Happy Fri-YAY, everyone! This post has been highly requested in my Instagram DMs over the last few weeks – but I wanted to give myself little bit of time to really try out all the stuff we got from our baby shower and determine which items we received/purchased ourselves were worth the money. I’ve been trying out ALL THE THINGS with baby Jack and now that we are in a routine, I feel like I have a good feel for which items really work for us. Let’s get into it!
Baby Essentials We LOVE For Our Newborn
SwaddleUP Baby Swaddle & SwaddleMe Original Baby Swaddle
Both of these swaddles have been LIFESAVERS when it comes to getting Jack to sleep. We started with the SwaddleMe Original when he first came home from the hospital because it was tight and womb-like, and once we realized he slept better if he could have his arms by his face, we transitioned to the SwaddleUP. Even now, if he is SUPER fussy, the SwaddleMe Original helps him feel tight and secure. We love BOTH of these and ended up buying backups of each so we always have a clean on handy. I personally didn’t like any of the swaddle blankets we tried – I could never get them tight enough on Jack. They are great as tummy time blankets, nursing covers or just draped on baby while we snuggle but I didn’t love them as swaddles.
Boppy Nursing Pillow + Newborn Lounger
Both of these things are must-haves in my opinion. Adam and I both use the nursing pillow to feed him – I use it to nurse (obviously) and Adam uses it to bottle feed! It just makes propping Jack up in the right position easier and more comfortable. The newborn lounger is great for me when I need to do work at my computer or I’m cleaning the house. I just put him in it and he totally chills. Sometimes that is all he needs to stop being fussy!
These pacifiers are Jack’s favorite. He will take other ones but these are the best at helping him fall asleep. They are similar in pliability as a breast so he doesn’t end up with latch issues due to a too-firm pacifier. Sometimes all he needs when he is fussy is a paci and he’s good!
We love these bottles. They have been our favorite from the beginning. They hold just the right amount of breastmilk without being too big. They are easy to clean and Jack doesn’t get too much air in when he’s feeding (aka: less burps and less spit ups).
Ok – my sister in law gave these to us for our baby shower. I had no idea this was a thing but they are amazing. They are super absorbent, you can bleach them, they are really soft and they are relatively inexpensive. There’s no point in buying a really decorative and pretty burp rag. These aren’t cute but they get the job done.
I love my Haakaa! You basically stick this on one breast while you nurse on the other and it catches your let down and any drips that would normally get soaked up into your bra pad! I sometimes get 4oz a nursing session that I can use to fill his bottles in the fridge or freeze and add to my freezer storage!!
This diaper rash cream is a miracle worker. We tried other creams, but nothing works quite as well as this one. I’m pretty obsessed with it. There are a million uses for Pinxav, but obviously the number one is diaper rash. We had been trying to get rid of a minor diaper rash on Jack for 2 or 3 days using another cream, and within ONE use of Pinxav, it was totally cleared up. We became fans for life.
Motif Medical Luna Breast Pump
I love this pump. It’s fast, it isn’t painful and it effectively drains both breasts in 10 minutes. I like that I don’t have to spend half an hour sitting attached to my wall, and it’s super easy to clean. If you have insurance, they work with most major brands and you may be able to get it completely covered!
Chicco Fit 2 Stroller + Car Seat Combo
We have two car seats and one stroller!! I love this combo set. The car seat is comfortable for Jack and easy to lift and carry. It attaches easily in the car and to the stroller. The stroller is INSANELY easy to fold open and fold down. I only need one hand to open it and it folds in 10 seconds or less.
This is kind of conflicted according to experts because they don’t want you to be distracted while driving – BUT: I really like our mirror. It’s actually flexible plastic, not glass, so it’s shatterproof. I like that I can check on Jack if I need to and as a passenger, it’s easy to glance back to make sure he isn’t slumped over or something. It’s reassuring as a first time mom.
We found that this particular brand of clothing from Target fits Jack the best! We LOVED these basic newborn onesies and will be purchasing another pack of 0-3 / 3 month ones for this next stage. They are super soft, very basic and are the perfect “extra” outfit to throw in the diaper bag.
Some babies don’t love swings, but Jack really likes his! He loves the rocking motion and the music that plays. We like to put him in the swing while we watch movies. He sleeps well in it so occasionally I’ll let him nap. Always remember to strap your baby in!
