Aside from all the obvious necessities that every new Mummy needs for their baby, (car seat/travel system, baby grows, Moses basket etc.) I thought I would put together a little list of the 5 things I found most useful when thrown in to the deep end of motherhood, some of which really got me through the early days/weeks/months without having a nervy B.

These items may be different from one mother to another, but hopefully my personal picks may be of use to those of you who haven’t entered the wonderful world of motherhood just yet. Those of you who are already seasoned professionals in the field of mum (I’m definitely an amateur), please feel free to share any great products that have worked wonders for you and your little beans as I am always looking for things to make mama life that tiny bit simpler.

1. Solly Baby Wrap, $65 (approx £45+shipping & taxes)Baby wearing is said to provide so many benefits for both you and baba, most importantly bringing you closer together physically and emotionally, but also giving you the freedom to get on with your daily life. I love this ‘wrap’ style of baby wearing as opposed to your traditional structured carrier as it feels more natural, and I rate Solly Baby in particular as the fabric is a silky soft sustainable knit which is both eco-friendly and comfy for baby. The wrap is designed to keep them cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold, and easily folds up in to your changing bag, making it super efficient. People can be put off by this style of baby wearing as they think it may not be as secure as a structured carrier, or that the ‘wrapping’ part looks to be too complicated. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube and practised a few times with both cuddly toy and baby, and once you’ve got it you’ll never look back! If wrapped correctly the wearer can feel just how secure and safe baby is in there, and it really is the nicest feeling (especially giving your arms a break!). Solly Baby is based in the U.S. so I had to pay taxes to get it shipped over, however there are other brands available in the U.K. so if you fancy a wrap just do your research. Verdict = LIFESAVER.
2. Longchamp Le Pliage Large Tote Bag, £65A changing bag is a must for any mum, but with most of them costing ridiculous amounts of money and offering very little in the style stakes, I decided to shun the traditional bags for something a little more me. The Longchamp Le Pliage bags come in varying shades and sizes and their basic appearance make them both versatile and gender neutral (AKA no embarrassed Dad carrying a flowery number). I opted for the navy in size large and then bought some clear zip up cosmetic pouches from Superdrug to section off some of our bits and pieces making it all the more organised. As I have been breastfeeding I have very rarely needed to carry bottles, so the size of the bag hasn’t been an issue for me, however those formula mamas out there may find it a little short on space for all your extras. I think this makes the perfect overnight bag too, (one night only girls!) with just enough room for your toiletries, toothbrush and some cute Pjs.
3. BabyDan Reversible Play Mat, £27.99We like to have an area where you are able to put baby down so that they can explore, learn and eventually play independently too . Initially I was using a bundle of blankets layered up on the living room floor to make a soft area for Dexter to roll around and play on, however I was super paranoid about keeping the blankets clean (especially as he has eczema) and found myself trying to wash tonnes of blankets on a regular basis, which was not practical on top of all the usual household washing. I wanted a play mat that was a little bigger than the standard mats you find giving Dex some extra room to play, and with a little extra cushioning for any topples. I came across a few that looked great but were almost £100 and thought that was rather excessive, so opted for this one which I found on Amazon. It does the trick and I can easily throw it in the wash to freshen it up. It is great to go underneath any play gyms too if yours is a little thin on the ground.
4. Foam Bath Support, £7.99The bathroom in our house is quite small so we decided not to bother with a baby bath and instead bath Dexter in the big bath using one of these foam supports for him to lie on. If you are short on space too I would really recommend that you go for one of these as they are so handy and we have found them extremely safe with zero slipping and sliding. You can also pick up an even cheaper version (without the wedge) from places like Home Bargains so you can stock up or hand them out to relatives if you ever go visiting.
5. Baby Swing/SeatIn the early days, you will most likely want to put your baby down (occasionally!) and allow them to get used to sitting or sleeping on their own without you- something we struggled with as we had a very clingy loving baby. We had a vibrating/bouncy seat at our house and a swing at my parents, and I definitely think the swing won hands down. I have also heard other mums say that they are a godsend as their baby loves to sleep in them during the day*- maybe we’ll be lucky with baby number 2 and they’ll think that this is a great idea too.*N.B. new babies need to be laid flat as much as possible so it’s not recommended to do this all the time.

P.S. For those of you who don’t already know, ‘white noise’ is a GAME CHANGER for a crying baby, and somehow has magic powers which calm your child and often help them to sleep. We have a Ewan the Dream Sheep, but YouTube works wonders too and is great if you’re out and about.

I hope this post has been useful. If anyone has any specific post requests please let me know as I would love to include stuff that people will find interesting/helpful.

A.x