Packing for a long vacation

We are heading to Taiwan for a long vacation in 2 days time! Woohoo!
 
Being a perfectionist and an organized mum (with a little OCD in between haha..) makes my life difficult when it comes to packing for overseas trip. I would check, re-check my luggage again and again and make sure I don't forget anything my kids need! Oh yes, it's really stressful! I would think of Plan A and Plan B, or perhaps Plan C, what would happen if this goes this way and if that goes that way, bla bla bla.. Everything just running wild in my head over and over again! And here comes my comprehensive packing list. I just want to make sure my kids' needs are met well, no less!
 
Sharing what I'm packing for my 10 day holiday, it doesn't mean you (parents who are reading this & planning for a vacation) have to follow the same. I'm just feeling more comfortable knowing I pack everything my kids need.
 
And of course I hope my sharing helps a little hehee..
 
Btw, a little bit of introduction if you are visiting my blog for the 1st time from googling "what to pack for baby" I'm a mum of two, a 2.5 year old toddler boy & a 10.5 month old baby girl. My toddler boy is drinking formula milk and my baby girl is breastfed! Both eat homemade porridge only! The boy is more picky then the girl and guess what, I'm bringing my cooking utensils along to Taiwan, literally moving house!
 
Okay, get back to what I pack, here is my super super long list :P

p/s: this list is more focusing on mommy stuff & baby stuff, for toddler, he has his own luggage, pretty much sharing the same necessities but with extra toys, ipad, lollipops, some snacking to entertain him, more clothing for the toddler too as he's super active and of course milk powder & bottles. And last one, he needs his home blanket & Brownie (a puppy soft toy he calls)
 

Mommy:
 
Clothing:
4 long sleeves button shirt
3 short sleeves
1 scarf
2 dresses
1 long denim
5 leggings/jeggings (lighter than denim/long jeans at least)
2 shorts
5 sets of pajamas (can be washed if it's not enough)
5 padded tank tops for easy breastfeeding (can be washed & it dries easily too)
2 home shorts
6 sets of Underwear (can be washed), 2 easy pull down bras for breastfeeding & breast pads (don't bring many bras because I wear padded tank top instead for easy breastfeeding)
2 Jackets (1 thick leather jacket & 1 knitted jacket)
2 Nursing covers (big poncho type that I can use as a big scarf too)
 

Toiletries:
Pads (gotta having period soon)
(Travel size)Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, conditioner, facial wash, soap, make up remover, small hairdryer, face moisturizer, a very small bag of make up (basic make up), hair brush, hair band/clips lipgloss, mini hair oil, sample size of bottle & laundry detergent to wash baby stuff
 
Necessities:
Medications for adults like panadol, cough/flu mixture, etc
Make up
10 pairs of contact lenses (disposable kind)
Nail cutter
Vitamin C to prevent cold
 
Baby
 
Clothing:
Diaper 1 pack (walker 33pcs size M) & 20pcs pampers for night wear
1 crochet shoes, 1 mitten 1 hat
1 winter jacket
2 extra jackets
7 sets of top with legging for autumn (matching clips as well)
2 dresses with legging (matching clips as well)
9 sets of pajamas
4 sets of home clothing
3 bibs
4 napkins
2 carrier teething pads
2 Towels & 2 blankets

Necessities:
Sterimar & nose aspirator
Medicines like paracetamol, burofen, cough/flu mixture, diarrhea sachet, nose drop, etc
Essential oil
Diffuser
1 box of disposable bibs
Baby foods (jars & purée), milk powder & bottles (for toddler), cereals & toys to entertain toddler in airplane
Mini rice cooker (to cook porridge)
Bumbo Chair/inflated kind (to feed the baby)

Other baby things:
2 Pigeon anti bacterial wipes
Ear Thermometer & fever patch
2 Baby wipes
Tummy oil
Comb
Toiletries (bring all sample size)
Cottons & cotton buds & gauze to wash mouth
Nail cutter
Aveeno baby
Hand sanitizer
Baby oil
Desitin diaper cream

Mommy's clothes, all are breastfeeding friendly. I bring jegging (legging jeans) instead of jeans because it's so much lighter. And I also bring padded tank top to wear inside for easy pull-down nursing! And Uniqlo padded tank top dries pretty quickly over the night, so I can wash & wear repeatedly!

