The Ultimate New Baby Health Buys.

{Collaborative Content} When you have a baby on the way, the sheer amount of stuff you need to buy is almost unbelievable. Before you know it, your home will more baby items than you know what to do with.

Alongside all of the cute clothes and baby toys, it’s also a good idea to have a range of items that can help you to deal with all of those infant coughs and colds they might get. Here are a few items that parents swear by. 

A First Aid App

Many parents to be take specialist infant first aid classes before the birth of their baby. This is an excellent way to build up knowledge and confidence. Remembering everything you learn in these can be difficult. There are a number of great apps that you can download that will be able to give you information on treating illnesses and detecting symptoms. 

Make sure you use one that is produced or recommended by the NHS so that you know the information is accurate and in line with current medical advice. It can often help you to make a decision on whether to visit a pharmacist, make an appointment with an online gp or see a doctor. 

Thermometer

A temperature is often one of the first signs that your child is under the weather. You can often detect a fever by placing your hand on the chest or back of your baby. But if you have hands that are usually too hot or too cold then it might be more difficult to tell how hot they are. That’s where a thermometer comes in very handy. You can track your child’s temperature accurately. Various types of thermometer exist and can cost anything from a few pounds to almost £100. 

You can buy digital thermometers that can be placed in the mouth, but these are often difficult to use with babies who tend to be uncooperative. Easier options are in-ear thermometers or infrared ones which you don’t even need to touch your baby with. They simply need to be placed near your baby’s head. These are extra useful for taking the temperature of a fussy or sleeping baby that you don’t want to wake up.

 

Nasal Suction Bulb 

When your little one has a blocked nose, it can make them really fussy and affect how they eat and sleep. That’s where this ingenious little device comes in. It’s a complete suction bulb that you use to remove the blockage from your baby’s nose and make them a lot more comfortable.

Extra Mattress Protectors

A baby who is vomiting or has diarrhoea is likely to produce a lot of mess. While you can wash clothes and sheets, you want to protect the mattress of your crib or cot. It’s best to have more than one mattress protector so that you can swap over quickly when you need to. 

Fever Reducing Medicine

Babies have their own brands of medicine, often Nurofen or Calpol. These are used to reduce pain and fever when your baby is ill. Having a supply of these in the house can be a great help when your baby is feeling unwell. Be sure to read the label carefully and follow the correct dosing instructions for your child. 

Even though they are designed to taste nice to kids, babies often won’t take them well from a spoon. Some brands come with a really handy syringe that you can use to feed the medicine straight into their mouth.

 

Colic relief

Colic can be really distressing condition for parents as well as the baby. It involved prolonged periods of intense crying and discomfort that can last for hours. The exact cause of colic isn’t clear but it doesn’t cause any long term harm even though it’s an incredibly difficult time in any parenting journey. 

There are a number of products on the market that can provide some relief from colic. Gripe Water, Infacol and Colief are the most well known. 

Always get colic diagnosed by your GP or health visitor to rule out any other issues.

Antiseptic Cream

There are so many uses for a tub of Sudocrem, you’ll wish you bought shares in it. You can use it for soothing nappy rash, skin complaints, cuts and scrapes and insect bites. It can be used by all of the family too so it’s cost-effective. 

High Factor Sun Block

Baby skin is extremely sensitive and burns much easier than that of an adult. It’s so important to keep it safe. You should keep the baby out of the sun wherever possible and keep their skin covered and a hat on. Use factor 50 sunscreen designed for children too. 

Baby Monitor

Once your baby moves into their own room for sleeping and naps, you want to be able to keep checking on them without necessarily having to go into the room and disturb them. 

There are a number of different types of monitors, from a basic sound only model to a high-def, sound-activated, video monitor with night mode and temperature tracking. 

With smart assistants becoming more popular in people’s homes, they are opting for cameras that can be accessed and controlled through their smartphones or Alexa speakers.

 

Room Thermometer 

Keeping your child at a comfortable temperature when they are sleeping is really important as overheating can be dangerous. A digital room thermometer will let you know if your baby’s room is too hot or too cold. Some are basic thermometers and other models have coloured surrounds that change from blue to red depending on the temperature.

 

Nail Clippers

Baby nails grow so quickly, they can even be born with really long ones. It’s best to keep them cut short as this will prevent them from scratching their own faces or getting dirt trapped under them. Cutting their nails can be a bit nerve-wracking. You can find many types of specialist baby nail clippers which have safety guards to stop you from accidentally catching your baby’s skin. 

Takeaways

Looking after a baby can feel a little daunting, especially if they are ill. Having a selection of helpful medical devices and medicines at home can make it a little easier to cope during these times.