Our guest blogger today is Liz Vitchock, mom to 6-month-old Jake.

I became a mom for the first time on February 16. These are the things I have found either invaluable to my sanity in the past 12 weeks, or, in the case of the Mustela products, just so nice an experience that I’m glad my son and I didn’t miss out on them. This list is a combination of items from my registry, things I found through other moms’ suggestions, and things I did for myself that helped me take care of the baby more effectively and lovingly.

10. Mustela brand baby toiletries — this line makes my son smell so good, and the fragrance lasts a long time. Although scented, these French-made products are touted as hypoallergenic, and they indeed do not irritate my son’s baby skin. Jake loves a nice warm bath, and always giggles and coos to me when I put his clothes on afterward and tell him how handsome he is and how good he smells. I like to wash my hands with the baby wash before I leave for work, so I can have a little reminder of him on my way to work. I have found Mustela at Nordstrom and online from a number of companies.

9. Mustela “Stelaker” cream — this is designed for cradle cap, and it really works! Jake’s head was scaly and crusty, and the cream started clearing him up in a couple of days.

8. Swaddling blankets — At my baby shower, I was lucky enough to receive several hand-sewn flannel swaddlers from my aunt. Just perfect for a colicky winter baby! As beautiful and happy as he is normally, Jake can turn into a screaming mess when he is tired or overwhelmed. Recently, after a truly hot night during which I had to swaddle this crazy, spinning-Tasmanian-devil of a child in a king-size pillowcase to settle him [necessity being the mother of invention and all], I began a search for a lighter-weight option to the flannel. Moms to the rescue! A friend of mine suggested Aden and Anais’ muslin swaddling blankets. They are about $40 for a pack of four, and worth EVERY penny! At approximately four feet square, they’re big enough for Jake to use into his nursery school years. The single layer of muslin swaddles beautifully, and is gauzy-enough to not make him sweaty.

7. “The Five S’s” from “The Happiest Baby on the Block” — without going into too much detail, since it’s easy enough to Google, the Five S’s calmed Jake so well, that I stopped thinking of him as being colicky after a few days. I couldn’t believe how fast a few simple soothing tricks could work to allow Jake some rest and comfort, and my husband and me some peace and quiet!

7. Coffee — I work nights. Giving up coffee completely was not even a thought in my mind after first trimester. Now that I’m back to work from maternity leave, coffee is a regular feature of my work shifts. If you’re breastfeeding, though, make sure you limit your caffeine to whatever your doctor recommends, and continue to drink your water!

6. (That brings me to) Water — really, water is so important! I was bad about it while pregnant, but I noticed that breastfeeding makes me unbelievably thirsty, so I try to drink as much water and other non-caffeinated beverages as possible.

5. “No” and “Yes” — as a new mom, I found I had to know my limits. Initially there were many days I couldn’t get going until 1 pm. What I learned: don’t feel bad about saying “no” to going out when you aren’t up to it, or to having visitors over when you are too tired to stand. And definitely say “yes” when anyone offers to help you out, whether it is around the house or out and about. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that our dog groomer would bring the dogs right to the car when I had the baby with me. I avoided having to negotiate trying to get both an unwieldy infant carrier and an excitable 120-pouns Great Dane to the car at the same time. When someone offers to make you a casserole or bring you a random pan of stuffed shells, TAKE IT! It’s amazing how pampered it can make you feel to not have to make dinner even one night.

4. Parents — mine stayed several days after my son was born. That was not in my original plan, as I have always tried to be very independent, but my husband and I definitely needed them! Sure, they ran errands and did things around the house, but they were also here for conversation and just to be around. I would not have survived the first week without them. That doesn’t mean you need parents, specifically. It applies to whatever your support system happens to be.

3. Ice cream — I had gestational diabetes, so I had to follow an ADA diet plan to protect the baby while I carried him. I still had ice cream, but only a little bit, and I was pretty tightly diet-controlled so I could try to avoid insulin therapy (I luckily did manage to be under control by diet and a little exercise). The end of the pregnancy signaled the return of “regular” portions of ice cream to my life. I’m not suggesting anyone go buck wild with the sweets, but a little vanilla ice cream with a spoonful of hot fudge goes a long way. It is my little indulgence at the end of the day.

2. “Me Time” — the amount of a mom’s time required by a new baby is staggering, but I found I felt my best if I took a few minutes each day to take care of me. I had healing to do from the birth, I was exhausted from nursing every few hours, and I felt a bit guilty that I couldn’t participate in household stuff because I couldn’t initially get around very well. Setting aside a little while every day for something as simple and seemingly mundane as a hot shower or a cup of tea was very restorative. When I felt clean and more relaxed, I felt like I bonded with Jake better and started to heal faster.

1. Bouncy seat — I’m convinced it is the secret to life as a new mom! That simple piece of equipment has allowed me full meals, hot showers, and household maintenance, all while engaging the baby as necessary, soothing him if required, and keeping a watchful eye on him while I’m trying to get stuff done.

If you’d like to be a guest blogger, send a sample blog to cclemens@patuxent.com.