Zip lock bag is the key to organize well & using zip lock bags, I can find my stuff pretty easily and it's much neater too

And I put my stuff in a big plastic bag, so I can locate easily where's mine and where's baby's and of course I can use back the big plastic bag to dump dirty laundry!

Baby girl's clothing. I even match her ribbons & socks accordingly!

I'm packing mostly long sleeves & leggings with jackets since Taiwan's season is autumn now and it's quite cold. Not forgetting a pair of gloves & a hat too since we will be going to the mountain side where it can be cold & windy!

And clip her hair ribbon to each of her outfit too

And yes, each zip lock bag for different category!

Plastic bag to organize

I pack her diapers too, just in case I can't find brands she's comfortably using and especially for my toddler boy, I can hardly find size XXL comfortable diaper for him overseas, so I bring it from here! to be safe!

My necessities, period coming soon and seriously travelling & period don't go along well, never ever & it's troublesome too, super! If you ask me "but you can buy pads there, right?'' Yes, I can, but I don't like the idea rushing to store just to get sanitary pads, worst midnight. I just like to be ready!

Almost forget about this, sample size hair oil for my dry hair, lip balm & hair clips/bands

Baby Necessities ~ pretty much sharing the same thing with my toddler

I find sample size toiletries is very useful because baby doesn't use so much body/hair wash and a little bit of amount will do! I'm also bringing sample size of bottle detergent and baby laundry detergent to do a little bit of washing there

And the white bag is baby's necessities and the bumble-bee bag is mommy's necessities. I love to organize well!

 

Not forgetting important stuff such as nasal aspirator & sterimar nose spray in case kids having runny nose

Baby blankets (she's using sleeping bag) and towels. I just feel better if I use my own home towel than hotel's one

Loving my baby blue leather jacket from Love Bonito & super stylish rainbow nursing cover that I can use as a big scarf too

Essential Oils & Diffuser (mostly already been packed and not in the picture here) Gentle baby EO is a must!

Vitamin C to prevent cold for both me & my toddler (Yes, I eat this too because it's really yummy & easy to eat Vit C)

Medications for baby & toddler. Since they are sharing the same medications (toddler taking 2x higher dosage than baby), it's easier for me to pack everything in a bag too. Medicines like paracetamol, burofen, cough/flu mixture, diarrhea sachet, nose drop, etc are very important! Don't forget to bring syringe too. I will also bring some medications for adults such as Panadol, cough/flu mixture, etc

 

Baby foods. Yes I'm talking about convenient food! Since baby Calysta loves beef pasta, so I bring what she likes to eat more!

 

Bubble wrap the glass jars to prevent it from breaking and put food stuff in a separate luggage

 

New toys to entertain my cranky toddler (oh yes, he can throw temper badly if he's bored) preferably toys that can attract his attention for a long 6 hour journey. These are small toys and luckily these are not heavy & I can dump everything inside my diaper bag. Toys that require motor skills are good! For some reasons, old toys can't attract his attention for long, so mommy bought some new stuff for him & hope he likes it! :)

My super basic travel size make up, at least I look more... well, more presentable for photo! :p

 

Stuff in my diaper bag. Toddler has his own diaper bag, pretty much the same except he has his own iPad & milk powder, baby bottle & water bottle (oh yes, some lollipops to help him in easing ear pain during/after take-off/landing too!). I'm breastfeeding, so it's easier for me, just take out my nursing cover & latch the baby on! She will also be eating solid in the airplane, so I'm bringing baby food along in my diaper bag!

 p/s: I'm bringing a mini rice cooker not shown here as I have packed it away (light weight for travelling) to cook home made porridge for my kids, especially my toddler boy since he's really that picky and would refuse outside food at all! So yeah, I'm pretty done with packing and next will be a lot of praying, so our long journey will be smooth!

Wish us luck! And Until my next post on my long vacation to Taiwan! Bye from now!

(Sponsored Review) New Drypers Drynights & Drypers Wet Wipes

Hi fellow mommies & daddies

 

 

What is the most challenging thing you have ever experienced in your parenthood journey?

Being a full time mum of two, the most challenging thing I have ever experienced in my motherhood journey is interrupted sleep. One of the causes for interrupted sleep is leakages of baby's wet diaper.

What could possibly be worse than waking up in the middle of night to a crying & wet little baby, cleaning her up, changing her diaper, clothes and bed sheet? Been there, done that!

Thanks to Drypers for sending Calysta New Drypers Drynights & Drypers Wet Wipes, I'm no longer a panda mama with black eyes. I have my beauty sleep back!

