What do I actually need on my first night home with my baby?
The first night at home is the best feeling! You’re finally at home with your new bundle of joy but having spent the last few nights at the hospital it’s time to set up base camp in your bedroom where your baby will be with you for the first 6 months as recommended by the Lullaby Trust.
- Crib: you will want your baby right next to you with easy access to feed and comfort them for those hourly wakes in the first few weeks. This crib attaches your bedside and you can zip the side down so your baby is literally next to you! It also comes with a handy shelf at the bottom to store any spare bedsheets and blankets and you can also rock it to help your baby get to sleep!
- Baby Moov: babies love the comfort of your arms so a big flat wide crib can be daunting for them. This is perfect for giving that extra reassurance and comfort underneath them, as well as providing good head support to prevent a flat head on one side.
- Swaddle bag: Babies love being swaddled- it makes them feel safe and replicates the feeling of being in the womb. We made the error of trying to use blankets to swaddle which was difficult, time consuming and trust us your baby can kick and unravel all your hard work! These swaddle bags were perfect with an easy zip and allowed our baby to sleep with her hands up naturally and contained the startle reflex with gentle all-over pressure. Nappy changes were also much easier with the two way zipper.
- White noise machine: you will want to do everything to promote the best sleeping environment for your baby. This white machine was essential in providing a constant soothing atmosphere for our baby and imitating those womb-like noises as well as cancelling any distractions. We also found our baby learnt to make a healthy sleep association habit with this early on. This was much better than all the cuddly toys – invest in this proper machine with a loud enough sound that clips on the crib!
- Ready to feed formula: if your baby is combination fed these are a lifesaver. In the early days, your baby wants to feed often and your milk supply is still establishing. They also love to fall asleep on the breast whilst feeding and then wake up because they are hungry! Sleep is already sparse so to maximise down time we kept bottles of this ready to feed formula on our bedside to for top ups- we didn’t have to go downstairs to make a bottle with powder and the kettle and both parents could easily feed the baby easily and get back to sleep!
- Night light: You will be up a fair few times to feed and change your baby in the first few months and need enough light to see but not wake up your baby fully and stimulate them. These provide the perfect amount of light to get the job done but also aren’t bright enough to disturb your own sleep. We would definitely recommend two- one by your bedside for feeds and checking on your little one and one for the changing area!
- Breast pump: In the early days, it takes time for your milk supply to regulate. Regular pumping helps establish your supply and also gives you flexibility to feed your baby expressed milk from a bottle. This pump was amazing- it was quiet yet powerful and best of all hands free, which means you can multi task rather than being tied down to a big machine. The app tracks your supply, the charge lasts for days and the bottles can go straight in the fridge!
