Baby equipment: what has proven itself and what is less important
Baby equipment: what has proven itself and what is less important
What do we need when the baby is there? This question is asked by many couples who become parents for the first time.
After four months with baby, my wife and I have taken stock. We had bought in advance a lot for our first child and much was little or no use. "You become smart from harm," they say. With our knowledge today, we would do some things differently so that they do not make the same mistakes. A note in advance: these are our very personal experiences related to our child. It is quite possible that other parents have gained different experiences.
Baby clothes - do not buy too much in advance
Full of anticipation, my wife and I bought a lot of clothes before the birth of our little ones. A good part of it we could pass unused. Why? Our little girl came a few weeks early and was very small. After the birth, we went to the baby market to buy size 44 rompers. The nice summer clothes, which we had bought in advance, would now fit in the fall - and it is just too cold for dress.
After the little one was there - of course - also a lot of gifts from friends and relatives, so that our daughter's wardrobe quickly overflowed. Our tip therefore: buy in advance a few parts for the basic equipment and then buy in the first few weeks. If you have a washer and a dryer, then you need less clothes than you think in advance.
What has been proven in baby clothes - and what less
Each baby wears a body as a lower layer. Our experience is that putting on and taking off with wrap bodies is very good (babies usually do not like it when something is pulled over their heads). We have usually attracted only one more situation. If it was - like this summer - very warm, just a T-shirt (which was also helpful as a "spit guard"), otherwise a romper. So the little girl was always well packed and the change of clothes and diapers was quite unproblematic. Our experience: Socks for little babies are nice to look at, but quite unnecessary and not practical. We found rompers "with feet" much easier. Shoes for little babies? In our opinion unnecessary.
Unfortunately also a false purchase were individually printed bodies, such as the name of the child. Why? The child always carries something about it. A printed T-shirt with the name of our child, on the other hand, was seen and loved by the parents.
When buying baby clothes you should make sure that you can also put them in the dryer. We wash every two or three days and are happy if we do not need a drying rack.
Buy baby clothes - where?
We soon discovered that it makes sense to buy basic parts at baby flea markets. The prices there are unbeatable (often only one euro per part). If we want special things (such as rompers, in which the foot parts can be folded), then we often buy on Ebay. Only very special parts to "round off" the wardrobe we buy in the shop or online shops.
Around the changing table
A well-placed changing table, so that the parents do not always have to bend or twist, is important. They spend a lot of time there in the first few weeks and months.
A heat lamp, a music box and a mobile have proved their worth on the changing table. The music box calmed our little one and the mobile became a big hit after about 3 months. Incidentally, our mobile is made of wood and rattles - that's what our little one thinks is great.
Much sense also makes a diaper pail. We have one that was a bit more expensive to buy, but does not need any special bags. We have not regretted this purchase.
Care products for the baby
What you do not need are many care products in advance. The nearest drugstore is usually not far and they can buy everything that your midwife advises you. In the beginning, only diapers in the newborn size (not too many boxes, babies grow fast), a few wet wipes, washcloths and a pad that collects water, important.
For swimming we bought a baby bucket. We find him practical. Since we have not bought even the smallest size, he will accompany us for a while. In addition, we have a baby towel with hood, which has also proven itself.
In addition, we have collected in the relationship old towels and washcloths as documents (such as for the changing table or the sofa), because our little one spits.
All about the nutrition of the baby
My wife is breastfeeding. Every now and then she pumps milk, for example, when we have appointments and the neighbor takes care of our little one. That's why we have a few vials. A good purchase for disinfecting all accessories is a sterilizer for the microwave. It does not cost much and in 5 minutes things are sterile. In addition, we have a few breast milk bags in which you can freeze the milk. So you always have some food for the baby in reserve.
Especially when feeding with the vial bibs have proven very useful, as many babies spit a bit more than on the chest.
Sucking calms a baby. That's why we bought a pacifier soon after birth - and did not regret it. Our little girl prefers suckers made of latex. Replacement pacifier, pacifier strap and also a pacifier case for on the way have proven themselves.
