Wow – long time no blog… apologies guys! We have been adjusting to life with our beautiful bundle of joy and, as it turns out, it’s a lot harder to get blogging when you have an adorable newborn to snuggle!! Having said that, I have been busy writing away whenever I get a second to myself, so I’m hoping to catch you all up with lots of baby related content! I’ll have his birth story coming up – some details relating to our new routine and lots more!

I wanted to kick it all off with this post, as it is the one that I feel will be the most helpful to any new mums or mums-to-be. I have been dying to share some of these products, they are life-saving! The first three months after babe’s arrival are often referred to as the fourth trimester. The transition from womb to world is a dramatic one as baby gets used to life on the outside and you get used to your new reality as a parent! These are the products that I found made life a little (okay, a LOT) easier! These are my fourth trimester favourites and my newborn must haves!

My Newborn Must Haves

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HAAKAA | LOVE TO DREAM SWADDLE | LACTATION COOKIES AND DRINK SACHETS | SINK BATH | BATH PRODUCTS | NURSING NIGHTGOWN | BABY TRACKER APP | NIGHTLIGHT | AFTER EASE AND BABY BLUES | GLOW IN THE DARK PACIFIER | SCALP OIL | WONDER WEEKS APP | MOSES BASKET | BABY HAMMOCK | BABY CARRIER

HAAKAA:

This is the newborn life MVP… If you are planning to breast feed you ABSOLUTELY NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE. In brief, this suctions onto the breast that you are not feeding from. It then collects the letdown as you feed. Thus enabling you to build up a supply of breast milk without ever having to get out the pump!

I tend to get 2-3 oz per feed and I try to freeze at least 6-8 oz per day (I don’t use it for every feed as it isn’t practical when I am out and about). Now, as I prepare myself to head back to work, I have plenty of frozen milk ready to supplement his feeds while he’s at daycare.

LOVE TO DREAM SWADDLE:

I often read posts on the pregnancy and mum support groups with mums that are desperate to get their little one to sleep but their baby doesn’t like to be swaddled. The Love to Dream swaddle is the perfect solution. Often babies don’t like the traditional swaddle because it keeps their arms down and prevents them from naturally self-soothing with their hands.

The Love to Dream still helps to limit the Moro Reflex (the reason that you swaddle newborns) where they throw up their hands and wake themselves up, while also allowing them to have their arms up and their hands by their faces. The snug waist makes them feel secure and the looser fabric around the legs allows their hips and legs to fall into a natural sleep position (which can be limited in traditional swaddles).

Alfie slept happily in his LTD from the day that we brought him home from the hospital and he absolutely loves it!

LACTATION COOKIES AND DRINK SACHETS:

In an effort to assist my milk production (and as a blatant excuse to eat cookies for breakfast) I invested in some of the Upspring Lactation Cookies and the Chocolate Drink Sachets. Absolutely delicious and great for my supply – win win! I put the drinks sachets into hot or iced coffee, or blended them into banana smoothies.

These do contain fenugreek which has mixed reviews as a lactation aid with some mamas finding that it decreases their milk supply instead of increasing it, so try them but don’t go too crazy until you have ascertained whether or not they work for you.

The cookies are also really good, but a little pricey. I have plans to start making my own lactation snacks, so stay tuned for recipes coming up!

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY READING: The Lazy Girl’s Lactation Brownies

SINK BATH:

I absolutely love this product for when they are smaller. So simple, so clever. It is so much easier than filling a big bath or even a baby bath, and it is seriously great for travel. You don’t need to bend down to bath them, everything is at waist-height – c-section mummies, you definitely need this! I am gutted that Alfie has just outgrown it at 3 months old and I am passing it onto a friend. Would also make an excellent baby shower gift!

BATH PRODUCTS:

Finding the right products for delicate newborn skin is definitely a challenge. You want something gentle but effective, keeping them clean and baby soft. I love these Hello Bello products and the gift set is the perfect starter pack. I’ve since gone on to order more of the shampoo and bodywash but in the lavender scent (especially good as part of his bathtime/bedtime routine.) I also purchased the diaper cream separately and the mineral sunscreen. The diaper cream is fantastic and he hasn’t had even a hint of a rash so far (at 3 months old). I only use it on his overnight nappy since that’s when he goes the longest between nappy changes. The Hello Bello products are organic and plant-based, no phthalates, parabens, PEGs, synthetic fragrances and dyes or common allergens. They are cruelty-free, dermatologist-tested, ph-balanced and just generally all-round fabulous! Plus they smell seriously, seriously good.

