This page is also available in: Deutsch (German)
If you ask me what is needed in the first baby year, then I would say, “Love and Mom's breast.”. Especially in the first days and weeks, everything else is pretty much superfluous. Many mothers notice that with the first child and with the second … they are wiser anyway.
The whole hype about baby clothes, initial equipment, nursery furniture, changing table, stroller, pacifier, etc. is completely exaggerated in my experience. I could write several posts about what you do not need in the first year.
With the uncertainty of young mothers, unfortunately, a lot of money is earned. This target group is very lucrative as it never vanishes.
Some women then realize after the birth what they actually need and are annoyed about some bad buys, others are already too deep in the swirl of consumption and just keep buying 😉
To which part are you counting?
Personally, I noticed that a baby does not even need clothes or diapers in the first days, but it is best if the baby has a lot of direct physical contact with mom and dad.
You can save diapers if you hold your baby regularly over a suitable container and give her the possibility to relieve herself. Almost all babies signal from birth when they need to pee and do not want to pollute their “nest” or mom.
It is of course different for each mum and the first days after birth are felt very individual, so I want to tell you how I felt then and which 3 material things have made my life a little easier and which were also part of my constant companions,
Since the nesting instinct had never really worked for me, there was hardly any change in our apartment before the birth. At some point in the last trimester of my pregnancy, I got a little panic and thought, maybe I would have to buy something, that you need as a mother for the first child.
Then the media have done a lot of work and got me. 😉
In addition to the things that in our case had turned out as pointless or had been misused, such as the stroller or the bassinet, there were also things I found very useful and I would use for the second child again.
I would like to introduce you to three of these things here and I hope that I can perhaps bring some relief into your mum's everyday life.
Enjoy reading!
1 Baby Bouncer BabyBjörn
At some point in my pregnancy, I came across the topic of baby bouncers and swings. I think it was a YouTube video where these electric baby swings were recommended in which you can put your child.
Electric rockers seem to be very popular, especially in the USA. They have different rocker stages and play near-natural ambient noises such as bird chirping or the sound of the sea.
At least we didn't choose such a technical highlight, not least because of space and the intervention of my husband … thank God.
After a thorough search and many recommendations, I decided to go with the BabyBjörn Bouncer.
But wait! Why do you even need a baby bouncer?
Why a baby bouncer?
The aim of such a bouncer is to be able to lay down your baby and still give him the feeling that he is not alone and is still on the way with you.
A bouncer or swing gives the baby security because it simulates the movement of being carried.
In contrast to the baby wrap or sling, you can also take a shower or just enjoy your breakfast in peace or do a 5-minute workout when you are alone with your sweetheart. Of course, always with baby in sight.
The advantage is, your baby can see you from a frog's perspective and watch closely what Mama is doing in the shower or how mom is so funny dislocated in yoga.
I'm a self-confessed baby wearing mom, but even wearing has its limits and the rocker their justification. The bouncer was a daily companion in my first baby year and a real help in parental leave when my husband went back to work.
Apart from the advantages for mom, there are also some things to consider when buying a baby bouncer.
Take care of baby's back!
Not all bouncers are good for baby's back and not all bouncers are safe, so that your sweetheart neither fall out nor can overturn the bouncer and baby.
When buying an intensive research is therefore necessary in advance.
I opted for the BabyBjörn bouncer because it excels in all aspects of safety, manageability, weight and, above all, ergonomics.
Ergonomics is a very important issue, as physicians generally warn against letting a baby stay in a bouncer for more than 30 minutes. Similar to infant carriers, bouncers or swings can harm the baby when used continuously.
For the optimal development of babies it is important that during the day they always have the possibility to lie on the back and on the stomach or be carried.
Various changing age-appropriate positions help the muscles build up according to their level of development.
The age of the child plays a central role here. Newborns should not sit in bouncer, but rather lie down. Therefore, a good bouncer should also have a lying position. Sitting for hours is an absolute no-go for young babies.
It was therefore very important to me to find a bouncer, which implements this aspect particularly well. I succeeded with the BabyBjörn bouncer.
Why the baby Björn bouncer?
- Ergonomically shaped: The design was developed together with paediatricians. Babies neck and head is optimally supported. The fabric adapts optimally to the baby's back, but prevents an unhealthy excessive hunchback.
- Free of pollutants: Needless to say the bouncer is approved according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1 for baby products.
- Natural fabric: The cover of the version BabyBjörn “Bliss Cotton” and “Balance Soft Cotton” is made of 100% cotton.
- Easy to clean: According to personal experience, the cover is very easy to remove and washable in the washing machine at 40 ° C without shrinking or twisting.
- Lying positions: The big plus is that the bouncer has three positions, a recumbent, a semi-recumbent and a slightly more upright position (sleeping, resting, playing). The highest position is still used by my toddler (12 kg) as a seat.
- Manageability: For me to assemble and disassemble the bouncer was always very easy and also possible with a child on my arm. When folded, the BabyBjörn is very flat and can be easily stowed away. I also liked to take the bouncer with me to my parents and in-laws. It took hardly any space in the car.
- Safety: The baby is strapped in with a secure 3-point restraint system. The strap is soft and without sharp edges. The reclining positions are secured with a safety catch, which prevents the position from being adjusted while rocking.
- Manual rocking function: The baby bouncer is completely without power or battery, but works completely manually. The baby himself or mom / dad can determine the strength of the rocker. My sweetheart e.g. was more of a fan of a very slight rocking and rather pushes than rocking himself.
