Top 10 New Mom Must Haves !

When I was pregnant I had no clue of what I needed for myself after the baby arrives. So I went with what the books I read and the people around me told me to buy. 

As a new mom its often a trial and error saga with things.

So after much thought here is my list of the top 10 must haves as a new mom 

1. Netflix or TV Subscription

My number one recommendation would be getting a Netflix or your favourite TV channel subscription all paid for and ready. You might think where is the time ? But remember as a new mom you will be spending most of your nights nursing your new born and keeping yourself awake when your body is screaming for a good night's sleep this is going to be a saving grace. When we brought our little one home from the hospital, I was tired and it just made me cranky every time she would cry her lungs out for a feed (every 2 hours ). It irritated the hell out of me that my husband got to sleep (he claims he cant when she cries) and I was the one who had to wake up to feed her. But soon I realised the best way to go about it would be do something that keeps you awake without being a pain! I have had a really successful night feed routine with the telly on !

2. Nipple cream

No one told me that nursing a new born is going to be challenging and I will be suffering from cracked nipples the first few weeks because my little one will be still learning to latch !

Believe me when I say it , its just the most uncomfortable thing!

A nipple cream is a big help in those difficult days.

These are the ones I have tried.

Photo Credits : Mothercare.com

My first one was the mothercare its your body nipple cream . It is quite light and easy to apply, helps ease the discomfort and successfully softens the skin. However when the cracking has gone to a level of bleeding this cream takes a little time to help the healing process . My verdict would be - this cream is for moms who have established a good latch and have an occasional crack or so.

Photo credits : medela.co.uk

My second cream that I bought was Medela Purelan 100. This was a much better cream for those first few weeks of horrible nipple cracks ! This is much more thicker to apply and yellow in colour which is a bit of a turn off but ... does the job. It heals the sorest of nipples quite quickly provided you apply it religiously. My verdict - Does what it says on the packaging. It is definitely a must have.

3.Lip Balm/ Chap stick

This is something you will need in the hospital itself ! Specially if you are having a normal Vag delivery. You will soon realise all those contractions and pushing makes your mouth and lips dry.
Its always handy to have a chap stick in your hospital bag , Now you don't want to have those lovely lips all dry and cracking for your first kiss to your new born.

4. Breast Pads

Now I knew from everyone around me that this is a must have but no one told me which one to buy ? Should I go for disposable ones or reusable ones ? So many choices and such confusions !
Early on I asked myself do I want to go through the trouble to make sure I have a washed pair of reusable pads ? As lazy as I am the answer to that was a big NO!
So I just went for the obvious , the cheapest I could find in the market.Not a good experience with sore nipples!
Here are a few I tried and liked

Photo Credits : Medela.co.uk

Medela has really thought everything through ! These Breast pads are quite absorbent and I have never felt them go heavy with leaks. My only problem with them was - they seem a bit too dry and its a bit uncomfortable when you forget to apply your nipple cream.

Photo credits : philips.co.uk

These are Phillips Avent Breast pads. I would totally recommend these to anyone ! I found that they were the most comfortable out of all of the brands I have tried so far. I first got a pair of those in my Philips Avent bottle starter kit and after I tried them I just bought few more packs. They are really thoughtfully made and the little tuck on top really makes it comfortable.

5. Maternity Pads

This is another Item that you will need right away ! Hence it makes into this list. Maternity pads are more absorbent than your regular pads. You can go for disposable pants as well.

6. Post Partum Abdominal Belt

This is something that you definitely need from day you deliver! Unless you have had a C-sec , then you must seek your doctor's advice.  The belt is really good support for the back. I found mine on Amazon.

7. Electric Brest Pump

An electric breast pump is definitely a must have! It is such a relief when you have engorged breasts and you can pump out excess milk and store it in a refrigerator for later use. Best part about this is that while you rest your partner, mum or helper can give the baby your milk from a bottle.

I made the mistake of getting a manual pump since it came with a bottle set that I bought , but it was a waste of time , energy and milk !

I then got to use the Hospital version of Medela electric pump and I absolutely loved it ! soon after I ordered my own Medela Swing breast pump. Its such a good investment if you plan to pump quite a bit. It is a bit expensive but having used the hospital one I realised it is probably worth it.

Photo credits : medela.co.uk

8. Poo Softener

You might probably be laughing at this but its definitely a must have !!! The first poo is going to be a difficult one ! Specially if you have had stitches ! Ask your hospital staff for some and buy a bottle for home if needed.

9. Nipple Shield

For any Breast feeding mom this is again a help specially if you have cracked or sore nipples !

These are silicon nipple guards that you can apply on your sore nipples and the baby sucks on them rather than directly to your skin. 

This is definitely a trial and error thing, it might be that your little one doesn't like it at all. 

But it's always good to have a pair handy. Unless you try it you won't know if they work for you. 

10. Sipper for drinking water

Water ! This is going to be a life saver ! Even if you don't get a sipper you must drink loads of water to keep yourself hydrated. Breastfeeding is hard work and when you are up at night feeding your little one you will often feel really thirsty. So I just keep a sipper at my bed side to keep on sipping water while I nurse. It's all secure so I don't have any Spilling accidents. I got mine at a local pound shop ! Doesn't have to be fancy :) anything that does the job is good enough. 

So this was my top 10 must have list ! 

Hope it helps ☺️ 

See you all Until soon ! 

Xo

PJ