Wondering what newborns need? Whether you’re a minimalist, have limited living space, or have limited funds, I’ve made you a list of items that I wouldn’t be without when expecting a baby.
Some are life-savers; some-sleep savers (for you and baby). All are necessities in my opinion.
You can find my full baby registry list here, but if I had to choose only a few items for my new baby, these would be it.
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Newborn Travel System
With a newborn, you’re going to want to transport them safely, comfortably and not wake them if they’re napping. For example, if you go to the grocery store and your baby falls asleep on the way there; you don’t want to have to get them out of the car seat to go shopping. It’s easier for you and the baby to just use a newborn car seat.
I recommend purchasing a travel system that includes the newborn car seat and a stroller that are compatible with each other. My stroller has come in handy at stores that don’t have shopping carts large enough to set the car seat inside.
Important Safety Tip: Do not place the carseat on the front of a shopping cart at the handle. This can result in injury to your baby.
Pack N Play With Bassinet Insert
This Pack N Play can be used as a bassinet to keep your newborn next to your bed in arms reach. You will be woken up by your newborn baby multiple times during the night for feedings and diaper changes. Since your body will be in pain and most likely exhausted; having your baby as close as possible is a must. Not to mention, you’re not going to want to take your eyes off of your newborn. Or at least I didn’t.
When my little family got home from the hospital, I didn’t originally have our bassinet next to my side of the bed. Before we went sleep that first night back at home, I had a mini-meltdown from separation anxiety of not being able to sleep close enough to the baby! I know it sounds ridiculous, but that’s what happened. You’ll understand when you have your baby and your hormones are way off! My husband ended up doing some rearranging to our bedroom and all was well once I was able to pull the bassinet right up to my side of the bed.
When your baby grows out of the bassinet insert, you can simply take it out of the Pack N Play and use the pack n play as a crib or day time nap/play area.
Breast Pump
Breastfeeding or breast pumping are the cheapest and most beneficial forms of feeding a baby (It’s also the best method for feeding a baby on a budget). Beneficial for both baby and mom in so many ways.
The new recommendations for breastfeeding from the American Academy of Pediatrics state: “The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for approximately 6 months after birth. Furthermore, the AAP supports continued breastfeeding, along with appropriate complementary foods introduced at about 6 months, as long as mutually desired by mother and child for 2 years or beyond. These recommendations are consistent with those of the World Health Organization (WHO).”
Starting from birth, you have a free, nutrient-dense, source of food for your baby in the form of breastmilk! I exclusively breastfeed, but it’s always good to have a breast pump on hand if you need to be away from your baby for any reason (like appointments that run longer than expected, work, or emergencies).
If you haven’t gotten a breast pump yet, you can get a FREE BREAST PUMP through your insurance using AEROFLOW! I went through Aeroflow to get a Medela breast pump and the experience was very easy. All I had to do was enter the info it asked for, choose my breast pump and other pumping supplies and wait for them to send it to me (which didn’t take long at all)! Breast pumps can run you hundreds of dollars. Why spend that on your own when you don’t have to!? Let your insurance cover that!
Formula is expensive and adds up quickly. It also doesn’t provide the lifelong immune and digestive system support for your baby that breastfeeding does. Check out all my breastfeeding tips and information here.
Shampoo/Body Wash & Tub Support
While your newborn’s umbilical cord stump is still attached; you’ll be instructed by hospital staff to give your baby little birdbaths every few days until the cord stump falls off. To do this, you’ll need baby shampoo and body wash. (And a cup or wet washcloth to rinse the soap off)
Baby shampoo/body wash usually comes packaged all in one bottle. My favorite has been Aveeno. It has a nice subtle scent and is very gentle on our baby’s skin.
As for a baby tub or tub support; the Angelcare baby bath support is incredibly helpful. It allows the baby to feel the warm water in the bathtub while being supported; sitting with their upper body above the water.
I’ve also seen mamas using it next to their kitchen sink to give their baby a quick birdbath. It fits babies up to 6 months or 20 pounds, whichever comes first. So it will last you quite a while.
Swaddle
Without a swaddle, I don’t think any of us would have gotten sleep. Swaddles are a necessity when it comes to newborn babies.
Newborns have what’s called a startle reflex. You may see them throw their arms up and legs straight out all of a sudden. This is that reflex. It makes them feel like they’re falling and is upsetting to the baby.
To help them not wake frequently from this reflex, and to help them feel more comfortable as if they’re still in the womb; a swaddle is needed.
