Preparing for a Newborn | Products

As D-Day approaches, I am finally getting myself sorted for the arrival of my baby boy. With my first baby I would say I was physically ready for her to arrive from around 34 weeks but never really mentally or emotionally ready. This time around it’s been the complete opposite! I’ve been much more mentally and emotionally prepared for him but probably still couldn’t call myself physically ready even at 39 weeks. I’ve been a lot more selective with buying things for my second child as I now know from experience how much money we wasted on baby paraphernalia the first time around. I’ve picked up a lot of tips and recommendations since becoming a mum and I think that has definitely led to me being fussier with what we get this time around. Rather than having a load of tat that we will never use, we’ve got a smaller selection of really good quality products that I am genuinely excited to use for our newborn. I’m sure I’ll be sharing a lot more product recommendations both on here and on Instagram once he arrives, but for now, these are some of the products I can’t wait to use.

MyHummy

I’m pretty sure every parent today has heard of the MyHummy. I debated for a long time all of the pros and cons of the different white noise machines on the market before eventually deciding that the MyHummy was the one I wanted to go for. For me, the big advantage of the MyHummy over it’s competitors is that you have the option to leave the noise going all night long. We had a few similar items when Darcie was born and it used to drive me mad the way that they would turn off automatically and she would undoubtedly wake up or be disturbed by it. We won’t have that problem with the MyHummy. They also have a motion sensor and so you can set them to turn back on when the baby stirs. MyHummy were kind enough to send me their newest version of The Snoozy which you can control directly from an App on your phone, could it really get any easier than that?! I’ll be doing a full review of the MyHummy when Ernie is here and we’ve given it a go, but for now all I can really say is that it’s definitely a product I am VERY excited to try and I seriously hope it lives up to the reviews I have read. Darcie was an awful sleeper so I am fully expecting the same again. The Snoozy also looks absolutely adorable sitting in the corner of Ernie’s crib so that’s a bonus too!

Aden + Anais Classic Swaddles

I have heard excellent things about these muslin swaddles, they are well know for being the best quality and come highly recommended by everyone who uses them. We never really swaddled Darcie as she didn’t seem to like it so who knows how that will go with Ernie this time around. However I love that these muslin cloths are big enough to use as swaddles if we do end up down that road. Even if we don’t swaddle him, they still have so many uses from mopping up baby drool to using them as a clean place to lie him down – you can never have too many muslins! I chose the classic twinkle design and I think they are so gorgeous. As you will notice there is a grey and white theme to most of the things we have for Ernie and these fit nicely into that theme. Perfect for a boy or a girl, the little stars are so sweet and the quality of the fabric is obvious. He is going to be one pampered prince with these muslins. Fun fact for you – Prince George emerged from St Mary’s wrapped in an Aden + Anais swaddle!

Shnuggle Dreami Clever Baby Sleeper

This could  be a product you haven’t seen around as much as some of the others on this list. It is a relatively new product from the Shnuggle brand and I honestly think it is brilliant. The stand can be used in two positions, either stood upright as shown in this picture, or it can be flipped the other way and used as a rocker for the bed. You can also easily fold the stand away during the day if you don’t wish to have it out all the time. The Dreami is larger than traditional Moses Baskets which should mean it last us longer and we won’t have to bring the cot into our bedroom at about 5 months old as we had to when Darcie outgrew her basket. Because the bed isn’t made from wicker it is easy to clean and also won’t rustle the same way the traditional baskets do. I must admit the first thing that drew me to this product was the look of it, it looks so sleek and modern and the neutral tones make my eyes all kinds of happy! I’m really excited to try this when Ernie arrives and I’ll be doing a full review of how we get on with it in due course.

