I write these blogs from my own experiences and because I remember what kind of puzzle it was when our first one was born. What do you need? The warm weather in Curaçao played a major role in this. A long-sleeved shirt. Will they need that? Long pants or leggings? Yes? No? And what do they wear when they go to sleep? And what about during the day? So many questions, but few answers. Everything I could find was related to the Netherlands. And that's exactly what I didn't want to know. I wanted to know what it was like here, in Curaçao. Based on that, I would like to write my second blog for you. Hopefully it can help an (expecting) mom in her search for the right items for her upcoming little one.
Clothing
A newborn baby is not yet able to determine her or his own temperature very well. As a result, they get cold faster. This means that during the first month(s) they really need a long-sleeved shirt or long pants/leggings. Also in Curaçao. That's why it's nice to have a few long-sleeved shirts and long pants/leggings. They also need socks. When you are going to give birth in the hospital, it is important to bring enough warm clothing (layers). It's really(!) cold there, so even hats are needed. We never wore those hats again. They are super cute, but way too warm.
When you go home with your little one, they will just chill out during the day (hopefully) in a short sleeve onesie, shirt with shorts or a nice (short) playsuit.
To sleep
When they sleep during the day, we put them in the playpen or in the bed, without putting on extra clothes. Also no sheets or blankets over the baby. They just slept in their short-sleeved onesie or shirt. Sometimes we put on socks, but often this was not necessary. I was taught (by the very experienced maternity nurse) to feel the baby's neck if they were too cold or too warm (not the nose).
In the evening we had our little one in our bedroom in their own baby crib for the first few weeks. We sleep in the air conditioning. Not 18 degrees, but between 23-25 degrees. That also meant for the little one enough clothes to get through the night nice and warm. In the first weeks we used a sheet and blanket in the baby crib. In addition, they had a short-sleeved onesie with a long-sleeved shirt over it with long pants and socks. Sometimes a short sleeve onesie with pajamas (one piece) with or without socks. Depending on whether or not the pajamas had socks attached to them.
During the first few weeks, your little one can sometimes be a bit restless with sleep. What our little one benefited from (both kids by the way) is swaddling. That means that you kind of wrap your little one, where they can no longer move with their arms. You can use a Swaddle or a large hydrophilic cloth for this. We thought it looked a bit prisoned, but they love it! You actually create that safe feeling again when they were still in the womb with you. Especially if they cry a lot or are restless with sleep, this can really be a solution. You only do this swaddling for the first few weeks. But if baby is different, some of them don't like it all and some of them are loving it.
Later, those little babies will move a lot more in their bed. And before you know it, they end up everywhere in the bed while they are sleeping. We thought these sleeping bags are a great solution to prevent them from getting their heads under the bedding. Also to prevent them from tossing and turning and therefore getting cold. We opted for wonderfully soft cotton or hydrophilic sleeping bags (no quilted or padded sleeping bags). Often one without sleeves, but then they wore a shirt or onesie with long sleeves underneath. Also no socks. The sleeping bag gave us so many benefits. It has become part of a regular sleeping ritual (as soon as you put on the sleeping bag, he or she knows that it is bedtime) and you can also take the familiar sleeping bag with you when they sleep elsewhere. We used the sleeping bags until they were about 2 years old.
In my next blog I will tell you which items are a must-have and which are a no-go on your baby list. And of course specifically for all moms in Curacao.
Love,
Nikki