The initial equipment for the baby is something special. She prepares the nest for the new family member and is associated with a lot of anticipation for the expectant parents. The selection of enchanting garments, useful care products, and cute decorations are huge, but again, less can be so much more. In this guide,Babocush tummy rocker, we would like to show you how to focus on the essentials when shopping for the baby and make conscious decisions for sustainable family life.
Select baby clothes
With baby clothes, you can limit yourself to the bare essentials for the first few weeks. On the net, there is a practical overview that offers you support in the selection. We would also like to give you some practical decision-making aids on the way. This is how you consciously buy baby clothes.
1. Choose the right size
Babies grow fast. Size 56 for firstborns, most wear only a few days or weeks. If a baby is rather large at birth, it may be that the first romper in 56 is equally too narrow.
More sensible is more extensive equipment in the subsequent size 62/68. In it, babies have enough freedom of movement and the garments are easier to put on and take off with a loose fit.
2. Practical instead of fashionable
Baby clothes should not only be comfortable when dressed but also allow for uncomplicated dressing and undressing. With snaps in the leg and crotch area, you can wrap your baby without having to take him off. Since socks quickly slip off the foot, rompers or leggings with sewn-on socks are practical.
Fashionable applications make baby clothes pretty, but are impractical and can even disturb them. Buttons, zippers, bows, appliqués, or hoods can press uncomfortably, as newborns are mainly lying or being worn. Therefore, opt for skin-friendly substances without frills. Snap fasteners should only make it easier to put on and take off in the crotch and neck area. Also practical are garments for wrapping, which do not have to be pulled over the head.
3. Secondhand is good for the environment and health
Since baby clothes are only worn briefly and a little strained, you can buy them well second-hand. So you make a conscious decision against waste and do something good for your baby. Second-hand baby clothes are already washed several times and thus less polluted than newly purchased clothing, which still contains production residues and can irritate sensitive skin.
If you prefer to buy new clothes, pay attention to products that are tested according to the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 or GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard). These garments should also be washed several times before first wearing with a skin-friendly detergent, without fabric softener, at 30 to 40 degrees. A comprehensive guide to washing baby clothes and accessories can be found on www.dm.de.
Important care products
A good changing table at the right height for your body size and plenty of storage space is the heart of baby care. Of course, you can also wrap your baby on the floor, the bed, or the couch. However, since newborns should be wrapped approximately every two hours, this can be a stress test for the back.
For wrapping, you have the choice between disposable diapers and cloth diapers. Cloth diapers are more sustainable and some babies tolerate them better than the disposable variant. A pack of diapers in size 1 is enough for the beginning. So you can try out which type of diaper flatters the baby’s buttocks and change if necessary. Usually, after a few weeks, the change to the next diaper size makes sense. Therefore, the changing table should not be overloaded before birth.
To clean the baby’s swing, warm water and clean wipes are sufficient. Soft washcloths or self-cut cloth cloths made of Molton cloths or terry cloth are well suited for gentle and sustainable cleaning. For hygienic reasons, the lobules should be washable at least 60 degrees. Wet wipes can be a good addition to on the go. At home, they cause waste and irritate some sensitive baby skin due to the additives.
A wound protection cream is not necessary. Baby skin feels most comfortable with water and air. For more intensive care, a baby oil, such as almond oil, and a good healing ointment should be selected. Healing wool is also a practical helper for a sore baby butt.
A washable changing mat is part of the initial equipment. A soft towel is more ecological and skin-friendly than a disposable pad. It can find a place in the diaper bag on the go.
The diaper pail complements the changing equipment. You can do without expensive products with bag cassettes. A well-sealable bucket from the hardware store or household department is more practical and durable. With garbage bags made of recycled material, you make a good decision.
Baby bath, yes or no?
Most babies love to bathe. They don’t need an expensive baby bath. For the first few weeks, a large sink is sufficient. Later, it is a pleasure to go to the bathtub together with the baby. Baby’s skin does not need a bath additive. You can add a few drops of almond oil to the water if necessary.
For bathing, you need two to three soft and sufficiently large hooded towels and a bath thermometer. After bathing, you can care for the baby’s skin with a little almond oil. A wooden brush with extra soft bristles and nail scissors with a rounded tip complete the beauty program.
All about the baby’s diet
Whether you’re breastfeeding your baby or giving him the bottle, you’ll need a few little things.
This is what your breastfeeding baby needs:
A high-quality nursing pillow
3 to 4 Molton spitting cloths
Comfortable nursing bras, nursing pads and nipple ointment for mom
If necessary, a breast pump. However, this can be borrowed in most pharmacies for breastfeeding.
This is what your bottle baby needs:
About four vials made of glass or BPA-free plastic
Four suckers for newborns made of latex or silicone
Pre-food: Here a package is enough for the beginning. So you can try out whether the variety is suitable for your baby and change if necessary.
A bottle brush
A small thermos (approx. 0.5 litres) for food preparation on the go
A kettle
A special sterilizer for cleaning the vials and suction cups is not necessary. A pot of hot water works just as well.
Around the baby’s sleeping place
In the first few months, most babies sleep very close to their parents. Here you have the choice between a baby cot, an extra bed, a cradle or a bassinet. An extra bed or a bassinet are flexible, but a baby cot grows for a long time and can possibly be used for years.
Regardless of the sleeping place, the choice should fall on a high-quality mattress. These include several breathable underlays that absorb moisture well, two to three fitted sheets made of terry cloth and three to four baby sleeping bags.
Your baby does not need bed linen. Experts also advise against a nest, a bed sky and stuffed animals in favor of optimal air circulation. For this you can attach a music box over the baby cot. With a baby monitor, you can always put your baby in a quiet place to sleep and at the same time do a few things next door.
Do you need a playpen?
A playpen offers the possibility to safely place the baby if you want to leave the room briefly. But it also takes up a lot of space. If you can be around, your baby will feel comfortable on a cozy crawling mat on the floor. The baby cot is also suitable for short, safe storage.
However, a playpen can be useful, for example, if older siblings romp through the apartment or pets run around freely.
That belongs in baby’s medicine chest
Babies do not yet need a wide range of medicines. Here are a few suggestions:
A fever thermometer with elastic tip for the buttocks
Fever suppositories
Healing wool and a special healing ointment, for example from Weleda
A small grape seed pillow
Caraway suppositories
Nasal drops for moisturizing and decongestant nasal drops for infants
Angelica Balm
Thyme angelica oil for rubbing in the chest and back
Abdominal well-being oil
Fennel tea
Your midwife can advise you on which aids should equip babies’ medicine chest from the beginning.
Of course, there are still many practical helpers, for example for excursions or car trips with the baby. At home you are well equipped with these utensils for the time after the birth.