works well for clearing a stuffy nose, so you probably wonât need to spring for the battery-operated type. There are other kinds of nasal aspirators on the market, including one that gets its suction from you (through a tube you suck on).
Cool mist humidifier. If you choose to buy a humidifier, cool mist is the best (warm mist or steam humidifiers can lead to burns), but keep in mind that they must be cleaned thoroughly and regularly according to themanufacturerâs directions to avoid the growth of mold and bacteria.
Thermometer. Click here for choosing and using a thermometer.
Heating pad and/or warm-water bottle, for soothing a colicky tummy or other acheâbut be careful not to use one that gets hot and always wrap it in a cover or cloth diaper.
Baby Feeding Supplies
If youâll be breastfeeding exclusively, youâre already equipped with your two most important supplies. Otherwise, youâll need to stock up on some or all of the following:
Bottles. BPA-free baby bottles and their nipples (all bottles and nipples are required by the Food and Drug Administration to be BPA-free; click here ) come in a dizzying variety of shapesâfrom angle-necked bottles to ones with disposable liners, wide bottles to natural flow ones, orthodontic-shaped nipples to breast-shaped nipples, as well as a nipple that rolls as babyâs head moves. Choosing the right bottle and nipple for your baby will be based on a combination of trial and error, recommendations from friends (and online reviewers), and your personal preference. Donât worry if the bottle you originally choose for how it looks and feels ends up being the wrong fit for your little oneâjust switch styles until the right one sticks (a good case for trying before you stock up). Choose from the following bottle styles:
⢠Standard bottles come with straight or curvy sides and can be made from BPA-free plastic, glass, or even stainless steel. Some bottles come with bottom valves that are supposed to minimize air intake during feedingâtheoretically minimizing gas in your little cutieâs tummy.
⢠Wide-neck bottles, which are shorter and fatter than standard bottles, are meant to be used with wider nipples so that they feel more like the breast to babies. There are also some wide-necked bottles that come with nipples that are shaped more like those on a breast. These bottles could be your go-to choice if youâre doing the combo (breast and bottle).
⢠Angle-neck bottles are bent at the neck, making it easier for you to hold but potentially a little more difficult for your little one to hold once he or she starts grabbing at the bottle. The angle allows the breast milk or formula to collect at the nipple, making your baby less likely to swallow air. And though these bottles make it easier to feed your little one in a semi-upright positionâespecially important if he or she is prone to spitting up, gassiness, or ear infectionsâthey can be more difficult to fill (youâll have to turn them sideways or use a funnel when pouring in liquid).
⢠Disposable-liner bottles have a rigid outer holder into which you slip disposable plastic liners (or pouches). As your baby drinks from the bottle, the liner collapses, leaving no space for air that might eventually find its way into your little oneâs tummy. After feeds, just toss the empty liner.
⢠Natural flow bottles have a strawlike vent in the center of the bottle aimed at eliminating air bubbles that could increase gassiness. The downside is that there is more to clean after feedsânot only do you have to wash the bottle but also the straw mechanismâand that could be a pain (though perhaps not as much pain as youâll be sparing babyâs tummy).
Stock up with four 4-ounce bottles and ten to twelve 8-ounce bottles. If youâre combining bottle-feeding with breastfeeding, four to six 8-ounce bottles should be plenty. If youâre
Cool mist humidifier. If you choose to buy a humidifier, cool mist is the best (warm mist or steam humidifiers can lead to burns), but keep in mind that they must be cleaned thoroughly and regularly according to themanufacturerâs directions to avoid the growth of mold and bacteria.
Thermometer. Click here for choosing and using a thermometer.
Heating pad and/or warm-water bottle, for soothing a colicky tummy or other acheâbut be careful not to use one that gets hot and always wrap it in a cover or cloth diaper.
Baby Feeding Supplies
If youâll be breastfeeding exclusively, youâre already equipped with your two most important supplies. Otherwise, youâll need to stock up on some or all of the following:
Bottles. BPA-free baby bottles and their nipples (all bottles and nipples are required by the Food and Drug Administration to be BPA-free; click here ) come in a dizzying variety of shapesâfrom angle-necked bottles to ones with disposable liners, wide bottles to natural flow ones, orthodontic-shaped nipples to breast-shaped nipples, as well as a nipple that rolls as babyâs head moves. Choosing the right bottle and nipple for your baby will be based on a combination of trial and error, recommendations from friends (and online reviewers), and your personal preference. Donât worry if the bottle you originally choose for how it looks and feels ends up being the wrong fit for your little oneâjust switch styles until the right one sticks (a good case for trying before you stock up). Choose from the following bottle styles:
⢠Standard bottles come with straight or curvy sides and can be made from BPA-free plastic, glass, or even stainless steel. Some bottles come with bottom valves that are supposed to minimize air intake during feedingâtheoretically minimizing gas in your little cutieâs tummy.
⢠Wide-neck bottles, which are shorter and fatter than standard bottles, are meant to be used with wider nipples so that they feel more like the breast to babies. There are also some wide-necked bottles that come with nipples that are shaped more like those on a breast. These bottles could be your go-to choice if youâre doing the combo (breast and bottle).
⢠Angle-neck bottles are bent at the neck, making it easier for you to hold but potentially a little more difficult for your little one to hold once he or she starts grabbing at the bottle. The angle allows the breast milk or formula to collect at the nipple, making your baby less likely to swallow air. And though these bottles make it easier to feed your little one in a semi-upright positionâespecially important if he or she is prone to spitting up, gassiness, or ear infectionsâthey can be more difficult to fill (youâll have to turn them sideways or use a funnel when pouring in liquid).
⢠Disposable-liner bottles have a rigid outer holder into which you slip disposable plastic liners (or pouches). As your baby drinks from the bottle, the liner collapses, leaving no space for air that might eventually find its way into your little oneâs tummy. After feeds, just toss the empty liner.
⢠Natural flow bottles have a strawlike vent in the center of the bottle aimed at eliminating air bubbles that could increase gassiness. The downside is that there is more to clean after feedsânot only do you have to wash the bottle but also the straw mechanismâand that could be a pain (though perhaps not as much pain as youâll be sparing babyâs tummy).
Stock up with four 4-ounce bottles and ten to twelve 8-ounce bottles. If youâre combining bottle-feeding with breastfeeding, four to six 8-ounce bottles should be plenty. If youâre
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