a newborn is very small and not yet used to regulating their body temperature. Make sure you have a few hats on hand, especially at night. Remember that the hospital will give you one when you leave.

11. Receiving Blankets: Newborn babies love to be swaddled! It reminds them of the womb. They do sell a specific blanket for swaddling, and wearable blankets, but you can also use a receiving blanket as long as you know how to swaddle!

12. Pack N’ Play: For me this was a must. If you live in bigger house or a house with more than one story, it can be challenging to have to keep going up the stairs so often! Whether it be to lay them down in bed, change their diaper or change their clothes. I put this in my living room when my baby was a newborn. I could lay her down in the same room when we had company over, and it has a changing table built into it. I used the play pen part to store diaper rash creams, medicine, extra burp clothes and clothes.. anything! Then when they are old enough, you can just have a play pen. These also fold up, and they work well when you go out of town.

13. Lap Pads: I am so glad I had these when my baby was a newborn! A lot of newborns have diarrhea, and it comes from their body getting rid of jaundice. Some babies will start using the bathroom right when you go to change their diaper! Trust me, these make clean up so much easier! They will keep your changing pad and changing table clean.  

14. Waterproof Teething Bibs: These are a must for teethers who drool a lot. These are expensive for bibs, but it beats changing clothes 5 times a day just from all the drool!

15. Bouncer: Babies loved to get soothed by the gentle bouncing motion.

16. Sophie the Giraffe Teether: A teether’s best friend!

17. Infant Bath with Sling: There are many different type of baths. I prefer one with a tub and a sling. I never washed a baby in the sink before, but I know they make slings especially for that. The sling is great for a small baby with an umbilical cord and when they can’t sit up. The tub is great to have for after the umbilical cord falls off and when baby starts learning to sit up.

18. Swing: Another soothing toy that comes with many different varieties of features. 

1. Crib and Bedding: This is where you get to have fun decorating! The new cribs will be available to convert into a toddler bed and then into a headboard for a bigger bed. I would advise having at least 2 bed sheets for middle of the night changes!

2. Changing Table: Make sure there is storage for all the diapers, wipes or clothes!

3. Changing Pad and Changing Pad Cover: I would advise having more than one cover, babies will make a mess!

4. Diaper Pail: A must to keep those smelly diapers locked up.

5. Glider with Foot Rest: Pick out a comfortable one, mom! You will probably be spending a lot of time in it!

6. Mattress Cover: So those baby mattresses are hard, right? And I know they need to be, but I found this mattress cover that goes under the sheet to make it a little more soft and its waterproof!

7. Noise Maker/Music Player: I highly recommend this. It will help babies sleep, know that it’s time to sleep and some will even play a mom’s heart beat!

8. Diaper Caddy: this is great to carry around the house all the things you might need.

9. Mattress Pads: these go under the sheet and make for a very easy clean up when it comes to messy diapers in bed, a leaked through diaper or a sick baby that will throw up!

10. Black Out Curtains: I love these. It helps to keep the room dark when it’s time for baby to sleep and it’s hard to do that during the day. These work great at keeping the sunlight out when it’s nap time or bedtime.

11. Diaper Organizer: to store all your diapers for easy reach, and they will match the crib bed set! 

1. High Chair/Shopping Cart Cover: I love this. It keeps all the germs from other kids off of your baby and it go into the washing machine. The one I have has storage pockets and hooks for toys.

2. Car Seat Strap Covers: Some car seat comes with this, if they don’t, I suggest getting one. They are padded and can protect your child during a car crash and can make them more comfortable in their seat.

3. Baby Sling/Carrier: these are great for going somewhere that you will be walking around a lot, or to just take a walk! It’s great for new mom’s trying to exercise and loose that baby weight.. some moms will put this on and do squats with their baby!

4.  Car Seat and Stroller Combo: I love how these hook together, so you can use a stroller for a small baby!   

5. Car Seat Head Rest: A lot of car seats come with these. The body part is great for a newborn or a preemie baby. It gives them extra padding and comfort. 

6. Bottle Case: An insulated case for breast feeding moms.

7. Convertible Car Seat: Love that these can transform into a booster seat!

8. Car Seat Cover: These are great for places with snow, and during cold weather. It will also protect baby from rain. You can buy a custom cover or use a receiving blanket for an infant car seat.

