What do you really NEED?

The second you announce you’re having a baby you are bombarded with advice, adverts, information in articles you read, posts in forums and of course, your dear mother in law. It’s overwhelming!

Well, here I am to pile on my 2 cents worth, hehe. I’ve had two babies (boys, granted), and I was generally confused and felt like I was either missing out on the ‘must have’ thing or disappointed that the things I did get sucked into buying didn’t seem that amazing after all.

So what did I do by the time number 2 baby came along? I just went with my experience, a level head and common sense. I knew myself a bit better by then, and what I’m likely to find useful in real life vs what might be handy on the odd occasion but not a life saver.

Here are a few basics that I personally found made life easier.

Schnuggle baby bath
Honestly, it made bath time fun! First baby had a normal baby bath and it was a slippery nightmare. I got the Schnuggle bath for my second and it was so easy. We used it until he was a year old even though you’re not supposed to past 6 months. Love it! And here’s a link to a navy version if you’re like me and want to be a bit different!
Baby Shusher
I use these in my newborn sessions and I pinched it from the studio for about 6 months when I had my second baby. I know there are plenty of white noise apps and devices but this one is really great. We had Ewan the Dream Sheep with my firstborn and it was ok, but I like the volume on the Shusher and the repetitive ‘shhhhhh’ noise is really soothing. I talk about it in a previous post about my newborn session essentials.
Love to swaddle
I wish I’d known how to swaddle with my first baby. I was like most other new mums - I gave it a weak attempt and when he protested and cried and wriggled free I ditched the idea. I gave it a better go (4 years of newborn photography by then - I swaddle in every session!) and my second really loved it. As soon as he’d yawn I’d wrap him into a cocoon and he’d sleep. I tried out a Love to Dream swaddle sleeping bag after reading so many rave reviews. It did the job well and meant I didn’t have to faff with flailing legs and arms.
Baby sling
Oh my goodness, my second baby lived in the ring sling I’d made. In he’d pop for the school walk and it was so lovely. He was a chunky boy so when my back began to ache and as soon as he was a bit bigger (around 6 weeks) I transferred to the infant insert in my old Beko Soliel carrier, which goes all the way up to age 3. And I literally used it all the time, I hardly needed a pram (which usually ended up functioning as a trolley for all our stuff!).
There are many on the market, all lovely - wraps, slings, carriers, buckles… So many good ones you can’t go wrong but get in touch with your local sling library if you’d like advice (and you can pop along to try out different ones, once Covid-19 allows… )
Make sure you choose an ergonomic one that is good for your baby’s hips. The ones where their legs dangle down (that are most commonly sold on the high street) should be avoided.
Boppy cushion
Super handy for breastfeeding, and a safe place to pop baby when they’re a little bigger - I found this one of those things I used all the time. Mine ended up going home with a newborn client who was struggling with breastfeeding - she needed it more than me!
Lansinoh nipple cream
Get it before your baby arrives. You’ll need it! And if you end up not using it for your nipples, it’s the best lip balm and will last you forever.

Everybody definitely needs a good baby carrier/sling.

This is not by any means the full list, just a few that sprang to mind. Other basic essentials are baby monitor, crib, travel system, blankets, muslins, hooded bath towel If you’re formula feeding, the Tommy Tippee Perfect Prep machine is handy, as well as their insulated bottle bags (included in the travel feeding accessories bundle which we used quite a bit).

Honestly, your baby doesn’t need a lot of stuff - and there are so many useless gadgets out there. Wait until you have a need and then find the thing on the market to help - every baby is different and you can waste a fortune on things that end up being unnecessary.

BUT - some things are definitely worth spending more and getting the better version of. If I was expressing, I would have bought an electric pump. I suffered for weeks with a cheap Asda hand pump which was literally manual labour.

Here are some of the things I didn’t need (but believed I did):

A universal sized sunshade cover to pull over the pushchair. Never left the box. I couldn’t figure it out.
Baby converse shoes. Babies don’t need shoes.
Newborn size outfits (including jeans!). Neither of my babies wore anything other than sleepsuits for the first 6 months!

Apart from nutrition, warmth and comfort, it’s true that what your baby truly needs is simply love. Don’t forget that!

Tell me what you’ve learnt - what have been your best and worst buys?

To book or enquire about a session with me, get in touch - I’d love to learn more.