Minimalist Baby Prep
As mentioned in a recent post - C and I are expecting!
We'd like to try and continue our zero waste/minimalist lifestyle when baby arrives and so I have been reading and researching lots of ideas/products and thought I would share in case anyone else is interested as this may save them some time.
One of my most valuable resources has been my cousin who also follows a similar lifestyle. I have supplemented her wisdom and recommendations with lots more googling/you-tubing.
UPDATES: Now that baby has arrived I'll got through the below list and let you know what we actually used - updates in caps.
Broad practices I'd like to try which are eco-friendly/non-toxic/natural for baby:
Breastfeeding
Elimination Communication (potty training/conditioning from birth)
Cloth diapering
Baby Wearing
Co-sleeping
I won't go into all the benefits of these but basically they seem to be most natural and healthy for baby both short and long term as well as bonding for parents and having the kid fully potty trained in 12-18 months. It's also cheaper! If you're interested in finding out more about each just google benefits of each and there are abundant resources.
Books:
Guide to Breastfeeding - Ina May
The no-cry sleep solution for newborns - Elizabeth Pantley
Go diaper free - Andrea Olson
Hospital guide provided by the hospital
I've had to read in dribs and drabs as I find it overwhelming and a lot to take in at once but the sleep book will be helpful, it explains the science behind natural baby sleep patterns along with tricks to get baby sleeping through the night. It also sets the expectation that babies won't and should not sleep through the night from day one for biological reasons. You could get a lot from reading just the first chapter which is a bit of a cheat sheet for the rest of the book.
The guide to breastfeeding again covers the science behind getting a baby to latch and what to do if they don't. It also covers what happens at the hospital and goes over options to best promote breastfeeding etc.
Haven't got too far into the diaper free book but these videos were really helpful in explaining elimination communication:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMR3lSSGjCA&t=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLE8WXGBdds&t=
Shopping list:
Again my cousin gave me a minimalist guide to what you need and don't need, but I've supplemented with a few other items I saw in other minimalist momma videos. A really good list is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i33at6lRvg
From a zero waste perspective I'm trying my best to borrow/buy second hand but because I'm looking for very specific eco-friendly/natural/long lasting/multi-purpose products they can be hard to find in a small city's second hand market. Unfortunately I am resorting to amazon for a lot of these but I'm doing my best to buy the bare minimum. Not all of these are necessities but I'd like to balance eco-friendly/good for baby with some realistic conveniences.
All of the underlined words are links to the items I have chosen, I have chosen only highly reviewed items as per amazon which is usually a good gauge for quality.
For baby:
Sleeping
Co-sleeping bed - got second hand - goes next to the bed keeping baby safe and can be used as a travel cot. As baby is co-sleeping with us we are saving the expense of a nursery
Organic cotton mattress and sheets - next on my list - organic to protect babies skin from chemicals and off-gassing found in other materials -
DIDN'T BOTHER WITH THESE IN THE END AND USED THE COTTON SHEETS THAT CAME WITH THE COT.
Night light - low dim light for night feeds - I will either use the light from the diffuser/humidifier mentioned below or I may put Christmas tree lights around the headboard.
I ACTUALLY ENDED UP GETTING A WIPE WARMER WHICH HAS A LIGHT IN IT AND THAT'S WHAT I USE FOR A NIGHT LIGHT. I ALSO COVER THE LIGHT WITH A SCARF WHEN I NO LONGER NEED TO SEE.
Eating
Glass bottles - Although I'll be breastfeeding I'd like to have some bottles handy to store excess milk for any night feeds that C might do - these can be sterilised/warmed in hot/boiling water in a pot on the stove - no need for separate steriliser/warmer
Manual breast pump - needed to alleviate built up pressure as well as express milk for storage (chose manual as it doesn't require power/batteries and it's cheaper) - it also comes with attachment to fill the glass bottles
Breast milk storage - although these take up more space than freezer bags - they are reusable and can be used for baby food once baby is on solids - I might look into getting some small glass mason jars instead - as long as you leave room for contents to expand they can be frozen.
I HAVEN'T DONE A LOT OF STORAGE BUT I DO HAVE SOME GLASS YOGURT CONTAINERS WHICH I CAN USE - NO NEED TO BUY ANYTHING EXTRA
Breastfeeding pillow - my cousin recommended a cylindrical one filled with buckwheat as it is more malleable - can also be used as a normal pillow afterwards
DIDN'T END UP USING THIS YET BUT MAYBE ONCE BABY IS BIGGER I WILL NEED IT
High chair - I'll get this closer to when baby needs it but I like the idea of a portable, space saving chair that snaps onto islands and tables. It can also come with us while visiting friends and family
DON'T HAVE THIS YET BUT WILL LIKELY GET THE INGENUITY BOOSTER SEAT AS RECOMMENDED BY MANY OF MY PARENT FRIENDS
Eliminating
Changing mat - as I will try diaper free time I'd like to have a changing mat that I can leave baby on which is easy to wipe off in case of inevitable accidents
Cloth nappies - I am not buying these until baby comes along as I have read that different brands suit and fit different babies better - some are more absorbant, some leak, some dry faster etc - we are lucky to have a local cloth diaper library which offers short and long term loans. I have pre-booked a 6 week newborn set and a 3 week trial for the bigger sizes. Once I know what works I can source out the brand that works best for us. As this is a bit of an investment I'd like to get the right ones for our needs/preferences. I will also buy some disposable ones for the newborn until the meconium is passed.
