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Creating a 'Top 11' list of must haves was a tricky task for me as there are so many useful things around for Mum's and Baby's these days, that at times it can get a little overwhelming. All over social media there are new products coming out daily, marketing to your mind that you need this to care for your baby or you need that to keep up with the 'trends'. Truth is, we often forget some of the basic things that are out there to make our life's easier, so I am hoping that you get some ideas below to make your journey smoother. Please note that none of the items in this blog are sponsored, the words written are truly from my heart and experiences. I have written this blog with the intent of helping at least one persons life easier when preparing for their pending arrival ♥ NAPPY CADDY aka THE 'HOLD EVERYTHING' BOX If you've been a Mum to a newborn before, you will know how much stuff you both need 'on hand' in the early weeks. I'm talking countless amounts of nappies, pain relief, breastpads, outfits and much more! It only took me until my third child to create a 'hold everything' box and boy, I wish I had one for my other babes. I purchased a Nappy Caddy from KMart (WOO! I love KMart goodness) for a whooping $15, and filled it with things that I needed close by all the time. This was definately one of my best purchases! It has a nifty handle and two side by side compartments to store your supplies in, plus lots of handy elastic pockets for storing bits and pieces in. It was like my 'in home' handbag! In mine I had: Tissues - you never know when your nose my need blowing or when you're going to have a sneezing fit! Ural - these are sachets which you can add to water to help dilute your wee's. Great for those first few days after delivery! After your midwife and/or hospital staff for some. Hand cream - trust me, your hands get dry from washing them ALL the time! Lipbalm - it's nice to pamper yourself and have fresh feeling lips Pain relief - ask your midwife and/or hospital for a prescription for pain relief to save you some moola. Nappies - this is obviously a given... but check your supplies before heading to bed to ensure you don't get caught out and have to search around for nappies in the middle of the night! Rite Aid Hydrogel Breast Discs - I swear by these to get me off to a good start with the breastfeeding journey (more about these below). Reusable Breastpads - these are SO much nicer than disposables!!! And you save yourself money, it's a win, win (more about these below). Lanolin - another must-have to use in conjunction with breast discs/breastpads in those first two - three weeks! Keep those puppies moisturised and you'll be so thankful you did. You're welcome. Cloth Nappies - you know the old school white ones with the red lines around the edges? They last forever and are so handy for lots of different things (more about these below). Face cloths - I brought a pack of face cloths that I could use purely for nappy changes. It meant I could save the cold wet wipes for later and save more money. I'm sure Denver appreciated me using a nice warm cloth on his wee bottom, rather than a cold wipe. Drink bottle - the thirst you get is next level, so having a great drink bottle is essential! Ideally you want one that doesn't have a screw top lid so it is easy to drink from when you are feeding, which is when you get thirsty the most. Change of clothes - Like with the nappies, you don't want to have to be searching around for clothes in the middle of the night, should you encounter an explosion. A PACK OF FACE CLOTHS It was my dear Mum that got me onto these after my first born and I'm so pleased she did. I brought a cheap pack from The Warehouse that could purely be for nappy changes. Being cheap, meant that I could dispose of them once I had finished with them (i'm sorry, but I just can't bring myself to reuse them for washing my face with afterwards haha). Simply rinse under the warm water and clean the mess away! A great alternative to cold wet wipes in the early newborn days when wee babes are so sensitive, and you also know that they contain no nasties. CLOTH NAPPIES Ahhh the trusty old school cloth nappies! I swear these things last generations and continue to wash up so well every time. If you can find yourself a stash of these, you will not regret it. They are so handy for multiple things, such as burp cloths, on-the-go change mats and under the head in the bassinet. My babies have all been quiet spilly, so you would find these all around the house and in the bassinet. It meant I could just change the cloth after a spill, rather than all the bedding - lifesaver! Check out TradeMe or Baby Factory for these treasures. REUSABLE BREAST PADS Chevron and Deer Print (Little12Collection), Pink line and Black Leaf (Eversweet) I had never used reusable breastpads until I had Denver. They weren't really a 'thing' back when I had the others, but I wish I had tried them out earlier. It would have saved all the "Ouch" and "Sh*t" words coming out my mouth when it came time to shower or change over the disposable ones I was using, plus I may have had my dream mansion by now with the money I would of saved. No, but in all seriousness, these things are great! They don't stick, they give great coverage, they hold all the leaks and best of all they look pretty. Both brands are as good as each other and have a variety of different fabrics to pick from - check them out on Facebook or Instagram! LAMINGTON SOCKS Eeee look at those tiny foot covers!!! These socks are the BEES KNEES!!! The are knee high and DO NOT fall off! And better yet, they are a NZ Business, made from Merino Wool (swoon!) and come in kids and adults sizes. We have a local stockist where I purchase mine from (Junior Kids Store) and they are also available online. Well worth the money! HYDROGEL BREAST DISCS These little beauties have some sort of super power and are something that I can truly say saved me during the beginning of breastfeeding. I learnt after Phoenix not to wait until I got home to use these, use them straight after the first feed. Using these, lanolin and correct latching techniques will be a godsend. I purchased mine from Baby City but you can also get them from Farmers for a good price when they have nursery sale. DUMMY CLIP If your babe ends up taking a dummy and your a Mum on the Run like me, than you may find one of these helpful, especially for car rides. I purchased this one from Blush and Blue thinking I would use it when Denver was older, but I have used it so much already. I keep it attached to his capsule seatbelt so it is handy for his big sister to find and give to him when we are in the car and saves it being dropped and lost. Another way I also use it is when Denver is in the carrier, I attach it to the front piece of material to save the dummy being dropped to the floor incase he 'spits the dummy'. NAPPY BAG There are an array of Nappy Bags available in the market and it can get overwhelming where to start. I picked up this Mustard Oversized Handbag from my local Recycle Boutique for $20 and it is perfect! It has lots of pockets and storage space to fit all the supplies for myself and the kids. I can use the side pockets for drink bottles or other bits and pieces. The only down fall is that it doesn't have a shoulder strap or stroller clips to allow it to be hung from the buggy, so I just put it in the basket instead. MERINO WRAPS I have always found it really difficult to find affordable swaddling wraps that are stylish. They either cost a bomb, or are too small in size. I asked on a forum where I could find some that suited my requirements and was recommended to make my own out of Merino fabric - why hadn't I thought of this sooner! The second day I was on my maternity leave I headed to Levana in Levin (amazing shop for Merino fabric!) and hummed and haa'd at all the different selections. Who knew there are so many different types of merino! Anywho, I was assisted by a very lovely lady and walked out with two meters of the colours above. When my Mum visited she cut them in half so I had two wraps of each colour, leaving me with six wraps in total and they were perfect. I don't own a sewing machine so they were left with a raw edge but they were fine! Six merino wraps for a total of $52.00 - bargain!! CAPSULE COVER Ahhh all the heart eyes for this genius creation!!! I couldn't be without these, I am lucky enough to have four of them on rotate and I am forever getting asked where to get one from or told how much of a great idea they are. They are called a 5 in 1 Multi Cover because not only are they a capsule cover, they also can be used in the trolley to cover handrails, a breastfeeding cover and a bunch of other things. Until the end of September, use code ALISHA20 to get 20% over at Hear Me Roar Kids. MILESTONE CARDS Milestone Cards are a great way to help you record your babes journey earthside allowing you to reflect back when time has flown by and you need a reminder of how teeny they once were. There are many sets available to suit all budgets, however the suit I fell in love with was the 'Seriously Cute' Milestone Cards by Maiko Nagio which are currently on sale for $25.00! 
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