Here is my version:
1. Paper plates!
I'm hoping that everyone has people that set up meal schedules on takethemameal.com like my church did for me because if it wasn't for this My family might have starved in those first few weeks... If not definitely add food to the list! I so appreciated when Levi's family supplied us with paper to eat from, less dishes for me especially when guests come.
2. Nursing pads for breastfeeding mamas!
You will need a ton of these!! And they get expensive fast when you are going through 3-4 sets a day! I still use these daily now and it was the one thing we ran out of vacation that we couldn't buy in airport gift shops etc. You might substitute for a can of formula for bottle feeding families that stuff isn't cheap!
3. A bottle of oxy clean.
I am going through this stuff 3x as fast as I did before baby (spit up stairs, leaking accidents, blowouts) and if I don't get it rinsed and sprayed immediately it stains!
4. Pads
Not the most glamorous of gifts but definitely a necessity for the postpartum recovery time. We had to go to Walmart almost immediately because I used up what the hospital sent home so fast. Once again those unexpected costs add up.
5. Gripe water & gas drops
These are approved for use in even very small babies and they do wonders for upset tummies, colic, gas, etc. It's so nice to just have these on hand in case baby gets fussy than to try and drag said screaming baby into the store. Did I mention my daughter hates her car seat??
6. Saline for baby noses
This just comes in a tiny bottle but I use it almost everyday and she hasn't even gotten sick yet (knock on wood) helps us clear out those boogers and is safe for newborns
7. Microwaveable sterilizer bags
These are cheap, can be reused up to 20 times and are good for everything!! Dropped a pacifier? Wash it off toss it in along with pump parts, bottles, etc. Dump 2-4oz of water and microwave according to the directions, dump the access out the spout and open and remove the contents. 99.9% of harmful bacteria and germs dead!
8. Wipes
These are good for everything! And only 1 person bought me wipes as a baby shower gift so I had way more diapers than wipes. Even a single pack goes a long way!
9. Diapers - sz 1 or bigger
I was shocked how quickly I went through my baby shower stash and had to order sz 1's! Luckily I had a giftcard from Levi's awesome coworkers because I was definitely not ready to be buying them at 5 weeks! Just a small pack will help out a bunch
10. Ask if they need anything from the store before you head over!
This could be a gallon of milk or a box of cereal. I know countless times I have run out of something and the thought of packing all 3 kids up to cart into Walmart for one or two things just makes me cringe, still! This is also great for C-Section mamas who cannot drive!
How about you? What was the most helpful thing you recieved as a new mom?
