Reading all the Pinterest lists that state some number followed by “Things you really need for your baby,” can be both redundant and exhausting. I lost track of how many lists I read and how half of them would contradict each other.
Today I will be talking about the bare necessities you need for your new baby- (And if you’re anything like me, you just started humming the song from the Jungle Book).
So pull up a seat all you moms to be, and even you seasoned vets, there may be some new insight I can give you on products that I have tried and some new recommendations.
All of the products that I am going to talk about RBP is not affiliated with. These are the products that I had to spend my own money on, so their reviews are solely based on actual use.
I think the first thing you need to think about when getting ready to have a new baby is your environment. Where do you live? Are you in the country, or the city? Will you have a car? How large is your nursery and living space? Do you live in a house, or a small apartment? Do you have an elevator?
If I’m being honest, a lot of the product choices my husband and I made before we had our son, we wouldn’t make again.
The essentials for your newborn are going to be:
- Car seat
- Clothing
- Bassinet or Crib and Bedding
- Diapers and Wipes
- Feeding Supplies
- Bath Supplies
- Baby Kit
I have also found some articles about “nice to haves,” so I will link them in for you to view at your leisure:
https://www.mother.ly/child/just-the-essentials-the-7-baby-items-you-really-need
https://www.parents.com/baby/gear/registries-buying-guides/baby-shopping-guide/
https://www.scarymommy.com/things-you-really-need-for-a-baby/
Car Seat:
This is the most important because you won’t be able to take your newborn home without one. The hospital will ask you if you have your car seat.
I suggest you start with a travel system car seat and then move to a convertible car seat. You will want to see these in person and take the stroller for a test drive. Trust me, you want to do this. You’ll want to see dimensions, weight, and height to make sure it is the best fit for your family.
Here are the strollers and travel systems I have used:
Summer 3D Flip Stroller– Small, light and compact.
Graco Fast Action Click Connect Travel System– Air filled tires are a much better ride. However, bigger strollers are clunkier and it was a challenge living on the 3rd floor with no elevator. The travel system is a life saver though. If your baby is sleeping you can take them from car to stroller without waking them up.
(Here is the newer version that has some great updates!)
Internet Ranked Safest & Best Baby Stroller Travel System For 2019:
- UPPAbaby VISTA Travel System– $$$
- Britax B-Lively Travel System– $$
- Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System– $$
- Evenflo Folio3 Stroll & Jog Travel System– $
- Evenflo Pivot Modular Travel System-$
- Graco FastAction Fold Jogger Click Connect Baby Travel System– $
- Chicco Viaro Travel System-$$
My favorite lightweight fold able strollers:
Mclaren- Mark II
Clothing
I used onesies and socks for the first two months of my sons life. I know people that swear by the sleep gowns with elastic at the bottom. It was too warm for those when my son was born, so I don’t have experience having a newborn in colder weather. Make sure if you are going to stock up get various sizes and stick with the basics. Dante spent the first three months of his life in onesies and socks, we didn’t need anything else.
Bassinet and Crib
The AAP recommends having your newborn sleep in a separate crib or bassinet in your room for at least the first 6 months to lower the risk of SIDS. So we had a bassinet and a crib. Dante slept in our room until he was about 8 months old and then we transitioned him into his crib in his room. If I had it my way, he would have been sleeping in his crib in our bedroom after he outgrew the bassinet. However, once we assembled his crib in his room, it wouldn’t fit through the doorway.
The crib we bought for his room was a mini crib. My husband and I thought it was best to save as much space as we could in our small apartment. We love the look and quality of the crib, but there are a few features it is lacking. Our son is in the 90th percentile for height so at 16 months, he is already out growing the crib. I would recommend if you have the space, to just get a full size crib. There are also many types that will convert into a toddler bed.
Our bassinet was very convenient. I loved that it was so portable and it had a zip up mesh cover, which was great for keeping our cat out.
Bedding and Blankets:
You will need crib sheets and receiving blankets. I recommend only buying a few swaddle blankets. There are many kinds and you won’t know what type will work best for you and your baby until after they arrive.
Dante HATED swaddles, and it was warm outside , so I only swaddled him at night. I bought the cotton muslin blankets and did a manual swaddle with him.
He HAD to have one arm out when I swaddled him. It was so funny when the Moro reflex kicked in, he looked like a cowboy at a rodeo with his one arm in the air. Insanely adorable!
My Blanket and Bedding Suggestions:
RBP Travel Duo Pack– Our travel pack includes two blankets and a travel bag.
Little Unicorn– Very cute prints
Swaddle me– A sack like style with velcro for easy swaddling
Diapers and Wipes
I know nothing about cloth diapers so I will come out and say that right away. We live in an apartment complex where the laundry is shared and coin operated. I did not feel comfortable washing cloth diapers in the same units as everyone else in my building so we didn’t even give it a second thought.
For disposable diapers there are endless options. You will get a headache thinking about it all, and calculating how one pack is five cents cheaper than another. I suggest you start with the basics and if you want to venture out after that and try other kinds- go for it! I started with the Pampers Swaddlers because they have the wet line, so I could keep track of wet diapers when my son was a newborn. They are also the diapers that were used in the hospital where my son was born.
For nighttime diapers, we switched to Huggies OverNites diapers when he started sleeping longer chunks of time throughout the night. They were very absorbent and my son was comfortable in them. We still use them today- he’s 16 months old, and sleeps 11-12 hours a night. They are great!
My suggestions for Diapers and Wipes
- Pampers Swaddlers
- Huggies OverNites
- Pampers Cruisers (for when they are crawling and walking)
- Huggies Little Moovers (comparable to the cruisers)
- Pampers Pure
- Babyganics Wipes
- Pampers Sensitive Wipes
- Huggies Natural Care Wipes
Top picks from the web
- Best Overall: Pampers Swaddlers Disposable
- Best Budget: Luvs Ultra Leakguards Disposable
- Best for Newborns: Pampers Pure Disposable Baby
- Best Overnight: HUGGIES OverNites
Feeding Supplies
What you will need for a bottle fed baby:
- Formula
- Bottles
- Sanitizer
- Bottle Warmer
What you need for a breastfed baby:
- Breast pads and nursing Bras
- Nipple cream
- Cooling pads (These are amazing)
- Vitamin D Drops (Breast milk does not have vitamin D. Your pediatrician will prescribe this for you.)
If you’re pumping:
- Breast pump (check with your insurance, you can usually get a discount or get one for free)
- Sanitizer
- Storage bags
- Bottles
- Bottle Warmer
Dante refused bottles when I went back to work. The Dr Browns bottles were the only ones he would take. We also tried the medela bottle.
Products for feeding I have used:
- Dr Browns Bottles (these were great for our colicky baby)
- Philips Avent Bottles
- Medela Pump (check with your insurance)
- Earth mama nipple butter
- Soothing gel pads
- Reusable nursing pads (I used the bamboo fabric ones because they were very soft and they came with a travel bag)
- Bottle Warmer
- Storage Bags
- Sanitizer
- Sleep nursing bra
- Underwire nursing bra
- Wireless nursing bra
Bath Supplies
Here are the basics for bath time:
- Baby tub
- Towels
- Soap ( We used Aveeno and still do)
- Wash cloths
- Sponge (in place of a wash cloth if you choose)
You will also need water, but I’m sure you’ve got that covered. (Just trolling :p )
Baby Kit
Basics I recommend to always have accessible:
My last bit of advice is to research what pediatrician you would like before you have your baby. Keep in mind proximity to your house as well as travel time.
Thanks for reading, let me know what you think!
Stay Resilient <3 Mika