I was asked the other day what products I would recommend to new mums and dads. A few items sprung to mind and so I’d like to share them with you now – and as a reminder to my future self if I ever have a second child!
Tommee Tippee Perfect Prep Machine
This is a bit of an expensive one to start my list with (and only applies if you choose not to or are unable to breastfeed), however I absolutely loved this gadget. This machine will help you make bottles of formula milk quickly. It heats water to a hot enough temperature to sterilise powdered formula baby milk and then tops it up with cool water so that you’re left with a bottle of milk that is the perfect temperature for your little one. Yes It’s essentially a kettle, but when you’re super tired, unsure what you’re doing and you have a crying baby in your ear, this bad boy is a godsend! I know lots of other parents who have purchased this and have all agreed it’s amazing.
A baby sleeping bag
I wasn’t sold on these to start with but it’s an easy way to ensure your baby is warm and snug at night. I still use baby blankets and a large muslin from time to time, but a sleeping bag takes away the worry if you ever think you might not be tucking the blankets in well enough, or if your baby has a habit of kicking their covers off. You can buy them in all sorts of thicknesses to suit the season or your nursery temperature.
A dummy
Eek! This is a risky one to put in here, and I have read lots of literature on the cons of a dummy, however this really helped my little one to settle. I was in a bad place when I first used it, my little girl wouldn’t stop crying, I hadn’t slept in what felt like days (probably was days) and really didn’t know what else to do. I’m sure there are more experience mums, dads, nannies and so on out there who would of had another trick up their sleeve, but in the heat of the moment i’m so pleased I had a dummy in the house to try. All was calm once I whipped it out!
I’ll revisit this topic in the future, as I’m sure there are other items that have been life savers. If anyone would like more details on the items mentioned, please feel free to leave a comment below or add your own suggestions to the list!