I leveled up to “Mommy” this past March & let me tell you, it’s brought me so much joy to see my home “baby-fied” and have everything I need to take care of my little one!
Let me start by saying that although I am a first time mom as of this year, I have been researching & studying for this life change for at least two years prior! I wanted to be sure I was mentally, spiritually & emotionally prepared for everything that comes with pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and actually caring for this new life I’d be bringing into the world. I’m looking forward to sharing more of what I’ve learned on these other topics as well, so stay tuned!
My search looked like:
- Joining a lot of Mommy groups on Facebook
- Following a lot of Mommy bloggers
- Watching YouTube videos from other seasoned Moms and also pediatricians, midwives, etc.
- I made a dedicated Pinterest board (over 2,700 pins and counting!) & a Youtube Playlist to collect all my learnings, inspiration, & product recommendations for when my bundle of joy arrived…and arrive he has!
While I felt as prepared as possible within my control for D-Day (Delivery Day) & to receive my little one into our home, there’s still been plenty of learnings along the way—both in terms of learning my own unique child and “hacks” for managing my new responsibilities.
Today, I’m going to share the items that have made my life easier & more efficient as a new mom and I’ll include some nice-to-haves-but-not-totally-critical items as well. Within both of those categories, I’ve broken down the item recommendations into “At Home” and “Out & About”) to help separate them by their intended usage.
This is going to a master list, intended to hopefully make your baby prep easier but also share some things you may not have thought of or even heard of & would be beneficial for you to have. Babies are a bit high maintenance! ^_~ I hope you’re as excited to read on as I am to share the products themselves as well as my own personal commentary & tips along the way.
Before We Begin
One of the best things I can recommend for a mama who’s naturally organized or wants to get organized regarding their baby’s sleep, diaper change, & feeding habits and track growth milestones, I highly recommend downloading the Nara Baby app, available on Google Play & the App Store. It’s totally free & has personally been a blessing as I get to know my baby, especially his feeding & sleep patterns. Because of this app, I can clearly see when the last feeding was, the last side I fed him on so I don’t have to remember (was a struggle without the app!), and see trends across time. Now I have averages for day time feeds, night time feeds, and average feed times. Check it out!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Newborn Essentials
AT HOME
Self-explanatory. Babies go through A LOT of diapers in a day! These bulk diapers are a one-month supply & are sized by baby’s weight. Every baby is different as far as their start weight & growth rate so it might be good to initially buy a bulk Size 1 box and a bulk Size 2 box so you have the next size up on-hand in case s/he gets too big to finish the Size 1 diapers. Ask me how I know. 😊 I’m personally very happy with this brand & really appreciate the big line on the front to indicate if it’s wet or not, the blowout barrier, & that it’s got baby-safe ingredients. We sampled a few other brands before settling on this one & haven’t felt the need to switch since.
Like diapers, this will be one of those items you replenish very often. This brand has been great for us and pairs awesomely with the wipe warmer I recommend in my nice-to-haves. Fun fact: some wipes “pop-up” where when you pull one through the packaging, the next one pops up automatically. There are others that don’t do that—they sort of just lay on top of each other. This brand is a pop-up one. Note, the wipe warmer accommodates both kinds of wipes.
You really don’t need to buy an entire changing station, unless of course you want to. Personally, I think it’s a bulky piece of furniture that can be skipped if you already have a dresser you can use as a changing surface (as we do), are short on space or are trying to be frugal/minimalistic. It’s got non-slip grips at the bottom, adhesives you can stick to the back of the dresser to stabilize it, and a fastening belt to help minimize all the squirming your little one can’t help. The foam itself is firm but soft to the touch & the slipcover is machine washable (and pretty!).
If you have a material type changing pad like the one I recommended above, I also recommend getting these disposable changing pad liners. They’re baby-safe and will protect that nice changing pad. I also keep some in our diaper bag, as I’m a bit of a germaphobe when it comes to public changing stations. They’re quilted and leakproof & one pack should last while.
I’ve heard from multiple mamas that the Diaper Genie & products like it and not only an unnecessary expense, but also don’t do a whole lot to control the odor from the diapers. My solution? These odor control diaper (poop) bags. This is another product I have at home (can fit about 3 diapers in them if you want to put a few that don’t smell too bad in there) and in our diaper bag on-the-go as well. If you’ve got a real stinker, these will help to contain the smell and safely dispose of them. Not only that but if you’re out & baby has a blowout, this is a good way to store the soiled onesie or baby clothes until you can get home & throw it in the laundry.
