1.
Although this is in no particular order, number
one has to be my
Izmi wrap. I started babywearing when Teddy was a week
old and I have no idea how I would have survived otherwise. Teddy was a Velcro
baby from day one and would absolutely scream whenever I put him down.
Therefore, I needed the sling to be able to function and have two hands
(especially when James’ paternity leave had finished). It was one of the ways I
could get him to nap for extended period of times as he would not be put down
for a nap. It was easy to use for a dog walk. And it was one of the main ways I
could quickly settle and soothe him aside from breastfeeding. I still babywear
Teddy every now and then, although I now use a more structured sling for walks.
The Izmi sling is very long which can make it tricky putting it on as I am very
short, but I watched videos before Teddy was born and got the hang of it pretty
quickly. I also visited the Northants Sling Library which is a fantastic
resource and they were so helpful with reassuring me that I was wearing Teddy
correctly and offering advice
2. Whilst on the topic of slings/ wraps, my hoody
and jacket for babywearing are also fantastic. They have an inset so it
goes over the sling and helps keep Teddy warm as well as being comfortable for
me. They are both from Seraphine maternity.
3.
My next to me crib (Tutti Bambini CoZee
Bedside Crib). Stupidly, I waited until Teddy was about 3 or 4 months old
before I put the side down and had it attached to the bed. It was a game
changer and made breastfeeding during the night so much easier (especially as
Teddy was/ is an awful sleeper and I would have to bring him into my bed often
throughout the night). By having the crib attached, I was able to feel close to
him and could reach out and comfort him in the night. He would often hold my
hand which was very sweet. And I would look over at him in the morning and he
would give me this massive grin and be so happy to see me (even though he had
seen me about a billion times throughout the night). I do miss having him next
to me but the crib is only suitable for 6 months/ before they can sit up on
their own/ up to 9kg. Teddy has now moved into his cot in his own room and,
although I do prefer having my own space, I do also miss him. One thing I would
consider if I was buying another next to me is the rocking feature. This one
doesn’t really rock and rocking is something which aids Teddy to sleep.
4.
Satin crib sheets- Teddy started getting a bald patch on the back of his head. One of my friends recommended satin sheets and although they are a bit pricier they did make a huge difference and his hair began to quickly grow back.
5. My boppy cushion- made breastfeeding so
much more comfortable. And the amount I was doing it at the beginning, it was
really needed!
6. An extra nappy caddy- I kept one in the
living room and filled it with snacks, drink, wipes, muslins, the remote
control- everything I needed when I was nap trapped or cluster feeding.
7.
A white noise machine and night light-
ok, so this did not work for Teddy in the sense that they do not get him to
sleep. Teddy was (and is) a terrible sleeper.
However, as Teddy
got older, noises started to wake him up and the white noise machine is
effective in hiding a lot of noise (particularly during the day). Over time,
the nightlight became familiar to Teddy and I believe he does use it as a
source of comfort and something which he associates with his bedtime routine.
The nightlight also has a selection of different coloured stars and moons which
have a setting where they move around the room. This was a wonderful
distraction tool to buy me a few minutes to get ready in the morning and I
still use it to quickly prep his breakfast and let the dog out before I get
Teddy up for the day.
8. Black and white contrast cards- Teddy
absolutely loved these from the start and even gets excited when we get them
out now. It was the first thing (aside from our faces) that he really focused
on and was interested in.
9.
Foil blanket- just foil in general! Teddy
loved the sound of crinkling foil and liked lying in it or hearing it near to
him. It was a great distraction tool when he started cry and when I was
changing his nappy. Teddy hates the car and during the summer, I would tie it
(out of reach) to his car seat and open the windows and the breeze would
flutter the foil around everywhere and it would distract him for a little while,
making the car journey a little more bearable!
10. The mesh bags for washing machines- I use
these for all of Teddy’s really tiny items of clothing, particularly when he
was newborn, such as his socks. It ensures they don’t go missing in the washing
machine and keeps them together.
11. Onesies with zips! So much easier, so
much quicker. Useful when he was a newborn and I was having to change him
multiple times a day but also useful as he got older and would squirm around a
lot more. Really difficult to do tons of buttons when he is doing the alligator
roll!
12.
The DK Pop up Peekaboo Books- these were
the first books that Teddy truly paid attention to. Obviously peekaboo will
always be a favourite but the pop up images are really big and the colours are
vivid and contrast. It meant he was able to focus on them really well. He
particularly liked the Under the Sea book with Ollie the Octopus popping up. As
he has gotten older, these books are still a favourite. He knows where all the
pop up flaps are and will open them himself and react to each of the
characters.
13. Little Massage Course- this was the best
massage course that I did. I am so glad I did it as I would massage Teddy every
day up until he was about 7 months. That was when he started getting too
fidgety and wanted to be on the go. It was great for bonding. It can soothe and
comfort. It can help with reflux, digestion and aid with constipation. I found
it to be some lovely, quiet time for just the two of us where I could 100%
focus on him. It was a nice, relaxing addition to our routine.
14. Swimming lessons- there are mixed views
as to when to start swimming lessons for a baby. To be honest, I didn’t look
too much into the research around it (which is weird for me!) All I knew was
that I wanted Teddy to be familiar with swimming as soon as possible as I feel
like it is one of the most important skills someone can learn. Also, at the
time, Teddy absolutely hated baths, so I also wanted to do something to help
with him feeling a bit better about being in water. I booked Teddy onto
swimming as soon as he was able to. He was about 8 weeks old. I booked him onto
Bubble Babies- a group held at a hydrotherapy pool where the water is really
warm (as figured cold water probably wouldn’t help with the bath issue). He may
have been a little too young for it at 8 weeks- he cried for the full first
session and then half of the next- so maybe 10 weeks would have been better.
But who knows, maybe he would have done that anyway and it was just a case of
him getting used to it. From that third session onwards, he has absolutely
loved his swimming, and very quickly grew to love bathtime too. He gets so
excited about going in the water, loves splashing around. He kicks his legs and
splashes his arm as if he is trying to propel himself forward in the water. He
doesn’t mind getting his face wet and will go under the water no problem. It
was one of his most favourite things to do and it has been lovely seeing how
far he has come along.