SEE THIS POST ON WHAT WE ENDED UP BUYING
Training potty - as you need something light and portable for elimination communication training I saw this recommended in some videos as it works both at home and in the car
Diaper wet bag - a place to store dirty nappies which contains odours between washes - I got 2 to alternate between washes. These bags can also be used for other wet things when out and about once diapering is done
Diaper sprayer toilet attachment - this will help to wash off poop from diapers before putting in the wet bag - I will also use as a bidet attachment to reduce toilet paper use for myself
Diaper rash cream - I will make my own - I'm ordering the ingredients off amazon as well
Wet wipes - I will make my own - getting the 100% cotton cloths from ikea (unless I can find organic between now and then) and the recipe from this vlog - I already have the ingredients on hand and I will use my own tupperware/glass jars for storage.
ENDED UP BUYING CREAM - WELEDA BRAND SEEMS O BE OK FOR CLOTH NAPPIES
Change table - I wasn't going to bother with a change table but a friend of mine recommended having someplace to store changes of clothes etc both upstairs and down as baby will likely need to change clothes due to accidents and you don't want to be running up and down stairs. I also needed somewhere to store cloth nappies so this made sense - as I don't like open shelving which most change tables have I'm opting for a chest of drawers which can be used to conceal cloth nappies, creams, wipes and changes of clothes. I found one in Ikea that fits perfectly in our downstairs powder room which I can later use in the kids room once they are older.
Playing
Haven't got much on this front yet but will be looking for organic cotton stuffed animals, wooden or recycled materials along with books which I will borrow from the library
Travel
Car seat - borrowing from a friend - it's an iso-fix which means the carseat is easy to take in and out of the car and snap into the stroller without needing to wake baby.
Stroller - borrowing from a friend, might not need too much as I will be wearing baby
Sling - organic cotton sling for baby wearing, the feedback from other baby wearing moms has been that these are better for everyday wear around the house than the more structured hiking ones as they provide better weight distribution across your back - there is also a local sling meet up group for baby wearing moms where you can rent out different types to try out before buying however I also read that they are tricky to get the hang of and would be best to practice before baby arrives so I'll get this based on the 4.5 stars from 160 reviewers on amazon and hope for the best, if it ends up not suiting I can always sell on and get a different one.
STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN USED TO THIS ONE AS I FIND IT HARD TO GET BABY UP HIGH ENOUGH. THAT SAID I HAVEN'T TRIED TOO HARD AS I HAVE THE OTHER ONE.
Baby carrier - gift from my cousin whose baby has outgrown it
Clothing
Sleepsuits - as baby will hardly be out of the house I am not buying anything other than PJs and body suits - I had a hard time finding reasonably priced organic cotton items so when I saw some on sale in Lidl I jumped on it and bought 2 for each age group they had up to 24 months. I also got some burts bees ones. I saw that some moms preferred the zip down the leg to allow for easy diaper changing, also one mom only bought items with feet attached so she didn't have to mess with socks
Sleep gowns - handy for night changes as no need to undress and redress - I had a hard time finding these in Ireland and even UK so ordered some organic cotton burts bees ones from the US.
I DON'T FIND THESE MUCH EASIER FOR THE PRICE I PAID, I WOULDN'T BOTHER WITH THESE NEXT TIME
Body suits - Also got these in Lidl - I tried to get 4 in each age group they had up to 24 months. According to another minimalist mom 4 is enough. 1 dad I know recommended snaps over buttons as it's easier for guys with bigger hands to work them
Muslin swaddle - this fits into many categories as it is so multi-purpose - I have asked for these as a gift from my mom who will make them like this - they can be used as blankets, swaddles, breastfeeding covers, burp cloth, tummy time blanket, stroller cover etc. The mom I found out about these from said 5 is enough.
ENDED UP BUYING 2 FROM BOOTS, THEY ARE VERY MULTI-PURPOSE
Bath
Baby bath - I got a baby bath small enough to for in my kitchen sink from aldi in one of their sales (my sink is much larger than standard which I got with baby baths in mind along with a detachable spray tap)
Baby towel - found a 100% cotton one with hood in aldi (thought not organic)
Soap/Shampoo - I will either make my own or use dr. bronner unscented castille soap.