New Drypers Drynights Review

Calysta has been wearing the new Drypers Drynights for almost 1 month and yes it took me almost 1 month to try and do this genuine review. And here's what I thought:

1) Superior absorbency with longest absorption core

 

I normally clean Calysta up and change her a new fresh diaper at 6pm and usually Calysta sleeps at 8pm and I don't change her diaper until 7 or 8am in the next morning (more than 12 hours) The main reason is I just don't want to wake her up (when she wakes up, she refuses to sleep back and no thanks, my eyes are black enough!) and my other (selfish) reason is I need my beauty sleep (yes I seriously need it!)

And I'm impressed! NO leakages at all! She can mostly sleep through the night! She does latch midnight but it's more like dream/sleep latch and she doesn't wake up at all, thanks to the new Drypers Drynights, my baby girl sleeps comfortably!

From my experience being a mother, baby doesn't normally sleep comfortably when her diaper leaks and she's wet. Having to wear the new Drypers Drynights, it has NEVER been my case to change Calysta midnight or there's NO one night out of so many nights wearing Drypers Drynights she needs to wake up, change her diaper & wet pajamas!

The absorbency is superior! More than 12 hours regardless her sleeping position (she's normally sleeping in all kind of positions; tummy, back & side) and its longest absorption core to ensure leakage from the back is prevented, thanks to the smart innovation, Drypers Drynights' secured elastic leak guards that work hard to give my baby security & assurance to sleep through the night

Moreover, the unique technology allows for quick, even and effective absorption and distribution of pee and poo into the diaper to ensure 12 hours of long lasting dryness. Happy baby is happy mommy!

2) No diaper rash for her sensitive baby bum's cheeks

Calysta has been wearing Drypers Drynights for almost 30 days and so far she hasn't encountered any diaper rash yet. Drypers Drynights is gentle for her sensitive baby bum's cheeks. And there's no need for diaper cream! Yay!!!

3) Fitting is just nice

Calysta weighs 7.4 kg at 8 months old and she's wearing Drypers Drynights size M  (6-11 kg) that fit her just nice ~ not too tight and it doesn't leave her any red marks on her thighs. It's not too high and it's not too low, the fitting is just nice for her ~ so far no leakages of pee and poo at all! To me, diaper fitting is very important, if it doesn't fit well, pee and poo will leak and it's really awful to clean baby up when it comes to leaking poo. Yucks! Thanks to Drypers Drynights, I haven't encountered leaking pee/poo due to to wrong fitting. Phew!!

Drypers Drynights retail at $13.45 per pack and is available at all major super and hypermarkets from November 2014. Drypers Drynights come in 1 pack type for each of the 4 sizes. M~40 pieces, L~34 pieces, XL~30 pieces and XXL~24 pieces.

Interested to try? Simply logon to www.facebook.com/dryperssingapore to request a sample now!

Drypers Wet Wipes

Another product I really love! The scent is so good, it smells like my favorite baby powder.

What I really love about Drypers Wet Wipes

1) The Scent

It's like so so so nice. Really smells like baby powder. Even smells better than my usual baby powder. The smell of softness, the smell of baby, the smell of love and florals are all packed in one!
And having to use this wipes, there's no longer stinky bum bum after diaper change. Bye bye horrible poo poo odor!

2) The good quality & thickness

The baby wipes are big enough to clean Calysta up and one of the features I like is its thickness! It doesn't tear easily and I wouldn't doubt its superior quality at all.

3) It doesn't irritate my baby's skin at all

Its alcohol-free formula is not only suitable for newborns but it's also gentle enough for Calysta's sensitive skin. It keeps Calysta's delicate skin moisturized thanks to the effective formula which is enriched with:

** Oat Kernel Extract to soothe and calm baby's skin
** Pro-vitamin B5 to keep baby's skin moisturized
** Baby Friendly Fragrance approved suitable for babies by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA)
** Alcohol-free to prevent dryness of baby's skin

4) One for all purposes!

I love baby wipes especially those with lovely scent like Drypers. Not only I'm using it to clean my children up but I do use it for myself whenever I need to freshen up the 'tired-looking-me'. The lovely scent will absolutely wake me up & I feel instantly fresher in minutes!

