Must-haves

After almost a month of having Yasmin around, I have narrowed down a top 5 list of things that new mums need to deal with newborns. Here goes!

1. Breast pump

If you do decide to breastfeed, a breast pump is a life saver. It can help deal with engorgement, blocked nipples and not to mention, let mummy have a little nap time while daddy feeds the little one! There's so many brands on the market, so do your research and choose one that suits your needs and lifestyle. I personally went for the Medela Swing :)

2. Baby sling/carrier

You'll figure out by day 3 that babies like to be held and cuddled. It's understandable, they're adjusting to a new life outside the womb so need all the love and warmth they can get. Unfortunately for mummies, this means a lot of time spent caring for your baby and less time spent on housework. Having a maid or a family member around to help you would be ideal, but if you're on your own during that first month, having a baby sling/carrier helps so much. Yasmin likes being held in the morning, probably because it's cold then. So I put her in the sling and go about having breakfast, make the bed, tidy up kitchen, and whatever else I can do with one hand! I bought the Babasling after Arina recommended it and I absolutely love it.It's so easy to use,   and I get to hold Yasmin without straining my back and arms. Yasmin loves it too, she falls asleep so quickly when in it :)

3. Foldable changing mat

We have a changing table but having a foldable changing mat is great for those night time nappy changing sessions. My mum bought the blue and pink reversible one from Malaysia as I couldn't find one here. Thank God for Pureen eh? 

4. Muslin towels

These towels can be used for everything, from cleaning up baby's vomit (yeap they do a lot of that!) to covering the car seat from the glare of the sun. Buy a load of them as you use them a lot! They're relatively cheap though so definitely worth buying.

5. Sleep suits with integral scratch mitts

I'm not sure whether all babies are like this but Yasmin hates it when we put on her mittens. She will fuss about until they come off. So we bought these sleep suits that have built-in mittens from Mothercare and Mamas and Papas. Ingenious idea right? Now mummy and daddy can sleep soundly knowing that she won't be scratching herself!

Now, if only there's something that I can use to keep Yasmin preoccupied while I take a shower...