Table of Contents

Introduction

Suggested items and systems to help prepare and care for baby

The information contained in this blog was compiled out of the desire to help Moms and Dads prepare and care for their baby. So much trial and error and experience led to this knowledge that I wanted to share it! I must give special credit to the Moms on Call consultants (www.momsoncall.com) who gave me a two hour demonstration of baby care and introduced me to many procedures and products. Always consult your pediatrician about topics below because it varies by child health and circumstance. These are my notes after the first 12 months. Because I was on extended bedrest, I purchased most of the items online and it made me feel like I could still be productive and ready when baby arrived! We signed up for the Amazon Prime free shipping program and it paid for itself by the first month. You can even get subscriptions to certain items which make deliveries dependable and prices are reduced. We survived and most importantly ENJOYED year one and hope that this information helps you!

Table of Contents

Feeding

Bottle prep

Bottle clean

Nursing area

Food preparation

Pre-packaged snacks

Nursery

Bassinet

Changing Table

Closet

Diapers

Diaper Pail

Bedding

Big Gear

Pack n Play

Swing

Bouncer

Medical

Medical kit

Teething

Going Out

Diaper Bag (0-6 mth)

Diaper Bag (6 mth +)

Car Ride

Eating Out

Stroller

Play

Play room

Play date gear

Sleep

Bath

CD Player

Music for bathtime and night feeding helped soothe Mom perhaps even more than baby. Favorites were: Baby goes BonJovi, Christopher Parkening classic guitar, Mozart.

Cell Phone

Apple iPhone 4
or other similar phone – this is a must have!

Keep emergency numbers such as doctor and poison control handy. I set alarms for each 2 hour  feeding / sleeping segment. One alarm for when to wake her (and I) – usually 15-30 minutes before she awoke, and one alarm for when to put her down to sleep. I used applications to keep track of tasks. I used the notepad to jot things down before I forgot. I surfed for information. The application for shopping is wonderful to keep track of what is needed and is real time so hubby can view same list and visibly see when something is added or checked off. I signed up on the northside hospital mom’s message board and would read all questions and answers that were emailed about every 15 minutes or so. This gave me tips and insight into future challenges to come. Use for taking photos or videos all day long. If you wait for a camera you miss precious moments!

Meal ideas for toddlers

Some of Carolyn’s meals:

Protein
chicken patties
garbanzo beans
yogurt
cheese
cheese sandwich
Southwest quesadilla
turkey
meatloaf
lentils
legumes
frittata
hummus and pita
omelet
salmon
frozen turkey pattie

Grain / Starch
Multigrain cereal by Quaker with baby oatmeal as thickener, greek yogurt, and applesauce, let sit overnight in refrigerator to soak up moisture
polenta- sliced and firmed up using olive oil spritz in frying pan
gnocci- cut in pieces after cooking
sweet potato patties
potato – steamed or mashed
cheerios
tortilla and cheese
orzo pasta
wheat bread
couscous – whole gran
crackers – whole grain
squash pasta
waffle – whole wheat

garlic grit cake

Vegetables
mixed diced frozen organic – carrots, peas, green beans, lima beans
beets- steamed and peeled – Trader Joes!
sweet potato patties- Golden brand
vegetable patties
carrots-steamed
peppers-steamed
zucchini-steamed
frozen pureed or homemade squash- Cascadian farms -Target

Tub time

A bath was an important part of our daily wind down routine

We used a Fisher-Price Whale of a Tub
. It was comfortable for her as a baby and convertible by removing the middle divider for when she sat up comfortably on her own. It was a wider tub than the competitors so it was more comfortable. We used a towel to hold her more securely at the beginning.

During each bath we covered her in a Bath Luve
– wash cloth material in shape of a duck or frog that keeps baby warm in the tub. The duck paddles or frog legs wrap over the baby’s shoulders to keep it in place. Wash cloths work too but this product is much easier to use.
We used very thin soft washcloths to properly clean her eyes and ears. Wash face with only water.

We used Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
for body and hair as recommended by our pediatrician. We also used Aveeno Skin Relief Bath Treatment
weekly.  Anything else left her skin too dry. Skin cleanser and lotions in a pump are much easier and quicker when handling a slippery infant!

We followed up with Eucerin Moisturizing Lotion or Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion,
, and sealed it with Aquaphor Healing Ointment

We used  a hooded baby towel and extra towel for drying her hair on the changing table.

Laundry

Count on a laundry load every other day if not every day. I bought three sets of everything she slept in and a spare pair of sheets so every other day was possible. We used Dreft 2x Ultra Baby Liquid Laundry Detergent
for the first 6 months. My wrists were almost useless until week 6 so I only purchased smaller sizes of detergent and not mega sizes to make things easier. If you use dye free and allergen free detergent, you should use Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets, Free of Dye 120-Count Boxes (Pack of 3)

I found that the sooner you spray the stain with OxiClean Baby Stain Remover Spray
, the better results in removing it. Washing that night was necessary on some bad stains. We had a few blowouts at times which I pre-soaked in a bucket overnight in OxiClean Baby Stain Soaker
and washed the next day. If there was a stain that would not come out, I soaked it for a day in warm water in a bucket as well.
I switched to Tide Free and Gentle High Efficiency
recently and it is a good option too.
Note, you can’t switch back and forth to use regular for your clothes and unscented for baby because there is residue in the washing machine that be enough for a reaction. Carolyn was super sensitive.

Swimming

Most pools require a disposable diaper and one that goes over it that is not disposable. The disposable diaper’s role is to catch number one and the non-disposable is to catch – heaven forbid -  number two. I used these products:Huggies Little Swimmers and iPlay Swim Diaper. I saw a new product I want to try this spring which is a combination suit and disposable diaper. Hopefully pools will allow these because they are cute. iPlay Ultimate Ruffle Swim Diaper Ruffle Tanksuit, Lavender

I brought a large gym bag with a towel for me and she. I used swim tops instead of full swim suits to avoid the three layers required for this look. I put the swim top on at home and took her in a diaper. After arriving at the pool I took off her diaper and put both layers of swim diaper on. I used a cover up afterwards and changed her to regular clothes and diaper.

Play date gear

BAG FOR PLAY DATES

All that you would bring to a dinner, except iPlay Ultimate Ruffle Swim Diaper Ruffle Tanksuit, Lavender
might be a good idea if you know if the house has a comfortable changing area. Be a good guest and don’t leave diapers behind.

Bring only toys you don’t mind losing or sharing. Washable only.
As she got older a sippy cup and snacks were a must.