My wife bought a nursing pillow during pregnancy. You personally did not help sleeping while pregnant. In the first few weeks, it was convenient for breastfeeding, especially with a very small child. Moreover, in the first few weeks our little one liked to lie in it like a nest. In the meantime, it is no longer used.
Experiences around the baby bed
We bought a rollaway bed before the birth and did not regret it. Our daughter usually wakes up twice a night and asks for milk. The fact that my wife does not have to get up when she breastfeeds her makes her sleep much better. If the little one sleeps restlessly, it usually helps to lay one's hand briefly and she calms down.
Our little one sleeps in a sleeping bag. As soon as she gets dressed, she knows that she's going to bed. In addition, he always keeps her warm and she can not trample off.
For the winter we have bought a sheepskin as a base to drop. We think it will warm you up from below and does not wake up as easily as putting it on a cold shelf.
A real bad buy was the waterproof mattress we bought. The diapers do not run so strong these days and since the protection should not be under the head he does not protect even with heavy spitting.
Early on we bought a hammock to calm the child. The whole thing was expensive and rarely did anything. However, the hammock can still be used for a few more years.
On the way with child - stroller, sling, car seat and accessories
We thought a lot about the pram in advance. Ultimately, we opted for a high-priced, but used model. At first our little girl just wanted to be carried, now she loves her car, so that we can drop her off in between. She falls asleep in it quickly as the part rolls. On short trips and the babysitter, the car has proven itself as a bed replacement. It was important to us that the car folds well and is comparatively light. Good to know is that you have to buy many of the accessories for the stroller (sunscreen, mosquito screen) not expensive than original. They are available in the baby departments of larger drugstores also at a fraction of the price.
We have a baby car seat that can be clicked into a device. Extremely practical, if you do not have to fiddle with straps! In the sun, a glare grid, which is grafted to the disc next to the baby, almost indispensable.
Since our daughter did not want to be dropped at the beginning (not even in the stroller), we bought a baby sling. In the beginning we used it often and such a cloth makes a lot of sense even if the car is impractical (flea market, exhibition). But even if our ringling is designed comparatively quickly, we use almost exclusively the stroller.
Tried and true on excursions has the nursing scarf of my wife. This serves as a visual screen, so that she has no inhibitions to breastfeed friends or in the beer garden.
The classic diaper bag, which we thought about before, has been much less needed. A diaper and a spare body fit into a larger lady's handbag. Maybe the time of the diaper bag comes with the complementary food.
A friend gave birth to a baby blanket made of microfleece. This is without question the most practical gift we have received. Such a blanket keeps the baby in the stroller, in the car or at home on the sofa cuddly warm. We now have several such blankets and like to give them to expectant parents.
More tips for purchases around the baby
Before the birth of our daughter, we bought a good camera. Compact and handy, easy to use and with a large memory card so that we can film the little one with it. We did not regret this acquisition.
At electronics, we also bought headphones for our TV so we can watch TV while she sleeps or plays next to us in the living room.
A baby monitor makes sense. Here was a large range (for travel) and low radiation important. However, we have rarely used it so far. Our apartment is small enough so that we can hear our child like that.
As our little girl often gets ripped off in the evening and wants to be carried by us while we are eating, we bought an electronic baby bouncer. From time to time this busy the little one, so that we can at least finish eating.
The toy, which has arrived so well with us and makes sense, a kind of wooden mobile that can pick up a baby to suck on and that clatters. It helps especially when training the hands.
We had baby photos taken by us and our little ones. An investment we have not regretted. The photos should be made as early as possible, ideally newborn pictures during the first 5 days. Often, such a thing is offered in the hospital. Take the opportunity if you have the money. The grandparents will be happy too.
Finally, a private experience. My wife and I have moved away because of the profession and therefore live away from our parents and friends. Therefore, we decided early on, after the puerperium to make a holiday in "the home". So we had time to meet the family and spend time with the people who are important to us. We rented an apartment for this time, so we had a retreat for us. We can recommend home leave as well as accommodation away from parents or parents-in-law.
I´m looking forward to your experiences and additions.
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