Slings

This rewiew I will start with post about baby carriers. You shouldn’t use it because it is rather harmful to your baby. In baby carrier baby sits and it can damage his back (there may appear some problems in future like using baby walker). All of the baby weight is concentrated to his back which is unstable.

 I rather like sling than ergonomic bag but this is matter of taste. There are many kinds of slings. Scarf sling, ring sling, Kozy Mei Tai sling, strech wrap sling. From birth you can use scarf, stretch and ring sling, Mei Tai I suggest from baby’s 4th month.

The history of slings is very long. Moms are using it in the whole world for a thousands of years.

I have the scarf sling. As I’m not very tall, I bought 14.92 inches long sling. Lenght of the sling depends of your height. Many moms buy longer sling because their husbands also want to carry baby in sling. In this case you have to count sling’s size, it should be longer enough. You can tie the knot on front of you, if sling is too long for you (usually the knot should be on your back).

You can tie scarf sling in many ways – in front of you, on your back, on cradle tie. If you tie your baby in front of you, you can put him with face to you or from you (this way only when baby is 4 months old). Also you can tie your baby on your hip. It is very comfy if baby is bigger with stable back and you have to make some sandwitches etc. 

From birth you can also use stretch wrap sling. I haven’t bought this type because this sling fits until baby’s weight is approximately 17 pounds. Easier way to tie is the only reason of buying this. Scarf sling is more complicated. 

Ring sling in my opinion is useless because if baby is crummy and his weight isn’t the smallest, the fabric of the sling is slipping out of the rings. It isn’t very nice if you have to correct the knot every half an hour. 

Kozy Mei Tai is comparatively new kind of slings. It rather is ergonomic bag than sling (in my opinion). It is easy to tie this sling, but I suggest it to use from 4 months, because it doesn’t fit tightly like scarf or stretch wrap. Baby's back isn’t very stable in this kind of slings. 

I recommend you to buy  a sling, it really helps to facilitate your everyday with a baby.

First necessary things for the baby

Things you have to obtain for the good start. Of course, the list of obligatory things to each mum are different but the main things are the same.

            At first you have to buy some baby clothes. I would suggest you not to buy „newborn”  or 56.size. You can buy this size if you are sure that this size will fit your baby or for the first baby cloth set after birth. Size 0 – 3 mth/62.size will be more reasonable purchase. You can buy: 

•  first baby clothing set;
• 3 long armed bodysuits; 
•  2 short armed bodysuits;
• 5 dungarees or pants;
• 2 jackets (rather without hood);
• few pairs of socks, one pair should be thicker;
• 2 cotton hats;
•  few pairs of cotton mittens for the first week;
•  2 – 3 long armed shirts (these can put on short armed bodysuits);
•   few pairs of tights (very comfy, I understood it after my first child).

Afterwords you’ll already know what kind of clothes you have to buy, what is more comfortable for your baby (and for you to put on him). This list can be changed, it depends on season. In winter you will also have to buy thicker hat and snowsuit. Dresses, skirts, shorts, etc. are up to you J

            You have to obtain diapers or nappies (read in my previous rewiew „Diapers or nappies?”).

            You have to buy a bed for your baby. It can be regular rack bed or you can buy a cradle. You have to remember that cradle will fit up to 6 months max. Afterwords you will have to obtain regular bed. I bought regular beds for my kids, for my daughter (she’s the youngest child) I wanted cradle, but I changed my mind. I am happy of that because my girl is very active since her birth and she could fall out from the cradle easily. There are many parents who buy  travel beds. I wouldn’t suggest it because this type of bed is for travel. This bed’s base isn’t firm, stable and hard, you shouldn’t use it daily.

            Next of the big purchases is baby carriage. In this rewiew I will tell about types of carriages.

