Getting Ready for Baby...The Little Things, Part 1

In an earlier post I talked about all of the larger items that are nice/you need to have for baby. Now, I am going to start talking about the smaller items that are nice/you need to have for baby. Of course, these are my personal preferences. There are thousands of products out there and you need to use what is right for you and your baby.

My first piece of advice for everyone is don't go overboard buying stuff for baby ahead of time (especially if you are going to be having a baby shower). There are a few things that you will need to have on hand before baby arrives, but hold off on that shopping spree until you start trying things out to find out what you like and don't like.

Diapers:
Diapers are an excellent example of this. We had both Pampers Swaddlers Newborn and Huggies Newborn diapers on hand before our daughter arrived. It did not take long for us to realize that Huggies were not the brand for us! They leaked almost every time poop was involved and newborns poop a lot so you can imagine how quickly the laundry was piling up! Huggies may be better for boys or better as babies get older, but they certainly did not cut it in the beginning. We have since found out that there is a large group of anti-Huggies parents out there so you might want to save yourself the trouble and stick with Pampers (I don't know from personal experience, but I have heard that the same goes for no-name brands of diapers as well).

Cloth diapers are also an option. We live in an apartment with a washing machine, but no dryer so I knew right away that cloth diapers were not going to work for us. I have also talked to parents that did a lot of research on the cloth vs. disposable debate and discovered that when you take into account the laundry detergent that pollutes the water, the water necessary for washing the diapers and the power needed to run the machines, there ends up being very little difference in the environmental impact.

Cleaning That Little Bum:
In addition to diapers, you need to decide what you are going to use to clean baby's bottom. My personal preference is baby washcloths rinsed in warm water. Washcloths are washable and, therefore, reduce the amount of garbage you are creating. They are also free of whatever chemicals are put into wipes. I do also use wipes when I don't make that stop at the sink before the diaper change and when are away from home, but I find that my daughter starts to get a rash after a few diapers changes using wipes. Again, I prefer Pampers wipes to any other brand (I have tried Huggies and no-name) because they are much softer than the others. We were given a wipes warmer as a shower gift which my husband and I initially thought was silly and unnecessary, but I have since changed my mind. It is not only great because it keeps the wipes warm, but it also keep them moist. There are washcloth warmers on the market that work the same as wipe warmers and had I known this earlier, I would have registered for one of these instead. If you are going to go the washcloth route, just make sure you buy a couple of dozen so that you don't have to do a load of laundry every other day!

Protect That Bum!
When it comes to the 'stuff' that I apply my daughter's bottom, I do the same thing that my mom did when we were kids and just stick with good old Vaseline. If it looks like a rash might be coming on, I nip it in the bud by applying a little Penatene cream and that it it! When the weather starts to get really warm and humid, I may splash a little baby powder on there as well, but the Vaseline has been working great up to this point to protect her little bum!

And Don't Forget...
If you are going to go the changing table route, make sure you have a swap out change pad cover in case of 'accidents' (which happen fairly regularly).

Bath Time!
I started out using a baby bath tub, but I didn't like it at all. I found it very hard to hold and wash baby at the same time and the tub itself was very slippery. I started using a bath chair after the first week which made bathing my daughter MUCH easier. I didn't have to worry about her sliding all over the place and had both of my hands free for washing. I also actually climb into the bathtub when I bath my daughter. I have been doing this since we started using the bath chair. I prefer it to leaning over the edge of the tub and I think she does too. Not only does it makes bathing her easier, it makes it a fun, bonding activity.

I prefer Aveeno products for all of my bath soaps, suds and creams. I find that Aveeno products are just gentler on the skin. I especially like the lavender scented suds and creams that help to calm baby before bedtime.

And Don't Forget...
Buy a couple of hooded towels and a few washcloths that are used only for bathing (as opposed to diaper changes). A few rubber duckies are nice to have a baby gets older. My daughter is 5 months now and is just starting to play with her rubber duckie in the bath.

In my next post, I will continue talking about The Little Things like clothes, bedding and toys so stay tuned!