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Getting ready for a new baby! How exciting. As a mom of five I completely understand how overwhelming all the baby products can be. Also, all the advice everyone is willing to share. Let’s be real…ALL babies are different and there is not a one size fits all, but I thought maybe I can come up with a list of the most practical items most moms and/or dads may need to bring home your new adorable baby!! This is not an all-inclusive list. Just some essential things you will need for the first few weeks, and this will give you some time get other items you may have not received from your registry or purchased yourself. I would think of it as a list of must haves prior to babies’ arrival and some of the other stuff can be purchased later. Hope this helps!.
- Diaper Bag: In this category there are many many choices. I would not get too bogged down into picking one you think might work for you. Really just need space and practicality. I have used several different styles of diaper bags but have returned more than once to the backpack style over the more traditional over the shoulder type. Newborns and baby’s come with lots of needs outside of what goes into the diaper bag, so it is nice to have a backpack type to free your hands when trying to juggle other things like baby in the infant car seat of items you may need to grab for you or some of your other littles. My most recent purchase linked here, I have loved. It is stylish, and a more affordable version of a designer look for less. It has all the necessary compartments and changing pad. I have been using this particular one for over a year now and it has held up very well. My husband really enjoyed this option with the boys from Columbia, a more manly option and we carried this one for years and I mean years…we used it for our two boys that are 15 mo apart. We used it until it basically fell apart.
- Diapers: again, many options here. I have tended to stick with name brand diapers like Huggies and Pampers. I have recently used Honest Kids and they are great as well. I am not a huge fan of Luvs definitely not as absorbent or durable as the more mainstream brands. The Up and UP brand from Target have been a failure for me as they have caused major diaper rash for my bebes, but others love them. Kirkland brand from Costco have been great as well if you are already a Costco member.
- Baby Wipes: top pick in this category is the pure by Pampers which are 99% water
- Onesies: I recommend grabbing at least 7 of these in each size and may need more when baby is smaller dude to spit ups and blow outs. You may also need more when baby is old enough to eat and can feed themselves, due to messy feedings when they are learning how to eat.
- Bottles: I have tried many brands of bottles my overall pick would be the Como Tomo. All my babies have been breastfed and these have been great transition between bottle and breast and from preventing gas. They don’t have many parts to wash which I love, so easy to clean. They have a wide base nipple and are soft and squishy to mimic a breast. They are in the medium-high price range for bottles, but I have never had to replace them for each kid.
- Burp Cloths: definitely a need when baby is smaller, but don’t overdo it with stock. I received so many of these from my baby shower and now that baby is about 14mo I don’t know what to do with them all. I will link my most recent favorites.
- Baby Wash: all newborns will need a bath once a week or so. Some of my favorites have been Aveeno baby wash and J&J. I like to use the calming one at bedtime bath time. I didn’t add a baby bathtub here as most babies have sponge baths until their umbilical cords fall off so that could wait a week or so and even then, a sponge bath is just fine.
- Wash Cloths: love the microfiber version of baby wash clothes as they are extremely soft. Definitely can overdo it in this category, but you can use these basically for any person needing a washcloth and for any age. I now use them for all my kiddos.
- Bassinet: This has always been a most have for me. All of my babies have slept in a bassinet next to my bed. I always felt newborns are very small for a regular size crib, so I have put all my newborns in a bassinet. There are tons to choose from that vary in price and functionality. I have never used a very fancy one with rocks and has sound and many other features. I am sure those are very good, but I know they are very expensive. In my experience you just need functionality and safety.
- Mittens: I would grab a handful of mittens for your newborn. They probably won’t use them long, so you don’t need many of them or to spend a bunch on them. I tended to use these with baby when they are days to weeks old as they tend to scratch their faces with their tiny sharp nails in the early days and weeks.
- Stoller: Okay again a very big category with lots of options and price ranges. With my last baby we spent a bit more on the stroller and went with a Nuna. I love this thing and I don’t regret purchasing it. This is probably one of my most used baby item. Since I have 5 kids we still are out and about doing lots of things even with a new baby so, we use our stroller so so much. I opted for a stroller with a bassinet attachment and really loved that for when she was smaller and up until about 6 mo old, she would sleep in that thing basically anywhere we were. I love my Nuna so much due to its ease of use it lighter weight, and bigger wheels. The shade size and reclinable is also really great. I will say I purchased mine used to save some cash so keep that in mind as an option for a more expensive item to save some cash if you don’t mind using a pre-loved item.
- Car Seat: due to the cost of car seats I have always opted for the convertible version that you can essentially use up until babies becomes a toddler. Buying used is a not go for me in this category since car seats have an expiration date and you don’t know if the car seat has ever been used in a car accident. Of course, there are downsides to everything and one of the major ones for a convertible car seat is you cannot remove it from your vehicle like an infant car seat. You are essentially exchanging the longevity of a convertible for the functionality of an infant car seat, but infant car seats have a more limited weight and height limit that your baby will most likely exceed before their first birthday.
- Baby swaddles: I would only purchase a few since some babies don’t like to be swaddled and you can only swaddle them for so long, but if you have one that loves to be swaddled it is a great option and should have some on had to use.
- Medicine cabinet essentials: See my other post linked here.
