Beyond the core basics (a car seat, a crib, some clothes and nappies) it's damn near impossible to get a grip on what you need for a baby. Some people swear they couldn't live without Thing A, B or C, while others find the same item to be a total waste of money. All the more reason IMO to buy secondhand gear - no point shelling out for something new that may never get used!
We've been so ridiculously fortunate to have almost everything gifted or lent to us. From former coworkers to random friends of my mum, we've been overwhelmed by generosity.
Beyond the usual essentials, here are a few things I've found invaluable so far...
Pumping at the hospital (with their double electric) was uber depressing - and I swore off pumping after that. But my midwife brought me over a manual Haakaa pump and it's been a lifesaver for expressing extra when needed. It's annoying to sometimes be overflowing and sometimes running dry, but this helps even that out.
I cannot wrap to save my life, and this wriggly worm is impossible to contain anyway. So far two other types of sleep sack haven't worked, but these Mum2Mum Dream swaddles are doing the trick at the moment to contain his arms. We also got given a couple of Miracle Blankets, which are pretty similar and also get a fair bit of use, particularly when it's hot, as they're quite lightweight.
I didn't go as far as freezing padsicles but I did get witch hazel to help with calming matters down there. Particularly when I got a delightful butt rash (FML) the cooling effect of witch hazel was the only comfort I could get.
Even if we didn't have a massive baby bath tub, supporting Spud in the water is a killer. I gave him a quick clean in the sink solo once and that was a mission! We were rushing through bath time because T would get a sore back/arm. The plastic support seat thing that we prop him up with now is still quite awkward but it's a big improvement. One pro to rescheduling our baby shower to post-birth was being able to request stuff we genuinely knew we needed; this was one of the best gifts!
Again, this is so much better for our poor backs, not to mention streamlining the process! Now there is a place for everything - storage for nappies and cream/sanitiser/flannels etc - and a laundry bag plus rubbish bag. It's just much more organised and pleasant all round especially now we're using reusable wipes. Also eliminates the drama of trying to avoid picking up dog hair accidentally off the bed/couch. Our change table, which I got for free on Facebook, actually also has a built-tub, but we don't use it.
