A sling to carry the baby around.

A Boppy on each level of the house.

Baby Brezza if formula feeding. And a crap ton of good, sturdy, absorbent burp cloths - my kids were both big spitters.

My doctor prescribed some kind of moisturizing hand soap and it was a big help. It was winter, and I was washing my hands constantly, and washing the breast pump bottles. I wish I remembered the name

something that (I think) is an often overlooked life saver: changing pad liners! disposable or washable ones that you can throw on the changing pad (or couch or bed). saves you from having to change the entire changing pad cover every time.

Boppy

I used that for everything

Swaddling, changing clothes, changing diapers

It was like a leverage on top of the bed

Oh plus the humidifier

A few things that immediately come to mind:

A pediatrician I immediately clicked with, liked, and trusted. It's seriously priceless to have at least one person you trust when your friends, family, and the internet all seem to have wildly different and often conflicting opinions about every part of caring for a baby.

Snoo. I know it's pricey, but my kid was doing 7 hour stretches by 6 weeks and man that made life better.

Pumping bra and the spectra with a battery. I absolutely hated pumping but found it was much more tolerable when I could do other things during it.

A shower and a short walk outside alone. Every day.

My mom and Dh.

Fisher Price snugapuppy swing

Anonymous wrote:Food. I know that’s a no-brainer, but if you’re nursing you will be ravenous, but also attached to an infant multiple times a day. Having easy to eat, but healthy foods were a life saver. Cut fruit, high fiber muffins, Kind bars and lara bars, casseroles/meals that I didn’t have to make (dh isn’t much of a cook—he tries, but it’s not his thing).

Also—really good water bottles around the house that you can drink with one hand (not having to twist off a cap every time) and you can throw into a diaper bag.

This! Also I recommend a stash of Gatorade mixed in with the water and granola bars — being awake every three hours plus the added calories from nursing meant got lightheaded easily which was terrifying with a newborn.

For my first, the Moby wrap was a lifesaver but that varies dramatically kid to kid/family to family.

Night doula

My fleece Kangaroo Korner pouch.

https://www.carrymeaway.com/can-i-find-kangaroo-korner-adjustable-pouch/

Food. I know that’s a no-brainer, but if you’re nursing you will be ravenous, but also attached to an infant multiple times a day. Having easy to eat, but healthy foods were a life saver. Cut fruit, high fiber muffins, Kind bars and lara bars, casseroles/meals that I didn’t have to make (dh isn’t much of a cook—he tries, but it’s not his thing).

Also—really good water bottles around the house that you can drink with one hand (not having to twist off a cap every time) and you can throw into a diaper bag.

Boppy infant lounger

Title says it all.