What to Expect the First Year (12 page)

Babies smell pretty terrific naturally, they stay pretty clean (at least, initially), and as far as their grooming, they're pretty low maintenance. When you look for baby toiletries, less is more in number of products—you need far fewer than manufacturers and retailers would have you believe—and in number of product ingredients:

Baby bath wash, liquid or foam.
To freshen up your baby at bath time, look for a gentle-formulation baby bath wash. Some do convenient double duty as shampoo and body wash.

No-tears baby shampoo.
For young infants, no-tears baby shampoo is best. The foam kind may be easier to control because it stays put.

Baby oil.
This can come in handy if you need to gently clean a sticky poop off a sore bottom. It's also often prescribed for cradle cap. But no need to use it routinely or to cover your baby in the stuff—remember, oiled-up babies are slippery babies.

Ointment or cream for diaper rash.
Most diaper rash creams or ointments are the barrier kind—meaning they act as a barrier between baby's tender tush and the harsh ingredients in pee and poop. Ointments go on clear, while creams (especially those that contain zinc oxide) usually smear on white. The creams, which are thicker than the ointments, tend to provide better protection against—or even act to prevent—diaper rash. Some brands also contain other soothing ingredients such as aloe or lanolin.

It's always best to try a brand out before you start stocking up—some work better for some babies than others.

Petroleum jelly,
such as Vaseline. You can use this to lubricate some rectal thermometers (others require a water-based lubricant, such as K-Y Jelly or Astroglide). It can also be used as a diaper rash preventer, though not as a treatment for rash.

Diaper wipes,
for diaper changes, hand washing on the go, cleanups after spit-ups and leaky diaper incidents, and dozens of other uses. There are also reusable cloth diaper wipes if you'd rather go green, or if your baby turns out to be allergic to certain brands. Thinking of buying a diaper-wipe warmer to go with? Though some parents swear by a warm wipe (especially on chilly nights), the bottom line is they're not a must-have. Bottoms are plenty warm without prewarmed wipes. Plus, some warmers dry the wipes out quickly. Another consideration if you're thinking about a warmer: Warm wipes are an easy habit for babies to buy into, and once they do, they may be reluctant to switch to straight-from-the-package.

Cotton balls,
for washing baby's eyes and for cleaning that sweet bottom in the first few weeks. Skip the cotton swabs, since they aren't safe to use on a baby.

Baby nail scissors or clippers.
Sharp adult nail scissors are too risky to wield on a squirmy baby—and those tiny nails grow faster than you'd think. Some clippers come with a built-in magnifier so it's easier to see what you're doing.

Baby brush and comb.
Far from all babies have hair to brush or comb, so you may or may not end up needing these items in the first few months.

Baby tub.
New babies are slippery when wet—not to mention squirmy. All of which can serve to unnerve even the most confident parents when it comes time for that first bath. To make sure it's fun and safe to rub-a-dub-dub when your infant's in the tub, invest in or borrow a baby tub—most are designed to follow a newborn's contours and offer support while preventing him or her from sliding under the water. They
come in myriad styles: plastic, foam cushions, mesh sling, and so on. Some “grow” with your baby and can be used all the way through the toddler years (when placed in a regular bathtub).

When buying a baby tub, look for one that has a nonskid bottom (inside and out) and a smooth rounded edge that will retain its shape when filled with water (and baby), is easy to wash, has quick drainage, a roomy size (large enough for your baby at 4 or 5 months, as well as now), support for baby's head and shoulders, portability, and has a mildew-resistant foam pad (if applicable). Another option to the baby tub, at least initially, is a thick sponge specially designed to cushion the baby in a sink or a tub.

Here's one area where less isn't more—and less may actually not be enough. Because you never know when you might need one of the following items (and when you don't have it is when you're most likely to need it, Murphy's Law and all), err on the side of excess. Most important, store all of these items safely out of reach of infants and children:

Acetaminophen,
such as Infant Tylenol, which can be used after age 2 months. You can use ibuprofen (Infant Advil, Infant Motrin) once your baby is older than 6 months.

Antibiotic ointment or cream,
such as bacitracin or neomycin, for minor cuts and scrapes, if recommended by baby's doctor.

Hydrogen peroxide,
for cleaning cuts. A nonstinging, nonaerosol spray that numbs or relieves pain as it cleans can make the job even easier.

Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream
(0.5 percent), for mosquito bites and itchy rashes.

Electrolyte fluid (such as Pedialyte),
for fluid replacement in the case of diarrhea. Use it only if your baby's doctor has specifically advised it—he or she will let you know what the right dose is, depending on the age of your little one.

Sunscreen,
recommended for babies of all ages (but don't rely on sunscreen to protect your newborn's extra tender skin—keep him or her out of direct sunlight, especially during seasonal peak hours).

Rubbing alcohol,
for cleaning thermometers.

