What you need to have for mama and baby, as told by a mom who totally dropped the ball the first time.
This must-haves guide contains affiliate links. Some product samples were received
in order to review for this guide. All opinions are always my own.
Being due around Christmas time, I’ve been on a planning kick lately. Especially since I typically deliver early (my first at 35 weeks). I want to make sure I’m prepared, with most things that I need so that I don’t need to stress about it when d-day comes.
After having my daughter three years ago, I realized I hadn’t put much emphasis on things that I would need and had more emphasis on all the cute things that I had wanted. Well this time around, I am more focused on the must-haves for a newborn and mom. Plus, I know a lot more going into it this time than I did last time and feel like now that I have my first rodeo under my belt, I can plan more strategically this time.
With all of that, I wanted to put together a mama must-haves post that breaks down all the things I will have handy this time around for baby. Hopefully it helps out a few first time mamas, and maybe some of you second-time moms too! You never know.
Expecting Mama Must-Haves Guide
A list of what you’ll actually need for pregnancy and when baby arrives
PREGNANCY MUST-HAVES
First off, let’s talk pregnancy. With my first, I literally had no idea what I was doing or what was coming. I did purchase a few maternity clothing pieces (mostly secondhand at Goodwill or on Facebook). My theory was that if I was only going to wear it for a few months, there was no way I was paying full price for it. The only items that I had that were new were items my husband bought for me after listening to me complain that I had nothing to wear (bless his heart). I just recently found out about Bellies to Babies (I believe they are just in Minnesota and South Dakota) where it’s secondhand maternity/mom wear that’s stylish and affordable. I wish I would have known about them with my first, because I would have really done some damage there! (So maybe it’s good that I didn’t know about them then, lol!)
I also didn’t think that I would ever go into labor early with my first. I had this notion in my head that every pregnant woman delivered on her due date and that’s just how the world works. Therefore, I wasn’t prepared when the day came and it was all kind of a blur when I look back at it. I’m prepping earlier this time and preparing for whatever might come at me.
Also during this pregnancy, I discovered Bump Boxes from a Facebook ad and I loved the idea. I tried one of their third trimester boxes and it was spot on. They are a subscription box that you can sign up for every month, or a 3, 6 or 9 month subscription. In the box they sent me, I received some cooling foot & leg cream (this makes for some awesome night time massages), super comfy socks with grippies (totally planning on packing these in my hospital bag), a massager tool, foot soak and a baby book! Which made me realize, I hadn’t ordered a baby book yet! Dropped the ball on that one, thank goodness Bump Boxes had me covered there.
Next, let’s move on to the hospital. Labor and delivery is different for every mom of course. But for me, I went into my first labor thinking of course I was going to avoid a c-section and do everything how I wanted (insert laugh at the naiveness of that here). Instead, I ended up with a breech baby and an emergency c-section which I had completely not planned for.
So, going into it this time, I’m setting myself up for either type of labor. Mostly this is mental planning and being open to the fact that you don’t ever really know how your delivery is going to go. But your necessities also change along with which route ends up being the one you go down.
HOSPITAL MUST-HAVES
C-Section
Going into surgery this time, I would wear a nursing bra. First time through, I wore a sports bra and let me tell you, after having surgery on your abdomen, nothing is easy to move. Everything is a struggle and this doesn’t go away for at least a week or two. Bring nursing bras or tank tops to the hospital with you to try and make your life easier. You’ll also want a comfy robe or something comfortable to wear while shuffling around your hospital room (or for me, it was getting myself to the NICU to see my daughter).
This brings me to my next point, bring cozy socks. Sometimes the hospital will provide grippy hospital socks for you, you know the one-size-fits-all kind. So if you want something from home, bring them. You can also bring slippers but I found I preferred socks then I didn’t have to worry about putting them on/off, I could just get up out of bed and try to move.
Natural/Vaginal
I haven’t gone this route myself, but have several friends/family that have and have passed along information. Apparently loose fitting clothing, mesh undies that they give you at the hospital, and the biggest maxi pads you have ever laid eyes on are part of the essentials here. Along with witch hazel and the squirt bottle they will give you at the hospital. I know a robe and socks/slippers are typically standard for any new mom at the hospital, so I would also add those in as well.
To add to the hospital bag…
Would you believe me if I told you that I only brought one baby outfit to the hospital when I had my daughter? I thought we would be going home with her the next day after my natural delivery and ride home under rainbows and unicorns apparently. Instead, we ended up staying 3 days, with my daughter in the NICU for 2 of them. The whole time she was there, she was swaddled and naked. Sometimes they would give her a little onesie to wear under the swaddle but this rockstar mom had brought one going-home outfit for her and that was it. I know, brilliant right?
