Ok, I’ll be honest. This is my 3rd pregnancy. I have been busy doing/thinking about other things lately. Yes, I have this constant reminder inside my tummy dancing around telling me, “I’m coming!” but I’ve been so busy, I haven’t given it all the thought process it deserves. I’m raising 2 other children, taking care of a husband and a home, while also worrying about getting a house build finished as much as possible before the baby comes….
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Last night, it finally hit me like a ton of bricks. I am having another baby. I’m not ready. I’m not prepared. I’m currently starting to freak OUT.
I’ve done this before though right? Two times to be exact. I should be seasoned, right? Honestly, I don’t know what mom doesn’t feel anxiety at some point about SOMETHING. We all have our worries. Mine are just currently about the fact that I could be welcoming this child in my belly within the next month or 2 and my life is in complete shambles. Maybe I’m overreacting, but that’s certainly how it feels at the current moment.
Anyway, the point of this post, other than my rambling, is to let you know that you’re not alone. Whether you are a first time mom or “seasoned” like myself, it’s ok to have anxiety. It’s ok to realize, “oh, crap! I don’t have this under control at the moment!” The next step is to breathe and start working towards getting it under control.
That being said, my “nursery” is, well, empty. I was not expecting to have more children after our second, so we sold/gave away the majority of our baby things. So now it’s time to prepare and buy new things to be ready for baby. What are the things I’ve found essential or most helpful in the past? Let’s dive in to it all together now!
Must Haves For a New Baby
First and Foremost
Obviously, babies poop. Aside from the many, MANY diapers and wipes you will need to have on hand, you’re going to need a changing table with a changing pad. You will also probably want some changing pad covers to make cleaning up messes MUCH easier!
Side note: I usually have newborn size and size 1 diapers stocked before the birth. My first fit in the newborn, but my second moved straight to the size 1s. It’s important to be prepared.
Along with diapers, you will need wipes. You can NEVER have too many wipes!! I always buy mine in bulk.
Lastly, you can never have too many receiving blankets!
Sleepytime Adventures
Next up, is a cradle. Whether you are co sleeping or your babe is to sleep in a crib, this cradle is perfect for naps or for being put beside the bed at night to easily rock baby back to sleep. You will also want a cradle sheets set to go along with your new cradle.
Next up, a crib. I was a co sleeping mom. I couldn’t sleep unless I had my baby beside me, easily able to ensure to myself that she was breathing and safe. I still owned a crib though. They are important for naps even if you are co sleeping. (At some point, you will want to transition them out of your bed). Obviously, if you’re not co sleeping, you DEFINITELY want to have that crib for baby to sleep in.
The great thing about this crib is that it will also transition into the other types of beds you will want as your child grows.
Once you have the crib, you will need crib bedding. Now, there are literally ENDLESS possibilities on styles, so go with whatever fits the “theme” of your nursery. I don’t actually buy a bedding set. Crazy expensive and half of it goes unused, so I just buy sheets, a baby blanket, and a crib bumper. If you want to dress it all up, feel free to go as crazy as you want, I just personally don’t have time for all that!
We didn’t know the gender of our first, so I went with a fun safari theme, and still owned it for the second, but this time around, my options are open since I’m starting from scratch! You’re having a new baby! Enjoy decorating and have some fun!
Lastly, these sleepsacks have proven just amazingly useful this time around! I always disliked swaddle blankets because they always came undone, but this was gifted to me, and I am in love with it (and so is my baby)!
Whine and Dine
At some point, your baby will be sitting up and ready to eat (or make a mess), so you will want a high chair to accommodate.
Some people buy mats to put under the high chair to make cleaning up messes easier, but I’ve never seen the point. My pup is more than happy to assist in any high chair cleanups!
Again, the great thing about this specific high chair is that it will transition through the stages with your child as they grow!
Traveling
Lastly on the list of MUST HAVES is a car seat. Now, I know plenty of parents that chose a transitioning car seat as their first car seat. More power to them. I love items that transition with my kids, but I chose to wait until my child was a bit older before purchasing one of those.
I really like that I can carry (or even rock) my sleeping baby in this removable car seat for the first year or so. I upgraded my kids to the transitional seat once they hit the requirements for forward facing. Just my personal preference.
If you have more than one vehicle, you can simply purchase another base for each vehicle and use the same car seat instead of having to buy multiple car seats.
Helpful Additions I was GLAD to have
This activity mat was a HUGE hit with my first baby. Starting out with reaching for things, then tummy time adventures, and even moving into learning to roll over and trying to crawl. She did it all on this play mat. The activity mat with the piano is the one I got for my newest addition. He LOVES the lights from the piano.
Once baby gets a little older, this seat literally saved my life with my second child. She WANTED to sit up and see everything going on in the world around her. It was perfect. The second listing here is the bouncer seat I’m getting this time around.
A Bit of Advice From One Mom to Another
A Bit of Advice From One Mom to AnotherDon’t forget to breathe. Cut yourself a break Momma, and just enjoy this time you have before your baby gets here! Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter what paint you choose or which crib sheets you buy. In the end, you will get to hold that beautiful baby, and you won’t be thinking about the color scheme you chose.
Enjoy this last bit of time that you get to have with just you and your baby you’re growing. It’s the only one-on-one time you will get together before you have to start sharing them with the world. Cherish it and how special it really is. Everything else will eventually work itself out.
Wow! This was so thorough and calm-inducing. Thank you!