Calibrated spoon, dropper, medicine pacifier, and/or oral syringe,
for administering medications (but always use the one that comes with a medication, when provided).

Bandages and gauze pads,
in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Adhesive tape,
for securing gauze pads.

Tweezers,
for pulling out splinters.

Nasal aspirator.
You'll definitely get to know and love this indispensable product, fondly known in baby-care circles as “the snot sucker.” The traditional bulb syringe is inexpensive and works well for clearing a stuffy nose, so you probably won't need to spring for the battery-operated type. There are other kinds of nasal aspirators on the market, including one that gets its suction from you (through a tube you suck on).

Cool mist humidifier.
If you choose to buy a humidifier, cool mist is the best (warm mist or steam humidifiers can lead to burns), but keep in mind that they must be cleaned thoroughly and regularly according to the
manufacturer's directions to avoid the growth of mold and bacteria.

Thermometer.
Click here
for choosing and using a thermometer.

Heating pad and/or warm-water bottle,
for soothing a colicky tummy or other ache—but be careful not to use one that gets hot and always wrap it in a cover or cloth diaper.

If you'll be breastfeeding exclusively, you're already equipped with your two most important supplies. Otherwise, you'll need to stock up on some or all of the following:

Bottles.
BPA-free baby bottles and their nipples (all bottles and nipples are required by the Food and Drug Administration to be BPA-free;
click here
) come in a dizzying variety of shapes—from angle-necked bottles to ones with disposable liners, wide bottles to natural flow ones, orthodontic-shaped nipples to breast-shaped nipples, as well as a nipple that rolls as baby's head moves. Choosing the right bottle and nipple for your baby will be based on a combination of trial and error, recommendations from friends (and online reviewers), and your personal preference. Don't worry if the bottle you originally choose for how it looks and feels ends up being the wrong fit for your little one—just switch styles until the right one sticks (a good case for trying before you stock up). Choose from the following bottle styles:

• Standard bottles come with straight or curvy sides and can be made from BPA-free plastic, glass, or even stainless steel. Some bottles come with bottom valves that are supposed to minimize air intake during feeding—theoretically minimizing gas in your little cutie's tummy.

• Wide-neck bottles, which are shorter and fatter than standard bottles, are meant to be used with wider nipples so that they feel more like the breast to babies. There are also some wide-necked bottles that come with nipples that are shaped more like those on a breast. These bottles could be your go-to choice if you're doing the combo (breast and bottle).

• Angle-neck bottles are bent at the neck, making it easier for you to hold but potentially a little more difficult for your little one to hold once he or she starts grabbing at the bottle. The angle allows the breast milk or formula to collect at the nipple, making your baby less likely to swallow air. And though these bottles make it easier to feed your little one in a semi-upright position—especially important if he or she is prone to spitting up, gassiness, or ear infections—they can be more difficult to fill (you'll have to turn them sideways or use a funnel when pouring in liquid).

• Disposable-liner bottles have a rigid outer holder into which you slip disposable plastic liners (or pouches). As your baby drinks from the bottle, the liner collapses, leaving no space for air that might eventually find its way into your little one's tummy. After feeds, just toss the empty liner.

• Natural flow bottles have a strawlike vent in the center of the bottle aimed at eliminating air bubbles that could increase gassiness. The downside is that there is more to clean after feeds—not only do you have to wash the bottle but also the straw mechanism—and that could be a pain (though perhaps not as much pain as you'll be sparing baby's tummy).

Stock up with four 4-ounce bottles and ten to twelve 8-ounce bottles. If you're combining bottle-feeding with breastfeeding, four to six 8-ounce bottles should be plenty. If you're nursing exclusively, one 8-ounce bottle is enough as a just-in-case.

Utensils for formula preparation.
Exactly which items you'll need will depend on the type of formula you plan to use, but the shopping list will usually include bottle and nipple brushes, large measuring pitcher and measuring cup if you're using powdered formula,
possibly a can opener (one that's easy to clean), long-handled mixing spoon, and a dishwasher basket to keep nipples and rings (collars) from being tossed around the dishwasher.

A bottle and nipple rack.
Even if you're doing most of your bottle washing in the dishwasher, you'll get plenty of use out of a drying rack specifically designed to hold and organize bottles and nipples.

Pumping supplies,
if you're breastfeeding but will be expressing milk. This includes a breast pump (
click here
for information and advice on choosing one of the types of breast pumps available and information on insurance coverage), storage container bags made specifically for storing and freezing breast milk (they are sterile, thicker than regular plastic bags or bottle liners, and lined with nylon to prevent the fat from adhering to the sides) or bottles (plastic or glass) to collect and freeze breast milk, a thermal insulated bag to keep pumped milk fresh during transport, and possibly hot/cold packs for relieving engorgement and encouraging let-down.