If you are having a baby soon, you might enjoy the following list…if not, skip down, because I have an eye-opening article to share with all my readers!
1. Large cotton swaddling blankets: My favorite are the Carters Swaddling Blankets that are 100% cotton and 35 inches by 35 inches. With Juanito, I had and used the small flannel blankets because that's all I knew about. And Juanito wriggled out of them so easily! My grandma gave us two Carters ones for Rosie and now for Baby #3, we have a stash of 4! Rosie was just as squirmy as Juanito and couldn't wriggle out of the larger, more stretchy blankets. They're also super soft!
2. Nosefrida: This may sound gross, but these work SO much better for cleaning baby's nose than those bulbs. We still use it on our toddlers when they have colds!
3. Good thermometers: For newborns, just a simple thermometer is all that is needed and that is what I registered for. But I wish I had registered for a forehead/in-ear thermometer also! They can't be used until baby turns 1, but are SO much easier than trying to use a traditional thermometer on a squirmy toddler who is upset about getting his or her temperature taken.
4. Babywearing wrap or carrier: With Juanito, I didn't wear him very often. I had a sling, but it wasn't very comfortable, and we picked up an inexpensive carrier at a secondhand store and that wasn't comfortable either. I loved wearing Rosie because it allowed me to get things done! In fact, we both loved it so much that I just recently stopped wearing her since my belly is now large but Eric still wears her! I started off with a Moby Wrap, it was nice for the first 3 months until she got too big, although it was pretty hot for Florida. But the wrap I fell in love with (and the one we still use for Rosie as a toddler), is a mei tai! This is in-between a woven wrap (I tried and loved way woven wraps feel, but still felt it was too hot for Florida weather) and a carrier with buckles. The one thing for a mei tai is to be sure to get one with thick waist and shoulder straps, otherwise a heavier baby could be uncomfortable. Mine is from Chimparoo…they're a little expensive, but can be re-sold after use for about the same price!
This week someone shared this article: What Expectant Parents Around the World Pack in Their Hospital Bags… It's so eye-opening to see how so many moms deliver their babies (and I encourage you to take a few moments to read the article). While the items I shared above are incredibly helpful, they're not necessities…
I can't imagine having to pack my own tarp to cover a bed so that my baby would be born in a sterile environment. Nor can I imagine having to take a 15 minute walk, after giving birth, to get water to clean up with… This is such a reminder to pray and to give to help mothers and new babies. Compassion has a wonderful program, called the Child Survival Program, and they help mothers in the countries where they work:
Babies: The Child Survival Program from Compassion International on Vimeo.
And I can personally testify that It Really Works! We helped support a CSP in Peru for $20 a month and that CSP graduated! So I encourage you to check out Compassion's Child Survival Program.
