Here we have put together a list of baby needs that every mother should know about-- no wipe warmers, no bottle cleaning systems, no super-absurd, marketing hype items to make you crazy or to make your diaper bag too heavy to carry- here are the true essentials for a newborn (and even this list is excessive)!
Crib- if it's not there the first day- the baby won't know- just have a baby basket or bassinet of some sort.
Baby nail clippers (you won't believe how long their nails are even after they have just arrived!)
Infant bath sponge- no need for those huge plastic tubs- this lies right in the bottom of your tub, doesn't make the baby slip and is nice and cozy for them.
Washcloths & cloth diapers to throw over your shoulder to keep YOU dry.
Tons of clean white t-shirts (whenever buying clothes- err towards the larger sizes, they fit in the 0-3 month clothes for about a day)
Car seat/infant carrier
Nipples/bottles (best to have them on hand in case the little one decides that breast feeding is not for them)
Stroller- make sure that they are EASY to fold and lightweight. Also, I happen to prefer that they have two handles- they are easier to drive with one hand...
If you need a pack-n-play, get an extra mattress- those things are awful for little people- they are sooo hard- I don't know how they ever fall asleep in them!
Pacifiers and pacifier holders-- they may be a lifesaver. Just a thought too-- you can throw a pacifier away, you can't get rid of their thumb-- go with a pacifier!
Bibs (even though they may not be eating soon- some of these little wonders are spitter-upers- best to be equipped with bibs to protect their clothes)
Receiving blankets
Monitor
Thermometer (the kind that goes under their arm works in most cases)
Balmex-- for sore bottoms
Only if YOU want one-- a simple mobile (don't bother with the lights and sounds mobiles- just something to look at will do- otherwise you have to go back in their room and turn the thing back on again and again and again!)
Soothing vapor baby bath- great for late nights with their first stuffy nose- a life saver to keep in medicine chest at all times.
An activity mat for the floor-- I can't say enough how important it will become for you to have a child that plays ALONE for any period of time-- get them used to it from the start-- put the baby down!
Wipes/diapers
Bottle brush for cleaning bottles
Baby shampoo & baby soap
And for later:
A bouncy seat
Baby bjorn infant carrier
Highchair
The "Deuter KangaKid" backpack-- a diaper bag/back carrier- it is genius for people who are on the go or like to travel. Otherwise, go for a trail tech back carrier.
Swivel bath seat that they can sit up in
Jog stroller if you live on a tough road
OK-- this is NOT medical advice-- when the kids are sick, call your doctor! But, as friendly Mom advice, keep the following in your medicine chest to use after you call the doctor at 4am when you don't want to have to run to the pharmacy: infant motrin, infant tylenol, and mysilex (gas relief).
For Mom:
EssentialMom.com's 'fashion advisor' Deborah Dodds of the Worth Collection has created a basic foundation list for those of you wanting to emerge from the "Mommy Wardrobe" or wanting to take control of your wardrobe. As a busy Mom with children you are always thinking of giving everything to the kids, for a moment, stop being a Mom, you don't have to dress for practicality all the time! You may not be able to afford all new clothes, so starting here, piece by piece is her ideal solution.
Don't forget to check out EssentialMom.com's shopping page too-- shop from the comfort of your home for kids stuff, gifts, and clothes for mom!
Click here!
Infant Books
For Mom and Dad: On Becoming Baby Wise, Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam- this is a great parenting book about how to get your baby to sleep through the night, eat on schedule during the day, and nap- it is very much a personal taste though- people either love it or hate it- I loved it!!!
For Baby:
The Big Red Barn, Margaret Wise Brown
Birthday Monsters, Sandra Boynton
Moo, Baa, La la la, Sandra Boynton
The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton
How are you Peeling?, Saxton Freyman
Good Night Max, Rosemary Wells
Tumble Bumble, Felicia Bond
Any Maisy book, Lucy cousins
Sheep in a Jeep, Nancy Shaw
The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown
Hippos Go Berserk, Sandra Boynton
Moo Moo Brown Cow, Jakki Wood
Trucks, Byron Barton
Baby Einstein Discovering the Sounds of Nature, A busy box book
Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown
Machines at Work, Byron Barton
White on Black, Tanya Hoban
Busy Baby Books
If your adorable little one is the sort to wander during storytime, these 'busy baby books' keep baby's attention through touch and feel, lift the flap, etc.
Fuzzy, Fuzzy, Fuzzy, A touch, skritch, and tickle book, Sandra Boynton. Cute touch and feel animals, large board book, one lift the flap.
Touch and Fit Jungle Animals, Illustrated by Jane Massey. A story about a tiger exploring the differences between himself and the other animals in the jungle. Comes with plastic touch and feel animals (birds have feathers, etc) that then fit into spots within the story.
Dinosaur's Binkit, Sandra Boynton. Probably my favorite Boynton book. As with all of her stories- it is adorable and fun. This one is about a dinosaur looking for his favorite blanket ("binket") before he can go to bed. Great lift the flaps and touch and feel parts as well.
