Essential Baby Gear in the First Month

Are you prepared to bring baby home from the hospital? Now that you have a newborn, you should be equipped with essential baby gear in the first month of your child’s life, starting with some of these tried and true fundamentals.

You will be able to provide your newborn with plenty of love, but in order to fully care for your baby as she begins to develop you will need activity mats, bouncers, baby carriers, and of course, clothes and feeding necessities. Having the essential baby gear in the first month of your child’s life will make your life easier and aid in your child’s development. Let’s take a look at some key products you might find useful.

Activity Mats

From the very moment your child is born, she is discovering the world around her. To reinforce the development of visual perception and reflexes, using an activity mat, or baby gym, is an ideal way to let your child acclimate.

Mats with any combination of bright, contrasting colors, mirrors, rattles, jittering toys and rings, provide your baby with activities that will encourage development. By placing your baby on the mat, you are offering a clean and safe space for you baby to move freely and interact with stimulating objects.

In addition to promoting mental health through colors and patterns, the mat encourages physical development as your baby reaches and grasps toys, and pushes herself up on her tummy.

Baby Bouncers

Baby bouncers, or bouncing chairs, are another great way to safely allow your newborn to discover her world. Unlike activity mats, the baby bouncer requires your child to be strapped in, so her freedom of motion is more restricted. However, the bouncer allows your child to be soothed by the up and down motion, while at the same time, giving her the freedom to view the world around her.

Baby Carriers

And for those times when you are ready to take baby on the go, baby carriers allow you to keep your newborn close, providing comfort to both the baby, and you. Whether you use a sling-style, or a traditional back-pack-style, baby carriers swaddle your baby close to your chest, allowing your newborn to feel the reassurance of your heartbeat. Carriers also allow your child to see the world from the safety of your arms, but leave you hands free to care for your child or take care of daily errands.

Newborn Clothing

Even though your newborn will not need to wear the latest fashions, it is important to be prepared with clothes that you can easily slip on and off your child. Onesies and side-snapping shirts are perfect for quick diaper changes and allow your child to move freely and easily as she adjusts to her new world. It is also important to have a few hats ready for colder days to keep your baby warm.

Feeding Accessories

While not every mother chooses to breastfeed, if you are breastfeeding your newborn, it is helpful to use a feeding/nursing pillow to prop-up your baby so they can easily access and digest your milk.

If you are bottle-feeding directly after giving birth, you will want to have 4-ounce bottles on hand, as well as nipples for each of these bottles.

And regardless of whether you are breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, you will definitely want to have plenty of burp-cloths to use after feeding.

Having the essential baby gear in the first month of your child’s life will help you ease your newborn into her new world.