Did you ever play that game on long car trips?
It was a standard of our infrequent (although more frequent as siblings and I grew up, required schooling, dentists etc) trips to the big smoke with long sections of non-radio responsive road and a lack of cohesiveness in the music tastes of the prisoners of the car.
I went shopping and I bought...
My mother and I once got to 118 items between Biloela and Rockhampton on the way to an exam for a scholarship. (I don't know whether it was because of this practice OR the fact my mother insisted on my wearing stockings OR the nearly 3rd degree sunburn on the back of my legs due to an inadvised bicycle ride with slatherings of sunscreen on all extremities except this part of my anatomy the day before OR because I was a smarty-pants, but I somehow made the grade)
'Salina and I have never yet been close to this record, but it does kill the many sections of non-radio responsive road (especially with my radio) that we travel between here and the few far-flung destinations we get to these days.
I am not good at the real sort of shopping. I am getting pretty good at groceries - although it is the fact that there is food at the end of the job that helps me along.
I suck lemons at clothes or accessories. I have already lamented my lack of ability in regard to bras, shoes (in two parts) and, of late, maternity wear.
Recently, I did the maths on the impending addition to the famile de Paradise, and five months, broken down, is getting eek-worthy.
A few weeks ago, I scored an excellent pram (although I have faith that one day I will track down my lent out wonder-pram from the last child) for only $25, so really that solves transport (and at a pinch, sleeping) arrangements.
However, until today that was the sum total of worldly goods to welcome the unborn.
Today I have now solved another area of needs (well a small part of it) with a dozen nappies. Oh yes, now the bottom will be covered - for at least a day - upon entry into the world...
So - give my your list of needs for a newborn. Its been a while, and I was a pretty crunchy granola minimalist Summer mother last time around - I probably will be this time too, but what could you JUST NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
- Baby sling
- A gazillion blankets (especially the light weight kind)
- Enough baby clothes to not have to worry about washing every 5 minutes
The rest, I don't remember. Sleep deprivation is great like that!
(PS.. Am going to email re maternity clothes)
Onesies, oodles of onesies. If you're going with cloth diapers, I recommend starting with no fewer than six dozen. A good food processor, if you don't have one already. You won't need that for a few months, but...
Since they grow so quickly, I never, ever saw the sense to going crazy on collecting the scads of things that everyone deemed necessary to good and proper baby care. The minimalist approach makes good sense.
Oh. And so does the baby sling.
- Baby wipes (the thick kind eg Huggies... might cost more but you do actually use less than the flimsy kind)
- Summer baby - nappies alone will do!!!
- A sling (don't think I used a pram much in the first year)
- Breast Pads - a must to avoid unsightly damp patches, obviously for these you will need bras ;)
- Rags for cleaning all those regurgitations from clothes, furnishings, floors, actually everywhere
- Waterproof Mattress Protector to salvage your mattress for future use after breasts leak, nappies leak and above regurgitations (I needed to invest in new bed and mattress after completion of breastfeeding, mattress protector was not waterproof)
- Bottom drawer can be useful as a cot (remove from chest or cupboard first and remember to add some padding)
Hmmm will let you know if I think of anything else :)
PS I have some great large muslin wraps here... they're all yours if you want them but they're all girlie!
I think it was the burn on the back of the legs that did it. : )
I borrowed and I bought as cheap as possible seeing as the out-grow rate is fast.
Most important thing to have handy is a list of phone numbers so you can call for company, call for help with cleaning/grocery shopping that always gets behind and call for someone to come and cuddle the little bundle while you get some extra sleep.
LOL. I just read through your bra shopping link. I just posted one so smilar it could have been a bad knock-off (but mine has cool pictures). Bra terrorism must be universal. There are probably little green women out there in the galaxies dreading shopping for boulder holders!
A sense of humor through exhaustion. This the most important thing IMO.
You can always wear clothes diapers(at home) in nursing bra for pads.
Ways to bring Salina into contact and to bond with her new sibling.
onsies are essential
lullaby music
some type of carry all-doesn't have to be a diaper bag
pacifier(my nipples needed breaks)
a sling or front carrier
You will be incredible at this. I am very sure of this. Hugs
I believe the onesies have been mentioned several times. Here sleepers (with footies) are another essential.
Socks
soft knit caps
receiving blankets
books for you to read while you're nursing
a diaper hamper
two or three cute outfits for photo ops.
hmmmm, it's been a while.......... umm........
during summer my kids lived in nappies and singlets
What couldn't I have done without? My bouncer.
Oh and I guess you'd best be thinking about a car seat of some description
You know its been so long I really don't know.
I do know that my kiddo loved, loved, loved her exersaucer once she got older. Her and that thing were best buds I tell ya. All in all she was just an easy great baby.
This I do remember, there was plenty that we had that could have been lived without easily. Too many clothes, too may everything looking back we seemed to have.
Bouncer, singlets, mattress protector, just about everything written above.
My brain went into shut down mode the moment Feral Beast was out of nappies and I've yet to recover those memories lol.
I wish you'd asked me this about 3 years ago! I would've loved to give you a (way too) detailed list.
Now I forgot...
You've already got a stroller (great for getting them to sleep when out!) and the wipes have been mentioned. One can NEVER have too many wipes! My favourites where the organic ones.
Other stuff that came in handy:
- Bouncer
- One of those bath seat thingies
- A padded playmat for them to lie on
- Baby monitor if you're house is big enough to need one. Mine wasn't really, but used it when I put her to bed in someone else's house when she was a bit older.
I can think of lots of other stuff for when they're a bit older. But newborns really don't need much. Except for boobs and cuddles. :)
Like many others, it's been a long time!
You seem to have a great list from your readers. I have to say that I was a HUGE fan of the ti-tree snuggle bed over a capsule in the humid climate we have.
I would have to say that was my best ever purchase.
"ti-tree snuggle bed" - Ditto! (I forgot)
Also meant to say, I did regret not getting the capsule instead of the "proper" car seat. Remember how annoying it is when they finally doze off in the car and then you wake them up trying to get them from car seat to stroller/carrier?
Wipes. By the truckload.
Post a Comment