Every new mom wants to make sure she has everything she could need in any given situation before her baby arrives, and it seems like marketing tries to take advantage of telling you that you need all sorts of things that are extra.
I remember registering at Babies R Us and they literally had a sheet of "needed" things. I did not register (or receive) half of it, and Baby E and I were just fine! So, here is a list of must-have baby items!
Must Haves
1. Crib
I actually debated putting this on the list because it is so obvious. But, while we are on the topic -- you will need a few things to go with the crib.
Mattress: Again, super obvious. For a newborn, however, you want one fairly firm so they do not sink down and suffocate. As they get older, you can get them a softer one if you want.
Mattress protector: You'll want to protect the mattress from the various things that ooze out of your baby (to put it as gross as possible).
Sheets: Go ahead and buy about 4-5 things of sheets. Newborns have lots of explosions out of every end and you don't want to be doing laundry at 2am!
Sheet saver: This isn't 100% necessary, but you will definitely want this! About two should be good!
2. Diapers
This may also be obvious, but I do recommend buying diapers that have the yellow/blue indicator line on them, so you can tell when your little one is wet. The line will be yellow when dry and blue when wet.
We use Pampers Swaddlers and haven't had any complaints thus far!
3. Car seat
They actually won't even let you leave the hospital with your bundle of joy without one. I recommend getting a carseat stroller combo and spending a bit more money to get the nicer one. I got a cheaper combo and the stroller is awful!
Car seat Canopy: This definitely is not a necessity, but it was super nice to have. Whenever Baby E was asleep, I would just flip the canopy over his carseat, and carry him in wherever we were going. It would keep the elements off of him, as well as keep it dark enough so he wouldn't wake up!
HERE is where I got mine -- they have tons of colors and patterns for boys and girls! Plus, NFL and superhero patterns are included in the selection!
Use promo code 366099 for $50 off your own carseat canopy!
4. Formula
Even if you plan on exclusively breast feeding, this is still nice to have on hand. The first few days of Baby E's life (before my milk came in), I was not making enough to satisfy him. Luckily we had formula samples and were able to make him the few ounces he needed.
Bottle: Obviously, if you have formula, you will need to feed it to your baby somehow. E perfers the MAM bottles above everything else, but each baby is different.
5. Swing
Of all the expensive baby gadgets that are out there, get a swing! I seriously cannot stress this enough! It doesn't have to be fancy, it just has to swing. This saved my sanity the first few months of Baby E's life.
6. Baby carrier or sling
I have used both, and I actually recommend a carrier rather than a fabric sling. Sure, the slings are cuter and some people love them, but I could not figure out how to put it on without help from someone else.
It also did not support and distribute Baby E's weight very well, and I would get a back ache pretty quickly.
I use THIS carrier and I love it. E now weighs 23lbs, and I can still carry him around in it comfortably.
7. A diaper bag
I use the Jujube bff diaper bag; you can find it HERE and I seriously love it!
The side pockets are insulated to keep bottles warm, and it has 3 different kinds of straps so you can figure out what works best for you (I personally like the backpack style).
It has a spot to put your phone, diapers and enough room to fit blankets, spare changes of clothes, snacks and anything else. Plus, its super cute and comes in lots of different patterns! If you do not want to spend the money, however, then really any bag will do, even an old backpack!
8. Burp cloths
My mother-in-law actually had these adorable burp cloths made for baby E out of flannel fabric and they work great!
HERE is a tutorial on how to make your own! Cloth diapers work as well!
9. Gowns
These may not be the cutest clothes you will buy for your baby, but they really are great whenever you're trying to change your little ones diaper for the 5th time that night at 3am. No buttons, zippers or snaps you have to try to fiddle with.
10. Ointment
A&D ointment or some sort of diaper rash cream (or THIS healing ointment) from The Honest Company works great as well and is all natural!
We ordered a sample pack for free from The Honest Company (just had to pay $5 in shipping) and we ended up using all of the different things that came in the sample, and loved all of the products!
The sample pack also comes in a size that's nice to put in the diaper bag.
11. Nipple balm
If you plan on breastfeeding, then trust me: this will be a lifesaver!
I went about a week without it and I was in so much pain when breastfeeding! I eventually used THIS nipple balm from The Honest Company, and it worked wonders. It is also all natural, so I wasn't too worried if there was a little bit of residue still on me when E wanted to eat again.
Funny story about this nipple balm: I was saying how amazing it was to my mom, and my brother was in the room. He thought I said nipple bomb, and exclaimed "Wow! That's an awesome name, is it because it really is the bomb?"
Yes, it's the bomb!
