I just had a quick question. I have several family members who are going to be having babies here really soon. I have my ideas of what to get them but I am requesting others ideas.
So my questions are if you were given a mommy and bay basket at he hospital what products or things would you just want to have in it?
Also what item or product could you absolutely not live without with a newborn?
What item or product that you did not want at all?
Thanks a head of time for the input I appreciate it.
Aloha
Marie
I really like my Hooter Hider and I use it constantly. It covers you up while you're nursing, but you can still look down and see your baby and make eye contact because of the special boning in the neckline. I think it's a must-have for mothers who are going to nurse. It costs about $30. I tried a generic brand and it didn't work well after the first time I washed it. I also really like my sling: Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. Check out Kangarookorner.com for ideas and information on all the slings available.
Maybe give the book Babywise about sleeping/eating for new baby. I got the AZ Mama's Handbook with tons of ideas of things to do and places to go here in Arizona and they make this book for other states as well, so they might have one of those for Las Vegas.
A good breastfeeding book (So That's What They're For!, The Nursing Mother's Companion, and The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding come to mind) is invaluable.
Any book that helped me learn to trust myself and my baby was wonderful (Dr. Sears!)
Nursing pads and lanolin could be helpful; a My Brest Friend pillow was great for my first.
I couldn't live without a good sling! I hated the Baby Bjorn, but a Maya Wrap was lovely.
Congrats to everyone. =)
You can't go wrong with diapers. Also, I used those little gowns a lot with my kids, the ones that just have elastic on the bottom so you can change diapers in the middle of the night without having seven little snaps to do. Also, long sleeve undershirts that button on the side are very useful until the umbilical cord falls off. Diaper creme, baby socks... Also, Johnson and Johnson sells lavendar scented bath products that smelled great. Oh, and Mother's Little Helper laundry pretreatment. I don't know what I would have done without that.
The other moms had great suggestions for nursing moms, but you might want to find out if the mom is nursing first. I was not medically able to do so, and it would have been unpleasant to receive a reminder.
I noticed on your "little about me" section, you mentioned you were a Server to God. You might want to add a book of children's prayers to add your own little touch.
First let me say it is so sweet how thoughtful you are about it! If a nursing mom, I say soothies! I couldn't have lived without these. You can put them in the fridge and they cool and help heal your nipples! Also, I agree...wipes and diapers are always a must, although some parents have prefrences with a brand of product. Something for mom...not baby related! A starbucks card or bubble bath or something just for her! Diaper rash creams come in really handy for even dry skin, so you can't go wrong there and I personally only had luck with BUTT PASTE. Other brands didn't work for my kids. Also the pre soaped disposable wash cloths are great too, especially with newborns. Again...you are sweet for putting so much thought into it. Good luck!
Hi Marie,
I say an infant secure sleep, which keesp baby sleeping on their back or side without rolling over to the tummy. It also keeps the baby snuggled up.
A n'night CD is a must. We still fall asleep to soothing music and can't live without it.
And, best of all...a Mommy and Me photo session. I shoot photography wink* wink*. www.carlastephens.com.
A few things come to mind right away. The Boppy, The Amazing Miracle Blanket for swaddling (skip the swaddle blankets from BRU, they don't compare at all), a nursing tank, Weleda baby products from WF or VC, they are a little pricey, but so worth it, and finally a Hotsling or other baby pouch.
I also agree about a Dr. Sears book, but I would personally stay away from purchasing a sleep book for another mother. You may not know her parenting style yet and she may not be comfortable with letting her baby CIO or co-sleeping, so let her choose that, or better yet, let her ask you for suggestions later.
I agree that if she's nursing, that the hooter hider and the soothies were great. If you're looking for some different personal items I ate a lot of the sweet and salty almond bars, found in the granola bar aisle, in the middle of the night to keep me from starving and give me enough energy to keep getting up with my baby. Juice boxes were nice to keep upstairs, too. I also liked to read once I got the hang of nursing so that I could fill that 30-45 min. multi tasking. I read "First Time Mom" by Dr. Kevin Leeman, a Christian psychologist and also "What To Expect in the First Year". I also continued using cocoa butter locian, so that might be nice. If you're going with baby products, I thought the pampers' swaddlers worked best with a newborn.
Just some things I have received and given...
slippers, favorite snack, favorite drink, chapstick, tissues (hospial ones are sandpaper), small toy for older child, lotion, thank you cards (let them get an early start), and a heart felt note of motherhood and the great exciting life they will have.
If these are mom's that are going to be breastfeeding, I would include either Lansinoh lanolin or Nipple Cream by the brand Motherlove (can be found at Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Vitamin Cottage). The Nipple Cream is great because it can also be used on diaper rash. I don't know what I would have done without those as a new nursing mom. I personally did not want any pacifiers for my newborn, again because I was going to breastfeed. I found I didn't need much more than the basics in those early weeks, a good supply of burp cloths were very handy, maybe a special little treat just for mommy. Good luck!
