What a baby needs

I've washed my hair today, have thrown things into the slow cooker and have even done a load of washing, all before 2pm.  It's a good day.  Most of the time I have no idea what day it is or what time it is because all I want to do is look at this beautiful face.  It's still surreal to think that it's mine and that I can smother it with kisses whenever I want.

Enough to make you melt even when she wants to play at 5am.

Beautiful vegan cake that my mum's friend made

We love leopard print

A gift from T&Co 

Pink ruffle bum and Tiffany blue socks

Whilst outfits are cute cute cute, they're a pain to coax a baby into!

Next Direct kills me with their cuteness.  Lucky these were only $9.

I became a huge anti consumer during pregnancy.  I barely purchased anything for myself, or the baby. Some may ask if I was even happy or excited, and believe me I was, but I preferred to squirrel my money away and spend it on good pregnancy care, healthy food and activities and memories that A can have when she's older, as opposed to a bombardment of equipment that I supposedly NEED when I have no idea what my baby will like and outfits that are impossible to wrestle them into.  ASOS maternity basics were a lifesaver and I had no qualms about throwing them out when I came home from hospital.  I was fortunate that I could pair my regular clothes with their basic skirts and tanks.

My hospital bag was a small backpack that very well edited.  I didn't want to be wrestling bags of stuff and a baby on the scary first drive home.  I felt VERY hot in hospital, as I think most women do.  For my 4 night stay and labour I found the following useful:

- 6 tanks/singlets - changed daily or more due to severe sweating (noone said birth was glamourous) 

- pair of leggings

- pair of yoga pants (so happy I ordered these at Christmas - they're light as air)

- 2 pairs PJ pants

- 4 PJ tops

- lightweight zip up jumper

- 4 pairs of socks

- slippers

- hair ties

- lip balm

- usual toiletries, including an amazing body wash.  Showers are an amazing relief.

- 5 pack of cheap and nasty grandma undies

- favourite snacks, none of which I touched as I couldn't hold anything down. 

Babies themselves don't need a lot in the early days.  Over the past 2.5 weeks, my favourite can't live without items have been the following:

- Purebaby organic cotton zip up growsuits.  5-6 tiny onesies are more than enough in my opinion.  Purebaby washes and wears so well and can be passed onto friends and saved for siblings.  And the warehouse in Collingwood is dirt cheap.

- Purebaby singlets

- 5-6 muslin wraps

- 3 stretchy wraps (I'm all about the Big W ones here)

- endless supply of nappies (my record is 20 nappies in one day).  Huggies are great, but I've found the Aldi to be just as good and they are a third of the price

- terry towel nappies for just about every purpose - lining the cot/pram/change table to save changing linen 3 times a day, having on your shoulder when burping etc

-bamboo face washers - for baths and cleaning dirty morning faces

- wipes - despite the hefty pricetag, I love the Naty wipes - they're Eco friendly, biodegradable and chemical free

- Sudocrem - it seems to heal all skin issues almost instantly

The above photo is the contents of what I carry in my handbag in a small pouch when I'm out with the baby!  I keep it simple.

As for me, when I'm not passed out from exhaustion, I'm loving my iPad mini, Kindle, lip balm, hand cream (I seem to wash my hands 5000 times a day), endless amounts of water and pen and paper to keep track of feeding schedules and nap times!