9. Pacifier Case:  Keep babies pacifier clean and in the same place, so you don’t have to search forever for it!

10. Diaper Bag with Changing Pad Cover:  A diaper bag is a must. Most come with changing pad covers, but make sure you have one.. it works great for public changing tables, or at someone else’s house. You would be surprised at the public places that don’t have a changing table!!

1. Breast Milk Storage Containers: They are available in either containers or bags.. pick one that works best for you and the bottles you have!

2. Nursing Pads: either disposable or reusable gel ones that sooth at the same time. I’ve heard of some that collect breast milk, but the reviews weren’t great.

3. Nipple Cream:  Helps to sooth sore nipples from breast feeding and is safe for baby!

4. Nursing Cover: Perfect for nursing your baby in public and they come in such cute styles for Mom!

5. Breast Pump: Available in single or double and electric or manual.. you choose what is best for you! This will also help increase your milk supply.

6. Burp Cloths: A must for either breast feeding or bottle feeding!

7. Bottles: I personally recommend the Tommee Tippee brand, I love ALL their products.

8. Dishwasher Bottle Organizer: has a slot for straws, nipples, and lids!

9. Bottle Brush with Nipple Tip: gets all the milk out every spot! 

10. Formula Dispenser: Great way to store your formula in the diaper bag.

1. High Chair: A must! There are also portable high chairs, so baby can sit and eat at the table at someone else’s house!

2. Bowls: Lots of these.. for baby food or snacks, and some with lids to carry with you in the diaper bag.

3. Silicone Bib with Pouch: these are wonderful! They wash right off with water and the pouch will catch all that dropped food!

4. Baby Bullet: Great for the Mom who wants to make homemade baby food!

5. Sippy Cups: lots of them, try a lot of different brands if your baby doesn’t like one.

6. No Slip Baby Mat: these are perfect for when your baby starts picking up food. It keeps its place and some will even suction a plate to it.

7. Soft Tipped Spoons: soft for babies delicate and sensitive gums!

1. Inflatable Bathtub: these are very useful for a baby who is just learning to sit up, it will keep them safer than being in a regular bath tub! And it looks like it would be fun! They also make bath rings that your child will sit in, similar to a pool tube. If you don’t use a tub, make sure you have no slip floor mat in the tub.

2. Bath Rinser: These are great for rinsing off the baby in the tub, and they come in a variety of colors and themes.

3. Towels and Wash Cloths: Wash Cloths can be used for a variety of reasons around the house for your baby.. such as treating diaper rash, cleaning spit up, washing babies face or hands after feeding. I love the hooded towels!

4. Bath Thermometer: this will make sure that the bath water isn’t too hot. There also some that are sold, that just light up hot when it is too hot.

5. Bathtub Corner Toy Caddy: I love all the bath time toys, but you need somewhere to put them, and this works great. Keeps all the toys organized in a no-mildew container.

6. Bathtub Toys: These cups are a great developmental toy, baby can spend time dumping water out of containers. I also love the letters and shapes that stick to the walls when wet.

7. Faucet Cover: This will protect your baby from accidentally hitting their head on the faucet and it looks cute! They make some that make water come out like a waterfall or has a slot for bubble bath to mix in. 

**A lot of these items will come in a baby's first year medical kit or some might be given to you at the hospital when you leave**

1. Gripe Water: treats colic and the hiccups.

2. Tooth and Gum Cleanser: great for a teething baby and to clean teeth after they come in, it gets the child in the habit of learning to brush their teeth.

3. Gas Drops: gas can be painful or wake a baby up, so keep them comfortable.

4. Pain Reliever and Fever Reducer: most Pediatrician’s will tell you to give the baby a fever reducer medicine if a fever occurs after having vaccinations or due to teething. Have this on hand before you need it, just in case! Make sure you have the right dosing by asking your Pediatrician, there is concentrated drops and a liquid suspension with different dosages!

5. Zout: So far this is the BEST stain remover for baby food stains. I went back and cleaned clothes I had already packed up and the stains still came out!

6. Laundry Detergent: babies have very sensitive skin, so use a no perfume and no dye laundry detergent, such as Dreft or All.

7. Humidifier: this is a must to have for when babies have runny noses or colds, some people will leave theirs running constantly.

8. Baby Cold Rub: for when a bad cold starts, have this on hand to make baby feel better. Look at the ages before giving it to your child.

9. Pacifier Wipes: these are good to have in the diaper bag for when a pacifier falls and you don’t have the resources available to wash it off.

10. Saline Spray and Nasal Syringe: the hospital will probably give you a nasal syringe, but make sure to use the saline spray to get the snot loose before cleaning out a babies nose.  

