Prepare for a positive birth experience with our new book
The Two Week Wait
10 Questions To Ask Your Care Provider
Your Pregnancy Care Options
Common Symptoms in Early Pregnancy
How to Prepare for a Positive Induction (plus five positive induction stories)
Six things you may not know about the hours after a caesarean birth
A Guide to Packing Your Nappy Bag
Everything You Need to Know About “Baby Brain”
Once you feel comfortable leaving home with your baby (we encourage at least three weeks of rest and healing before you venture out), your nappy bag will become your life jacket. Indeed, it will have one (or two) of everything you could possibly need for any eventuality.
So what exactly will you need? Here’s our tried and tested nappy bag essentials:
Babies poo at all times but in my experience, they really love to do it when you’re out and about and nowhere near a change table. Inconvenient but better out than in! Cue the boot of your car which really comes into its own when you’re in desperate need of a comfortable, warm and private spot to change your baby’s nappy. BabyLove knows this experience well so they take care of your baby’s growing needs with superior nappies that you can rely on. BabyLove nappies are high-quality and practical, developed with attention to detail for the ultimate comfort and leak protection. As you gather essentials for your newborn, make sure you get your BabyLove Free Sample today on the BabyLove website – babylovenappies.com.au.
Tip: always keep a few spare nappies, wipes and a spare change of clothes in the car – separate to your nappy bag.
my three boys are well and truly out of nappies but I always have a packet of wipes on hand because they’re one of the most practical parenting products. I recommend all new parents keep a packet in the car, the nappy bag, in the lounge room and on the nappy change table. If you leave them in the car with the lid off and they dry out, just add a little water and they should become moist again.
what’s that smell? I won’t tell you about the dirty nappy I momentarily forgot about and found in the car days later because I still shudder at the memory. Instead, I’ll encourage you to have nappy bags on hand at all times so the dirty nappies and wipes can be easily contained. I also recommend a waterproof swimming bag to use for dirty singlets and onesies while you’re out and about.
extra singlets, onesies, tops, leggings, socks and a swaddle or wrap is absolutely essential for at least the first year of your baby’s life. You just never know when a poonami will occur. While it’s not quite as necessary, you might be inclined to keep a spare change of clothes for yourself, too. Why? Parenting is innately messy and unpredictable.
if you’re bottle feeding, you’ll need to take bottles, formula and sterilised water with you at all times (remember you can’t mix up formula prematurely; you’ll need to carry the formula and water separately). If you’re breastfeeding, feeding in public may be a cause of stress for you and it’s important to know that this is really normal. It’s also why staying at home after birth is so important for establishing breastfeeding and feeling confident in your ability. Your car will likely become your portable home when you’re out and about; you’ll feed and change your baby there. Make sure you’ve got a few swaddles or cloths to catch spilt milk, a nipple shield if you’re using them and a drink bottle so you can stay hydrated while your baby feeds.
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What is the Fourth Trimester?
The 12 weeks after birth is often referred to as the fourth trimester. It’s a term coined by US paediatrician Harvey Karp in 2002, that highlights the fact that even though your baby is outside your body, they’re still very much connected to you. Indeed, newborn babies are still growing and functioning as if they’re in utero; wholly dependent on you as they very slowly and tentatively adjust to life outside the womb.
The postpartum period is the weeks and months that follow birth. If you’re pregnant for the first time, you may not have heard about it and that’s understandable considering it’s not a hot topic of social conversation. Postpartum is often a private experience that occurs behind closed doors, hence many women only learn about it when they’re in the midst of it; cradling their newborn, leaking milk and tears, blindsided by the sheer intensity of this new season.
If you’re new to breastfeeding (or you’re currently pregnant and planning to breastfeed), you’ve come to the right place.
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