I was first introduced to these milk storage bags from a sample baby products box & loved them! They’re BPA-free, freezer-safe, can hold up to 8oz of milk, and if you lay them flat in your freezer, they won’t take up much space at all. They seal really well & my favorite thing about them is the little spout corner you can tear when you’re ready to fill bottle. Totally mess-free for the win!
I LOVE these milk collectors so much. I haven’t had to pump yet because I wear these during the day (most days). When I feed on one side, these help catch all the milk from the other side. When I’m done with a feed, I put the other one on and when I’m ready, open up the stopper to pour into the milk bags…also mess-free! It’s also helped to relieve engorgement, which if kept unchecked can be very uncomfortable and even painful.
This bassinet was pretty easy to setup & has long feet that go under your bed. I love that it’s made of this breathable mesh, has multiple height configurations, and has straps with anchors at the end that go under your mattress so it is right up against your bed without any gaps or risk of it moving. Very secure & aesthetically pleasing as well!
This pack-and-play I got as a hand-me-down from my sister and I love it. While baby is small, the changing station & baby bassinet insert for his playroom is perfect as a 2nd area to care for him without moving anything in our bedroom where he is currently set up. When he outgrows it, it’s simply a playpen that comes with a travel bag & folds up easily. Looking forward to bringing this with us on future vacations & highly recommend putting this one on your baby registry!
This lounger gets used every day for naps & is easy to move from room to room. The foam is firm without being hard, the sides come up to prevent rolling, and the slip cover is soft & washable. I really love that it can be tied at the bottom as well when baby is smaller and can be untied when he’s larger. The product description shows it can be used up to 1 year—glad it’ll be with us for awhile!
This baby care kit everything you need to care for that little body: baby nail clippers, a brush & comb, thermometer, bulb for sucking out the boogies, nail files, and more. Takes the stress out of trying to source these all separately and since it’s compact, it can easily fit into a diaper bag.
This wash wonderful, it’s gentle, and this set comes with lotion & a shower gel for mommy to relax, too!
This boppy breastfeeding support pillow is super comfortable and really cradles baby into you. You can totally use whatever pillows you have at home instead of this but for me, the firmness is reliable, the removeable cover prevents baby from slipping, & the height is perfect for my lap so baby can feed comfortably.
In the early weeks of the newborn scrunch, baby had quite a bit of gas, which is totally normal because their digestive systems are still developing. However, our little boy was so uncomfortable & upset by these gas bubbles in his belly—you could feel them under your hands as you hold him. In an effort to make him more comfortable, I researched baby-safe solutions that might help to relieve some of the pressure & found these gas relief drops. It’s pediatrician-recommended and smells like oranges! Our son seemed to really like the taste and these worked like a charm. We definitely saw an improvement as far as fewer gas bubbles & burping was easier for him. It’s also non-habit forming & can be used after every feed up to 12 times a day (because newborns/infants really do eat that many times in a day. It’s wild!). As always, check with your pediatrician first but for our son, this was a great find & I hope if your little one is struggling with gas pains in those early weeks, that this helps give them some relief.
Accidents happen but prepared mommas are happier mommas! Take note of the different sizes of these mattress protectors before ordering. Also, I love the mom hack of placing mattress protector, sheet, mattress protector, sheet inside a crib or bassinet. This way, if there is an accident in the middle of the night, you have your next set of sheets & a mattress protector ready to go and can get your LO back to bed sooner. The laundry can wait until tomorrow!
As a newborn, these were great to hold & swaddle him in but now that he’s bigger and they’re not so practical to wrap him in, we use these receiving blankets as burp cloths! Excellent coverage over your arms and shoulders…everywhere your LO is inclined to spit up on! Definitely recommend putting these in your hospital bag as well as your car, too. You can never have too many!
This baby bottle set is a great all-in-one starter pack with multiple nipple sizes for the four bottles & a brush for cleaning. We were gifted the Newborn Feeding Set and it’s been so handy!
OUT & ABOUT
I adore this diaper bag. It’s fashionable & doesn’t even look like a diaper bag, which I like because I can still use it when I’m not in that season of life anymore. It’s got so many pockets & compartments, a hidden zipper in the back to easily take out that foldable changing pad that can hold wipes and diapers in it, and even a little removeable pacifier holder on the outside. I can also fit a lip balm in there for me & a pacifier for baby. LOVE this bag so much. My mother liked it so much, she ordered one for herself and she is way past diapering.
This convertible/modular stroller has been amazing. It’s got 6 different configurations, a spacious storage basket, comes with a cup holder, and the base can fold down for easy transport. Yes, this one is a little pricier—one to put on your registry. But it is so high quality and can be used for children up to 50 lbs…which is the average weight of a 7 year old (the bassinet insert)! In my mind, it’s totally worth it for the use you’ll get out of it, all the features, and the infant car seat, which you 100% need to even take your baby home. This infant car seat can hold children up to 35 pounds, so you’ll be using it for quite awhile (maybe 2 to 3 years). This stroller is heavy duty and so easy to push. We’re having a great time with it & I’m sure you will, too.
