All seasoned parents know that before you bring a baby home, you must make sure your home is ready for a baby. There are tons of things that can make your life easier on your parenting journey, especially if it’s your first child. We’re sharing a checklist of the most used baby products and equipments that will come handy when you are planning on bringing a little one home.
Baby Equipments and furniture that you will need immediately after your baby comes home.
- Bath Bed
A new-born baby is delicate and bathing him in a tub or a sink can feel super tricky. It’s easier to get a foldable bath bed that will support your child in lying upright, with his head elevated at a higher angle. This will help make bathing your baby much more convenient.
- Baby Net Bed or Baby Cot
Whether you decide to get a separate cot for your baby to sleep in, or want him to sleep next to you in your bed – you must make arrangements for your baby’s naps. If you want your baby to sleep in the bed with you, get a portable net bed that will be softer than your bed’s mattress and will also keep your baby safe from mosquitoes and harm in an enclosed net.
If you want to go for a cot, you can choose one that can later be used as an additional bed too. Cots encourage independent sleeping and keep the baby safe from falling off and hurting themselves.
- Breast Pump
Even though the pump will be used by the mother, it is of essence to be included in this checklist, because if the baby finds it difficult to latch on to his mother and refuses powdered milk, then only the pump will come to your rescue. So make sure you get your hands on one.
- Feeding Bottles
Even if you’re planning on only breastfeeding your child, it is important that you keep a feeding bottle in reserve, lest your child has latching issues, or there is too much or too little milk production for him to take.
- Bottle sterilizer
New born babies are vulnerable to infections, so it is of utmost importance that their feeding bottles are cleaned after every single use. Since babies don’t drink up in one go and may even refuse the bottle at times, bottle sterilizer makes the job of cleaning bottles easier and less messy too.
- Wraps
Wraps keep the baby cozy and help him feel safe. They also protect them from direct sunlight, wind and dirt and can be used as blankets too. Muslin wraps are lighter and work great in summers, while wool wraps work best in winters.
- Pram or stroller
It can get tiring to carry your baby in your arms whenever you go out with him – whether it is for a short walk or some chore. It’s more convenient to place him in a pram or a stroller that’ll give your baby the space and freedom to watch the outside world, while keeping your hands free to do other things too.
- Baby feeding pillow
If you plan on breastfeeding your child, this C- shaped feeding pillow will come to your rescue. You can wrap it around your waist, lay your baby on it and have a more comfortable feeding position, especially in the early days, when both you and your baby are learning new positions and ways to be fed.
Baby Care Products
Babies have sensitive skin and need specialized products that are safe, non-allergic and do not cause irritation. It is essential that while choosing skincare products for your child, you pay attention to whether the products are approved by trustworthy pediatricians and dermatologists. You can try products by Shrubs & Berries that are safe, tested and designed to nourish babies and help in their overall development.
- Massage oils
New born babies who are given frequent massages develop physically and emotionally healthier than their counterparts who don’t receive their daily dose of massage. So get your hands on a tall bottle of massage oil and rub strength and nourishment into your new born baby’s muscles.
- Diaper Rash cream
Whether you choose to use diapers only at night or through the day too – baby skin is sensitive and gets easily irritated with diapers. Using a diaper rash cream is a safe bet if you’re planning to keep your baby in a diaper for a longer period of time. Rash creams don’t have to be rubbed in till fully absorbed, instead the thick formula needs to be gently applied and then left on the skin.
- Moisturizer
To keep your baby’s skin soft and supple, lather on body moisturizer all over. It will stop the skin from drying and causing irritation.
- Bath wash
It is advisable to use head to toe bath washes for babies, because they are specially formulated for baby skin. They do not cause irritation when in contact with the eye and are tested against any other hazard too. A head to toe bath wash is also less drying on the baby’s skin than soap and can be used on baby hair for shampooing as well. You can try the Shrubs & Berries Bath wash.
- Tongue cleaner
Dental hygiene begins much before a baby’s teeth start sprouting out. When your pediatrician gives you the green signal to do so, start using a gentle tongue cleaner to clean out milk deposits from your baby’s tongue that may cause odor and other problems. You can use a silicon finger tongue cleaner that caregivers can wear over their fingers to easily clean out their babies’ tongues.
- Bottle wash
Do not wash your baby’s feeding bottles with dish wash soap used for other utensils in the kitchen. There are specially formulated bottle washes for babies that are safe, hygienic and tested.
- Wipes
Stock up on baby wipes because in the early days there’ll be many spills and leaks. Wipes are especially convenient in the winter season when you don’t want to wet your child in water every time he needs a nappy change or dirties himself.
- Diapers and nappies
No baby checklist can be complete without diapers. Whether you want to go organic and use disposable diapers or not, you can’t survive parenthood without diapers. Babies pee and poop irregularly and much more frequently and need to be changed every so often. In the early days, you can make use of cotton nappies that can be washed and re-used. They are delicate on the baby’s skin and avoid the danger of causing rash too.