In the book The Happiest Baby on the Block, Harvey Karp talks about the fourth trimester, in which we need to mimic qualities of the womb for the baby’s comfort. This book was a great learning resource in the weeks leading up to the birth of my baby.
You may want to try two different swaddle options, as all babies are different and yours may sleep better with one better than the other.
To begin with, we used the SwaddleMe swaddle. This one is designed to hold baby’s arms close to the body. Our little one did not sleep well in this one. I finally came across the Love To Dream swaddle, which is designed to allow the baby’s hands to be near their face.
My daughter loved this swaddle because while she was in the womb, her hands were always up by her head.
You could imagine if you always slept with your hands at your head; strapping them to your side would be frustrating. That’s why we used the Love To Dream swaddle. I’ll definitely be saving them for baby number two.
An option we also loved was the muslin swaddle blankets. These are good for multiple uses. I explain it here in my baby registry list.
Diapers
While preparing for our baby, I did lots of research about what are the best diapers to use.
My favorite by far are Pampers Pure Diapers.
They are hypoallergenic, unscented and made with cotton and plant-based fibers.
Now, with our baby at 4 months old, we have yet to experience a diaper rash with these diapers.
Wipes
Same with the diapers, I also love Pampers Aqua Pure wipes. They are made with 99% water; making them very gentle on your baby’s sensitive skin.
Nasal Aspirator
A nasal aspirator has multiple uses.
The main thing being sucking boogies and snot from the nose of course.
But one thing I wasn’t expecting to use it for was to clear our baby’s throat as she choked on some goopy stuff (amniotic fluid maybe?) from being in the womb.
I was told by our nurse (who helped clear the mucus while still in the hospital recovering) that if this incident does happen, it usually does so while still in the hospital (thank goodness). Don’t stress yourself out about this either. Not all babies have this happen.
Clothes
The time of year will determine what type of clothing items you need most of.
I would start off with:
8-10 newborn onesies (unless you’ve been told you’re having a larger baby)
2 extra in the opposite sleeve length. (For example, my daughter was born in a hot summer month, therefore, we bought mostly short sleeve onesies and 2 or 3 long sleeves just in case she needed them.)
4 pants
3 footed onesies
4 pair of socks
4 pair of hand mitts
1 hat (Most body heat escapes through the baby’s head. Our nurse recommended to keep a hat on our daughter for the first 2 weeks. Ask your nurse or doctor their opinion for your baby.)
Boppy Nursing Pillow
While a regular bed pillow will work, I would not skip out on the Boppy nursing pillow.
It has so many uses along with making it immensely easier to breastfeed.
I even bring it with me when we go out shopping; just in case my baby gets hungry while we are out.
I’ll use it to feed her in the parking lot before going into a store to keep her calm while shopping.
This nursing pillow can also assist the baby while doing tummy time and learning to sit up.
Owlet
The Owlet Dream Sock baby monitor is a must-have for peace of mind while you’re trying to sleep.
There’s no way I wouldn’t own an Owlet having a newborn baby.
The Owlet Dream Sock system connects to your smartphone via their app and wifi.
It will loudly alert you if your baby’s vital readings such as heartbeats per minute and oxygen level dip below or rise above average readings.
Also, if the sock has shifted or comes off of your baby’s foot, you will be alerted that the device isn’t able to get an accurate reading and needs to be adjusted.
In the app, it shows daily totals of how long your baby slept that night, their average oxygen level, and the average heart BPM (beats per minute).
It lets you know how many times your baby woke up during the night and the quality of sleep they got with a graph showing when they were in deep sleep, light sleep, and awake.
I love looking at the graphs and knowing exactly how much sleep my baby got. It helps when judging how long her naps may end up being during the day.
The Owlet has saved many lives by alerting parents when their baby needs help and isn’t breathing correctly.
If you read through the reviews on Amazon, you’ll see many stories where this monitor has helped many parents and babies.
It was a no brainer for me and my husband when deciding to purchase this Smart Sock.
I really hope this list helps.
When I was pregnant for the first time, I was overwhelmed, wondering what I actually needed and what I could go without.
To be honest, my husband and I went ahead and bought everything we could think of and more. (Our baby registry made it easy for loved ones to help us tremendously at our baby shower).
We got everything because we wanted to be prepared for any situation that may arise with our precious baby. Especially because the closest stores are about 20 miles from our home. It wouldn’t just be a quick trip to the store for whatever we need.
Not saying this is what you should do, but it’s what we did and I don’t regret it one bit.
This is such an exciting time for you mama. Try to stay positive in this journey going into motherhood and be grateful for every moment.
I wish you the best and can’t wait for you to feel the joyous love God has gifted you with a baby.
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