Baby wipes are simply handy and best innovation ever! I can use it for so many purposes (baby wipes can be used to remove make up too) and I can't possibly imagine life without baby wipes

Drypers wet wipes come in 2 sizes: 2 x 40 pieces & 2 x 100 pieces

For more information, please visit Drypers website at http://www.drypers.com.sg/

Or like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dryperssingapore

Thank you Drypers for keeping baby Calysta dry, making her sleep through the night comfortably & making her a happier baby ~ the journey with Drypers is unforgettable and I will continue this journey until her toddlerhood and share my experience with fellow mommies & daddies

 

(Sponsored Review) Managing Fever with KOOLFEVER

Hello!

Being a Mum of two, with both kids having close age difference of 19 months, fever is not unusual in our life. Fever has become quite an affair to me. Fever comes and goes. Fever comes (unwelcomed & uninvited) to my kids after vaccinations or after being contracted with some kind of viral infection or bacterial infection. As much as I hate fever, imagine I have to wake up every hour to check my little one's temperature (worrying the little one will wake up crying), the struggle I have when I need to force-feed paracetamol, the worried-ness how if the fever suddenly jumping up high? As much as I know fever does mean body is fighting against viruses or bacterial infection, no matter what it is, fever is very worrying to me! And always a HATE affair to me!! 

 

Thanks to KOOLFEVER Singapore for sending me super awesome Fever Management Kit which includes KOOLFEVER Products and and the Super KOOL Braun NTF3000 No Touch Plus Forehead Digital Thermometer. I'm now no longer afraid of UN-KOOL fever! 

 

 

 

I have been a big fan of KOOLFEVER patch for babies since EJ was an infant. KOOLFEVER stays one of the most important kits in my drawer. 

 

Being a Mum of two, handling a feverish baby or toddler is no longer a new thing for me. With 2 young kids under my care, I'm pretty confident on how to manage fever and I hope the tips I share here will be useful for moms-to-be or first time mums 

 

1) Paracetamol

 

Paracetamol syrup (pink color) is a safe medication prescribed by pediatrician for babies and toddlers and it's a must to have medication to control fever above 37.5 degrees. The dosage is normally prescribed according to the child's weight and can be taken every 4-6 hourly 

 

2) KOOLFEVER for babies & KOOLFEVER for children

 

I always use KOOLFEVER for both toddler & baby because it absorbs & disperses heat effectively. The size is just right & fits perfectly to my little one's forehead and doesn't displace at the slightest movement. It's also gentle for baby's skin as it doesn't contain fragrance or coloring. The best thing about KOOLFEVER is the cool effect lasts long, about 4 hours per sheet and I don't have to keep changing the fever sheet, unlike the old way fever compress. A must have baby essential! 

 

 Calysta was having fever!

 

3) KOOLFEVER for body

 

It's another smart innovation from KOOLFEVER I really like! A must have for me too! I use KOOLFEVER for body when my little one has a sudden high fever. Let's say fever jumping up from 37.5 to 39 degrees. Normally that will likely happen midnight. The first thing I do is to stay calm, feed paracetamol and use KOOLFEVER for body on the neck, wrists, underarms, inner thighs, ankles or any narrow parts of the body where the major arteries are found. My little one's temperature is effectively brought down. The cool effect lasts about 8 hours which is really awesome! 

 

4) KOOLFEVER soft cooling gel pillow

 

KOOLFEVER soft cooling gel pillow can be used for fever, sleepless and humid night. It contains special cooling gel that doesn't become frozen in the freezer. When my little one has fever, I wrap KOOLFEVER soft cooling gel pillow with towel and put it underneath my little one's head to help to bring down the fever. It's reusable simply by chilling in freezer again. The cooling effect will last for about 4-6 hours. 

 

 

 

5) Braun NTF3000 No Touch Plus Forehead Digital Thermometer.

 

Thermometer is a MUST and my advise to first time moms is get a digital thermometer because it's so worth it! Forehead digital thermometer is not only accurate but it's so convenient & easy to use. What I love about forehead digital thermometer is I can take my little one's temperature when he or she is sleeping. I don't have to be afraid of the little one waking up. I can take my little one's temperature without touching him or her which is really awesome! 

 

I have tested both ear and forehead thermometers and the difference is only -0.2 deg for forehead thermometer in comparison to ear thermometer. For instance, the temp using ear thermometer is 38.2 degrees and the temp using forehead thermometer would be 38 degrees and I would say it's accurate and I wouldn't doubt its accuracy at all. I get the same professional accuracy reading whether touching my little one's forehead or measuring up to 5 cm away

Forehead thermometer in comparison with ear thermometer

 

Another thing I like is there's a fever guidance like a green screen suggests no fever, a yellow screen suggests moderate fever and red signals high fever 

 

Most importantly is to stay calm when handling little one's fever. With good care and routine monitoring, the little one should be recovering in a few days time and becoming stronger after that. So, don't worry, mommies! Fever is manageable!