Easter Bugs, David A. Carter. Easter Bugs is an adorable book-- full of lift the flap decorated Easter eggs with very cute bugs beneath them. The only caution about this book is that if your "active" child must also touch the books, this is a fragile book and comes apart easily.
Where is Baby's Belly Button, Karen Katz. A great lift the flap with simple pictures and large, easily lifted flaps. It is also great as your child will also learn body parts through the reading of this simple book.
Fat Cat on a Mat, Phil Roxbee Cox, Usborne publications. A cute rhyming book with good illustrations and fun flaps.
Touch and Feel Animals, etc., by DK Publishing. Any touch and feel books are great. Try them all and see what appeals.
Who Lives in the Ocean?, Justine Korman Fontes, Reader's Digest Children's Books. An excellent interactive book, there is more than a word a page and good illustrations. Easy to use tabs move the fish through the ocean and are tough enough for small fingers to yank on to their heart's content.
Woolly's Walk, Phil Roxbee Cox, Usborne Publishers. An adorable story with touch and feel animals, but it has more interesting textures than the average touch and feel book. It can be read in a great interactive way with your child who will delight in being tickled on the ears and pecked on their toes along with the sheep star of the book.
My New Friends, Karin Blume and Brigitte Pokornik. This is actually a very different and fun reading adventure. There are different places where your children can do finger play throughout the book. It is very interactive and cute, although the actual "story" is lackluster.
In the Rainforest, Maurice Pledger. A great book about nature and wild animals in the rainforest. It has both lift the flaps and touch and feel. Pretty illustrations and interesting new animals. There are also hidden frogs on each page that the kids look for and count throughout the book.
Kippy Koala, Maurice Pledger. Gorgeous pictures and a cute story. The flaps are slightly fragile, but worth it, it is a gorgeous book about Australian animals.
Peek-a-Pooh, Dutton Children's Books. A great lift the flap, simplified pooh book, and who doesn't like pooh?
Tails, Matthew Van Fleet. All sorts of great interactive flat lifting and tab pulling, along with touch and feel opportunities.
Toddler Books
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?, Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Any "Poppleton" books, Cynthia Rylant
Ebb and Flo and the Baby Seal, Jane Simmons
When Mommy was Mad, Lynn Jonell and Petra Mathers
Bunny Cakes, Rosemary Wells
Felix Feels Better, Rosemary Wells
The Giving Tree, Shel Siverstein
Giggle, Giggle Quack, Doreen Cronin
Click Clack Moo, Doreen Cronin
Kiss Goodnight
Don't You Feel Well Sam
I Love You Because You're You, Liza Baker
Duck on a Bike, David Shannon
Dream Snow, Eric Carle
Come Along Daisy, Jane Simmons
The Napping House, Audrey Wood
One Snowy Night, Nick Butterworth
Just for You, Mercer Mayer
Bubbles, Bubbles, Kathi Apelt
Little Blue and Little Yellow, Leo Lionni
Preschool Books
Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein
My First Day of Nursery School, Becky Edwards (school preparation)
Do Little Mermaids Wet Their Beds, Jeanne Willis (toilet training)
Any Poppleton books, Cythia Rylant
I am NOT Going to School Today, Robbie Harris (school preparation)
The Kissing Hand, Audrey Penn (school preparation)
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes, DuBose Heyward (Easter)
Dogs Don't Wear Sneakers, Laura Numeroff
The Bunnies Ball, Annie Ingle
The Story About Ping, Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wise
Giraffes Can't Dance, Giles Andrease and Gus Parker-Rees (Left out)
Owen, Kevin Hankes (Giving up comfort item)
Porcupining, A Prickly Love Story, Lisa Wheeler
Potty!, Mylo Freeman (Potty training)
No Moon, No Milk, Chris Babcock
Tacky the Penguin, Helen Lester
The 20th Century Children's Book Treasury, selected by Janet schulman (excellent collection of all your favorites- it's huge- definitely not for travel, but great resource).
Second Baby Books
For those of you expecting a second or third, fourth, etc. baby, your first might not be so overjoyed at the news-- here are some great books we have found to help ease the pain and explain the happenings to your firstborn...
No More Kissing, Emma Chichester Clark
The New Baby, Mercer Mayer
I Love you the Purplest, Barbara Joosse
Daisy and the Egg, Jane Simmons
Ebb and Flo and the New Friend, Jane Simmons
Tell Me Something Happy Before I go to Sleep, Joyce Dunbar
Music for moms and munchkins
Here are some CD's that both Moms and Kids can enjoy together, they are not overly kids-y and almost classify as tolerable.
Not for Kids Only, featuring David Grisman, Jerry Garcia
Curious George, Jack Johnson
Gather Round: Songs for Kids and Other Folks by Sarah McLachlan, Jerry Garcia, and Peter, Paul & Mary
Shake Sugaree: Taj Mahal Sings And Plays For Children, Taj Mahal
