Congratulations, you are having a baby!!!

This is such an exciting (but sometimes scary) time of your life! Your life is about to change in so many ways, and we want to help you be prepared! Getting ready to have a baby can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to know what products to buy, or how to prepare yourself emotionally. Here is a list of personal and professional recommendations of some often overlooked things that are essential for new moms and babies!  *This post contains affiliate links.

1. Use The Postpartum Planning Checklist:

This is a checklist that all expectant parents should be going through together before having your baby. It helps you discuss expectations and plan for how things will go postpartum. SO many parents that I work with talk about how they wish that they had a plan like this in place before having their baby, so that they didn’t have to struggle for so long with their mental health. If you do nothing else on this list, make sure you check out this planner!

2. Como Tomo Bottle: 

Hey mama! I know you are pregnant now, so it is hard to know how breastfeeding will go for you. Just know that there is nothing wrong with feeding your baby with a bottle or with formula.  As long as that baby is fed, you are rocking it! This bottle is easy for babies to take, because it is very breast like! When we had to wean my exclusively breastfed baby to a bottle, this is the only one she would take (and believe me, we tried MANY bottles). They are a bit on the pricier side, but you really only need a few bottles (we had three bottles), as long as you wash them consistently!

3. Ergo Baby Cocoon Swaddle:

This is a great option for a swaddle as babies cannot wriggle their little bodies out of it. My daughter moved so much in her sleep and would always somehow get out of the Velcro swaddles, waking herself up. The ergo baby fits tightly, but still allows babies who need their hands by their faces to do this. This swaddle also transitions to a sleep sack when your baby is older, so you can use it for a long time!

4. Earth Mama Baby Nipple Cream:

One thing that many new breastfeeding moms struggle with is cracked and bleeding nipples. When trying to navigate the new breastfeeding relationship with your baby, it is very important to have a cream that works well, and that is ok for baby as well. This nipple cream not only smells amazing, but works very well. Start using it as soon as you have your baby, and apply it after every breastfeeding session! This will help relieve some of your pain, making the transition into motherhood easier. 

5. Create Connection With Non-Judgmental Moms:

This is huge for the new mom. NO new mom knows exactly what they are doing, despite how it may look on social media. Connecting with a group of moms who can work with you to answer your questions about healing, sleep, breastfeeding, and other baby related issues will help you know you aren’t alone.

There is research showing that social support is one of the best preventative factors for new moms to help protect them against mental health struggles. It really does take a village to raise a child, and to raise a mom. Make sure that you know who this community will be before you have your baby.

6. Earth Mama Baby Witch Hazel Spray:

Just like the nipple cream will help your breasts, this will help your lady parts heal postpartum! If you have a vaginal delivery, it is going to be quite tender for a while, and this is normal. This spray will help cool you and heal you after your delivery so that you can spend more time cuddling with your baby, and less time in pain.  

7. Learn about Baby Sleep: 

You may or may not know this, but thinking about sleep is about to become one of the biggest parts of your life! Learning about baby sleep ahead of time will help you know the best ways to get your newborn to sleep! Swaddling, using white noise, soothers, and baby swings are all going to help you get the rest you need in those first few months with your baby. It can be hard to know what is normal and what is not for new babies, and learning about baby sleep will help ease some of your worries. The website Precious Little Sleep as well as the course from Baby Sleep Made Simple are both great ways that you can learn more about baby sleep! 

8. Food and Cleaning Support:

This is all included in your Postpartum Planning Checklist, but we want to make sure that you have this covered. Think with your partner about who is going to come and make you a meal, or who can help you clean your house while you are holding your baby. Write down a list of names and phone numbers of people who will have your back during the postpartum period so that when you need them (and you will) you know exactly who you can talk to. 

9. Create a Baby Feeding Station:

You are about to have a lot of time where you are sitting down feeding a newborn. Think ahead about what you would like to do during this time. You are going to want to have a comfortable feeding station set up where you have: water, snacks, access to Netflix, books, and a comfortable pillow to use! Check out Pinterest for a lot of fun baby feeding station examples!

10. Manage Your Expectations:

Many new mamas that we support struggle because they expect SO much from themselves! Instead of expecting that when you have your newborn you are going to be able to do everything you did before (plus more), allow yourself to rest.

Birth is a big process and not something to be taken lightly. Choose sleep, choose cuddles, and choose time with your new family. Everything else can wait. 

One thing we want to emphasize is that though buying things for your new baby is fun and necessary, it is not the most important thing you need to do. Taking care of your mental health will help you and your family thrive as you transition into this role as a mother. Make sure you take the time to go through the postpartum plan, and to ensure that you will have social support after having your baby. We can’t wait to see you enter into motherhood, and we want to see you thrive every step of the way! 

It truly takes a village to support a mom. Gain emotional support, connection, and resources on mental health that you can trust here. We would love to have you in our community. 

*Our Mama Village is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and includes affiliate links in this post.