Newborn essentials
Having a baby, in my opinion, has given the term ‘high maintenance’ a whole new meaning. We had an idea of the baby needing things, but my goodness… not all this. Throughout my pregnancy, many moms gave me their two cents on what did and didn’t work for them. While it was appreciated, I knew I’d have to try things out for myself to see what works for me and my baby. I’m learning that this is never a one-size-fits-all situation, but it helps new mamas get started.
I remember going to buy buy baby last August to do my registry and feeling extremely overwhelmed. I had no idea what type of bottle he’d like, or the best bathtub, or what baby soap would be best with his skin. How do you shop for someone you haven’t met yet? And, when it’s your first baby, you really have no idea. I was able to pick out certain items that I liked and others based on really great reviews or recommendations. But, that wasn’t the case for everything. I left there wanting to do more research and just coming back another day when I felt more prepared. Now, this may not be the same for all moms, but I was so OCD that I thought I needed to choose all of the right items or else lol.
Here are some items I could not do without:
WubbaNub pacifier: my baby started using his hands before we got discharged from the hospital… I know, slow down! I loved having this pacifier and watching him try his best to hold on to the little giraffe. I love how it always soothes him when he’s fussy and mommy is trying to get something done. They have plenty of little animals to choose from!
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Boppy nursing pillow: this has been a lifesaver and we’ve been using it since the hospital. I had a bit of a tough time in the beginning breastfeeding, and holding him without any support wasn’t making it any easier. I was really glad when my husband reminded me that we brought the boppy with us and it made breastfeeding much easier.
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Nasal aspirator: we had a really scary moment while feeding him one night and he spit up… but the milk came out of his nose. I was so happy that one of his nurses at the hospital warned me that this could happen and sent us home with 3 of these and told me exactly how to use it.
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Pack ‘n Play: we didn’t go the traditional route of getting a bassinet for our room because babies grow out of it way too fast. Instead, we got a pack ‘n play and it’s been working great for us. It came with a reversible napper and changer, but we didn’t use the changer because of how low it was… #backpains. It’s super easy to travel with and we’ve taken it on the road with us twice.
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Footie pajamas: a fellow mama told me her son lived in these and OMG… I’m glad I listened. That’s seriously all my baby wears and it’s so convenient! It was perfect for diaper changes, too. Anything to make our lives easier!
All of his footies are from Buy Buy Baby, but they can be purchased anywhere.
Owlet Smart Sock: we had a pretty scary experience in the hospital after Micah was born, which I’ll go into detail whenever I sit down to write my birth story. But, while there, they monitored his oxygen levels closely. Although he was released with no issues, being the paranoid mama that I am, I needed to make sure he was good through the night. This little smart sock has been a lifesaver!
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Breastmilk storage: although pumping hasn’t been my favorite thing about motherhood, it’s been very necessary. The little bottles hook right up to the pump and the lids make it easy to keep track of when the milk was pumped.
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
Bottle warmer: last but certainly not least, our bottle warmer saved us from a screaming, hungry newborn many times and we are so grateful. Once I started pumping and using a bottle to feed him, we’ve been able to have a bottle ready in 3 minutes or less thanks to our warmer.
Get it here: Buy Buy Baby | Amazon
I hope this list helps you decide what essentials to have for your newborn or even older child for some items. I’m lucky to have some awesome mamas around to guide and help me through this new chapter in my life!
