The Necessities: Must haves for mommy during the first month

Now that Braydon is two months old we have gotten into a better routine and I have a better understanding of what you actually need to take care of your baby in the first month. I've come up with a list of baby must haves and mommy must haves for the first month and I have put in links to specific items if you're interested in checking them out. Keep in mind these are just things that I felt were necessary and really helped make my first month a little easier. Everyone has their own preferences and these are just specific things that stood out in making a difference for me and baby. This post is all about what "mommy" needs during the first month and on.

ONE MONTH MOMMY MUST HAVES:

SLEEP BRA: The first item I recommend getting is a good sleep bra. Even if you're not breastfeeding your milk is going to come in and it is going to hurt! I lived in my sleep bras for the entire first month. They were super comfortable and since I breastfed for the first month they were definitely essential. Make sure that in that first month your bras do not have under wire. It's just not practical to be sporting around a sexy push-up "nursing bra" in the first month. First of all you are going to be engorged and trust me comfort will be more important. Secondly you probably wont be leaving the house that much to care about the positioning of your breast, and lastly they do not have very good function. Even though they are made to clip down, the under wire and whatever padding get in the way of the job you are trying to perform. I really regret purchasing the nice looking but non-functional nursing bra that I got. Your can find comfy sleep bras almost anywhere; here is a link to one similar to what I purchased: nursing bra 

3-IN-1 BREAST THERAPY: The Second item really helped me when my milk came in and when I had engorgement throughout the process of drying out my milk. The product is called TheraPearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy by Lansinoh. I really loved these because they are reusable gel soothing pads that you can heat up or freeze depending on your needs. It comes with a little chart that tells you how to use it for different problems you are having with your breasts; such as engorgement or mastitis. I used these consistently for the first week my milk came in and again consistently when I was drying my milk. This product soothed swelling and pain during that time. I can't imagine taking care of a newborn and dealing with those problems without any sort of relief.

DERMOPLAST ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY: My number three mommy must have for the first month is Dermoplast Spray. The hospital gave me this to use after delivery and honestly it helped me so much those first couple weeks home. Especially if you have a tear this gives you some comfort. It's a hospital approved item for on contact pain relief and safe to use in that area. It was a definite must have for me in the first couple of weeks home.

BOPPY PILLOW: I got my Boppy as a gift at my baby shower and it sure has come in handy the past couple of months for me. The thing I love about it is that there are so many different uses. The one that I got is called the 2 sided soft and firm nursing pillow. Mine has a different cover then the one I linked here, but its the same exact design. This specific design is really neat because it has a removable firm insert for newborns and a softer general use pillow side. You don't have to breast feed to use the boppy either. It works great for bottle feeding, and as an infant seat. Boppy pillows are great for the first month when your baby is small and you are feeling a little unsure about how to position your baby for feedings. Now that Braydon is two months old I still get some use out of mine by positioning him for tummy time with it or supporting him in a sitting position.

CAMERA: As a new mommy I was and still am - obsessed with taking pictures of my baby! I have in the past had this overwhelming anxiety that I am going to miss documenting something very important in his development, and I just can't have that now can I? So I invested in a camera!! I got the Nikon coolpix L320

and I love it. now I can snap photos of him to my hearts content. I recommend getting some sort of camera or having a phone that takes nice pictures, because babies grow so fast and it can be nice to have those memories with them when they were so little forever at your disposal.  

COFFEE: This probably seems really silly but coffee is one of my top ten must haves for the first month. I am not as health conscious as I would like to be but a cup of jo has gotten me through a lot of sleepless nights that you will encounter during that first month home with baby. I am a huge fan of coffee it gives me that extra energy boost you need when you don't have time for a healthier alternative. I drink Seattle's Best which you can find at almost any grocery store.

LANOLIN; During the first month and even throughout the first year if your breastfeeding, you are going to need a good lanolin nipple cream. They pretty much sell it at any drugstore or grocery store. The brand I used was again the Lansinoh brand. This cream helps to sooth your sore, dry, and cracked nipples when you are breastfeeding. This cream creates a chapstick like barrier on your nipples and is non-toxic to your baby. It's pretty much a necessity for breast feeding moms, especially during the first month when your nipples are the most sensitive and getting use to feeding. 

CONCEALER: I became pretty dependent on using concealer since having a baby. Even though I am young, having no sleep and parenting stresses can really ware on your face. Even though beauty isn't everything, you don't want to scare away your precious baby's guests when they come to visit. Since parenting a newborn doesn't leave you much opportunity to get completely ready as you would like, throwing on some concealer can do wonders for your looks and self esteem. I use the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer available at most drugstores. 

BABY JOURNAL: My mother purchased me a baby journal called Taking Care of Baby: The Ultimate Organizer for Busy Parents that I used to document Braydon's dirty diapers, feedings, and sleep pattern. This was a good tool for me as a new mom because you can't really measure how much your baby is getting when you are breastfeeding and tracking his diapers and feedings not only put my mind at ease but it helped me to identify his schedule and become more confident in knowing when he was going to need certain things. I definitely recommend getting either an app or a written journal to do this, especially if you are a first time mom like me.

A FRIEND: My last mommy must have is simply the help of a good friend, or someone you can call to vent to or help you at home. I have really appreciated the help of my sister and it has gotten me through a lot of emotional breakdowns and she made sure we didn't drown in our own mess either.

Thank you guys for reading MY 1 month must haves for mommies. I wanted to show some different items that I dont see a lot of people mention in these types of posts, but are still very essential and were something I used or am still currently using on a daily basis. Stay tuned for my next post which will be on Baby's 1 month must haves and Braydon's 2 month update!