CURRENTLY STILL USING ONLY WATER WITH THE REUSABLE WIPES
Health/Safety
I'm going to have these on hand as may be needed at short notice
Ear thermometer - this one works on forehead and ear
Aroma diffuser/humidifier - for when baby is sick but also can diffuse essential oils to help with sleep and relaxation - although careful if you have cats or dogs as some of these oils can be toxic to them
Monitor - If you have an old smart phone lying around you can use it as a baby monitor by downloading an app (I found Cloud Baby Monitor with good reviews for 6$) onto both the old and your current phone. Also works with apple watch if you have one. App includes two way audio, lullabies, light and video. Range is unlimited as it's over wifi/mobile data so you could check up on baby even when you're not home.
HAVEN'T ENDED UP USING THIS AS I'M ALWAYS IN THE SAME ROOM AS THE BABY
Baby paracetamol/Tylenol
Snot sucker
Saline solution nasal spray
Vitamin D drops
For me:
Newborn days/postpartum:
I'm still sourcing some of these but this is my list
Re-usable pads - already have from local etsy store - for post-partum bleeding, check out pinterest for padcicles.
I ENDED UP USING SOME DISPOSABLES AS I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH REUSABLE PADS TO KEEP UP WITH THE AMOUNT OF BLEEDING. I ALSO HAD A C-SECTION SO DIDN'T NEED PADSICLES LUCKILY.
Epsom salts - for healing baths
HAVEN'T USED THESE YET AS I ENDED UP WITH A C-SECTION AND WASN'T SURE ABOUT USING THEM POST SURGERY
Pre-made meals - In Ireland you need to take at least 2 weeks mat leave before baby arrives - I plan to use this time to do meal prep and have our freezer full of healthy meals we can just heat up once baby occupies all our other energy,
I NEVER GOT AROUND TO MAKING THESE. I DID BUY A FEW FREEZER MEALS AND ASKED FOR FOOD AS GIFTS INSTEAD OF THINGS SO WE HAD VERY GOOD FRIENDS AND FAMILY FEED US FOR THE EARLY DAYS.
Lanolin nipple cream
Organic cotton breast pads
Breastfeeding tank top
I THOUGHT I'D ONLY NEED 1 OR 2 OF THESE BUT ENDED UP GETTING 8. THIS IS TO KEEP UP WITH MILK LEAKS AND GETTING PEED ON ETC. THESE ARE THE ONLY TOPS I'VE WORN SINCE BABY WAS BORN AND WILL LIKELY BE THE CASE UNTIL I'M DONE BREASTFEEDING. I FOUND SOME ORGANIC COTTON ONES IN H&M
Stool softener
NOT ON THE LIST BUT GOT ONCE BABY WAS HERE
Moses basket - borrowed from a friend - this was so handy once baby was small to have both upstairs and downstairs. Our baby practically lived in it for the first few weeks (and is napping in it beside me as I type this).
Wipe warmer - this was a bit of a luxury item but our baby hated getting wiped with cold wipes. During the day I just wet the wipes using warm water from the tap but I didn't want to have to get up in the night so I have the wipe warmer beside the bed for night time changes
Bouncer - I had all the intentions of wearing the baby all the time. I think I've worn him around the house maybe twice. The bouncer has been a lifesaver as somewhere to put the baby that is safe when he is awake that allows me to get a few things done around the house. I got one second hand.
Re-usable wipes - I had these before baby was born but forgot to add to the list above. I got these bamboo ones as they are anti-bacterial/anti-fungal. I got 32 of them and need to wash them every 2.5 days to keep them in stock. I wash with the cloth nappies.
Nappy changing bag - I wasn't going to bother with one of these but we ended up with so many bags every time we'd go out that having one that acts as my handbag and a nappy supply bag made things easier. I got a gift card to a local shop so ended up getting one. It is now stocked with mostly everything we need at all times so makes leaving the house that bit easier. It came with a portable changing mat, stroller straps and an insulated pocket for bottles.
Nipple shields - In those early days when your nipples are toughening up these can be useful
Pacifier - I wasn't going to bother with a pacifier as I read that some people just used cloths for chewing but the early days in the hospital it felt like the baby was using my nipples as a soother and I had C bring me in some pacifiers the next day. This is risky when establishing breastfeeding not to cause nipple confusion but I lucked out and didn't have any trouble
Cost:
In terms of cost - all of the above will cost about 1,000€ given I am borrowing the more expensive items or getting them second hand. This includes food (breastmilk), nappies (cloth), clothing etc for at least a year if not 2 - and I will be able to sell on some of those products to get some of that money back. I'm sure I may add more as I go but feeling pretty comfortable that main bases are covered with the above and I will not NEED to spend any more - I'm sure that would cost a lot more if using disposable wipes, creams, nappies, formula and any other unnecessary gadgets! The average additional costs I have seen in budgeting forums recommends 330€ extra/month excluding child care - I will keep you posted how that goes following the minimalist approach.
If I've missed anything you think is an absolute necessity please do let me know!