11. Hyland’s Teething Tablets: now, every Mom is entitled to her own opinion. I researched it, talked to my Pediatrician and put care thought into it before giving my child these. Some people have negative reviews and some have positive. They worked great for my child. They have no pain medicine in it, which is great because a lot of babies will run a fever when they teeth, which could be dangerous. My baby slept through the night and played during the day when her teeth came in, she was completely happy. I suggest looking into it or talking to child’s Pediatrician if you are unsure if these are right for you.

12. Natural Essentials Fever, First Aid, and Nose Wipes: I haven’t used these yet, but I plan on buying them. The fever wipes would work great for a sick baby.

13. Nail Clippers: babies nails grow fast and the will scratch their faces or their ears, so cut them when they get too long. There a variety of nail clippers to chooses from, so have lights, gripes, or a magnifier on them. Be careful not to cut the babies fingers, they have extra blood vessels in the tips of their fingers at this age and it will bleed pretty bad.

14. Vaseline: they make a kind especially for babies, this will be useful for heat rash on the face, diaper rash, irritation due to spit up, or taking babies temperature.

15. Boogie Wipes: I love these! They are saline covered wipes and they take dried on snot right off! And they are grape scented, they smell so good!

16. Thermometer: most hospitals will give you a generic thermometer when you leave. There are also others that are taken on the head, have removable tips, are taken in the ear, or one that doesn’t even have to touch your baby. A thermometer is a must, fevers can be dangerous for babies!

17. Safety Swab Q-tips: I love these, you can clean your child’s ear out, and know that it won’t hurt them because of the safety guard!

18. Boudreaux's Maximum Strength Butt Paste: this is THE BEST diaper rash cream ever! It will clear it up in the same day! This is a must!

1. Bumbo Seat with Tray: I love this! The seat helps babies learn to sit up on their own. You can feed your baby in this when they aren’t big enough for a high chair yet. It is so easily portable! The tray is sold separately, but makes it easier to feed them and let them play with toys.

2. Stuffed Animals: even boys like stuffed animals. The one in the picture is actually a Scentsy Buddy, and I want one for my little girl so bad!! I think it would be cute to watch her smell it!

3. Riding Toys: there are so many different types out there, but I think they are so fun and are a great learning toy!

4. Saucer: babies won’t play in these much after they start moving around and wanting to explore. But these are great for when they start learning to sit up. There are a lot of different varieties; some even have a jumping pad on the bottom!

5. Car Seat Toys: these toys can hook onto car seats, saucers, swings, high chair covers, activity mats. Definitely get a few of these, even if your baby can’t hold them, they will love to watch them move around in the car.

6. Books: this is a huge learning and developmental toy. It also makes for a great bonding time, by reading books together! This is my daughter’s favorite thing to do. We literally have hundreds of books and she is only 1!

7. Push Toys: These are a great learning toy for a baby learning to hold themselves up or to walk. There are some to buy that lay flat for them to play with until they are old enough to push them.

1. Door Knob Covers

2. Wind-Up Window Blind Cords: these could be a choking hazard.

3. Baby Gate: A must! Keep your baby away from the stairs or the kitchen without putting them in play pen.

4. Stove Knob Covers: for gas stoves, this is essential to protect a very fatal situation.

5. Oven Door Lock

6. Refrigerator Lock

7. Car Baby On Board Decal

8. Cabinet and Drawer Locks

9. Baby Monitor: there are many different kinds and some are quite expensive. There are regular noise monitors, video monitor, hand held monitors and even Wifi camera monitors. Some will allow you to talk through the monitor to your baby, tell the temperature or measure a baby’s heart beats.

10. Table Corner Covers: get the expensive kinds, the cheap one’s will tear up your furniture. And babies might chew on these, so be careful.

11. TV and Furniture Secures: for babies that will pull up on things, this is essential to make sure a TV or book case won’t fall on them.

12. Nightlight: be able to see into a baby’s room without turning on the light, and they might be comforted by a little bit of light.

13. Car Mirror: great for keeping an eye on your baby while you drive, some mirrors have lights and some will play music.

14. Outlet Covers: some need a magnet key or coin to unlock to get off.

15. Car Sun Shade: keep the sun out of the your babies eyes!

I hope this helps, these are what has helped make my life easier and what my little girl LOVES.. leave a comment about your favorite baby item at the moment!! I'd love to hear from you! :)