my first 3 months of mommyhood: my 10 must-haves

Over the weekend, my sweet girl turned three months old.  Three months already!  Motherhood has, by far, been the best adventure of my life; just when I think it’s impossible to love my little nugget more, another day dawns and my heart swells a tiny bit more.  I’ll be honest, it’s definitely been a roller coaster of emotions; in the very beginning there were a lot of inexplicable, hormonal tears and times where I seriously felt like I had no idea what I was doing, but that was nothing compared to the pure joy and excitement of being a momma.  Anytime my girl smiles and turns those baby blues up at me, my heart melts into a puddle; she is just the sweetest little thing and her daddy and I are completely mesmerized by everything she does! 

Our friends and family blessed us with so many amazing baby gifts and gear that I thought I’d never need anything else ever again.  But, as I packed away the clothes she no longer fits in (sniff, sniff), I realized there were a lot of items we haven’t even opened or used yet.  There are a few things that I have relied on heavily these last three months, especially when Lydia was so tiny and new.  Now that she’s getting bigger so fast (sniff, sniff…again!) I’m sure these items will soon be replaced by new ones, but I thought I’d share what helped get me through these last 12 weeks.  If you’re expecting and don’t know what to register for, or, if you’re looking for a great baby shower gift, here are my top ten baby items I absolutely loved:

Rock and Play.  All of our friends who have had children in the last few years swore by this thing and we absolutely love it.  Lydia sleeps in this next to my side of the bed; if she stirs but doesn’t fully wake up, I can just rock her gently back to sleep without taking her out.  I love that the seat is at an incline, too and it’s super light weight and easy to fold down, making it the perfect travel companion!

Wipe warmer.  The only thing worse than having to get your diaper changed in the middle of the night would have to be feeling cold wipes on your bum!  This thing is worth its weight in gold, a must-have I definitely could not have lived without!

Swaddles.  My little miss did NOT like to be swaddled; in all her ultrasound pictures, her hands were up at her face and she, in fact, made her grand entrance into the world that way, too!  But, since she was born in December and it was always freezing, I wrapped her lower half in these organic swaddles to keep her warm.  They get softer each time you wash them and are pretty good size so I can cover her car seat or stroller to keep out the sun.  This 3-pack has been a godsend.

Zoom lens.  I got this bad boy for Christmas; the lower f-stop has made such a difference in picture clarity and I’m able to document every. little. thing!

Mamaroo.  This was a lifesaver.  It’s got a great variety of gentle motions and soothing sounds that mimic what babies felt in the womb (Lydia loved the car ride best) and you could also connect your iPod and play your own music. 

Mustela newborn set.  I can’t say enough about this line.  It’s so gentle, smells amazing and is biodegradable.  The newborn shampoo prevents cradle cap, the no-rinse cleanser is great for cleaning up nasty diaper blowouts and I couldn’t live without the barrier cream – NOTHING else clears up and keeps her diaper rash at bay. 

Nursing cover.  For someone who was antsy about nursing in public (what if I flash someone?  What if she suffocates under there?), this was the perfect answer because it covers EVERYTHING.  It comes in a bunch of colors and, in a pinch, I’ve used it to cover the car seat from wind and rain. 

Burp cloths.  These are super absorbant and get softer each time you wash them.  Right now, I throw these over my shoulder to burp baby girl and when she’s a little older, they have snaps to double as a bib.

Sound machine.  For the first two months, the kitchen vent hood or a hair dryer set on low were the only two things that would get Lydia to sleep and a sound machine was the only thing that would keep her that way.  We no longer use the vent or hair dryer, but the sound machine is still a must. This one is my favorite.  It plays music, projects images onto the wall or ceiling and has the best white noise, which keeps my little miss in dreamland.

Breast pump.  If you’re going to breast feed, it’s worth the investment to have a great pump; I rented a hospital-grade pump for the first month and then switched to this one and have to say, I love it so much more. 

 What are some baby items that you think will help me through the next 12 weeks? 

I’d love to know!