So having a baby is hard work, even for a second-time round Mummy. I got rid of a lot of bits after having Belle, because I knew that we would have a 2-3 year gap at the very least. We ended up having a 5 year gap (blame COVID), so a lot of ‘what I knew’ disappeared and I had to start at square one.
I am hoping that this little guide will be useful for first-time, second time or even fifth-time parents for an honest overview of products that I found helpful to have during the newborn stage.
Breastfeeding Essentials
I went into my newborn journey really laid back this time around, and had the mindset of ‘if breastfeeding works – it works. If it doesn’t then it doesn’t matter’, simply because I beat myself up for so long trying to keep positive breastfeeding Belle (when I probably should have stopped sooner). I’ve been lucky as this time round – breastfeeding has just worked for us. Millie latched straight away, and we began our successful journey. So a few MUSTS if you are breastfeeding are:
Baby Blanket – £39.99 – available from Their Future
Special technology used during the manufacturing process ensures that this baby blanket doesn’t release microfibres, and is created without the use of chemicals. Their Future’s baby blanket has superior, permanent, antimicrobial properties, as the technology included in the fabric’s construction ensures that most envelope viruses are destroyed on contact.Millie absolutely loves this blanket, and it also really helps me to feel reassured that she is comforted by a blanket that is safe and super soft.
Palmer’s Bust Cream – £5.79 – available from Boots
Firm and tone your bust even after pregnancy and weight loss with this specially formulated cream that smooths on like a gel. I use mine religiously as it helps my boobs to feel ‘less elastic’.
HPA® Lanolin Nipple Cream – £11.99 – available from Amazon
I swear by this stuff – especially for the first week of your breastfeeding journey. I used to lather this on my nipples before and after every single feed. It will help ease that first week cracked nipple pain. This is a MUST!
Complete Colostrum Harvesting Kit – £22 – available from MyExpertMidwife
I didn’t have any luck with this, but a lot of people that I know who harvested at 37/38 weeks pregnant managed to store some colostrum and it really helped them in their journey with breastfeeding.
Medela Solo™ Single Electric Breast Pump – £106.65 – available from Boots
I used this very pump with Belle’s breastfeeding journey, and I am using the same one this time round. Again one of my absolute essentials that I highly recommend.
Bath Time
This is really dependent on your baby and their skincare – every single one of us gets on with different skincare brands differently, but this is my personal recommendations and what I’ve found super useful this time round.
Angelcare 2 in 1 Baby Bath – £35 – available from John Lewis
I’ve tried a few baby bath brands, but this one feels the most safe, sturdy and holds my little darling upright in a way that allows her to kick around safely.
Angelcare Baby Bath & Room Thermometer – £14.99 – available from Mamas and Papas
Guess work on temperate can be tricky, so it’s always best to be safe. I use the Angelcare Baby Bath and Room Thermometer which is super practical as it is basically a 2-in-1.
aden + anais™ Essentials 2 Pack Hooded Towel – Damsel – £21.99 – available from Boots
One of my all-time favourite baby-friendly brands – and their towels are super soft, pretty and cosy for your little poppet. They also make a great baby shower gift for loved ones as they are a MUST.
Little Butterfly Bath Set – £65 – available from littlebutterflylondon
These products from Little Butterfly make a great gift too. They also smell amazing, and will always remind me of them early days of bathing my newborn little bundle of joy. I highly recommend using their bath products for a baby that smells as good as they look.
TOMY Toomies 7-in-1 Bath Activity Octopus – £16.99 – available from John Lewis
Although this one is for older babies (12 months+), it was gifted to me and I absolutely cannot wait to see Millie splash around and play with it in the bath. Belle had something similar and it did make bath times extra special for us all.
Sudocrem Naturals Nappy Cream – £6 – available from Waitorse
It keeps sore bums at bay, and is a great nappy cream for those of you with sensitive skinned babies like me.
Skin Salvation – 60ml – £13.99 – available from balmonds
100% natural – zero fragrances, synthetics, or paraffin. Again this is another item that is really practical for those with babies with super sensitive skin. I have to be really careful with what I put on Millie after a bath, and this has always been super friendly on her skin.
Some of my other MUSTS…
These are just some of my other absolute essentials for those first few months with a baby…
Discover everything from doulas to dieticians, sleep coaches to speech therapists. It is an absolute life-saver for those of us that are looking for answers (and more often than not, we need reassurance or an expert to help put our mind to ease).
HelloBaby Monitor – US$86.59- Available from Capital One Shopping
Having a high quality and reliable baby monitor is an absolute must, and although it’s not needed in those first couple of months, it is something that you should get in early and get setup ready for the nursery sleeping transition period. The HelloBaby Monitor is affordable compared to most on the market and is really easy to use.
LAMAZE Classic Discovery Soft Book – £8.49 – Available from Amazon
A great distraction during car journeys or walks out and about in the pram. A nice baby friendly distraction that may help you to finish a hot drink in peace.
CARE + PROTECT Talco Wash Laundry Perfume In-Wash Scent Booster – £9.19 – available from Amazon
Once you use Care and Protect – you never go back. This is super safe for babies with sensitive skin, and normally I find bio products loose their smell quite quickly, but my whole house smells of my laundry when I use this booster. One of my favourite baby friendly home products.
Glow Dreaming Sleep Aid – £109 – available from glowdreaming
We are yet to use this to help Millie sleep (she’s a pretty good sleeper anyways), but we have placed it in her nursery after reading all the amazing reviews online. Take a look for yourself.
Pabobo by Angelcare Shakies Whale Portable Night Light – £12.99 – available from Amazon
I would recommend this cute little portable soft toy night light as a gift to expecting mums. It is super cute and our 5 year old Belle loves shaking it and putting it back on for Millie.
Dreamgenii® Feeding Support Pillow – £26 – available from John Lewis
My favourite product of all of them. This is my absolute must – it saves you from tired arms, it’s great for breastfeeding or simply resting your baby on your lap whilst you eat your dinner. I highly recommend this safe support pillow – and have one downstairs and one for upstairs nigh time feeds.
Gummee glove teething mitten Turquoise and Heart shaped ring – £13.99 – available from Gummee
We are not quite at the teething stage just yet, but I highly recommend the Gummee products especially the teething mittens. They are great for those early days of teething and helping to ease the pain.
Muslin, Muslins, Muslins – £27.99 – available from adenandanais
Honestly the best muslins – and you can never ever have enough muslins.
Wooden Animal Pull Along Toy – £24 – available from babymori
Another suggestion for older babies, that are 18 month + but a really beautiful gift for expecting mums and a lovely first proper toy for pulling around.
My Baby Journal – £35 – available from cheekylittlesmiles
Also, a great gift. One thing I didn’t do enough of with Belle was keep memories or a journal, so this time round I am logging everything (especially as I am sure this will be my last baby). This is a beautiful bound book and has lovely pages to log lots of different milestones.
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