Forget about the baby wraps and the cute clothes and the fancy pram attachments. Here are the 7 absolute essentials that you will actually use. You can thank me later!
- A good quality water bottle
If you choose to breastfeed you’ll spend a significant amount of time sitting in a chair, immobilised and with raging thirst. It’s one of those things mums forget to mention, but the ‘let down’ reflex triggers instant thirst…. As well as feeling like you could drink the contents of a swimming pool the whole day.
You will need to arm yourself with a good quality drink bottle, particularly one that doesn’t have a twist top so that you can have a hungry baby in one hand and open the bottle with the other.
- Hydrogel breast discs
While we’re on the subject of breastfeeding, lets just get it out in the open. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes to the point where you bleed. Its distressing but it does get better, and in no time you’ll be breastfeeding like a pro!
Until then, these cool little gel discs stick to your nipples and bring relief, keep them soft, and help them to repair in between feeds. They are an absolute life saver!
- One million tea towels
Babies spit up. A lot. To avoid having to change your top 6 times a day arm yourself with tea towels or face cloths so that you always have a fresh one to throw over your shoulder.
- Cute pyjamas
For the first few weeks (or months, or years) you’re going to be spending most of your time in PJs or trackpants, or every mums favourite ‘going-out’ clothes – active wear! Do yourself a favour and buy some new cute PJs that make you feel like the beautiful miraculous mother you are, and when you haven’t left the house in 3 days you will thank yourself.
- Snacks
You’re sleep deprived, you’ve got a crying baby, and you are starving. You need a nutritious snack that you can grab on the go, and you need it now! For a tried and tested snack recipe that also helps with producing a larger supply of breast milk check out this cute blog by The Chef and the Waitress.
I tried it and it’s freaking delicious.
- A portable phone charger
There is nothing more terrifying than being out and about and on 1% battery! What if your phone dies and the car doesn’t start, or you get lost and can’t access your maps app, or your baby does something really cute and you can’t take a photo!
Grab a portable phone charger and keep it charged up and in your nappy bag for emergencies.
- A TENS machine
Most people know that your body takes some time to recover after the epic feat that is childbirth, and that among the worst sufferers is your pelvic floor. It is really important to do your pelvic floor exercises both during pregnancy and afterwards. But not many people know that a TENS machine can help accelerate that process of recovery. You can buy an Elle TENS Plus with an included Pelvic Floor Mode for postnatal recovery right here at Bliss Birth.