What does a first time mother need?

Swaddling is just like making a baby burrito.

 

For some reason, I have avoided this thread. Even though I have had three of these little buggers and I really don't have a shortage of opinions about them.

What I think a new mom needs in the first, say, four weeks of having the wee mite home:

Everybody's said it, blankets...you need lots of goddamned blankets to swaddle the baby. Swaddling a newborn is a repetitious, cathartic, soothing ritual. You will like it - and you will like your blankets.
Onesies and footie pajamas. Also already mentioned. but critical. I always liked the solid color ones.
Booties and socks. You will need little foot things to cover their tiny little feet because they get cold really fast. Circulation likes to feed the core at the tiny stage.
Little knit caps for their wee little heads. Cover that fontanel.
Nursing bras. Note that I said bras. With an s. You will leak, they get dirty. (You can buy nursing pads, as well, but I always found them uncomfortable and abrasive and only used them when leaving the house.)
Comfort clothes for yourself. It's going to be...wonderful and really, really stressful. You need to be comfortable. Sweatpants and huge t-shirts...and socks for yourself, as well. (Especially since you are due during the winter season.)
Diapers and wipes, of course. I never used the changing table much, I would just use a BLANKET on the floor most of the time. You can invest in a diaper genie, they are fabulous, but until the baby starts eating solid food, their poop doesn't usually have a lot of odor. You will eventually need cream for diaper rash, but again, you really don't have to worry about that as much until they start eating solid food.
A bassinet. I always kept mine beside the bed, but would usually fall asleep with the little wingnut(s) during night feedings. Having her close by so that I never had to actually leave the bed was more conducive to getting adequate sleep.
Have some of your favorite foods around. If you're breastfeeding you can write off extra calories and you will enjoy little self-indulgences so much.
You're going to feel sometimes like your life has been turned upside down, and it has in some ways. So take the time to remind yourself that you're still you. Listen to your favorite music, watch your favorite shows, do some of the things that you used to do that you still can. It can center you.
Be sure to find time to laugh. And kiss.

Well. Most of that is not so much about the new baby but about the mom. Truth is, new babies don't need that much. They need food, sleep and hygiene, that's about it. It's the mom who needs the psychosocial nurturing at this stage. Some of my very fondest memories are in those first few weeks of having a new baby home. There's no other experience quite like it.

 

Oh hell yes!! Neither of my boys liked being swaddled, and the Sleep Sacks were a bloody life saver.
--- merged: Aug 16, 2013 at 12:22 AM ---

Also good on the hands from time to time. Sounds strange, I know, but here's the thing. Some kidlets can scratch themselves. Their tiny fingernails grow fast, and as small and thin as they are, it's like ten wee papercuts. One of my boys and both of my nieces scratched up their faces quite a bit, and one CANNOT get tiny gloves on those adorable little hands.

 

They make little shirts with flaps that can cover their little hands although I never used them.

And thank you because that reminded me of a couple of things:
Little nail clippers and they make little tiny emery boards, too.
THE NASAL BULB. You will want one and you will want to watch how the nurse in the hospital uses it. Don't be timid. Suction that shit out so your kid can breathe, you'll both feel a whole lot better.

 

Nasal bulb... cause nobody likes to suck snot.

(and you will do it if you have to)

 

it's true.

 

I've never been to a baby shower... They played one (a game) at my sisters baby shower that was about the most disgusting thing I'd heard of in a very long time... Sounded like something some straight male knuckle-dragger would think up (and think funny) - they had a pack of newborn size diapers, that they folded up an unwrapped, Halloween size bar of chocolate in. (used pooped in diaper style)You had to eat the candy bar you unwrapped in the diaper you were handed, and if you guessed the candy bar type correctly, you got the rest of the bag of mini candy bars.
REALLY great example of why I didn't want baby showers for my babies, and why I don't go to them when invited. (I just send a gift & card, I don't attend)

 

Take the one from the hospital. Trust me, they are better than almost any you will get as a part of a medical kit. My nurses had me take everything - including extra diapers. Once they open a pack for your room, the rest are yours to keep.

Make friends with your nurses, they'll give you everything they can and will take great care of you!

 

You will probably only need to buy a pack or two of the newborn-sized diapers. Babies pack on pounds pretty fast, and BS (Baby Squirrel, not Bull Shit) will graduate to the next size in no more than a couple of weeks - one of mine only lasted 5 days, but he was the biggest.

I'm a huge believer in sleep sacks. My 2 year-old still sleeps in one. The infant size usually has a wing-like thing that velcros to the back that can be folded over for swaddling or taken off if you don't need it. They make larger sizes for larger kids, and they're like wearable blankets, only totally enclosed.

You probably don't need to worry about baby-proofing things until at least 6 months, but all of a sudden, it's going to be a big problem. There's a huge difference between a baby that stays put and maybe rolls over here and there and one that's on the go. And there's a surprising about of shenanigans that they can get into in the 0" to 24" area of a room.

Bouncy chairs - it doesn't matter what you like. If they like it, you're golden. You can put them in there after a week or two, and if it vibrates, chances are that they'll fall asleep fairly quickly.

And as shoegirl implied, steal everything from the hospital room that the nurses let you take. Seriously.

 

Sleep sacks must have come along after my kids were born. I've never even heard of them.

 

I'm all about stealing. We have so many pint glasses because I'm a klepto. I will steal anything that's not tied down!

 

I visit this thread every day. Thank you all!!!

Keep the suggestions rolling.

 

Thought of something else while putting my kiddo to bed tonight. We received a sound machine/projector as a gift, and it has been wonderful. Amazon.com: myBaby Soundspa Lullaby Sound Machine and Projector: Baby

My daughter has always liked any kind of white noise to fall asleep to, so this was perfect once she was sleeping in her own room. I can hear it from the next room, the ocean and rain sounds are both pretty relaxing! There are also plenty of white noise apps you can download to your phone, also very useful.