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Check out these products that are must haves for the new baby! Most of these products I have used and have absolutely loved for my daughter.
Let’s be for real for a moment. Having a baby on the way can be such an overwhelming thing, right? I remember constantly stressing and searching for what products I had to have by the time my daughter was born. Also, there are so many products out there that are recommended by so many people!
To be honest, you don’t need an outrageous number of products for when the baby first arrives. Really, you just need the essentials to keep them happy, healthy and safe. There weren’t a lot of products that I used when my daughter was born because newborns are asleep most of the time and don’t require many essentials to keep them well taken care of.
So, without further a do, let’s get into the 15 essentials that I would recommend having by the time baby is here!
- Swaddles to Sleepsacks
One of the main products you will need for your newborn is a swaddle. Swaddles are made for newborns and are designed to make baby feel like they are still inside the womb. Think of it as a security blanket for your little one! Most newborns absolutely love being swaddled and wrapped up tight. Our favorite swaddles were these zipper swaddles that made swaddling so much easier for our girl. Once my daughter was about 4 months old, she started being able to roll and move around in her bassinet. At this point it is not recommended to use the swaddle any longer and we switched to using a sleepsack.
A sleep sack is basically a wearable blanket that is safe for baby. Their arms are free to move around to where if they roll over, they will be able to change position if they need to. Our favorite sleepsacks are the Halo Sleepsacks. This product is so easy to use and keeps baby warm all night long while also being safe for them to sleep in!
2. Bassinets
Another important product for newborns is a bassinet. This is basically a mini crib that allows baby to sleep in the same room and be close to mom. Bassinets are very convenient for mom because it gives you a sense of security with your newborn being in the same room, and there are less steps you have to take when caring for your little one throughout the night. A bassinet that is highly recommended and that I recommend is the Newton Bassinet.
3. Diapers and Wipes
Of course one of the most essential products for your newborn is diapers and wipes. We have tried so many brands from Honest to Huggies to Pampers and Pampers Swaddlers has always been a win in my house! I have not dealt with many blowouts using this brand and the size seems to run a bit larger than Huggies.
As for wipes, we have also stuck to the Pampers brand. We have used Pampers Sensitive Wipes since our daughter was a newborn. These seemed to be one of the only wipe brands that didn’t cause her to break out with diaper rash.
4. Baby Bath
A baby bath is of course an essential product to have once your newborn is able to take baths in the tub. We started giving our daughter baths in the tub right before she turned a month old after her umbilical site fully healed. One of the most recommended baby baths is the Angelcare Baby Bath. This is the bath that we used, and it made bath time incredibly easy and quick!
5. Bottles
Bottles are an important item to have even if you plan on breastfeeding. Unfortunately things can happen that we cannot control and someone else may have to feed your baby. My daughter was breastfed, but when she was 5 days old I was diagnosed with Postpartum Pre-eclampsia and was unable to care for her for 24 hours while I was on the magnesium drip. I wasn’t able to stay awake long enough to be able to hold her or feed her safely, but thankfully my mom was there to help. We have used the Dr. Brown’s Bottles and have never had an issue. We used the flow control inserts for a few months, and eventually took them out once she could control how much she wanted to get.
6. Nasal Aspirator
This product is definitely a must have even for newborns because of mucus buildup. Even breastfed newborns can get thick, sticky boogers in which it’s important to get those out quickly and safely so they can breathe better. One of the most recommended nasal aspirators is the Frida Baby Nasal Aspirator.
7. Baby Carrier/Car Seat
Having a good quality car seat is so important for not only your peace of mind, but also the safety of the baby. The car seat that we have used for my daughter ever since we have brought her home is the Graco Snugride Car Seat. The click-in-place base makes it so easy to take baby in and out of the car, and it isn’t a huge hassle to adjust the straps to fit your newborn.
*The hospital will not let you leave without a car seat so it is very important to have one before the baby is born.
8. Stroller
Another great essential to have is a good stroller because it’s good for the baby (and you) to get some fresh air once you are able to. It’s good to have one that has a compartment underneath to help carry the other essentials you’ll need while you’re out with the baby. The Graco Pramette Stroller is a great stroller in my opinion as I have never had any issues with ours. The neat thing about this stroller is that it fits ALL Graco model car seats!
9. Diaper Bag
A good diaper bag is an important essential because you are always going to have to bring baby essentials wherever you go. From diapers to pacifiers to bottles, a good diaper bag is essential to be able to bring everything with you. We use this diaper bag as it has ample space and compartments to pack everything we need for our girl. It also comes with a portable changing pad which has come in handy more than enough times!
10. Changing Pad
A good changing pad is essential for your baby because it provides a safe, comfy place for your baby to lay as they are getting changed. As a mom with back issues, it has also saved my back plenty of times using her changing pad on her dresser versus changing her on the bed or couch. This changing pad has been highly recommended by many moms! This portable changing pad can also come in handy if your diaper bag does not include one.
11. Nursing Pillow
Nursing pillows can be a great essential to have if you are breastfeeding. They can help get your newborn in a better position in order to have a better latch. The Boppy Pillow is what we used and we loved it! We were able to find what position worked best for our girl so she could get the best latch.
12. Thermometer
It is so important to have a good thermometer to accurately read baby’s temperature! Unfortunately our little ones get sick sometimes and it is important for us to monitor their temperature so we know what we can do for them. The Frida Baby Rectal Thermometer is one of the most accurate ways to take your baby’s temp.
13. White Noise Sound Machine
“White noise” is a comforting sound for baby as it is said that it sounds similar to what they were hearing inside the womb. We have used a white noise machine for over a year now, and it always seems to help on those nights where it’s a little harder to get baby to sleep. As a newborn, she would go to sleep almost instantly because of the soothing noise. Our favorite white noise machine is the YogaSleep White Noise Machine.
14. Sleepers
As a newborn, our baby lived in sleepers. It had the build in mittens, so you didn’t have to struggle trying to keep their hands covered and they were warm and cozy all of the time. Our favorite sleepers are the Carter’s Sleepers. The zipper style makes it so convenient to change diapers and the mitten cuffs make it easier to keep their hands covered.
15. Diaper Cream
Unfortunately, baby is going to get a diaper rash at some point or another. It’s essential that you keep a good diaper cream on hand! We have used Aquaphor ever since our daughter’s 1st diaper rash. Aquaphor cleared her rash so quickly every single time. The times where her rash was a bit worse, Aquaphor had her rash cleared within a week! I also want to include the Aquaphor Healing Ointment as well because this has also helped us tremendously with diaper rash and bug bites.
Having a baby can definitely be an overwhelming task when it comes to trying to decide what you need for baby. The most important piece of advice that I can give you is that it will be okay. Luckily, a new baby doesn’t need many items to start out with and when you figure out that there is something you need, it can generally be ordered online or from a store. Congratulations on your new baby and on those hard days when you are overwhelmed, please come back to my blog so that I can tell you… You are doing great mama!
