It's amazing how much a little experience can change the way you approach things and never is that more true than when you are preparing for the arrival of a new baby. I don't believe that I went overboard when preparing for Skye's arrival, but I would absolutely say that my priorities this time around are very different indeed.
While I was pregnant with Skye, I spent an excessive amount of time scrolling through post after post on Apartment Therapy searching for ideas for the perfect nursery. Probably the only thing that really kept me from going all out (aside from the money factor) was the fact that we didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl. It meant that I had to restrain myself when looking at clothing, bedding, toys, wall decorations and all that other fun stuff that has nothing to do with actually having a baby, but was my biggest fixation the first time around.
Prior to Skye's birth I did not even own a single Wondersuit.
They horrified me.
I could not think of a more daggy, boring item to dress my gorgeous new baby in than a towelling all-in-one whose design had not changed since before I was born. Besides, Skye was a Summer baby, what the hell would I need a Wondersuit for?
The second day in hospital in arctic frost air conditioning quickly changed my mind and I discovered they had the added bonus of making a newborn far easier to hold, velcro like even. A safety feature that cannot be underestimated when you are a sleep deprived first time parent.
Actually, when I think about it, I was grossly underprepared for bringing Skye home. Of course I had all the obvious big ticket items like the cot, car seat and pram. I had boxes and boxes of nappies in a variety of sizes. I had a drawer full of creams and lotions, none of which I had the foggiest about where I was supposed to apply them. I had a handful of cute toys and some unisex coloured clothing, which honestly was more suited to a boy and I had a feeding chair that was super comfortable to bounce in while I was pregnant, but impossible to lift myself and a sleeping milk drunk baby out of.
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| Cannot escape super comfortable chair |
After having difficulties with breastfeeding in the hospital, I was fully expressing by the time I was discharged. This was fine until I remembered that I only had a basic breast pump, a grand total of TWO bottles and no sterilising equipment what-so-ever waiting for me at home, meaning we had to swing by Coles on our way home.
Like that first trip in the car isn't scary enough!
The first night home from the hospital we experienced unusually cold December weather and I soon learned that all those light muslin wraps I had were not going to be enough to keep my little bundle cosy enough to sleep for longer than half an hour at a time. Slightly problematic when I was also trying to express every 2 hours just to make sure we had enough supply at the ready.
Why on earth did I not flog a few bunny rugs from the hospital like every other person I know?
Thank God for Clever Baker Friend who arrived the next day loaded up with blankets, warm wraps, Wondersuits and all manner of I've done this before paraphernalia including a copy of What To Expect The First Year (which truly saved my sanity on many occasions).
Since those first few months of fumbling around and doing my best "I have this shit under control" impression, I have learned that the practical necessities are far more valuable than the perfect wall decal and this time I have spent my time (and money) on the basic's I know I will need in the first few weeks.
- 12 singlets
- 6 - 10 singlet suits
- 6 - 10 short sleeve suits
- 6 - 10 Wondersuits
As we don't know if we are having a boy or a girl this time around either, I have bought pure white or grey as much as possible. This proved to be much harder than I would have thought. I would have even settled for yellow or green if necessary, but even in newborn sizes you really only get a choice of pink or blue and apparently this season, black, which just seems so wrong to me.
I really have no interest in trying to dress a newborn in cute little top and pants sets when I know that after spending an hour trying to wrestle their tiny wriggly hands and feet into them without breaking something, all they do is ride up or come off anyway.
If they don't shit all over them first that is.
- 6 super light bamboo muslin wraps
- 2 jersey wraps
- 2 knitted wraps
- 2 cellular cot blankets
Skye hated being swaddled and was completely out of wraps by the time she was 2 months old, so I will be waiting to see how Baby Bond takes to being wrapped before I buy up big on these. All the ones I had previously were far too small to allow for secure tucking so I made sure these were all extra large.
- Baby Bjorn carrier
- Dummies
- Summer weight Sleeping Bag
- Head and Neck support for the car seat and pram
- Breast pump, bottles and steriliser because even if I don't need them this time I am hoping to express and freeze some breast milk just in case I am sick, or
get a life and escape the houseneed to be away from Baby Bond for any length of time - Rocking bouncer with vibration setting (possibly one of the best things we had for Skye)
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| Even at 2 weeks old Skye wouldn't stay wrapped |
What would be your must have item and what would you have bought if you had to go back and do it all again?
