Top 10 Things for When Baby Arrives - Brisbane Newborn Photographer

Your baby is on the way! You want to be prepared! What do you REALLY need in the first week when your baby arrives? 

Well there are many long lists of "essentials" but, when it all boils down, the only thing you really need is...  each other. 

You and your new baby have an amazing symbiotic relationship (ok thats just a fancy word that means you help each other out) where your body works to nourish your baby with exactly the amount and type of milk they need at that time (and that milk recipe and quantity changes daily) and they help your body by stimulating hormones that trigger biological responses such as shrinking the womb back down to size or adjusting the milk production. 

Now in comparison to a lot of other lists, this one bases a lot around you as a new mum. Of course we think about all the things we might like for our new baby, but we all want to be comfortable too, right? So here are a few of the top buys from my own personal experience of becoming a mum: 

1  THE AHH-BRA

One of the first nights I was home after having my first baby I woke in the middle of the night with a wet chest. My milk had let down while I was sleeping. So I took to wearing a bra all day and all night with the breast pads in which became so uncomfortable at night. Get yourself a 3 pack of the Ahh-Bra's for bedtime, they are comfy and will hold those pads in place so that you dont have that cold wet wake-up call in the middle of the night. 

2  CAMERA
This is a once in a lifetime event, so document it! Regardless of if you are welcoming your first baby or your 10th, it is a special and unique time in your life and theirs, so make sure you capture this family milestone with loads of photos. Don't bother too much about perfection, take your photos in documentary style, ideas such as:

• cutting the umbilical cord
• the first weight on the scales
• first cuddle/feed after birth
• the first bath
• first time meeting siblings and grandparents
• cuddles in your hospital bed 
• the birth information on the hospital crib 
• little hands and feet with their name tags
• the hearing test

And be sure to have a family photo at the hospital, if there is not an official photographer there then the nurses are usually more than happy to help out. Of course around a week after welcoming your baby you will be coming for your professional family portraits at Family Photography by Natarsha March, so let me do all the perfect posed photos for you then so you can capture the candid family time yourself without the worry about things being perfect. 

3  BIG BLACK UNDIES

Mens ones preferably - they have a wider waist band and more room underneath. In case you haven't yet seen the size of a maternity pad, prepare yourself. Its huge. Grab a 5 pack of ugly big mens undies from Kmart and chuck them out a few weeks later when they are no longer needed. 

4  FOOD

I love a treat and during pregnancy there are so many things off the menu! I made sure there was a solid supply of Sushi, ham sandwiches, soft cheese and seafood coming my way after my girls arrived.

                          

5  RITE AID HYDROGEL PADS 

Best. Invention. Ever. 

Glitter bomb of truth: Boobs hurt in the first week. Getting all the milk-making up and running is hard and your boobs will likely be hot and sore from their new job. These gel pads go in your bra and help so much. They are in the baby section of the supermarket, get a pack and keep them in the fridge. 

6  WHITE NOISE
I find most babies that visit for a photography session respond really well to the white noise. This particular file is great because it is more like waves on a beach than that static sound and there is a nice heartbeat in there too. Download your free file here - it is half an hour long and I put it on repeat during the session.

7  SNACK STACK  

Grab a few snack foods like muslie bars, biscuits and crackers and put them in an airtight container by the couch. Put a water bottle there too. I found that the only time I would think about eating would be the very moment after I sat down to feed my daughter. 

8  DRY SHAMPOO 

I love this stuff, such a time saver - and surprisingly I reckon my hair looks better after a day or two of using this! My favourite is V05, Refresh Me Quick as it smells nice and is not powdery like some other brands.  Its hit and miss to find at the supermarket so keep an eye out and grab it when you see it. 

9  CURASH CREAM

Unlike the sudocream this is medicated. Unlike Bepanthen it is a zinc based to provide protection against further irritation. It is the best of both worlds, and therefore my favourite nappy rash cream. Keep it out of reach of toddlers - it is near impossible to get off things like carpet. Or childrens hair.  

For really bad nappy rash (for example if there are sores) get the Curash Powder and pat it on to the area instead of using cream. 

10  BABY BATH

Look for a PH balanced brand such as Aveeno, Gaia or Mustella available from chemists. Some of the supermarket brands can be quite harsh on new baby skin, so hold off until at least three months before using those. 

BONUS TIP: 

If you have a winter baby you will have a lot of jumpsuits with long legs. These are designed to send you to an insane asylum at 4am when those little buttons dont line up over and over.  Just use long-arm-no-leg onesies at bedtime, 3 snaps are so much harder to stuff up and your baby will be wrapped in so many blankets that having bare legs under all those layers won't make a difference. 

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