Postpartum package

So I just sent a "baby gift" off to a good friend who is due in July. Only it wasn't really a baby gift. I mean, let's face it, babies need a couple of blankets, some boobs, and loving arms to hold them, maybe a drawer to sleep in. Everything else is a "new parent" gift, designed to help the parents soothe, dress, clean, contain, diaper, or transport the baby in a way that meets their own needs and societal expectations for what is "appropriate." In that spirit, I put together a "baby" gift that is more of a "postpartum mama" gift - all the things a mama needs postpartum that you can't register for and that you might not think to buy for yourself.

Mamas might not use everything in the package, but it's a fair bet they'll need at least half of it. And of course, these are some very personal items, so I wouldn't give this to, say, a casual acquaintance or daughter of a co-worker, only to a good friend. That said, the package included:

• a package of breast pads
  
• breast "shells" for sore nipples
  
• lanolin ointment (for sore nipples)
  
• a tube of vaseline (helps prevent meconium from sticking; also good for circumcision care)
  
• gauze pads (for circumcision care)
  
• a package of super-absorbent menstrual pads (I don't need to go into what these are for)
  
• witch hazel (frozen witch-hazel-soaked pads are supposed to be good for perineal care)
  
• stool softeners (benefiber or similar)
  
• baby oil (for cradle cap, if necessary)
  
• baby wash/shampoo (for washing baby, doyee)
  
• nuks/binks (many people choose not to use these, but it's nice to have them around if you want to try them)
  
• A copy of The Happiest Baby On The Block (DVD)
  
• nail files (those little claws get sharp!)
  
• a homemade microwaveable heating pad (for plugged milk ducts)
  
• Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth To Reality (an excellent AAP early-weeks info book; for longer-term information, I'm using The Mother Of All Baby Books: A Guide To Your Baby's First Year)
  
• earplugs

Optional - I didn't include these, but they might also be good:

• diaper rash creme
  
• simethicone drops (infant gas meds)
  
• baby nail clippers
  
• 40"x40" or larger swaddling blanket(s) (see below for notes)

I also included a few baby books and DVDs of which we had multiples, just because. And probably a few other things I'm forgetting here.

This seems like the right post to give some early-months crafty ideas, too. These are two baby-care-related things that are easily made at home that can be expensive/inferior when purchased in stores. They make good gifts, or good "things to keep", and are inexpensive and fast to do - unless you have a newborn. The first project took me about two months from start to finish, because I started it after the Squid arrived. Both projects could be easily completed by non-parents (after materials purchase, etc.) in half an hour or so.

(1) Heating pad. The heating pad I mentioned above was a piece of flannel and a washcloth folded in half, filled with a cup and a half of rice, and stitched closed. I made a pretty flannel cover for it, and blanket stitched the cover to the washcloth - I suppose you could make the cover removable for washing, too, with a few non-metallic buttons. Cheap, easy, and fast. Microwaving the pad for 1 minute 15 seconds makes a great heat source for unblocking plugged ducts - it's also useful later, when the evil monthly cramps return. I made one for myself at the same time.

(2) Swaddling blankets of a reasonable size. Everything says to swaddle your baby to help it sleep, and it really works. Problem is, most swaddling blankets are less than 40" square - far too small for regular-sized infants, who will thrash their way out of the tightest swaddles in minutes. The usable options on the market are all either pricey, gimmicky, or both - why not make your own? A 1.25-yard piece of 45" light flannel makes an ample swaddling blanket that will "fit" babies up to six months, at least. If you have a serger, just serge the non-selvedge edges; if you have a regular sewing machine, single-stitch and trim to prevent fraying, or even roll the edges over to stitch; the seam won't be bulky enough to irritate your little one. This also lets you get nicer prints, in gender-neutral colors. I would have included one of these in my package, but my sewing machine broke halfway through the first one, and I haven't been able to find time to get it fixed yet. I had to send the package so it would arrive before she had the baby, so that took precedence - oh well!