15 Must Have Items for a New Baby -

Becoming a new mom is the most exciting time but you can also feel very overwhelmed! Babies come with a lot of items but what do you actually need? I am an experienced mother of 2 and can tell you what items I used and my preferred items after experience with different products.

First if you are a first time mom, take a deep breath. This is one of the most exciting times in your life. No matter how it’s going so far, you are crushing it. We are all navigating motherhood and learning together. Being a mother is the most fulfilling job I have ever had.

Everyone has a take on what they liked taking care of a new baby. This is what I felt like was the most useful the first year. I broke them down by the category which I hope that helps you narrow down what you are looking for.

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Here are the must have items for a new baby:

Everyone has a take on what they liked during a newborn. This is what I felt like was the most useful the first year. I broke them down by the category which hope that helps you narrow down what you are looking for.

Must Haves for Sleep:

1. Sound Machine

Hatch sound machine has been my favorite. We have one in each of our sons rooms. Hatch connects to an app on your phone. It allows you to adjust the sound level, theme and color right from your phone. You can also create an ‘awake’ or nap time zone. And you can lock it so when those little people get older they can’t play with the machine.

2. Monitor

There are a lot of options on the market. My favorite was Nanit. There are so many reasons this was my favorite. With Nanit it captures video and sound. You again download an app on your phone to be access. You will be able to look at your baby to give you that peace of mind. When you purchase a Nanit monitor, you get sleep insights for a year. This shows you when baby is awake and how efficient they are sleeping.

My favorite feature with Nanit was the breathing band. You receive a band that goes around their chest. The Nanit calculates the breaths. This really helped my anxiety of having a newborn. Seeing the breaths per minute actually is how I realized something was off with my oldest. He ended up having RSV and if I didn’t have the breath monitoring, I’m not sure we would of caught it since he really didn’t show other signs initially. I also like that the monitor captures the temperature and humidity of the room.

3. Crib/Bassinet

Bassinet – For the first few months, it’s recommended that newborns sleep in a bassinet. My personal favorite was the SNOO. The SNOO is wonderful but quite pricey. I felt like it was worth the investment and we were able to use it for both of my sons. I actually did a review specifically on the SNOO and you can find that here.

Cri b – You will need a crib. We transitioned from the bassinet to the crib around 5 months. Although we did do some naps in the first few months. There are lots of cribs out there and you’ll need to find one that you like and fits within your budget. I like Delta Children cribs. We had the DaVinci model.

4. Swaddles/Sleepsacks

Swaddles – Babies like to be swaddled to remind them of being snug in your belly. The best swaddle I found was the Ollie swaddle.

Sleepsacks – I love sleepsacks once the babies have graduated some swaddling. My favorite are Kyte baby. They have different weights for certain seasons. This is great because you can buy what you need depending on where you live. The fabric is also for soft and flexible for baby to move around in the crib.

Must Haves for Feeding:

5. Bottles

Even if you are planning to exclusively breastfeed, it’s a good idea to get some bottles. Some babies like different styles. My kids loved Dr. Browns.

6. Bottle Warmer

Some don’t think this is necessary but as someone who had a baby with acid reflux, warm milk helps settle in there stomach. Warm milk can also help keep them comfortable and fall back asleep easily. We used the Phillips bottle warmer. It worked for us even using the Dr. Brown’s bottles.

7. Breastpump

I really needed an on the go breastpump when I returned to work. I had an outside sales job so I had to be able to pump while on the move. My favorite pump was the Elvie Stride.

Must Haves for Travel:

8. Stroller

If don’t want to be holding your baby all the time, a stroller is no-brainer. We have the Mockingbird travel system. It folds easily. You can buy attachments as your family grows to accommodate more kids.

9. Carseat

You have to have a carseat before you can take baby home from the hospital. I read reviews from a CPST, Safe in the Car. We decided on the Chicco KeyFit 35.

10. Diaper Bag

You need a good bag to hold all of the baby things. Freshly Picked was my favorite bag. I’m three years in and the bag has really held up well. The bag also comes with a portable changing table which is nice.

11. Wrap/Baby Carrier

Baby wearing is a great way to get some stuff done in the first few months. If you like the wrap style, I really like Moby Wrap. I used both Moby and Solly and preferred my Sollywrap more. For a baby carrier, I have the ErgoBaby 360. It’s very versatile and it can grow with you has baby grows.

Miscellaneous Must Haves:

12. Bibs/Burp Cloths

This is one of the most used items we used. I feel like most people don’t think they need that many but with spit up all day long we used quite a few bibs and burp cloths. I loved Copper Pearl. The fabric is really soft and does not wear over time like some of the other brands we were gifted.

13. Muslin Blankets

I love these versatile blankets. You can use them for a quick diaper change, a burp cloth, or shield the baby from the sun.

14. Boppy

Everyone knows boppy pillows are great for breastfeeding. They are also great for holding a baby. you can prop a baby up to give some head support. I also liked to use it when my sons were working on sitting up to help protect them.

15. Dock-A-Tot

This is a pricier items but the first few months, we used our dock-a-tot pretty regularly. We was nice to have a place that was secure we could put our son down while I was pumping.

Final Thoughts

These were some of my favorite items. But really at the end of the day, if you baby is fed has somewhere to safely sleep that’s all you really need. You can wait to get some of these items when you bring baby home. Once you navigate a few days or weeks, you will start to figure out what you’ll need for your baby.