The first few weeks with a newborn are rough and nothing can really prepare you for it. When I was pregnant everyone told me to get all the sleep I could because once the baby arrived I’d be a zombie. And I did because I never had a problem sleeping or got to an uncomfortable stage in my pregnancy – I was lucky. However, once Crosby arrived I turned into that sleep deprived zombie everyone warned me about. It was hard to see it as temporary and imagine life on the other side.
There were some things I used during those first few weeks that made things a little easier. I wanted to compile them into a survival kit for the new mom.
Comfortable and chic pajamas for mama – There are so many good options out there whether you spend $20 or more! I lived in these from Target in the hospital and once I got home. They’re button up which makes them perfect for nursing too!
Belly Bandit BFF – I started wearing this little miracle worker once I got home from the hospital, so about two days after I delivered Crosby. I wore it all day – only taking it off to shower and sleep – and noticed a huge difference right away! I’d say I wore it consistently for the first month and felt like I was pretty much back to my pre-pregnancy size.
Birdie by OLIKA – Could not love this little guy more! I don’t leave the house without him even now. When you’re first home with a newborn you really worry about germs. We made guest wash their hands as soon as they came over, but Birdie was great to have with us if anyone needed a quick refresh or when we ventured out to the doctor in those early days.
Under eye concealer – Before baby I never used concealer. Once the sleep deprivation set in so did the dark under eye circles. Luckily I had a few on hand from PR mailings. This one is my favorite, I relied on it pretty heavily those first few weeks.
Bottle warmer – Breast feeding can be a challenge and I really know that fed is best. When we got home from the hospital we did everything we could to make sure Crosby was getting enough. I’d feed her and then pump while Jeff fed her formula or anything I’d previously pumped. This bottle warmer was a life saver to heat up cold milk.
Dr. Brown’s bottles – Our doctor recommended these and they’re the only baby bottle to feature an internal vent system that helps reduce colic, spit-up, burping and gas by eliminating negative pressure and air bubbles, helps preserve vitamins C, A, & E by minimizing oxidation of breast milk and formula, and provides vacuum-free feeding similar to breastfeeding.
Soothie pacifier/Wubbanub – We didn’t start giving these to her until she was about three weeks old but once we did I feel like she really learned how to soothe herself between feedings.
Swaddles – I never mastered the baby burrito, but Jeff was the swaddle master! We loved Aden & Anais muslin swaddle blankets during the day and the Halo sleep sack at night.
Bamboo Nature Body Lotion – You’re not supposed to use lotion on your baby’s skin for the first two weeks or so, but once we go the green light we wanted something natural. This stuff is awesome and we’re still using it.
Freshly Picked moccasins in newborn sizes – It took awhile for Crosby’s little feet to fit into the size 0’s but once they did there was not turning back. They’re the only shoe that stays on her feet… socks never even did! She’s actually still in a 0, but will be graduating to the 1 soon.
Baby Bling bows – This was my way of dressing her up when no clothes fit. We’ve had family members joke and ask if her head will fall off if she’s not wearing a bow, that’s how much she wears them! In all honestly I tried a lot of bows but these were the only ones that seemed comfortable and didn’t leave any marks on her head.
I think I’ve covered everything – aside from actually sleeping. 😉 But that will come with time.
This post was sponsored by OLIKA but all opinions are my own.