“How Much, Baby, Do We Really Need?”

In my last article, I wrote about how modern parenting advice, given by “Health Practitioners”, the media or the NHS, can often be detrimental to family wellbeing. I maintain that this is the case and took very little notice of this type of “advice” when I was pregnant and a new mother. Instead, I chose to listen to older women who had experience of child-rearing because I found that their guidance was far more sensible than that of newly-qualified health visitors who knew nothing more than the things they had been taught in government-funded training camps. My personal advice is to smile sweetly and ignore them: listen more closely to older women whom you respect and who you know have successfully raised families of their own!

Also, don’t be afraid to trust your own instincts. You – not your health visitor – know what is best for your baby. In hot weather, don’t be afraid to give them (cooled) boiled water if they seem thirsty; if they are fractious or have colic, a little dab of honey on their dummy can help them to sleep; if you think they need an extra layer of clothing, wrap them up. Your baby is your baby and you know them better than anyone.

When you are expecting a baby, you will often be bombarded with advertisements for things which are, apparently, absolutely necessary. You will be told that you need a million different gadgets to save time and make your life easier but I contend that this is not the case. We are taught to believe that having a baby is very expensive but it need not be so. In the first few months of their lives, babies really need very little. Below is a list of items which I personally found essential:

• A Moses basket and sheets
• Cot blankets (hand knitted are best)
• A mobile
• A reliable baby monitor
• An adjustable baby chair
• A car seat (you can get car seats which clip onto pram frames and these are very useful and cost effective)
• A baby gym or play mat
• A baby bath
• Baby wash
• A soft sponge
• A nappy bag
• A changing mat
• If you are breastfeeding (which I would definitely recommend if at all possible, as it is by far the best for the baby and for you, plus it is considerably cheaper and easier than bottle-feeding), you will definitely need good quality breast pads (washable), nipple cream, feeding bras and a breast-pump.
• A good supply of nappies, wet-wipes, nappy sacks, Sudocrem, baby grows and hats.
• Ollie the Owl! Someone recommended this soothing cot toy to us and we have never looked back – it was the best thirty quid we have ever spent!

There are certain things which are really expensive and which you will barely ever use, such as:

• Nappy disposal units
• Fancy, fiddly clothing
• Expensive baby cosmetics
• Cot heaters (a hot water bottle in the cot for a few minutes before the baby goes down does the job just as well)
• Bluetooth or Wi-Fi-enabled video monitors (my husband refused these point-blank, as they can be easily hacked and normalise surveillance)
• A changing table or unit
• Bottle warmers (hot water in a jug is fine)

As your baby grows, there will be other things which are necessary but I would advise against buying expensive clothing and toys. Little children don’t need lots of costly things – what they need most is love and attention. Reading and singing to your child, praying with them, talking to them, interacting with them is far better for their development than buying them gifts and plonking them in front of the television. Our daughter is happy to play for hours with a ball or an empty bottle and her favourite games are horse-riding (on our knees to the tune of “Robin Hood” or “The Grand Old Duke of York”) and chasing the cat! We made a rule that relatives and friends were not to bring her presents every time they came to visit. We wanted her to look forward to spending time with people, rather than expecting gifts whenever anyone arrived.

As nationalists, we want to raise our children to value the important things in life: Faith, Freedom, Family and Folk. Don’t be drawn-in to trusting an all-powerful State with the upbringing of your children and don’t let globalist capitalism deter you from having a child because you think it will be too expensive. Children need a loving, stable home; they need two parents; they need strong morals and plenty of attention and input – you can give this to your children and you can give it to them for free.

You are going to be a wonderful mother and no-one can put a price on that.

I hope this helps. Until next time (when I promise to write-up another batch cooking recipe)!