 

Thank you KOOLFEVER, my 7 month old baby Calysta is all well now!

 

To find out more about KOOLFEVER products, please like KOOLFEVER facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KOOLFEVERsg or visit their website at http://www.mykoolfever.com

Stay KOOL

Netty 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Sponsored Review) QuickGrab Nappy Bags

Hello!

Being a mom for the past 26 months (EJ is 26 months old & Calysta is 7 months old). Diaper duty has become a daily affair. Every day, my dustbin is always full of.... Diapers and more diapers! Since both EJ & Calysta are still wearing full time diapers, can you imagine how many wet & soiled diapers we are having a day? Both kiddos have about 5 wet diapers and 1 soiled diaper a day and can you imagine ehm..ehm how unpleasant the smell of our bathroom? I hate to admit I'm REALLY traumatized with the unpleasant nappies odours every time I have to throw something into the dustbin. Yucks! I swear the smell really lingers for long and I have to hold my breath for the longest minutes I can.

 

And now there's a smart solution!

 
Thanks to QuickGrab for sponsoring me, together with other December 2014 mommies most convenient, hygienic and fuss free nappy bags, now I'm no longer having a yucky feeling whenever I have to meet Mr. Dustbin in my bathroom. QuickGrab nappy bags are perfect for mothers who are on-the-go too

The bags are large enough to hold nappies, wet wipes and tissues. The easy-tie handles help to seal off any germs

Plus one thing I like is, the bag is scented to neutralize unpleasant odours. It smells like my favorite baby powder to me, while the black color subtly disguises the contents 

Directions for use:

1) change your baby's nappy
2) pull out a fragranced nappy bag from the pack
3) place soiled nappy and wipes in the bag. Tie handles together to close the bag
4) throw it in the bin 

QuickGrab nappy bags are currently retailing for SGD4.5 for 125 pieces online. 

You can find it at the following websites:http://www.vaby.com.sg

http://www.kulily.com

http://shop.mummysmarket.com.sg/378-quickgrab

For more information, kindly visit www.quickgrab.com.sg

Until next time,
Netty 

Week 37 Her Face + My favorite baby online shops

37 weeks pregnant! Officially Full Term!!

Yesterday I went to my prenatal check-up at TMC and I'd say it was the best visit ever! No queue (not many people in the clinic) and the best thing was Calysta finally showed her face to me, she had been quite shy to show her face, been hiding her face against the wall of my uterus (is it a right term "uterus wall"?) and I thought she wouldn't show me at all and I would have to wait until she's born! But yesterday she gave me a big surprise, the first time ever Calysta showed her face to me, although ultrasound scan was not that clear but I roughly knew how she would look like when she's born. I have been imagining her face for the longest period ever!

She looks like EJ when he was a newborn, she has her daddy's nose!

At 37 weeks, Calysta is pretty tiny, she's only measuring 35 weeks, which is 2 weeks behind but doctor has no concern at all as she's gaining weight and she's doing fine as well (Heartbeat & water level are both good!) From week 34 to week 37, she only gained 300 grams. She's currently 2.7 kg and 31 cm (from top to bottom), not sure her exact length from head to toes! Compared to EJ, she was much lighter, EJ was almost 3.1 kg at 37 weeks. I'm sure baby boy is bigger than baby girl!

Doctor said it's anytime now and I did ask him if he needed to write me an admission letter and surprisingly he said "no need"!, advised me just come to L&D when I have contractions or any pains!

From week 34 to week 37, I gained 1 kg only which I was very surprised!. I used to gain 3-4 kg every month in my third trimester (funnily, I only gained 1-1.5 kg every month in my second trimester) but for the past three weeks, I gained just 1 kg (Calysta gained 300 grams, so mine would actually be 700 grams weight gain) I really think it's due to high stress level I experienced for the past three weeks, EJ was sick for a couple of weeks and during that time, I didn't have enough sleep, too stressed out& didn't have appetite to eat! But I'm grateful though, that it's only 1 kg of weight gain, hahahaaa...