Cheeky Rascals Soft-Touch Baby Bath Support

When I picture having two children, one of the first images that comes into my mind is bath times. Darcie has always loved the bath and so I am really hoping that Ernie will be the same. I love the thought of having them both in there together and I think that Darcie will look forward to bath time even more when she knows her baby brother will be in there to splash. This baby bath support is going to be perfect for making this dream of mine a reality as it will enable Ernie to be supported and safe within the same bath as her sister. We had a standard baby bath last time which just wouldn’t work for joint bath times so this is the perfect alternative. It’s perfectly shaped to support him in the bath and will also be soft and comfortable against his skin. There are suction cups underneath the bath support to keep it in place and also a line to show you where the maximum water level should be. I’m really looking forward to using this with Ernie and I just know it will be one of our most used products for him.

Ergo Pouch Cocoon Swaddle and Sleep Pouch

This gorgeous little cocoon swaddle and sleep bag is not only so, so cute but should also make life a little bit easier when it comes to swaddling little Ernie. If he is a baby that likes to be swaddled then this sleep bag makes it a lot simpler to do than having to wrap a blanket or muslin in a certain way.  You can simply zip it up instead! You can use this product as either a swaddle or a sleep bag just by using the poppers. We used sleep bags a lot with Darcie so I’m sure we’ll get lots of use out of this one way or another. I went for a 0.2 tog as that means that even on warmer days, he should still be comfortable in it and on cooler days we can add a blanket on top.

Izmi Bamboo Wrap

When we were preparing for our first baby, my mum told me how essential it would be to have a baby carrier. I trusted her opinion and dutifully went out and bought one, blissfully unaware at that point just how much I would be using this thing. Darcie was a baby that didn’t like to be put down, ever! The baby carrier honestly saved my sanity for many, many months and I am so glad that we had one from the word go. This time around, I am sure that I will need one more than ever as it is my second child so being hands -free will be even more important. I was so keen to try a wrap this time as I think they look a lot more comfortable and there are no buckles to contend with. As the name suggests, the Izmi Bamboo Wrap is made from silky soft bamboo fabric which is really lightweight and I know will be perfect for the summer months especially. I used to get so hot wearing the bulky baby carrier on hot days and I know this will keep both Ernie and I a lot cooler. I obviously haven’t practised putting a baby in the wrap yet but the back of the box assures me that it will be simple and easy to use. I went for the grey colour because it will go with everything and also shouldn’t get grubby too quickly. If you follow me on Instagram and watch my Stories then I think you’ll be seeing a lot of me wearing this wrap over the next few months!

Personalised Muslins from Able Labels

More muslins! But these ones are so special because they are actually personalised with his name. When these arrived in the post, I actually had to stop myself from getting emotional (over a muslin – I know!). It was the first time I’d seen his name written down ‘properly’ and it just made him seem so much more real to me. The quality of these muslins is gorgeous and the name can be embroidered on in a choice of colours. I went for silver and they just look so lovely, I won’t want to be using these for any dirty work! I actually love these so much that we have already bought some as gift for our friends who have recently had a baby!

Love to Dream Swaddle UP

Another swaddle but this time with a difference. Unlike traditional swaddling, the Swaddle UP allows them to self soothe with their hands by their mouth rather than by on their chests. This swaddle also has a two way zipper design that means midnight nappy changes shouldn’t be any more of a chore than they have to be! The fabric of the swaddle is so soft and I just know that Ernie will be so snug all wrapped up in it. They have a range of gorgeous designs and sizes from newborn to 36 months!

Rock & Ruddle Hairbrush

I know, I know, I got a hairbrush for my baby boy. I just couldn’t resist this cute ‘trucks’ design and who says you can’t brush a boys hair anyway? If he is anything like Darcie (and if this heartburn is anything to go by!) he could be born with quite a bit of hair so this will come in handy. The Rock & Ruddle brushes are so well made and the bristles are natural and gentle for a babies scalp. The brushes are especially good because the natural bristles have microscopic scales that release and spread the natural oil produced in the scalp down each hair shaft making it shiny, supple and healthy. The bristles also keep the hair clean as the scales pick up dirt and excess oils as they go through the hair. I can’t wait to use this for Ernie, maybe I’ll finally have a child that lets me brush their hair!