The Must-Haves; New Mum & Bub Essentials

With baby number three on the way (and, in-fact, over half-way there to welcoming her earth side), we’re in full preparation mode. Call it nesting, but this mumma is finally feeling the need to get prepared! We’ve been working away on the nursery decor and styling (cause let’s face it, that’s the fun stuff) but I’ve also been hunting and collecting all the baby and essentials too! Here’s our essentials for any new mum and bub – whether it’s your first, second or third baby…

Nappy bags to carry all

It goes without saying that a newborn equals LOTS of stuff to carry, EVERYWHERE you go! So, naturally, a practical nappy bag tops our list. But gone are the days of nappy bags looking like, well, nappy bags. Yep, the new wave is so stylish you’ll be proud to carry them into the toddler and beyond years! One of our favs is the Sash & Belle Perry Nappy Bag in camel (because this mumma is totally addicted to everything tan). This one is made form premium PU vegan leather, is a generous size without being too big and comes with an optional shoulder strap – also perfect for popping over the pram handle. They’ve thought of everything so not only does it feature a waterproof bottle holder and internal clips for keys or dummies (because searching the depths of your bag for the keys/dummy with a baby in tow is never much fun), it also fits a 13” laptop plus an iPad/tablet device in the internal padded pocket – just what this working mumma needs!

Burrito baby

Awe, I love me a burrito baby! There is seriously nothing cuter than a baby wrapped in a swaddle to resemble the tasty Mexican treat. I swaddled my second son for as long as I possible could – there was something so soothing in it for me (and him too, cause swaddling really does help to make baby feel safe and secure) in wrapping him up ‘old school’ with a gorgeous swaddle. They’re also perfect as lightweight pram/carrier blankets and great for mums who prefer to cover up a little while nursing. Pop Ya Tot have such a gorgeous and growing range and they’re perfect too – in our opinion, swaddles must be a generous 120cm size and made from a quality GOTS certified muslin and Pop Ya Tot ticks all of our boxes. Not to mention the gorgeous prints and tones available – for our first baby girl, we’ve settled on the Sakura Blossom print and the Dirty Amethyst essential plain swaddle.

Tanker Toppers (aka lactation cookies)

Don’t ask me why or how these work, I just know they do! Whether you just want to ensure consistent supply or need a helping hand to get your milk supply to where babe wants it to be, there’s something just magical about lactation cookies and their ability to increase breast milk supply naturally. I’ve baked them and I’ve bought them and they are simply just a little miracle in a cookie (and let’s admit, a delicious way to help your body out too!). There’s a ton of recipes online to bake your own, but with a bunch of ingredients I’m not going to find in my pantry and two boys to run after as well as our newborn, it’s going to be premade lactation cookies this time around. We couldn’t go past Franjo’s Kitchen after first seeing this amazing brand on the baby and kid’s Expo circuit (and since stalking their social media). And with flavours like fig and almond lactation biscuits (and trusty choc-chip plus gluten free options), as well as other treats like date, walnut and maple crunch lactation muesli, they definitely live up to their ‘tanker toppers’ reputation (customer testimonials include “delicious taste and full jugs”). And the delicious reputation too -  you might even find daddy reaching for the tin although we promise they won’t encourage his own ‘supply’.

Making Memories

We love making memories with our boys but we’ve also come to realise just how fast those milestones race pass, too. I still remember some of the newborn stage of my 5 year old like it was yesterday. But I’ve also forgotten a whole lot too, which I didn’t actually realise until there’s another baby on the way and I’m suddenly trying to compare progress to previous experiences. The answer is pretty simple – record it, but start from the very start! There are soooo many beautiful baby keepsake and milestone books and Blueberry Co has long been a favourite. Not only do they have the traditional baby book for capturing all those precious milestones, they also have a gorgeous Mum and Me Adventures book to capture those special moments between the two of you (it doesn’t end there, you’ll also find daddy, grandparents and toddler books too!).  The best thing about the Mum and Me book? It forces mumma out from behind the camera to be captured in the shots too.

Essential Essential Oils

I was only recently introduced to the benefits of essential oils and I haven’t looked back – in fact, I have Tiny Tonics to thank for getting my much needed rest early on in this pregnancy (and with two boys to chase, there’s no time for ‘catch up’ naps during the day!). Pregnancy insomnia has hit pretty early this time around and for whatever unknown reason, my body has decided that sleeping while we can before babe is actually here is totally overrated (WTF body, we’ve got the next year for totally sleepless nights). But Tiny Tonic’s Deep Sleep Essential Oil Roller blend has actually given this mumma my much needed rest back. It’s now an absolute essential on my bedside table (next to my magnesium oil for leg cramps – another random condition bought on by pregnancy) and part of my every night routine. It’s such a beautiful smell to drift off to sleep to, too. Tiny Tonics have plenty for mumma (calm and energy boost are also must haves) as well as blends just for babies – I can’t wait to personally try the teething baby and sleep time blends, which you’ll also find stocked in our store here.

Teething times

Someone recently commented on our social media, talking to a friend, to buy some teethers now so you’ll be sorted when you actually need them. And what great advice!!! – we get heaps of urgent express orders and emails from desperate mummas with teething babies chasing their orders as soon as possible, and while we always try to get them out as fast as we possibly can, there’s still time to wait for the postie too! Any mum with a teething baby knows, a day or two can make all the difference! So stock up on a few essentials, including teethers, so you’re prepared for when they’re actually needed. We’ll always recommend an all silicone design like our BUNNY & BEAR or GUMMI teethers which you can pop in the fridge or freezer for extra cooling relief, plus a combined silicone and beech wood design so babe can get the best of both teething textures. They’ll love the silicone to massage a soothe while teeth are moving around and will tend to head to the harder beech wood when teeth are getting ready to make their break for it through the gum.

So there is it, our top essentials for the new mum and bub. Being a new mum is such a fun and exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming too. Making sure your prepared and well-stocked with some baby essentials may just make your day to day, that much easier.

Want to win EVERYTHING in this post - valued at an amazing $535? Keep your eye out for our Mum & Bub Essentials giveaway, launching this Wednesday night, 8 August 2018.