This 2nd pregnancy has been a smooth sailing pregnancy and I couldn't ask for more. I have been so grateful! I can eat, sleep & walk well! Physically I feel good too, no soreness or itchiness or whatever!

However, the funny thing is how different emotional feeling can be between 1st & 2nd pregnancy. 1st pregnancy, I couldn't wait him to come out and every day was so slow but 2nd pregnancy, time flies so fast and I CAN wait her to come out (although sometimes, I'm too curious how she looks like and can't wait to see her face!) because I need more time & it will never be enough to spend my precious time with my son before she's here...

Ready or not, she's coming soon! Too soon!

Me & Baby Girl, not sure she will look like me or not!

 

Closer look, she's placing her hand in front of her chin!

Baby bump at 37 weeks!

And btw, just want to share my top 5 favorite baby online shops in Singapore and I hope this can help fellow mommies (especially first time mums) I have been buying baby stuff online since EJ was a newborn because it's so convenient.

TWO advises, please choose the reliable shop that offers FREE home delivery in the next day (for certain amount of purchases) and please pay by PayPal for fast transaction!

I have been buying regularly from these shops (for both babies, EJ & Calysta) and they are:

1) BabyOnline ~ http://www.babyonline.com.sg/

Good service, free home delivery for certain amount of purchases, fast delivery. I bought sleeping bags (quite many of it), Thermos Food Jar and some stuff I can't remember.

2) Pupsik Studio ~ http://www.pupsikstudio.com/

Good service, fast delivery, free home delivery for certain amount of purchases. I bought baby slings & baby carriers (very good offer!), baby toys, nasal aspirator, Aden Anais Muslin Swaddle, baby swaddle, Aveeno Baby Eczema Cream (very good!), Baby crib mobile and a few more! They offer good deals and varieties too!

3) Agape Babies ~ http://www.agapebabies.com/

Good service, fast delivery, free home delivery for certain amount of purchases. The best purchase I've ever made is California Baby. I only use organic baby shower gel & shampoo and I find that this website offers so so much cheaper organic baby bath range comparing to retail shops like Watsons, etc.. I have been stocking California baby bath range from them. I also bought card milestones and fever patch from this website too! Good deals and varieties too!

4) The Groovy Giraffe ~ http://www.thegroovygiraffe.com/

This one is an online book store, my son loves books and I have been buying so many baby books from this website. I prefer to buy baby books in bulk, more convenient and I don't have to worry heavy loads as they offer free home delivery for certain amount of purchases. Good service but delivery will take a few days time which I don't mind (books are not that urgent!)

5) BingBling ~ http://www.bingbling.com.sg/

This one is mostly selling products related to breastfeeding. Reliable, cheap, original & good service! But it doesn't offer free home delivery unfortunately but I'm still happy with this website, even though I have to top up for courier, but the price + courier is still much cheaper than retail shops like Mothercare or Mums & Babes. I love Medela products and this shop offers a wide range of Medela products in a much cheaper price!

Others:

1) Q0010 Singapore ~ http://www.qoo10.sg/

I can find anything everything cheap in this website! But the thing is I need to find a reliable seller and read reviews from other buyers before buying. Please use Paypal for easy transaction! I tried bank transfer before but I faced some horrible problems, order cancelled, wrote a complaint letter, checked here and there, re-ordered and finally got back my stuff after so many weeks of waiting. So for this website I will only use PayPal!

I bought quite many cheap baby stuff from this website from clothes, socks to breastfeeding positioner. My best purchase would be Zojirushi Food Jar (this one can keep baby food warm for more than 7 hours and it's the best!). Selling at $40 from this website (authentic one) where retail costs around $70-$80. Many of the baby stuff in this website cost half retail price! Good offer but delivery will take a little longer and most importantly, must read reviews before buying!

I hope this helps new mommies in buying baby products online!

BABY CALYSTA IS COMING SOON! Oh gosh, can't believe it, I'm going to be a mother of two soon!

~Netty~

What does a newborn need? Must Haves for Baby Calysta

Hello

I was thinking whether to blog about baby essentials especially for newborn or not, because there are quite many baby websites listing about baby must haves for the first year. Then, I decided to share with fellow mommies here because I really think these are all what I need the most and also this writing is also for my own record, you know, in case I got pregnant again many years later and I need to start over again preparing baby stuff, at least I will know what to buy (although it's very less likely for me wanting to get pregnant again after many years, even if I want #3, I will try it within 2 years time frame, I'm not that young anymore haha... but who knows 'accident or something' haha..)

