Mummy and Daddy Daycare’s guide to newborn essentials
When we first had our first child (nicknamed Barnacles) four years ago in 2013, we were quite clueless as to what was really necessary for a newborn. We were quite lucky that at the time we received several clothes hand-me-downs from relatives who had young kids, as well as baby toys. We also got a baby cot as a gift from doting grandparents.
Fast forward four years and, with two kids – aged four-and-a-half years old and nearly 18 months old, respectively – we’ve realised that clutter can build up fast. We recently embarked on several house clearing efforts, including selling off older baby items and donating baby clothes and toys. If you were to ask us today, we would have these four key items on our must-have newborn essentials list:
1. Baby diapers and wipes
Just popping into any supermarket will leave one spoiled for choice with the many diapers available on the shelves, though we usually order them online to avoid the hassle of lugging them back from the store. We used Goo.n brand diapers for both our children, as the items are thin, absorbent and suitable for sensitive skin.
We used to purchase diapers from Qoo10 during a promotion. Recently however, we chanced upon a new brand of ultra-thin diapers, Offspring, sold via a Malaysian site. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the diapers – super thin and extra soft – and will likely be switching to this brand. Best of all, it costs less!
We’ve also tried several brands of wipes and these are our favourite: Bebesup and Gomdoli wipes are soft and moist, but our top pick would be Offspring Natural, which comes in a reasonably-priced bundle with diapers.
2. Baby clothes and swaddles
As newborn babies have just emerged from the mother’s womb where they felt all snug inside, it is recommended that newborn babies be swaddled for at least the first couple of months, to recreate the snugness of the womb. While muslin cloths can be used, we found that they tended to come loose more easily once baby started to move his or her arms more.
Our favourite swaddles are the Love to Dream swaddles, as babies can sleep with in a more natural position with their hands up, yet feel secure. With the sweltering heat in Singapore these days, we also discovered an ‘arms only’ swaddle which we loved and used for our two kids when they were young, for naps in the day.
3. Baby bedding
While some parents opt to co-sleep with their babies from day one, we also feel that it is useful to have a cot as this provides a safe place for baby. We preferred a traditional baby cot with rails, with a side that can be lowered to place the infant in easily. Babies also do not need any pillows or bolsters – the cot should be empty apart from the mattress and bedsheet.
Our favourite mattress is the Babysafe latex mattress as it is hypoallergenic, and b.sensible waterproof cot sheets, as this eliminates the need for an additional waterproof later underneath. Ironically though, most nights these days, both children often end up on the big bed as they want to be close to mummy and daddy. We figure we’ll get them to sleep on their own … someday.
4. Baby carrier
Baby carriers have been one of our best purchases for our kids – it is so much easier to be able to head out ‘hands-free’ while carrying a baby. We listed our favourite baby carriers in a previous post. We would advise not to buy a baby carrier until baby is born, as different carriers fit different people differently, and some are more comfortable for different wearers.
Our favourite shop is Baby Slings and Carriers, as for a fee of $20, you can get up to 30 min of Carrier fitting advice and try up to three different carriers (they have a wide range of ergonomic carriers to choose from). The $20 will be offset if you eventually purchase a carrier from the store. Otherwise, think of it as useful paid advice!
Two more useful items we would add to the list is a nursing pillow if you are planning to breastfeed (we found this nursing pillow a lifesaver – used for both our kids for more than a year each), and a breast pump, if you are planning on heading back to work a few months after having baby.
Why the above, you may ask. Over the past four years of being parents, we have realised that babies really don’t need much when they are young. They need to be clothed, fed, held and comforted by their parents. We were also really intrigued by the Finnish culture of the gift of a cardboard box for newborn babies, symbolising that everyone starts off as equals, regardless of socio-economic status. Keeping things simple may also alleviate the stress of being first-time parents, and avoid accumulating unnecessary baby things in the house!
Mummy and Daddy Daycare are the pseudonyms of a Singaporean husband and wife who are raising two young boys aged four and one, nicknamed Barnacles and Kwazii from the children’s Octonauts series. Get into the minds of this couple who describe parenthood as a lifetime adventure – you are always learning something new! Whoever said parenting was a walk in the park?
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