I like to keep things as simple as possible whenever I can and this is especially important when having a baby. I was also swept up in all the excitement and found myself buying things I thought I would need.
It just so happens that your baby needs very little apart from what nature has provided.
- A safe place to sleep
- Warmth
- To be fed
- To be clean and dry
- A place to relax and play
- A safe way to travel
- A loving and respectful parent/caregiver
My recommendations will as such be short and sweet. The products I recommend on this page are items that tick most of the following boxes:
- I have used the item with my own baby and in hindsight feel that I couldn’t have done without it.
- I used the item for a minimum of 6 months.
- The item has multiple functions or uses.
- The item takes up minimal space once it’s stored away.
#1 A Safe Place To Sleep
The nurtureOne™ Nesting Cushion
If I could only recommend one product to all expecting parents – this would be it. Whether you are going to bed share, use a floor bed from the start or have your baby sleep in a cot – you will be able to benefit from this genius pillow.
“The NurtureOne pillow was designed by Esther Nieder-Heitmann who has studied and worked in the pediatric field for 35 years as a practicing occupational therapist. Her fervent interest in babies and very young children culminated in quantitative research on premature babies and a model of occupational therapy intervention to secure the optimum sensory development of prematurely born infants. As part of this research, she developed the nurtureOne™ Nesting Cushion, which has proven to be equally beneficial to full-term babies as to premature ones.”
NurtureOne
I loved using this pillow. I used it from day one. When my baby was born we co-slept for the first three months or so and this pillow was the perfect way to do it. I felt that my baby was safe and still close enough to feed and stare at.
I could easily pick my baby up while still sleeping on the cushion. I could move the cushion around the house (from my bed to the couch) without disturbing my baby. The cushion even replaced a nursing pillow. I believe it can also replace a traditional Montessori Topponcino since it serves the same purpose but can be used for months instead of just weeks.
You can purchase the NurtureOne Nesting Cushion on Amazon
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Benefits of the nurtureOne™ Nesting Cushion
- Promotes containment and calmness
- Stimulates sensory development
- It provides smooth transitions from feeding to sleep
- Sustaining good sleeping patterns
- Provides boundaries in the bed
- Reduces unnecessary stress
- Helps regulate body temperature
- Provides an ideal sensory environment
- Keeps baby safely on their side or back
- Helps your baby sleep anywhere (they form a sleep association with the pillow which you can use on the bed, couch, in a crib, or even in a stroller. It also provides an ideal solution when sleeping away from home.)
The pillow comes in 4 varieties:
Nesting Cushion #1:
- Designed to fit into hospital incubators. It
- allows for the sick or premature baby to assume a comfortable position that promotes containment.
- The cushion has straps to help with the correct sleeping position without interfering with hospital lines and equipment.
- Dimensions: 75 cm x 45 cm (approximately 29.5 x 18 inches)
- Weight: 800 grams
Nesting Cushion #2
- This pillow is designed for the smaller full-term baby or the healthy premature baby
- It fits incubators and hospital bassinets
- Dimensions: 75 cm x 45 cm (approximately 29.5 x 18 inches)
- Weight: 800 grams
Nesting Cushion #3 *This is the cushion I use
- The cushion is slightly bigger than no. 2 (see dimensions below)
- It does not fit into incubators and hospital bassinets.
- It is recommended for any full-term baby needing assistance in settling and regulating where there are no space restrictions.
- Dimensions: 85 cm x 50 cm
Weight: 830grams (approximate)
Nesting Cushion #4
- This cushion is the same size as no.3 but has an attached sleeping bag