            For infants the best are prams with firmy and hard base. It is the best for the backs health of a small baby. Baby should lie on the hard, straight surface. Strollers with folding back can’t ensure that. In prams under the cotton inner part is board. You can buy big heavy pram with swing function with pram only or you can buy 3 in 1 carriage which includes pram, stroller and carseat. The time which baby will sleep in pram is different. There are babies who want to see the world as soon as they learn sitting or crawling (like my oldest kid) and there are babies who sleep in pram up to a year. It is hard to suggest between big pram and 3 in 1 carriage. Nobody knows how long the baby will sleep in pram. It is up to you. Of course, you have to decide between these two types taking into account your cars trunk ( if you will transport carriage).

            There also are few stuff like bottles (if you don’t want or can’t do breastfeeding), nipples, some cotton sheets, baby bath, baby lotion. Great stuff is big gymnastic ball where you can sit and swing with baby in your hands helping your baby to fall asleep. It can help to cope with baby colic also.

            With my youngest baby I found out the magic of sling. It is the greatest invention! You just put your baby in sling and you can do everything. Baby falls asleep almost at once. You can go shopping, walking, doing some homeworks. Great! In sling baby feels safe and comfy, he hears your heartbeats that calms him. You can use it since your baby is few weeks old (even earlier).

Diapers or nappies?

Every mom can choose between nappies and diapers. I have tried out both of them  for my two children. Diapers are more easier to use, just put it on your baby and afterwords take it off in trash. Most popular diapers in the world are Pampers and Huggies. There’re many other types of diapers but you have to try them on your own because there are different brands in different countries. I can’t compare diapers which I haven’t tried out myself. There are few in my country and I tried out two more types. One of them was similar to Pampers diapers but was almost twice cheaper.

            If your baby is only few weeks old you should use diapers that fit him best. If you want to try some more, then buy the smallest pack of diapers. Your baby may have some allergic reaction so where will you put the rest of the biggest pack of diapers? J There are also diference between one size diaper types. The same Huggies and Pampers have a big diference. Huggies diapers are larger than Pampers diapers. You have to choose smart appraising your baby’s weight, height and some of his body features. I suggest Huggies diapers to taller or bigger babies.

Cotton nappy

Bambino Mio

            Of course, there are also ecological factor. Diapers are one of our planets biggest care. If you do care of it, you can pick nappies.

             I have tried Bambino Mio nappies and the same „no name” nappies bought on e-bay on my younger child. Well, I can say that Bambino Mio nappies are not quite ecological, these are rather multiple use nappies, that’s the only diference between these nappies and diapers. As you can see in picture , the nappy cover is made from some kind of plastic which helps to keep the nappy dry outside. I prefer simple cotton nappies. You’ll have to change them frequently, but these nappies really are ecological and environmentally friendly. Using simple nappies your baby won’t have any allergic reaction because these nappies are breathable. There are many types of nappies. You can try also Little lamb, bamboo organic nappies, Imse Vimse, Disana, Tots Bots. You shouldn’t use softener in washing machine, only powder. I use hand washing with laundry soap.

First time home

            Now you are home from hospital. If there was homebirth, you are alone without any help and advisors. If it’s your first child I can understand your confusion. Baby looks so small, so helpless. Maybe you (and your husband too :) ) are really scared, but you have to follow your intuition. Nature has given you oportunity to be a mother and also some skills to deal with this.

            Baby’s most important need is food and your love. Both of these things can combine, because if you do breastfeeding, your baby feels so happy at the moment like somebody is pouring pure happiness into him. We all want our children be happy therefore this is very good way how to make your child feeling like that.

            You should hug your baby as much as you can, because last 9 months he spent in dark small place and all sounds were much more quietier than now in this huge, colourful and loud world. Your heartbeats he knows and it is calming. 

            At frst you have to be sure that your baby eats enough. Your doctor or midwife will visit you and your baby when he is one week old and the doctor will check your baby’s weight. On first three days baby usually is loosing his weight, it’s normal, but afterwards he has to put on weight. If he’s doing it well, everything is ok, he eats enough, but if there is a problem with weight, your doctor will check the eating process. May be the baby is too exausted or maybe a little bit lazy eater.