Being a brand new mom is a lot different than being a mom to multiples. Besides the obvious, let’s be honest- new moms don’t know what they will need/not need until they have the baby. What works for one might not work for others. Being a mom of 3, I found that some really popular baby things didn’t work for my kids. As I evolved as a mother, so did my needs and I was able to weed out what I actually needed and what I just wanted to have with my 3rd child. Below I listed 5 of my most used items, and some of it is because I have more than one child- so my time and attention is split, and we play the game of multitasking.

1. A good breast pump

I say good because I’ve tried several, and I found the Medela pump to not be as good. All pumps have multiple settings, depending on your comfort level, and the way it mimics your baby. The medela was horrible at clearing out my clogged ducts. It was also pretty loud. I use the Spectra s2 pump currently and I love it. It’s a lot quieter and I find it a lot more efficient in a shorter time. It’s a little on the larger side though. Nursing, and breast care, and pumps are all something that you kinda find out about as you go, because trust me when I say you have no idea what it’s like until you go through it. Breastfeeding is hands down one of the most difficult things the first few weeks or even months and it can feel like a full time job. So you can see why having a great pump is a big freakin deal.

price- $160-$200. Covered by my insurance fully.

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2. VAVA baby monitor

I never had a baby monitor with my other two, probably because I was checking in on them all the time. My time is obviously now split between 3 kids so I can’t constantly keep an eye on the baby when she’s napping. That and I try to keep the baby upstairs for nap time where it’s not as loud, and a sound only monitor doesn’t cut it. I love this one because it’s a very good price, and it such good quality. You can connect several cameras to the monitor and it’s not connected to wi-Fi which I love because I don’t need no creeps hacking into the monitor.

price-$160. Currently on Amazon there is a $20 coupon you can apply!

3. GATHRE changing mat

It doesn’t have to be GATHRE brand, but that’s what I happen to have. Any thin, foldable, light mat is something that will be used multiple times a day. Before you say duh, obviously it will be used because baby needs to get changed, let me tell you why I love this product! If you have multiple kids, you might not have an actual bedroom for them all. With no bedroom you might not have a changing table. We keep the baby in our room because she doesn’t have her own room yet, and honestly I’m not a fan of changing tables. We use the GATHRE mat mainly downstairs but I will bring it upstairs to change her if she has a blow out and I know it will get all over. Regular changing pads are thick and usually have a cover which you have to wash often. GATHRE is leather and water resistant, and so easy to clean! It also folds & fits into any diaper bag or purse easily.

price – $22

4. A comfortable nursing bra

This is probably the one I’m most excited to talk about because I finally found the most perfect one! (Spoiler alert- it’s not an actual nursing/maternity bra). As I mentioned above- your world revolves around baby and breastfeeding at least the first few months until you really get the hang of it and your body slowly adjusts to your babies needs. Comfort is so crucial those first few months. We can all agree that finding a perfect bra when you are not breastfeeding is already a difficult task, right? Imagine looking for one when your boobs are so sore, cracked, probably bleeding, hard as rocks and your nursing bra has to sustain the constant pulling down to feed every hour. Let’s not forget that we will also be sleeping in it.
I’ve tried it all. The nursing tanks from target which are comfy, but have no support and don’t help prevent clogged ducts. You have to get the larger size so it’s not constantly riding up your back. I’ve tried nursing bras from amazon that have a slight padding but needs constant readjusting. I’ve tried the cuter deep V style but it doesn’t hold anything in place. Also they just don’t fit right because you are either really full or empty. Finally I tried the Aerie seamless padded bralette (not a nursing bra) and it is AMAZING. Easy to pull down to nurse and the material doesn’t stretch out by doing so. It’s so comfortable. The material is light but has enough of a support. It has pads but can be removed. Perfect for full or empty breasts. The bra itself is really nice, flattering, and you will never want to take it off. Trust me on this one.

price- $30. Currently on sale for $20.96

5. Newborn Baby carrier

With my first two I was never really into wearing them. Maybe it’s because I had the modern wrap and tried the baby K’tan and I just found them to be so uncomfortable. I remember dreading putting on the modern wrap because it was a lot of twisting and making sure it wasn’t too tight or too loose for baby and it never felt too supported. With my 3rd I knew I needed to free up my hands a lot more so I decided to purchase something different this time around. I wanted something that was perfect for a newborn, great head support, easy to clean and especially easy to put on. I bought the BabyBJorn baby carrier mini and I use it every single day. It’s so easy to put on and it’s been helpful during the times where her reflux is especially bad.

price- $100

These are things that I use every single day as a mama to 3, whereas the first time mama might not. I hope you find this helpful!