What we needed

I have been meaning to write a post about our baby must-haves like I did with my pregnancy/labor must-haves.

Like the last list, I am sure I am forgetting a few things but here is what I remember needing/using most when we first brought Cutie home:

• Muslin blankets. These things are amazing, particularly for a summer baby. They are very lightweight large cotton blankets that are great for swaddling. They also have a ton of other uses - you can put your baby down on them if you go to the park, you can drape them over the car seat if you don't want the sun to get in your baby's eyes, you can use them to cover you when nursing, etc. Of course you can do all of those things with a regular blanket but these are so soft and light weight that they are just easier to use these. They are also much larger than most baby blankets which makes swaddling much easier. Since Cutie was born in the summer, we didn't want her to be too warm and these blankets were just the right weight. Also, we were told by a nurse that we shouldn't be concerned about her breaking out of her swaddle in these blankets; they are apparently too lightweight to be a hazard for suffocating. We actually own 7 of these and we use at least one a day (often more). It's nice because they get softer each time you wash them! We have some from a company called Aden & Anais and others from a company called Luna Lullaby. They used to only be sold in boutique stores but I'm told that Babies R Us just started carrying them as well. If I were asked what is the single most important baby item I have, muslin blankets are it!
  

• Extra changing pad covers. We started with two but quickly realized we needed three. I remember a friend in college told me her mother told her she needed three sets of sheets: one set that is in the laundry, one set that is on the bed, and one set that you put on your bed when you spill something on your sheets and you haven't done your laundry yet. That advice could not ring more true than with a baby. They all have amazing timing in the beginning and love to surprise you when you are changing them. It's no fun doing an emergency wash just for a changing pad cover. They are super cheap; buy three.

• If you plan to breastfeed, buy a pump. Whether you get an expensive electric one or a simple manual style, you will be surprised at how useful they can be to solve common breastfeeding issues in your first days with your newborn. I had to pull mine out on Cutie's 4th day of life and it saved me (if you want to know why I needed it, feel free to e-mail me and ask).
  

• Cloth diapers. These make the best burp cloths. They are sold in a number of weights. We bought one pack of very thick ones and one pack of thin ones. Both are useful. Remember that personalized burp cloths are a fun gift for people to give so don't go crazy but definitely have a few on hand.

• Food in your fridge and freezer! If you're a cook, start making freezer friendly things now. If you are like us and most other couples, you will have no time to cook when you have a newborn around. It's wonderful to be able to pull a ready made meal out of the freezer and not worry about making dinner. This would be a good place to point out to non-parents something Jonathan and I learned very quickly when we returned from the hospital: the best gift you can bring new parents is food. We used to think it was nice to show up to a house and present the parents with a cute outfit or baby blanket or something adorable and "baby." We now know that if we are visiting in the first few days and weeks, we should come with food. Another great idea I got from my sister along these lines: I did not want a baby shower so my sister organized a "freezer shower" for me. This meant that instead of gifts, guests brought dishes to put in our freezer to eat when Cutie arrived. It was fantastic. We loved every bite that we pulled out of the freezer and it was nice to think about who made each of the meals we were eating. If no one will throw a freezer shower for you, start cooking and throw one for yourself!
  

That is all I can think of for now. Also, in about a half hour, three hours will have gone by and Cutie will need to eat again. Where does the time go?!