Newborn Must Haves Part Six - The Nice To Haves, But Aren't A Priority
When we get pregnant we excitedly get working on a registry list. And we add to that list so many items that we, in reality, can live without. Yes these items can make things a little easier, but if money is an issue, do not stress about these items, you can always save up for them and buy them later. High Chair Your newborn will not need a high chair for many months, when baby starts taking in solid food. And for some babies, that may not be until 7+ months. You will also want to consider what kind of high chair will work best for you. Consider the space you have available to use it and to store it. Change Table I can say with all honesty, when I had the nursery set up and the change table and supplies all set up, that was pretty much the last time I looked at it until baby was much older. And even then, it wasn't used all that much. With my newborn I change them where we were, in my bedroom, in the living room, wherever. You'd be better off, creating diaper stations in the various areas of your home to make changing diapers easier. And you won't have to travel all over your home to do this duty that will need to be done 8-10 times per day. (Please Note! In the picture above, Never Leave Baby Unattended on a change table) Baby Monitor Again, a baby monitor may be something you use eventually, but won't be necessary until baby about 6 months or older. In the first 6 months, it is recommended that baby sleep next to an adult in the night time hours. Which could look like a bassinet or cradle beside the bed. Even for daytime sleep, baby should be close by particularly for feeding. When it comes to buying a monitor, do your research and get the best hack proof one you can get. 23 years ago, monitors were just sound (which wasn't a bad thing) and they had two channels. One night I kept hearing my son cry but when I got to his room he was fast asleep. I realized later the next day that I wasn't hearing my son, I was hearing the baby down the street. I switched the channel and that fixed everything. These days, with wifi and video monitors, we have to be worried about unscrupulous people spying on our babies.
Activity Mats Activity mats can be helpful when baby enters the period of needing more entertainment and learning. But there are so many other ways to manage tummy time and play time that an expensive activity mat isn't really necessary at all. There are great YouTube videos to help you navigate play time with baby. Bouncy Chair/Swing We in North America tend to have our babies placed in bouncy chairs and swings. These can be helpful in giving us a break from carrying baby and allow us to have some "no touch" time from baby. However, especially in the first few months, your baby will want to be held, a lot, quite a lot! Consider focusing on wearing your baby to give you hands free time and when baby gets a bit older you can introduce a chair or swing. We do want to ensure though, that baby doesn't spend a ton of time in a chair or swing, as this can contribute to 'flat head' in newborns.
Pacifiers So many are anti-pacifier. However, I am not. Having a pacifier can be helpful for a baby that wants to suck often to soothe themselves and that can give you a break if you are primarily body feeding. But they are not necessarily necessary in the first few weeks. I will often suggest that if body feeding is the goal, it's best to wait until after the three week growth spurt before introducing one. Waiting can ensure that 'nipple confusion' is less likely to happen. Baby's will suck differently on a pacifier than they do on the breast. For more newborn information check out my virtual class "New Baby User Manual"