Hi Marie!
Of course a lot of this depends on how much you want to spend, but here are some of my suggestions:
A baby carrier- my personal favorite is the Moby Wrap
Natural Baby Products- From Earth Mama Angel Baby, baby bottom balm, shampoos, lotions, tea for mom, etc- wonderful products!
The Baby Book by Drs. Sears- this book covers the first few years, I used it daily those first few months, and I still refer to it regularly and my baby is 9 months old.
A kit that casts baby's hand and/or foot.
I could suggest more, but you will probably get lots of suggestions. I suggest a more natural approach, products that encourage nurturing of the baby, mom and family. To see more, you can go to www.naturalchoices4baby.com There aren't many products for sale yet, but if you find something that you would like, let me know and I would love to extend a discount to you (I can order products, so if you want something that I don't have yet, just let me know). Good Luck!
Hannah Gaitten
ONe thing I could not live without is my Boppy! I use this everyday for feedings and even just holding my little guy. You can even use it to prop the baby up on. At the hospital I loved having lotion and chapstick. I hope this helps.
Motherlove Birth and Baby Oil and Mist - they tend to come together.
California Baby Diaper Area Wash.
Baby Botanicals skin-daddle massage oil.
all Weleda baby products.
Wish Garden Herbs - Baby Blues mood remedy.
Wish Garden Herbs - Pregnancy Immune Boost - can continue using while nursing
Wish Garden Herbs - Colic Ease!!!!
Clean Cantene stainless steel waterbottle - the waterbottles in the hospital are made of bad plastic. Siggs would be good to and prettier.
Bobo Bars, Lara Bars, Baklava
I love the ideas from the nursing mothers - but not all of us are/were able to nurse. Caused quite a few tears on my part, but I just never got any milk.
My things that I loved were a Baby Bjorn carrier. It's like a little backpack, but for the front. It's expensive is the biggest drawback (mine was like $90). But I shared mine with my sister whose 2nd baby had colic. Helped out A LOT there.
The other thing I used a lot with #1 was a bouncy chair. I had one that played music and vibrated. She LOVED that. She could be in the same room with me always and then there was the bouncing, vibrating, music aspect.
And I got a heartbeat bear for #1 when she was about 2 months old. Helped with the sleeping a lot. It's a bear that has a velcro loop so you can "tie" it to the crib, and it has a pouch in the back that has a little box that plays the sound of a mother's heart in-utero. My oldest (now 7) has only just quit using hers. She would turn him on when she was scared or had a bad dream.
Got one right away for #2. They are cuddly, so the kids can play with them. The heartbeat cycles off after about half an hour. I got mine at Target. But they don't carry the Dex brand anymore. Dex does have a website, and if you want it let me know. Those were about $20 each. And, honestly, my second has slept thru the night since about a month old! (First was more like 2.5 to 3 months)
Hi Marie. I forget the names of both items. They're both small and inexpensive but very useful. One is the duck dirty diaper bag despenser, and the other is the hand held food mesher. It's a little ring with a little net on it. You can put chunks of veggies or fruit in it and the baby holds on to it theirself and chops away without getting hazerdous pieces in their mouth. I get both products from target. About $5.00 or less. Another gift that I think is great for moms who would use it is a plastic case with all the baby medecine. Baby Tylonal, Baby Oragel, teething tablets, etc. When your baby first needs those things, you usually don't have it. Unless you have another young one at home. Oh, and the gift that everyone gets and hardly ever uses...the comb and brush set. Have fun with the project. I'm sure they'll love everything in it.
I would want some luxurious shower gels so I could get back to being a woman even in the hospital. I had a c-section, and after a day or two with the regular gel, I was ready for something that was rich, and thick!
I'd also suggest some lotion for the babies. A nice organic or natural lotion would really benefit the Colorado babies!
This isn't really a product for the hospital, but I had a "casserole and diaper shower" for my last child (in lieu of gifts. Basically everyone gave a package of diapers (in alldifferent sizes-some gave Newborn all the way to size 3) and a casserole of freezable dish in a foil "tosss away pan". I never had to worry about the 2 things I needed most after my baby was born - Diapers (who wants to run out when you are sleep deprived?) and a easy to make dinner (just remove from the freezer and bake.) on those days when baby is fussy and Mommy is tired.
bouncy seat and onsie type shirts/pants outfits. bigger sizes of sleepers and no basket delivered to the hospital, you just have to get it home. A short visit to bring the basket, see the baby and fuss over any older siblings. thats what i'd want most.
The most meaningful thing for me with my first baby was a Target giftcard for MOMMY. After all the lovely baby shower gifts it was nice to have someone actually say "spend this on mom", thus making me not feel guilty for indulging a bit after a got home from the hospital. Believe me, the last thing new moms need is guilt about anything. Also, a nursing cover like Hooter Hider (if they are nursing) is a must. I didn't have one with my first and now I am SO looking forward to having one with my second. They are a life saver for nursing moms.