Newborn Clothing:

1) Swaddle (Traditional cloth type ~ I have like 7 pcs, please invest on Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle)
2) Instant Swaddle (I have like 7 pcs ~ find it easy to wear on baby at night & easier for diaper change too)
3) Romper Pajamas ~ 6 pcs
4) Socks & Mittens ~ I have like 20 socks & 20 mittens because these get lost easily)
5) Wash Cloth & handkerchief ~ more than 20 pcs ~ find it very useful to clean baby face, body & hair during bath time and also can be used as newborn bibs during feeding & for mouth cleaning too)
6) Hat ~ 2 is enough
7) Baby shirt/short sleeve ~ button-down type ~ I have 14 pcs ~ I need many because baby vomits milk all the time
8) Long pants ~ 7 is enough ~ seldom use it though because newborn will be swaddled anyway to keep her warm & long pants are not that needed
9) Baby shirt/long sleeve ~ button-down type ~ 7 is enough ~ not that needed too because again newborn is swaddled all the time, so without wearing long sleeve, she's warm enough!
10) Romper ~ 4-5 pcs ~ not that needed because it can be a little hard to wear this type of romper on newborn baby & thus hard to take off too ~ however it's great for photo taking :D
11) Disposable Diapers ~ my favorite is Merries ~ do invest in newborn size 1 pack first to see if it fits and size S 3-4 packs
12) Cloth Diapers ~ I have 2 types ~ one is like Japanese Sumo pants (very traditional type) for newborn and another one is a modern cloth diaper. The green one as shown in the pic is great for baby aged 1 month and above, this one size cloth diaper can be worn by infants & toddlers. Check out Moo Moo Kow brand! Cloth diaper is a must because baby does get bum rashes quite frequently. My son wore cloth diaper when he had bum rashes ~ I have 12 cloth diapers with inserts!

Add: 1) Some pretty outing outfits, baby Cal has 2 dresses for 0-3 months and the rest are 3-6 months and 6 months onwards. Check out Baby Calysta's outfits/dresses here

2) Bibs ~ I have many but I normally will use bibs after baby is starting solid foods

And don't forget:

1) Bed Sheets ~ for your baby cot ~ 2 is enough!
2) Towels ~ I have 4, yes I need a few because baby pees on towel all the time ~ especially after bath
3) Mattress Protector ~ to prevent mattress getting wet
4) Baby Cloth Sling ~ it's a must for me, I prefer to wear baby sling when my baby is still a newborn and after 4 months old or when her head is firm and steady, I can definitely upgrade to baby carrier
5) Baby Cot Bumper ~ I don't need this as I'm using Playpen

Blankets:

1) Wearable Blanket ~ a must for me ~ I'm too paranoid normal blanket could suffocate baby at night when we don't supervise our baby, plus baby does kick blanket away every time
2) Normal Blanket ~ for afternoon nap ~ when I'm supervising the baby or not sleeping, and to make sure the blanket won't cover her face

Baby Care Essentials:

1) Changing Mat
2) Baby Wipes (I love Pigeon)
3) Spray Water Bottle (I use water to clean baby's bum after using baby wipes to prevent rashes, using baby wipes without rinsing can cause rashes)
4) Diaper Cream (I'm happy with Bepanthen or Desitin but prefer Bepanthen more as the texture is lighter)
5) Sterile Cotton (one small pack costs like $1 and I have like more than 30 packs, newborn must use sterile cotton. It can be used to clean newborn's eyes, face, ears, bum, etc
6) 2 in 1 Hair & Body Shampoo (I love organic brands like California Baby or Gaia and please use only organic hair & body shampoo for newborn as newborn's skin & scalp can be very sensitive)
7) Tummy Oil (either Ru Yee Oil or Minyak Telon, but I prefer Minyak Telon as it's mild/not so hot on baby's thin skin, but it's individual preference)
8) Body Lotion (This time I will try Mustela, I hope it's good!)
9) Aveeno Eczema Cream (I swear this cream is so good when baby has rashes on face, my 18 month old son is still using this when he has rough skin on his face & within 1-2 days, his face is back to baby-smooth-face)

Optional: Baby Massage Oil ~ I seldom use it though, but I have one sample bottle ^^

Please don't forget to buy anti-bacterial hand sanitizer ~ I put one in my room, one in living room and another one in the kitchen. When you have a newborn, you or other family members have to make sure hands are clean before touching the baby