- Weight: The baby bouncer weighs only 2.23 kg. Lighter than your baby.
- Recommended weight: The BabyBjörn bouncer can be used from 3.5 Kg (from newborn age) up to 13 Kg. From an weight of about 9 Kg it can then be used as a toddler seat, provided, of course, the child can sit independently.
My conclusion
The price of over 100 € may initially deter. Nevertheless, the safety of my baby was just important to me and thats why I invested the money. Also, or perhaps because I did not need any batteries or power cables, so my child would not have to listen to any melodies from bad-sounding speakers. 😉
I was ultimately convinced by the consistently positive reviews and almost 90% 5 star reviews on Amazon.
If you have become curious, you can check and buy the BabyBjörn bouncer here at Amazon. I have found that the price varies greatly and there are often offers on Amazon.
Incidentally, I still had the old model, but now there is a newer chic model.
In addition, I had also bought the toy bar, which occupied my sweetheart extensively, while I, e.g., took a shower. You can either buy the toy separately or with the bouncer in a set.
If you have experience with this or another bouncer please let me know in the comments!
Are you interested in sustainable drinking bottles? I made a review about three different bottles for children: 3 sustainable drinking bottles for children.
2 Wrap cover by Motherhood
Another product, which was an fortunately purchase for me and I would like to introduce you, is a cover by Motherhood.
This cover has several functions:
1 Swaddle blanket
For one, it can be used to swaddle the baby.
The peculiarity of the blanket is that it has Velcro fasteners that make the swaddling very easy. Of course, it's not a perfect swaddling, like with a “real” swaddle blanket, but it helps, especially on the go, to pack the baby up quickly so it can calm down and fall asleep.
Just as fast, the baby is unpacked by loosening the Velcro fasteners. I often used the blanket at home to swaddle.
2 Baby blanket
On the other hand, this blanket is a wonderfully soft and sturdy baby blanket, which I took with me to every baby course in the first year. It was always there and on the spot when I had to put my sweetheart on the floor.
Especially in the postnatal exercise course, kanga training or mom-baby yoga, the blanket has proven very successful.
If necessary, it also serves as a changing mat. I could also imagine it in a stroller or in a baby bed.
The material is very soft and feels rather cool. According to the manufacturer, the baby has “full thermal comfort”, which probably means that the child sweats less in the blanket.
The cover has an outer layer of 100% cotton and can be washed at 40 ° C. According to my own experience, the blanket does not shrink and does not twist in any way.
I especially like the different designs (currently 14) that are unusual and not commonplace. At that time, I had decided on the birds in blue and was very happy with it.
Of course, the blanket is also tested according to Öko-Tex Standard 100, Class 1.
If you are looking for a versatile, robust blanket for your baby or as a gift for an expectant mother, I can highly recommend this cover by Motherhood. It helped me a lot in the first baby year and is now looking forward to its second job.
The cover by Motherhood is available here on Amazon. The individual designs differ in price from each other, you can save money by choosing between different designs.
Are you pregnant? Than you might also be interessted in this blog post: The only 3 books you must read during pregnancy!
3 Baby bath bucket
My son and I were big fans of the baby bath bucket. I bought one during my pregnancy, because I knew photos of myself, where I was a newborn screaming in a baby bath.
Although my mother does not remember exactly that I did not like bathing, but I am still afraid of water today 😉
Because I want my son to develop a positive relationship with water from the beginning, I thought, I'll try the bucket.
The bath bucket has the advantage that the baby sits in a similar position as in the womb. This should give the little one the feeling of security known from the time before birth.
The warm water does the rest and reinforces the feeling of sitting back in Mama's stomach.
My experiences with the bucket are consistently positive. My son did not even cry once in the bucket and still enjoys bathing today and without tears.
Since I like to share my experiences and to bring the benefits of the bucket closer to other parents, I wrote a blog article about baby bath tubs. If you are interested, you can read in detail everything about the use, advantages and disadvantages, how to bathe your baby and much more: How to bath a newborn the European way.
Therefore, I do not want to dive deep into the advantages and disadvantages.
The bucket I got is from Bieco. I particularly like the solid base and the extremely grippy edge on this bucket. There is a good feeling of security in use, which has always been very important to me.
Incidentally, the bucket is also available in pink and blue. There are of course other manufacturers of baby bathtubs, including the better-known Tummy Tub model.
“Our” baby bath bucket and a small selection of other brands are available at Amazon. The baby bucket market definitely has room for improvement. Unfortunately, too many manufacturers are not yet here.
How do you bathe your baby? Bath bucket or classic baby bath tub? What are your experiences or are you still searching? Let me know in the comments!
My conclusion
Completely without aids you do not need to torment yourself through the first baby year 😉 There is one or the other product that can simplify the life of you and your child.
The trick is to find for yourself the right products and at the same time the right balance between consumerism, sustainability and minimalism.
Not easy at all.
I hope, I could give you some new ideas for your baby equipment and maybe that's exactly what you've been looking for for you and your baby.
Which things helped you a lot in the first year? Were you also overwhelmed by the huge amount of baby items? Let me know in the comments!
Thank you for reading 🙂
One Comment on “3 Must-Have Supplies for a Smoother First Baby Year”
Thank you for sharing this insightful post on the must-have supplies for a smoother first baby year! As a new parent, having the right tools and supplies can make a big difference in ensuring a happy and healthy first year for your baby.