Having a new baby can be pure bliss, but it can also be strenuous and overwhelming in equal measure as they don’t exactly come with a user manual.

Especially for first time parents, you may yourself being in a situation of being presented with too many choices, especially for baby skincare.

To help you prepare of the arrival of your baby, here’s a couple of pointers to take note of to help you cherish those newborn moments.

1. Baby Clothing

Our tip for baby clothing is to keep it simple and budget-friendly, as it’s common to want to show off your little one but there’s no need to go for anything too fancy.

This is because your newborn will outgrow clothes very quickly, and you will need to change them often as they can get messy very fast. Plan as well on how often you will do laundry.

• Onesies or other soft outfits, depending on how often you want to do laundry.
• Baby Pajamas
• Baby Socks
• Newborn Hats

2. Baby Bath Time Essentials

Once your newborn baby is ready for a regular bath after around 2 weeks of sponge baths, here’s what you would need to prepare:

• 3-5 baby washcloths
• 1-2 hooded towels; adult cotton towels will work, too
• 1 baby sponge
• 1 bottle of Head to Toe Cleanser
• 1 tube of Newborn Cream
• A baby bathtub

Look out for gentle baby cleansers that are safe, mild and effective, such as Buds Cherished Organics Precious Newborn Head to Toe Cleanser, that helps to gently wash and remineralise newborn skin.

The result is a simple and kind concoction that removes dirt and grime without harming baby’s delicate skin.

After gently drying off with a towel, be sure to apply generous amounts of Buds Cherished Organics Precious Newborn Cream to protect your baby’s skin and promote skin hydration with the help of key ingredients such as Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter with Inca Inchi Oil.

3. Newborn Nappy Care

Infants have very sensitive skin, so it’s important to use the right kind of diaper and lotion. According to the UK’s NHS, 1 in 4 babies and toddlers will have nappy rash at any one time.

For diapers, they should be as soft as possible. The best thing is to try different kinds to see which one works best for your baby. Diapers need to be changed often and the diaper should be changed every two hours or sooner if it’s soiled.

Babies are prone to diaper rash because they have sensitive skin. Diaper rash is caused by bacteria or fungi that live on the skin or in the faeces. It usually starts as redness around the anus and then spreads up to cover a large part of the baby’s bottom.

To prevent diaper rash, applying Buds Everyday Organics Nappy Time Change Cream containing Bisabolol and Vitamin E can help soothe inflamed skin and protect against further infection.

After a rash, follow this set of advice to help your baby’s skin recover faster:

• Change dirty nappies as soon as possible
• Clean the entire nappy area gently but thoroughly, paying attention to folds, and wiping from front to back
• Do not use talcum powder as it contains irritants
• Making sure that your baby’s nappy fits comfortably. It shouldn’t be too tight as to cause skin irritation and not too loose as the nappy wouldn’t be able to soak up urine properly.

4. Diapers

Not sure how to choose the best kind of diaper for your baby? If you are torn between using cloth diapers or disposables, remember that both have their pros and cons depending on your lifestyle.

Choosing what works best for your family and lifestyle is the best choice you can make. You can also try out both options to decide which one works best for you and your baby.

• 2-3 packs of disposable diapers or enough cloth diapers for at least two days
• 1-2 packs of disposable wipes or 12 cloth wipes
• 1 bottle of diaper rash balm
• A baby safe cloth-diaper laundry detergent, if you will need to wash diapers
• Waterproof pad for diaper changes

5. Baby Care

You will need to trim those baby nails (they grow fast).

You’ll also need to be able to measure your baby’s temperature, and clean snot out of their nose, when it is needed.

Babies nose can be very stuffy at first!

• Baby nail clippers
• Digital thermometer
• Medicine dropper
• Bulb syringe

6. Feeding Supplies

For breastfeeding mom, you need only your breast and if breastfeeding consultation is needed, don’t hesitate to find a breastfeeding support group. (almost all of us faced challenges at some point).

If you plan on formula feeding, it’s beneficial to consult with your doctor about formula brands and varieties, as well as the amount of formula you should have readily available.

However you feed your baby, you will need a lot of burp cloths. For real.

• 10 burp cloths
• 5-8 bottles, if you're bottle-feeding
• A bottle brush to wash bottles
• A variety of bottle nipples, in different sizes
• Breastfeeding pillow, nursing pads, and nipple cream
• Breast pump

7. Overall Outdoor Armour

The American Academy of Pediatrics generally recommends to keep babies below 6 months out of direct sunlight due to their delicate skin, however if you must venture outside, here’s a list of newborn essentials for the challenging outdoors:

Try to limit your baby’s sun exposure between 10:00 am to 4:00 pm when the UV rays are strongest.

• Dress your baby in lightweight long-sleeved shirts and cotton pants for both sun & mosquito protection.
• Don your baby with a 3-inch brim to cover face, ears & back of the neck
• Choose baby-safe sunscreens that contain non-toxic, mineral-based ingredients such as Titanium Dioxide, that reflects UVA & UVB rays, such as Buds Everyday Organics Solar Care Lotion
• Apply a layer of mosquito repellent on your baby’s uncovered skin areas. An example would be Buds Cherished Organics Mozzie Clear Lotion that contains Citronella Oil to naturally repel mosquitoes and other insects

8. Gear For Future Needs

You will need a way to transport your baby around. Car seats are a must, and hospitals won’t let you leave unless you have a properly installed car seat in your car.

Beyond that, a stroller or a baby carrier are awesome and necessary for many of us, but you can also wait on those if you choose.

• Car Seat

In Essence

Taking care of a newborn baby is no easy task, be it from choosing the correct organic baby skincare, newborn essentials to selecting the right baby equipment. However, by diligently following this checklist, we are confident that taking care of your baby will be a walk in the park.

For more information, visit Buds Organics – Certified Organic Baby, Kids & Mother Skincare.