Your 9 months of pregnancy is almost over and you to start thinking of the needs of your furture newborn. When you walk into a baby boutique, you will be amazed at the number of products marketed to new parents. The choices are overwhelming and you may wonder what you really need for your new baby. In reality, babies need very little. Most of the products marketed to new parents are not absolutely necessary for your baby, but may be helpful for you. It depends on your lifestyle and your baby's temperament. There are a few basics that every baby needs, such as clothes and a place to sleep.
The baby will need a place to sleep when you get home from the hospital. This can be a crib, bassinette or cradle. The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that babies sleep in their parents' bedrooms for the first six months of life. This combined with sleeping on their backs has been shown to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
If you will be putting the baby to sleep in your room, you need to determine how much room you have for a bed. You may not have room for a large crib in your bedroom and prefer something smaller, such as a cradle or bassinette. A co-sleeper is a bassinette that attaches to the side of your bed. It has three sides like a crib and the fourth side is open to your bed. Some mothers find that this arrangement makes breastfeeding in the middle of the night easier and more convenient.
In most states, the hospital staff will check to be sure you have a car seat to take the baby home from the hospital. You can use a baby carrier type car seat with a base that stays in the car. The seat can be used as a carrier and attached to the shopping cart when you go to the store. You could also use a convertible car seat that converts from rear facing to forward facing as your baby grows. Smaller babies don't always fit well at first in this type of seat.
When you go shopping for a seat, be sure it will fit well in your car. Most stores will allow you to try out the floor model in your car to ensure the right fit. Your local police department may conduct free child safety seat checks. A study by the National Safe Kids Campaign showed that eighty five percent of parents do not use the seats correctly. If the seat is not installed properly, your baby may not be protected in an accident. Call your local police department to have the installation checked before the baby is born.
A sling or soft infant carrier is a great piece of baby equipment. You will need to carry your baby around in stores or in your home. Very young babies like to be held and may cry in a car seat carrier or stroller. A sling works well for carrying your baby close to your body while keeping your hands free to tend to your other children or fill the shopping cart at the grocery store. A sling can be folded and put in the diaper bag for easy carrying. It may feel awkward at first, but with practice you will get the hang of it. Some slings come with a DVD to show you how to use it properly.
Your baby will need diapers and diaper changing supplies. You will need to decide if you will use disposable or cloth diapers. Stock up on diapers while you are still pregnant to avoid having to run out to the store in the first few weeks home from the hospital. Babies typically go through eight to ten diapers in a twenty four hour period. You will also need baby wipes to clean the baby at changing time. Most babies don't need powder or creams, unless there is a diaper rash. It may be wise to keep a tube of ointment on hand in case baby gets red.
You will need clothing for the baby that is appropriate to the season. Some parents like to buy a cute outfit for coming home from the hospital. You will need a few sleepers, baby gowns and onesies for the baby to wear at home. One or two cute outfits are fun for company, but baby will likely spend most of the time in comfortable sleepers in the early weeks. The baby will need a hat to protect his head from the sun in summer and the cold in winter. You will need some receiving blankets and a warmer blanket for cold weather. If it is winter, you may want a snow suit to keep the baby warm.
You will need some feeding supplies. What you need depends on how you are feeding your baby. If you are breastfeeding your baby, you need very little. You may want a breast pump if you plan to supplement with breast milk in bottles. Otherwise, you will need some breast pads for leaking and a tube of breast cream for sore nipples in the early days of nursing. If you are formula feeding you will need a supply of formula and bottles.
There are a wide variety of extra gadgets on the market for little babies, such as swings, bouncy chairs and baby gyms. You may or may not want to spend money on these. In some cases, they can keep your baby occupied and happy for a few minutes. Not all babies like the swing or bouncy chair. If you aren't sure, consider trying out a friend's swing to see if your baby likes it before you spend the money. What you really need will depend on your baby and you.
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Mr. Heath is a writer and the chief editor at More4kids, a website devoted to parenting and families.
Visit us at http://pregnancy.more4kids.info
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