- Baby Carriers
I have a few different carriers I’d recommend but I will say there are a few things you’ll want to consider when using any wrap carrier:
- Your baby’s weight. Be sure to confirm the weight capacity any time you purchase them.
- Baby hip health. Be on the lookout for labels indicating “hip healthy International Hip Dysplasia Institute”. Your baby’s legs & bottom should be in an ‘M’ shape to ensure they develop properly.
- Consider the kinds of activities you’ll be doing when you want to babywear. For example, I might use a soft wrap carrier for light household chores like laundry, sweeping, mopping, etc. However, when I’m doing something more high-touch like cooking, making the bed, or going for a walk or hike, I’ll want something more structured & heavy duty.
I love this soft wrap carrier. It washes well, super soft & snug, and the colors are beautiful to coordinate with your wardrobe.
This is definitely a heavy duty baby carrier and the price reflects that. I recommend adding this one to the registry. I got the mesh one which is awesome for the hot climate I live in so it’s very breathable. Baby can also be worn towards me, outwards, on my chest or on my back up to about 40 lbs/3 years old! A worthwhile investment, in my opinion.
Lastly, we got this hip carrier for when baby is a little older. This one is said to be good for newborns to toddlers up to 45 lbs, but I personally want to wait until baby is able to consistently hold his head up & not flail around so much. This hip carrier has pockets for all your essentials and will definitely save your back. Super comfy & excited to use it!
Last but not least, a car mirror. Some parents are into the car cameras—no judgement, I’m just not one of them. I think a high quality swivel mirror like this will suffice and I see my son looking into it curiously all the time. It’s been so reliable & we’re very happy with it.
Newborn Nice-to-Haves
AT HOME & GENERAL
- Baby Clothes
Strange way to start “Newborn Nice-to-Haves”, right? There are two main reasons for that. Firstly, there’s a good chance that once you announce your pregnancy, you’re going to get a lot of them as gifts! Secondly, the newborn stage lasts a short while, Depending on who you ask, it can be as short as the first 28 days of the child’s life or as long as 3 months. My advice is to not load up on the newborn size of clothing because these babies grow fast. If your baby is born on the larger side, you may not even get to put them in those adorable tiny outfits.
Personally, I think no more than 3 or 4 of the newborn & 0-3 month size outfits are needed, especially because you will be doing laundry more frequently (consider bedding sheets, burp cloths, your own clothes christened with baby spit up 😊). I think if you’re going to buy baby clothes, spend more/get more of the 3-6 month and 6-9 month sizes. My son is only 2.5 months at the moment and he’s already wearing 6-9 month clothes and some 3-6 ones. These short sleeve kimono-like onesies are so soft, the style allows for less constriction in the belly area, and the snaps at the bottom make night changes very easy. This set of 4 body suits (2 short sleeve & 2 long sleeve) and 2 pairs of pants is also adorable and very practical, giving your little one some variety. Both sets wash well & our son seems to enjoy them. Both recommendations are in multiple sizes and have different styles. I’m sure you’ll find something you love!
Wow, do baby nails also grow very fast. Some are born with very long nails & within the first days of life are already nicking their precious little faces and sometimes even mama while nursing. It’s nice to have these on hand for the big day and also between nail trimmings, which are best done while they’re sleeping. They tend to fuss otherwise. I got this 8-pack of 0-6 month baby mittens in different colors & they’ve been awesome.
Some babies hate them & kick them off or cry when wearing them but I call them a nice to have because, while cute, they also help to keep their feet warm. Babies take a bit of time to regular their own body temperatures. Often times, their hands and feet are very cold. These baby socks with little grips at the bottom also go up to toddler sizes so they can run around safely. They’re also not very easy for baby to kick off.
- Sleep Sacks
Swaddling has become very popular in the mommasphere in recent years. Some babies love it, some really hate it. My son hated it to an extent—he didn’t mind being swaddled or in a sleep sack as long as he was free to move his arms. He did not care for having his arms down at his sides. That being said, there are so many different styles of swaddles & sleep sacks and we did get a few. These velcro swaddles were very straightforward to use & the Velcro itself had a good grip. Cute designs & soft material make these a nice purchase in the hopes that baby like them. These sleeveless sacks worked better for us (our son has enjoyed several sizes as he’s grown) but these swaddle sacks are a combination of both! The sleeves have mitten cuffs on the end so baby’s arms can both be cuffed, one cuffed only so the other hand can be used for sucking & self-soothing, or they can both be left open. Nice to have some options!
