Favourite five has been a much asked for post from quite a few of my followers. Considering i’ve just had my fifth baby and I seem to have tried and tested it all here it is!

I do not claim to know it all! I am just as quick to ask another fellow mama some advice even though I have been doing this parenting gig for a fair few years now. Fifteen to be exact! Yep, you heard it right I have a 15 year old! Send help….or wine! or Both!!

So my tried and tested knowledge I bring to you a short but sweet post giving my top 5 tips for new mamas and papas, new babes and those first few weeks of your new adventure.

So i’ll start with

Top 5 for Mamas:

1. Stay in your pyjamas/slouchies for at least 2 weeks after birth. I can tell you now, those 14 days after birth are the most precious moments that you will not get back.  By thinking you need to get up or dressed for visitors or to get to the shops because thats what is expected of you then think again.  Tell friends and family you will be staying in for 2 weeks. Not going anywhere or taking your baby outside is the best thing you can do for both of you.
   Make your nest. Your recovery will be much kinder, you will soak up so much more of those newborn smells, discover the new learning curve you are both on, adjusting to your new body and allowing healing time is ALL you need those first few weeks.
2. Order a food subscription service (I went with Gusto) a few weeks before birth. Having all the ingredients delivered to your door without worrying to do a food shop or even get your head around a shopping list was a huge hit with me. And it meant the hubby could whip us up a meal in no time without having to think of something in a hurry after a days work which often doesn’t result in anything too appealing does it!!!
3. Buy a keep warm cup, you will have a HOT cuppa!!! This was one thing I think I appreciated the most. I would make so many cups just to see them go cold on the side out of arms reach when I was feeding. There is nothing worse than a cold tea!
4. If you have a visitor or even your husband, make use of their time with you. Hand them the baby, go to the toilet in peace, catch up on 10 mins of social media you enjoy or a blog, take a shower, eat something with 2 hands!!!
5. Write a journal. I’ve been writing journals and a diary since I was a teen and its something I’m so glad I started. I love being able to look back on those days that have since become foggy in my mind and refresh and remind myself of them again. Having a new baby is the perfect time to document these days. Don’t forget to write the good, bad and ugly. It’s what will remind you how far you’ve come or how you can change things in the future, along with being able to tear up again at those happy newborn filled days that pass in the blink of an eye.

Top 5 for Papas:

1. Be a shoulder to cry on. there will be a LOT of tears! Don’t always try to fix it, just let her get this tears out and listen, hug her and tell her its ok.
2. Small gestures. Nothing too fancy but a small thought can make a huge impact when she has just brought your child into the world.  A bunch of flowers or a card to let her know how proud you are of her will go a long way to make her feel special at what is often her most venerable time.
3. Cook a meal. as pointed out above, order a food subscription service for a few weeks. It will do you both good to have a quick but tasty meal together after a long day looking after a new baby.
4. Take photos. Even the ones you think she may not like, I promise you she will look back on them with all the heart eyes. You are the ones seeing us fall in love all over again, documenting it is the best part!
5. Wake up in the night with her, let her know you’re there for her needs even though you may not be feeding the baby yourself. The company is enough.

Top 5 for baby

BBhug me Nursing pillow.

As you know I am a huge fan of the bbhugme pregnancy pillow which I still use now to sit up in bed with but when Bodie came along and we got the nursing pillow its a game changer! I’ve tried lots of different nursing pillows in my time but this by far is the best. It is super comfy and supportive yet so lightweight. Holding a baby to feed has a huge strain on your back so propping them up with this is really effective. However you feed your babe this is ideal for anyone, even dads!!

Sleepyhead.

There is so many opinions on this one I could probably do a post just on that! But I won’t…..I can say after 5 babies I would continue to buy one of these time and time again. They are very expensive yes but they do the job. They are portable little pods that make baby feel secure, grow with your baby and can be used overnight. Knowing I could leave Bo on the sofa in his sleepyhead was reassuring and I then I would use it to take into the bathroom when I had a shower or on the dinner table when I needed to eat!!! I can transfer him to the sleepyhead without him waking more than I can do with anything else like a bouncer or similar.

Swaddles

The only full nights sleep I’ve had from a baby is when I’ve swaddled them. With arms down by their sides as opposed to across the body. I get a good 8 hours this way!! Plus they are so handy to have around, over the pram, lightweight blankets, to mop up the vast amount of milk or sick! They are all pretty much the same but we Love the Piopio London ones.

Kokoso coconut oil.

All my babies have the 5-6 day hormone surge spots! All over their little cheeks covering that super soft skin with red angry spots. This coconut oil is a game changer. It cleared them up within 3 days. Completely! Its also cleared cradle cap, redness between them skin folds and I put it on as a nappy cream too and I can honestly say in nearly 4 months Bodie has never had a red bottom! The body wash is also brilliant and smells yum!

A sling/wrap.

I could not live without mine. We have the smallhausen wrap which is so easy to use even for a beginner to baby wearing. Sometimes all the baby wants is to feel close to you all day long but we all know how tiring that can be so with a wrap you will have the baby comforted and be hands free too!!

Above all else, embrace this period of time. I can promise you, you will wish all these hazy days back again as soon as they are over!