What to pack in your diaper bag?

Being a new mom is full of challenges, you have to manage your house with your little ones, so you can easily miss babies essentials when you are going out, so its good to arrange your diaper bag and pack all the essential stuff of your little one before leaving home.

Items in diaper bag depends on how long you are going to be out and how young your baby is.

Diaper bag: Always choose a waterproof bag with multiple compartment so you can organize your items.

Diapers: Keep 1 diaper for every hour if you are going out for few hours, if you are going out for few days then 8 diapers per day and few extra.

Wet wipes: A pack of wipe or buy a  small wipe zip lock bag and you can refill it later.

Zip lock bags: To keep your dirty diaper.

Nursing cover: If you want to feed your baby out.

Diaper rash cream: In case if you are out for long time and you need this.

Changing pad: To change diaper of your baby, many diaper bag comes with reusable pad.

Extra cloth of baby and a small towel.

Formula milk and nipple: if you are giving formula to your baby.

Hand Sanitizer is must.

Nursing pad: To avoid leakage if you are breastfeeding.

Pacifier and Pacifier wipes: Pacifier to calm your baby if he/ she is crying.

Small clutch bag of yours: For baby immunization card and insurance card (in case baby have to go hospital then you will need this).

Blanket : You can use it to cover your baby or as a changing pad.

Hat: Hat is necessary for newborn.

For toddler: Add some more item like:
Milk bottles
Bibs
Favorite snacks and some fruits
Water
Favorite toy.

Avoid Contraceptives While Breastfeeding

Pills are absolutely fine unless you are not breastfeeding. Most of the birth control pills reduces the milk supply in mothers if they are in combination of estrogen-progesterone(these are sex hormones).

There are two area of concern while taking birth control pills during breastfeeding:

1. effect on milk production

2. there are some possibility of effect of hormones on baby

contraceptive comes in different type, some are with the combination of both estrogen and progesterone and other are progesterone only (called mini pills) .

There is no evidence that the birth control pill containing only progesterone effect the milk production. So it is safe to avoid pills specially those having estrogen during breastfeeding. Always notice while taking these medicine if you are breastfeeding.

How to sooth your baby with massage?

Massage is very important for baby's emotional and physical development. Its very common in India (and many other countries) for moms to give massage to babies.  It helps in calming down your baby as well as they will be more happy. While giving massage moms develop  special bond with their babies, and of-course massaging with oil  also helps in strengthening muscle and  soothing a tired baby.

You can use coconut oil or any baby oil, some mothers use baby moisturizing lotion for massage, which is also a good option. I am  a new mom and I also face the same problem of choosing right oil for my baby, initially I used baby oil but later I end up with coconut oil as doctor suggested and which is really good for baby skin, make sure its pure.

How to massage?

Apply a good amount of oil all over the body and massage in circular motion for at least 20 min. Press Their legs and arms, then cross babies arm and legs gently to give them little bit of stretch. This also help them in passing gas.

My doctor suggested not to do massage or use any bathing product of baby for at least 15 to 20 days till their umbilical cord falls off completely. Newborn's skin are very soft and delicate and pores should be open to breath by their skin.