Other Baby Care Products:
 
1) Nail Clipper/Scissor ~ I heard Pigeon brand is good
2) Nail Trimmer ~ Zoli Brand is really good, it's battery operated nail trimmer
3) Braun Digital Thermometer ~ Get the ear type, it's more accurate, easy to read & quicker, expensive but it's a good investment
4) Pigeon Hand & Mouth Wipes ~ A must to have, especially when we are outside, baby vomits a lot!
5) Hair Brush & Comb
6) Nose Aspirator ~ it's to suck the mucus out of baby's nose when baby is having flu. Mine is battery operated, Graco brand, just bought & never tried this before, I hope it's good!
7) Cotton Bud ~ to clean baby's ears (please do not clean inside!)
8) Mouth Wipes ~ you can use either clean wet cloth or My Dentist Choice Tooth Tissue (which can be used from birth up to toddler) to clean baby's tongue & gums. Mothercare offers similar product too. It's really individual preference. My mum & mil use Chinese Medicine Powder to clean newborn's mouth. They said it can prevent baby from being spooked (Well, I don't know about this too! Old Generation belief!)
9) Alcohol Wipes ~ it's to clean newborn's belly button when umbilical cord hasn't fallen off. You can get that from pharmacies
10) Medicine Syringe ~ Please invest on this A LOT! I bought 1 whole box (I think more than 50 pcs). This medicine syringe is a one time use & it's used to feed liquid medicine to infants or toddlers. Do expect that infants or toddlers can get fever after immunization and do prepare to feed them liquid paracetamol as prescribed by PD
11) Fever Patch ~ for fever ~ Pigeon brand is suitable for infants & toddlers

Diaper Bag is a must! ~ choose a light weight one! Mine is from Okiedog with lots of compartments inside! Awesome!

If you decide to bottle feed your baby, you may need:
 
1) Milk Powder Container ~ not only it's good for travelling but I also use this container on daily basis ~ you know sometimes you remind your helper, husband or mil to wash hands before making baby formula but they can forget or too busy or perhaps get distracted by baby cry, this milk powder container is the perfect solution without worrying milk powder would get contaminated or something! No wash hand, not too worry!
2) Baby Bottles ~ My son is using Avents and this time, my daughter will be using Comotomo (I heard it's a very good breastfeeding bottle and although I hope she would just latch on instead of using bottles)
3) Hot Water Thermos
4) Bottle Cleanser & Brush ~ Tollyjoy is the best

If you have decided to breastfeed, you may read my post on breastfeeding essentials here (breastfeeding stuff I prepared so far)

 

Item/s I won't buy:

1) Pacifier ~ the reason is I don't want my baby to get addicted to it plus I heard pacifier can change mouth shape & teeth structure, so I don't want to risk it ~ I want my baby to have beautiful smile in the future!
2) Pillow ~ just don't like the idea that it could suffocate my baby if baby left unattended
3) Baby Exersaucer ~ no good for baby legs' development

Other items I own: (most of these are from my son, passing down to my baby girl)
 
1) Baby Bottle Sterilizer (I use it every day, to me, it's very useful & a time saving product, instead of boiling bottles)
2) Bath Tub (A must!)
3) Car Seat (Seldom Use)
4) Stroller (A must!)
5) Baby Swing (Very Useful)
6) Baby Hammock aka yao lan (Very Useful too for my first born)
7) Baby Shoes (for non-walking infants, shoes are not needed, but I did own a few pairs for my first born, so he could look 'cool')
8) Baby Carrier (Very Useful, I love Ergo Baby)
9) High Chair (Absolutely! After 6 months)
10) Play Gym (I have one, but not really needed as I seldom use it)
11) Books & Toys & Teething Toys (all passing down from my toddler son)
12) Baby Walker (my son used this when he was 6 months old and above but I did make sure that he only used baby walker for max 10-15 minutes then he had to take a break)

Btw, for baby swing, I bought this Fisher-Price 4 in 1, I find it sophisticated, can be used from newborn to toddler :)

Check out here to take a look on my simple nursery for my baby girl and here for my maternity/nursing clothes

I hope I have already mentioned everything here and please excuse me if I have forgotten one or two items (I'm pregnant and I have pregnant brains too! LOL) Most of the stuff here are left over from my toddler son and some stuff they will both be sharing and I hope this post can be useful to first time mums-to-be. I'm no expert though, everything is just based on my own experience as a soon to be second time mum.

~Netty~