When you find out you're pregnant with your first child, there's happiness, there's joy, there's laughter and maybe a little crying. Then after a few weeks of soaking in the magic and people telling you that you're glowing, there's a slight realization that comes to you- HOLY COW, THIS BABY HAS TO COME OUT OF ME SOMEHOW! It is shear panic. Not as if you didn't know that you actually had to have the baby, but at some point it all becomes entirely too real. For me, I started looking up relaxation techniques for labor, scriptures to help me during labor, relaxing music for labor, you get the idea. I thought I would be a basket case when the time came. I pictured myself being one of those women you see on TV who try to run out of the hospital only to have the IV in your arm jerk you back. Well, when the day finally came, I woke up to my water leaking. My first thought wasn't panic or fear, it was more like, "Huh, I guess I'm having a baby today." So, I called the doctor and he said to come on in. I thought, "I have things to do before I go." I cleaned the entire house, made muffins, took a shower and gave Chris a haircut. Then I was ready to go. The ride to the hospital was peaceful and when we got there I walked up to the maternity floor and checked myself in. I was calm through the entire thing. Never panicking or crying or screaming. Well, no crying until after I had her and then it was happy tears. I was so calm that I think I freaked out my husband. He thought he was going to have the be the strong one just to get me through. I guess mommy instinct took over and I knew it was going to be okay.
Fast forward a few days and we're at home going through all the little trinkets and tools that we bought for baby. Things that I just had to have, I couldn't do without these things. If we didn't have these, there was absolutely no way we could take care of our baby.
As a new mom, I actually panicked more after I had her than before. But, as you go along in this crazy journey, you realize that they aren't made of porcelain and they're not going to crack. You also realize what crazy ideas you had before you had the baby about what you HAD to have. Okay, okay to the point. Here is my top 10 list of what I found to be the most useless baby items.
1. Newborn shoes- They can't walk. They don't need shoes. Granted, they are pretty stinking cute, but they're out of that newborn size in a blink of an eye and you just spent $15 on shoes they wore under the blanket that they're always covered in and no one even saw them.
2. Baby washcloths- This one just seems so ridiculous to me now. I bought packs and packs of baby washcloths. Now I think, what was wrong with the washcloths we used? We're we washing with sandpaper?? Plus, those baby washcloths are so tiny you can barely get a grip on them.
3. Wipe warmer- The wipes are in my house, my house is warm. I don't know about you, but I don't keep the wipes in the freezer. If the wipes ever felt cold, I would just rub it in between my hands for a second before using it.
4. Newborn coat- Okay, so you may think I'm crazy on this one. You're thinking obviously you're baby needs a coat. What I found was there was no way she could fit in her car seat/ carrier with a coat on. We ended up going with a hat, blankets and a fleece carrier cover.
5. Baby cologne- really... I never wasted my money on this one, but really?
6. Baby shampoo- My kid had no hair. Even if they do have hair, baby soap is for hair and body. Why do you need a separate bottle just for that peach fuzz?
7. Wearable baby carrier/ sling- I know this one is more of just me, but I could not figure these things out. When I would put her in, I felt like she was going to fall out. When I would tighten it so that wouldn't happen, I felt like she was going to suffocate. Some people swear by these things, so this is one you just have to figure out for yourself. I love the concept, but just couldn't get comfortable with it.
8. Newborn toys- They literally do nothing but eat, sleep and poop for about the first 5 months of their lives. We bought all these toys to occupy her and she didn't pay one bit of attention to them. Despite me putting them in her face over and over just to get a picture of her with her toys.
9. Baby laundry soap- If you're baby has sensitive skin, then you may have to use this. When I was pregnant, I called my sister-in-law to see what kind of baby laundry soap she used so I could buy some to get the newborn clothes washed. She gave me the greatest piece of advice ever. She said to use your regular detergent starting out and if they have a reaction, then change to baby detergent. Baby detergent is expensive and you have to wash everything separately. I never used it with Khloe and she never had a reaction.
10. Bottle drying rack- If you don't have a dishwasher, ignore this one because you will need one of these. If you have a dishwasher, the bottles are washed, sanitized and dried in there and there is no need to put them on a drying rack.
So, what's my point in all of this? Relax new mommies! Go buy the gadgets you want to try out. Some of them will change your life (for me it was the battery powered nasal aspirator- game changer) but if you can't afford all of the new fangled things, it's okay. You don't need them. Your baby needs clothes, food, warmth and love, lots and lots of love. That's it when you boil it down. People told me that my mommy instincts would take over and I would know how to take care of the baby and for a long time, I thought they were wrong. I was constantly questioning if I was doing things right. But you know what? She survived. She not only survived, she thrived! She's a healthy, happy, funny little toddler. So, in the end, I realize that I did have mommy instincts and they were right, you just have to learn to trust them. ;)
-Brooke