Our friends bought this for us and it was amazing. We LOVE this thing. It’s not technically a baby monitor – I think it’s just a house camera but it works like a charm. We have all our devices connected so we can view him from anything. My computer, either of our ipads, and either of our phones – no matter where we are. For example, if Adam wanted to check in on us during the day while he is at work, he totally could! And if I wanted to check on Jack while I’m out doing something and Adam is watching him, I can do that, too! You get full sound, and can even talk to the person in the room with the camera.
Hatch Sound Machine + Night Light
This is one of my all-time favorite gifts from our shower. It has a TON of sound options (our personal favorites are the TV static and the washer/dryer noise) and light colors! During the day, I use the rainbow rotating colors and at night I use the white light because it’s easier to see in the dark nursery. Jack can’t fall asleep without it and it’s super soothing to him. You can access it from your phone so you can remotely turn it on and off, adjust the volume, change light colors or change sounds.
Sounds cliché – but we really do love our diaper genie. It’s so convenient right next to our dresser/changing table. It traps all the smells in (thank goodness) and we don’t have to carry dirty diapers through our house and throw them away in our regular trash.
Soothing Baby Sounds Playlist on Spotify
This is from the Happiest Baby on the Block class we took when I was still pregnant with Jack! SO HELPFUL by the way – if your hospital offers classes like that: TAKE THEM. This playlist has sounds like hairdryers, static and more. We will play it in the car if Jack is super inconsolable and it works almost every time.
I loooove my diaper bag. It’s chic, so I don’t feel like I’m carrying around an ugly bag. The leather is crazy soft and it’s big enough to hold everything, even my stuff. I also love that it transitions into a backpack. I almost never hold it like a purse because I’m either carrying my baby or carrying a car seat. It comes with an insert so you can keep organized and a portable changing pad.
Newborns can’t use a full baby bathtub yet in the beginning because of their umbilical cord and circumcision if you have a boy and choose to do that. The newborn bathtub sling is perfect for sponge baths and keeps them comfortable and at the right angle. Jack doesn’t love baths yet but this makes it easy on his dad and I.
Newborn nails grow like actual weeks. Literally. I have been too scared to cut his nails with nail clippers because he is super squirmy and I don’t want to cut his skin, but I do file them every other day. He was scratching his face up so now I make sure I file them down as often as possible.
This little brush is great for brushing his hair during his bath, and it’s been really helpful in getting rid of the cradle cap Jack got this last week. He didn’t have it so much on his head, but his eyebrows and ears. This helped to flake off some of the skin and we will keep doing it until it’s gone completely.
Sometimes we have to feed Jack right before we leave the house, and he will spit up in the car on his fresh outfit so I use these soft bibs while we are riding in the car because they aren’t tight on his neck and then they catch whatever spit up happens and his outfits stays fresh!
This mat has been AWESOME for tummy time! It plays music, which Jack loves, and it has a lot of lights and colors. He has been enjoying watching lights lately so it’s fun for him to play on this mat a few times a day!
TheWonderWeeks App + BabyConnect App
These apps are MUST-HAVES in my opinion when it comes to a baby. TheWonderWeeks app tells you exactly when your baby will be going through “leaps” and therefore will be more likely to be fussy, cranky or sad. It tells you when they may be more clingy or wanting to nurse more – and how you can best help them through these developmental leaps. It’s insanely helpful. The BabyConnect app is great because you log their feeds, wet & poopy diapers and sleep times. There are other things you can log but I mainly use it for those three things. I know exactly when he ate last and how much, how much I’ve pumped, how long he’s slept. It makes it easy to start to see patterns, too. It’s very helpful in the first brand new weeks of having a newborn because they have to eat every 2 hours. I was able to time my nursing feeds so I knew he was going long enough. I really put my mind at ease.
PIN THIS FOR LATER:
There really isn’t a TON you need for baby to get started. They don’t need much. Love, snuggles and a clean diaper. There aren’t as many “must-haves” as I originally thought there would be, and that is a relief!! You can borrow a lot from family/friends and skip a lot of the “essentials” you think you need.
Let me know what baby essentials YOU highly recommend to new mamas and their newborns below:
Great post with details of Newborn Baby Essentials. Easy to read!