Newborn 1 – 3/4 months

Sleeping Arrangements – Co-sleeper, moses basket, Delta Baby 3 in 1 travel bassinet, diaper bag, changing station. The Delta 3 in 1 is what we used as it was the most suitable. I could carry it everywhere we went (grandparents’ visits, staycations) and she always had her familiar sleeping area… We learnt from the previous 2 using the grown-up crib meant I had to actually get out of bed to nurse them… which with a on demand nursing schedule (in the beginning they wake up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours and feed for almost 20-40 mins per session) was getting quite tiresome!
Baby Carrier – I especially love my sakura bloom ring sling, desert baby ring sling and wemademe wuti-wrap. This is so essential especially in those early days and months as baby likes to be close to our touch and mama. And when you have other siblings that need care and attending, being hands-free is a requirement!
Bath Time Fun – for her first few months of bath time I loved the Blooming Bath (pity it wasn’t available when the other 2 were born). Toiletries are all organic from Aleva and Earth Mama, Baby Angel… this one is for you mummies’ that had normal deliveries in the first month right after baby was born I used Earth Mama New Mama Bottom Spray, Natural Herbal Pregnancy & Postpartum Spray… it helped me heal fast and was quite soothing especially during the first few trips to the bathroom.

Daddy’s First Princess – KID 2

KID 2 at her newborn photo shoot
Breastfeeding Companions – whether you choose a cradle, crossover, football or side-lying hold, a pillow/cushion/brest-pillow is essential for those long hours of nursing. Not forgetting your two new breast friends Lansinoh Nipple Cream and Lansinoh Disposable Nursing Pads, and of-course our staple Marks & Spencer’s and Hot Milk do a great selection of nursing bras.
Playtime – babies can’t see too much initially so they just like cradling, rocking, swaying, floor mat stretches and practice kicks! Play mats, daddy’s chest for tummy time, bouncer, swing, 4moms mamaroo … these are fun, colourful things to have and they will help keep baby safe and entertained for when you need a few minutes of me time.
Diapers – We are not a household who tried the cloth diapers, just for the fact that changing a poop nappy and washing it grosses me out!! So right from the beginning we used a lot of newborn Huggies – Little Babies (it has the best cotton feel and never sticks to baby’s bum). Unfortunately they only sell those particular ones until size 2. After that we tried a few more diaper brands (original Huggies – gave her a nappy rash weirdly. Naty – was great for mornings only), none of which would keep baby dry and leak-free all night. Until we found Pampers Premium Care, no more leaky night diapers and no baby rash! The best wipes out in the market are the WaterWipes (has zero chemicals and other rubbish).. it’s just like dipping a wash cloth in water! Second comes the Aleva Bamboo Baby Wipes which are biodegradable and organic!
Swaddles – soft 100% muslin cloths which keeps baby’s body temperature stable. We always used the beautiful Aden & Anais Swaddles for all my three, they not only remain soft after numerous washes but are also versatile in use (as a sun shade, a nursing cover, a blanket, a mat)… And for this baby because she was such a wriggle, we used SwaddleMe during her bedtime when she was around 3months old.
Pacifiers – Each baby is different when it comes to pacifiers/soothers. My first born took the pacifier in the first month instead of my boobs! My second wasn’t interested in it at all and around her second month found her thumb (we are happy to report, she quit thumb sucking all by herself when she was around 2.5 years old). With Baby J, I gave her the soother in the first month as well…we started with the newborn Avent soothers and moved to Tommee Tippee soothers around the 3 month mark.
Pumping Essentials – as a breastfeeding mum this is another super important tool… since I breastfed all 3 of the babies I cannot live without my Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump.. it’s a tote bag, which means you can always keep everything you need in one place. The spare parts are easier to replace as well. Next comes storing, for which I recommend Lasinoh or Medela storage bags. For hands-free pumping I recommend Bravado Designs and UTOVME Womens Motherhood Nursing Bra.
Furniture – from the usual crib, moses basket, wardrobe, changing table, sleepyhead, to our favourite glider (it now has a permanent seat in the house) which we bought from Pottery Barn.
Baby Bottles – after a lot of trial and error with the first two and a lot of research before the third one, we finally settled on ComoTomo Bottles.. closest feel to the breast. And we have had no problem with it so far, she didn’t have any gas, colic nothing!
Stroller – There are so many versatile and new ones in the market. But an oldie that I still love using in the first stage is the Stokke Xplory V5 Pushchair.. the design of the frame allows baby to be at eye level to you. We installed the buggy board which is used by the two older ones. Even though we had the car-seat adapter (we use the Max-Cosi Pebble) on always, as not to disturb her in case she was napping or just a nice snug area for her to relax in when she wasn’t in the carrier, we still use the Stokke frame.

Mama and her boy – KID 1

KID 1 at his newborn photo shoot

Well that’s you and baby covered for around the first post baby trimester! and of course let’s not forget mummies… lots of cuddles, kisses, hugs, long glances and dreamy stares at your delicious bundle of joy… because believe me they grow up too too quick!!!