Even if you do not have trouble latching your LO or with them hurting your nipples, these could still be good to have on hand if you nipples are sore in the early days and need a break but you still want to breastfeed. Also, they may come in handy in later months with baby starts teething. Then again, you may not need these at all. But good to keep in mind as an option in order to protect your breastfeeding journey.
Probably a luxury but listen, my son used to scream bloody murder during diaper changes until we got this wipe warmer. My husband & I agreed the cold wipes were probably very jarring for him and it wasn’t ideal for him to kick and squirm while trying to get him cleaned up. This also has a see-through window so you can see how many more wipes you have and a built-in nightlight. Not critical but hey, if you’re having the same struggles during diaper changes, give this one a try!
If you have fans in the room where baby is sleeping, that can work in place of this. We personally have 2 fans & this awesome sound machine with white noise (our default favorite & probably his too), ocean waves, summer crickets, rain, & thunderstorms. It’s also compact with a sleek design. We’ve had this one for years. Definitely a nice thing to have, especially if baby startles easily or you live in a noisy area.
My son wasn’t crazy about this at first (mostly because he wanted to constantly be held by me) but he’s grown to love it now that he’s more aware of other objects & can tolerate more extended times apart from me when I have to step away. The best thing is that it has a vibration setting (we personally don’t use it), a bouncer, rocker, and regular seat mode that can be used by a toddler! It can support children up to 40 lbs.
If you bathe or shower with baby or have another bathing solution, you might not need this. But we were gifted this from our registry & adore it. This also has multiple configurations as your child grows and can be used up to two years old. Our son was simply blissful the first time we bathed him in it!
A perfect capacity diaper caddy to hold all your diaper changing essentials like diapers, wipes, creams, ointments, etc. & doesn’t take up too much space. It also has removable dividers but we personally use them. It’s been great!
If you’re using bottles, this neat rack utilizes vertical space to store them as well as vents, pacifiers, and also has a drying platform. If you already have a drying rack or mat, you can probably skip this one but if you find you have a lot of bottles you’re using, it might be better to get a dedicated rack like this one to keep them organized & out of the way.
I don’t have very much space in my freezer so in the interest of conserving space, I got this breastmilk storage bag organizer & am quite happy with it. Be sure to freeze your milk bags flat to conserve space & store more in this handy organizer!
Near his diaper caddy, we have a drawer dedicated to his apparel on one side, a divider in the middle, & on the other side with swaddles, burp cloths, and blankets. Easy to adjust as you need and overall, just a good thing to have in your house in general. They’ll get used somehow, some way!
For those pesky flakes, these cradle cap brushes gently exfoliate the dead skin cells to keep your little one’s scalp healthy & fresh. Mind you, cradle cap is very normal & usually resolves on it’s own but it can take some time and look crusty on their sweet little heads.
OUT & ABOUT
If you’re more minimalist than I am when it comes to your stroller, you may not need this but let me tell you, my husband & I LOVE it. We love to get coffee together before our walks with our son & this caddy has two insulated cup holders. He’s an iced coffee guy & I’m generally a hot coffee girl—now we both have a place to put our drinks on the stroller & keep them how we like them! Of course, it’s also perfect for baby bottles…which is clearly the main purpose. 😊 Also, this has a pocket for your phone, a zipper pouch to hold your keys, wallet, small cosmetics, etc. and can zipper off so you can take it with you. It’s also got a deep pocket to hold pacifiers, small toys, or whatever else you need to take with you. It’s a universal caddy that can be attached via the velcro straps or the included stroller hooks. GREAT purchase if you’re need more space.
I love how comfortable & private these nursing covers are. Beautiful design, I can see baby & baby can breathe well, and the coverage is perfect for my needs.
Just handy to have a few of these pacifier holders to keep the binkies protected & safe. Easy to throw in your purse, stroller caddy, or glove compartment.
18. Stroller Fan
A stroller fan is an essential for me as I live in the South. I actually bought this one early for delivery day because labor is hard work & you’re bound to sweat. I certainly did! It has a chargeable cable, 3 air settings, and can stand on its own or you can bend the legs around a stroller or car seat to keep baby nice & cool and prevent overheating.
Congrats for getting through this Master List! 🥳
Hope this helps keep you organized, baby happy, & that your have a fabulous time navigating your motherhood journey. If you like this post, you might also enjoy my Postpartum Essentials where I detail all the products that helped me with my postpartum healing, self-care & managing my milk supply. Check it out if you’re interested!
Leave a Reply