Top 4 Non-Baby Baby Essentials

All over the Internet you can find lists of baby essentials. They vary slightly and often end with a debate over whether the sling/bouncy chair is really an essential. This list is not like that. None of these items can be found at Babies 'R Us or even a baby boutique. But since I'm now past that magical time with a new baby when your world finally seem to be coming back together again (i.e. I shower every day!), I can say that each of these has been invaluable these last 8 weeks.

Exercise Ball - We got this planning to use it during early labor. I didn't really experience any "early" labor so I have no idea how it works as a labor device and even though it was one of the most comfortable places to sit the last few weeks of my pregnancy, its true greatness did not begin to shine until after Lucy was born. That girl loves to bounce. If she is calm she likes to sway or rock but if she needs help calming down, nothing works like bouncing. Craig can bounce her with just his arms but I do not have the upper body strength for that but sitting with her and bouncing on a ball isn't nearly as tiring. Just be sure to get one that is big enough. At my parents I had to use my little brothers smaller one and it hurt my back. But not enough that I didn't use it, mind you. That is how great the power of the ball is. And now that I've been spending more time on the floor, it works well as a back support too.

Christmas Tree Lights - We just lucked into this one. We already had blue ones from Craig's bachelor days so I set them up thinking they would be cute. They were more than cute. Christmas tree lights make the best nightlight. Whether your baby is in another room or with you, you need these. Just leave them on all night. They are dim enough that it doesn't bother us to sleep with them but just bright enough that we don't have to turn on a light to do any feeding/changing. We love them so much we took them with us when we visited my parents (and left our spare set there for next time). And I may be reading too much into this but our bedroom is fairly dark most of the day so I think having the blue lights on helps Lucy know it is night time and not just another afternoon nap.

Coconut Oil - Y'all should not be surprised at this one since I have talked about my love of coconut oil before but it really is great stuff. The one time Lucy started getting a diaper rash, I used this on it and it was gone by the next day. I also use it for for infant massage and general baby lotioning after baths. And when cradle cap begins to make its unwanted appearance, a little coconut oil and a combing gets rid of it. (Some say you should shampoo their hair afterwards but since we don't use soap or shampoo on Lucy, I don't, and have found that just a wet washcloth gets out enough to prevent that Danny Zuko look). And I don't have to worry about what chemicals are soaking in through her skin or if her hands end up in her mouth.

TV Shows on DVD- I know the big new mom tip is sleep when the baby sleeps but even I didn't need 18 hours of sleep a night and since during the first few weeks only place Lucy wanted to nap during the day was all sprawled out across my chest, I got bored. Now I can type, read a book or write thank you notes with a baby sleeping on me but at the time, if I tried to do any of that she would wake up. Baby wraps worked great but only when I was moving and walking around but I didn't feel up to walking that much seeing as I had just birthed her and was still recovering and all. I started watching the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice but quickly realized that even movies were not going to cut it. Enter the TV series on DVD. I went through the whole first season of Gilmore Girls and Craig lovingly purchased the second season for me! Each one is just about as long as a nap so I'm not always starting and stopping a movie. And even now that I'm able to do more and she is more willing to sleep nearby instead of on me, sometimes it is just nice to relax on the couch with a sleeping baby and watch another mother and daughter enjoying life.