A Peek Inside My Hospital Bag: The Newborn Things I Can’t Live Without
It wasn’t until Isabella was 4 months old that I had my epiphany in realising that just because a product is made and advertised for babies, doesn’t mean it is non-toxic and safe for babies!
Hence, last time I was in hospital having given birth to Isabella, I was happy and grateful to be given all the free baby products that the hospital provided. In an unfamiliar world of baby things, I was looking for guidance and where better to get advice from than the hospital! Unfortunately I didn’t realise that the products available were just cleverly placed free samples by big companies to get me trusting their brands rather than something that was personally endorsed by the hospital.
The trust of these products was so strong as I had it linked in my mind with the hospital that it took me months to actually have a look at their ingredients lists. Hence the wipes, nappies, shampoos and bottom creams I used on Isabella were far from non-toxic.
This time around, I went into hospital with my eyes wide open and brought my own favourite products with me. Here’s what I couldn’t live without now that I know it exists.
I’ve made no secret of my love for these wipes. They are a larger wipe, come in bigger packs, are non-toxic and have a fantastic snap seal top packet which preserves hygiene.
If you are happy to buy online in bulk (24 packs of 80 wipes) the company offers such a highly discounted price that they end up being almost HALF THE PRICE of the premium, eco wipes in the supermarket! (For your first bulk member order of 24 packs, enter promo code: ‘NONTOX15’ at the checkout for $15 off! This comes out to $3.97 per pack and includes free delivery!)
Weleda Calendula Nappy Change Cream
I don’t necessarily think that newborns need a nappy cream, but I like to be equipped in case a red bottom appears. I didn’t actually end up using this in hospital, but I do use it quite regularly on Charlie now that he is 6 weeks old as he does have sensitive skin and can get a bit pink. One application of this quietens all the redness down and it all goes away. Such a beautiful product. It worked wonders on Isabella too.
Earth Mama, Angel Baby No Scents Baby Shampoo
This is as simple as you get in ingredients and is all organic, that’s why I love it. I don’t think babies need much cleaning apart from with water, but both my babies have had quite a bit of hair which I do think benefits occasionally from a tiny bit of shampoo. I only shampoo Charlie’s hair once a week or so, but this is what I use.
This was just a little addition for me – not baby. Hospital aircon is so drying and nothing is more soothing and moisturising than this gorgeous lip balm.
These were one of my long-standing go-to nappies with Isabella and I’m back using (and loving) them again with Charlie. I love that they are an Australian company who are really trying to make a great product. The nappies feel soft, are non-toxic and fit well. Their price point is also much better than some of the other non-toxic brands.
These are my favourite supermarket nappy and I brought these to the hospital so I didn’t have to use the Huggies provided. For newborn nappies, I haven’t found absorbency to be so much of an issue as they are being changed constantly anyway. I love that the profits go towards supporting women and children in need. Soft, affordable and relatively non-toxic.
Whilst not essential, these made my recovery after birth so so much easier each time. Having had abdominal separation, I had a lot of back pain in the early days of breastfeeding and these were an absolute God-send to give me some sense of core control when I didn’t have my own. As a bonus, the compression also helps your body bounce back into shape a lot quicker!
Frozen colostrum
I had no idea when I was at the end of my pregnancy with Isabella about the importance of expressing colostrum. Luckily, both breastfeeding and the birth went to plan and she was born healthy. This time around, I expressed colostrum into a syringe for 5 minutes each night from 37 weeks and stored them in dated zip lock bags in the freezer.
The reason why expressing colostrum before the birth is such a great thing to do (if you can) is not only does it ensure that your breasts are ready with a supply right away, but also if baby needs to be taken away from you to intensive care or you’re in bad shape after birth or need surgery etc, baby can be fed what nature intended them to have immediately and it avoids the need for formula. Colostrum is packed full of prebiotics to prepare baby’s gut and also antibodies to ready them for life outside the womb.
I ended up with about 10 syringes with 2.5 ml of colostrum in each. Charlie didn’t need any in hospital, but I have them in the freezer in case he gets sick or he needs antibiotics (or if I do for that matter given they will pass through to him through my breastmilk.) The antibodies in colostrum stay unaffected for 6 months in a cold freezer. An amazing back up to have!
I have written much more about baby wipes, bottom balms, disposable nappies, cloth nappies and shampoos etc. If you want to see what other brands I use or find out what ingredients you should avoid.
I hope you find this useful and I wish you all the best on your motherhood journey. The newborn period is such a special time. Remember to breathe it in and take a snapshot of your babe- their feel and smell in your arms. Whilst it can be super overwhelming and exhausting, it really does race by in the blink of an eye.
Love Em xxx