So yes, bring a few onesies, maybe even a couple hats if you’d like. You don’t need to pack diapers, the hospital will have them. Same with bottles and nursing supplies (minus your clothing of course). Bring your makeup and/or shampoo/conditioner if it makes you feel fresh.
For the trip home, a maxi skirt and loose top is perfect. I think I actually even wore my robe home the first time because I had given up on life at that point. Kate Middleton, eat your heart out.
FIRST FEW WEEKS POSTPARTUM
Aaaaaall the nursing clothes and supplies. This means Motherlove balm (which is ah-mazing when you’re breastfeeding), nursing bras, nursing tank tops, cardigans for days, that type of thing.
You’ll likely get a breast pump from the hospital (if your insurance covers it) and you’ll be able to take it home with you. I wished I would have done some research prior to the hospital visit and picked out what type of pump I was going to want. From there, I would order extra pump parts for it ahead of time so that I wasn’t so stressed out trying to wash it all ASAP for the next pumping session in 2 hours.
If you’re breastfeeding, it was highly recommended to me to check out the Haakaa (and even now still in my mom facebook groups, they are all the craze). Essentially it’s a silicone manual breast pump, though I’d consider it more of a milk collector while you’re nursing. You put it on the side that you aren’t nursing from and it catches the let down while you nurse from the other side. I couldn’t believe how much I was able to collect and store in just one feeding the first time I used it, I was able to collect an extra 2 oz and store it in the fridge for when it was dad’s turn to feed! This is worth every penny (and really, it’s only around $20 on Amazon).
I also seen a Pinterest post that talked about how you can prep little snacks for your self (like nuts and dried berries) in snack zip-lock bags and store them up where you’ll be nursing/pumping at night. This was a genius moment for me, as in, why didn’t I think of that? I was constantly hungry while up nursing – and don’t get me started on being thirsty 24/7. Find yourself a great water bottle and get ready to use that thing like a maniac. I love these ones from Contigo because they’re pretty much spill-proof and can withstand being dropped or accidentally kicked in the middle of the night.
This time around, I also planned a little better for a safe bed for baby. The first time around, I went into it assuming she would sleep in her crib when we got home from the hospital (I’m telling you, I was a serious amateur). This was not the case, instead I needed her somewhere that I could grab her when she started fussing. And with me recovering from my c-section, this meant I needed her to be somewhere that I could reach where I wouldn’t have to move much or even get up out of bed. This time around, I picked out this beautiful Dock-A-Tot that keeps baby next to mom, but protects them from rolling around. I also loved the floral pattern of this one and couldn’t resist!
DockATot Deluxe+ Dock – La Vie en Rose
I can’t even wait to have that this time around. It’ll make a huge difference!
Image credit: Amazon
Also, while it’s probably not a super glamorous mention, but you’ll also want some nice granny panties for post-hospital stay. Something comfortable and if you do have a C-section, you’ll appreciate that they don’t rub on the incision while it’s sore and recovering. Amazon has some really good options for these, and there are even undies designed for post-baby bodies if you want to go that route.
And while we’re on the topic of comfortable postpartum garments, I can’t put enough emphasis on having comfortable nursing bras and loose, comfortable clothing as well. I really liked the nursing bras that fit like sports bras (I hate messing with straps and feeling poked by wire or tight bands). You can find some of these at Target and they’re pretty inexpensive there as well. This time around, I also pre-ordered some nursing sports bras on Amazon so that I would actually be prepared and have them in my hospital bag this time.
We also found out real fast that a good swaddle was going to make or break our sleep sessions. I’m excited to have this cozy swaddle from Swado this time around. It’s designed with ZERO velcro or zippers (no noises, no discomfort or pre-set sizing) plus you can change their diaper in this without un-swaddling their arms or even waking them! I love the cozy fabric of this swaddle and love that it comes with it’s own laundry bag to keep that material long-lasting.
ONE MONTH AND MOVING FORWARD
Once you hit the 6 week mark, you’ll probably have things figured out for the most part. I really didn’t feel like I had the swing of things until I was about 8-10 weeks postpartum, but I’m a perfectionist and when your world is flipped upside down it takes a little time to adjust to the new normal.
Which brings me to my next point. I can’t stress enough how important it is to take care of yourself too. Don’t get carried away trying to do it all and be super mom. Take care of your mental health and if you are feeling down, depressed or hopeless, please don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor about it. It’s something so many moms suffer through alone and it’s not something to be ashamed of. Now days there is so much you can do to start feeling better, but they can’t help you if you don’t speak up! <3
I’ll be adding more items as I think of them going forward, and of course after the baby comes I’m sure there will be more that I have to add to the list! If you have any items you want to share that made your pregnancy or postpartum experience so much better, please leave me a comment below so that we can all benefit from your wisdom! 🙂
Until next time,
Sarah
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