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY READING: SECOND TRIMESTER PREGNANCY FAVOURITES

NURSING NIGHTGOWN:

This was an absolute dream for my hospital stay and the few weeks post-partum. Soft and comfortable, very easy to wear and nurse in, yet still looking a little more presentable when you have visitors. Also with no waist band, it was especially forgiving of my post-partum bump and didn’t irritate my incision in any way.

BABY TRACKER APP:

Once the baby has arrived you’ll need to start keeping a diary of nappy changes and feedings as you get into your routine. This is where the Baby Tracker app comes in. You can use the stop watch to time each feed, record each diaper change, keep track of how much you’re pumping and even time their naps. Three months in and I am still using it. I find it particularly helpful as I’m breastfeeding and you have no idea how much milk they are getting. While I don’t know the specifics in terms of how many oz he’s eating, I am able to see how long he’s feeding for each day. I can check at certain points during the day and see if he is on track.

NIGHTLIGHT:

Breast feeding in the middle of the night in the pitch black is hard. You can’t see if they are latched properly. You’re moving around, trying to change diapers quickly and quietly. It’s impossible. However, you don’t want to wake your partner unnecessarily, or wake the baby completely with bright lights. I tried a couple of different lighting solutions, but then I found these nightlights and I think this could be the perfect solution!

AFTER EASE AND BABY BLUES:

A homeopathic tincture to help soothe the after birth pains as your uterus contracts. Baby Blues then helps to level out the mood fluctuations post-partum. I think that these really helped but, since it was my first birth, I have no real comparison. Those after birth contractions are no joke and this did seem to take the edge off them.

GLOW IN THE DARK PACIFIER:

I really loved the look of the Bibs pacifiers and luckily my baby boy took to them immediately. Even better news, the Bibs dummies also come with the option of a glow in the dark handle. These are a must for night time, when you are fumbling around the bassinet with a grizzly baby.

Don’t forget to get pacifier straps – I lost one and immediately got a pack of these – we haven’t lost any since! (Not suitable for use while they are sleeping…)

SCALP OIL:

At the first signs of cradle cap I invested in this scalp oil. I applied it after bath time for a couple of nights and it cleared it up straight away. We haven’t had to use it since! I’m keeping it a little longer just in case and then plan to pass along the rest of the bottle to another new mummy, since we didn’t have to use very much of it.

THE WONDER WEEKS APP:

If you’ve ever heard a new mama mutter fearfully about a ‘leap week’ this is what she is referring to! The Wonder Weeks app (after the book of the same name) helps new parents track and make sense of the various developmental growths that their baby goes through. The app explains the new skills that your baby is learning during these leap weeks (there are 10 leaps in all spread over the first 18 months of your baby’s life) and give you an idea of what to expect in terms of behavioral changes and milestones. I find this immeasurably helpful when inexplicably my usually placid and smiley baby becomes fussy and irritable – it really does seem to correspond to his leaps. Just remember to set the dates to his due date and not his birth date.

MOSES BASKET:

The irony of this is that after all my careful research into the baby products to buy and register for, this was an unexpected gift. It has since become one of my favourite baby items, the ideal safe space for him to nap and chill out in the living room. Moses baskets (unlike dock-a-tots and swings) are considered bassinets and are safe for sleep provided they meet the bassinet safety standards.

BABY HAMMOCK:

This doesn’t technically belong to me, but I am adding it anyway! My bestie lent me hers one day as I was heading out to the shops and it makes life SO MUCH EASIER! Rather than putting his car seat into the cart (which takes up practically the whole space) This trolley hammock clips easily onto any size cart and is a very comfortable spot for baby to hang out for a few minutes while you run the gauntlet around the supermarket!

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY READING: WHAT’S ON MY BABY REGISTRY: MY BABY REGISTRY ESSENTIALS

BABY BJORN CARRIER:

Last but not least, I strongly feel that a carrier of some description is an absolute essential. Sometimes babies just want to be worn and it may be the only way for you to get anything done on difficult days. Equally it can just make life a lot simpler when you don’t want to get the whole stroller out (I used it for grocery shopping before I borrowed the hammock above!)

I’ve been lent three baby carriers and I love all of them for different reasons, but I am listing the Baby Bjorn as the newborn must have as it was my favourite for when he was very small (I also love the Ergobaby but he found the infant insert quite hot in the Caribbean.)

These are just a handful of the items that I really found helped to make life go smoothly in the weeks and months after Alfie was born.

I would love to hear about the items you swear by for those first few months. Recommendations are always welcome! Leave a note in the comments below or message me, I love to connect with other mums.

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fourth trimester newborn pregnancy product guide