It seems like as soon as you find out you’re pregnant you instantly become bombarded with endless lists of all the stuff you “have” to have. I remember the first time I walked into Buy Buy Baby to start my registry. The memory brings back immediate feelings of nausea and I had enough of that in my first trimester thank you. I was SO overwhelmed with all the different varieties of every single item. WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT SWADDLES?! I didn’t even make it past the first section before leaving and completing my registry online, which I highly recommend by the way.
The thought of walking around the store with the little remote thing seems like it would be fun but I prefer the comfort of my home and being able to read reviews. Of course I initially registered for way too much stuff. I trimmed it down significantly before anyone bought anything but still ended up with plenty I didn’t need. The good news is, I also ended up with some pretty amazing products that I would absolutely recommend. In no particular order, these are the best things to have for your newborn baby.
1: Alex and Anais Swaddles
I didn’t actually swaddle my son, he hated it. But I used these beauties for EVERYTHING. I laid them on the floor or bed if he was doing tummy time incase he drooled or spit up. I kept one in my diaper bag to wrap him in at his doctors appointments (they always had us take his clothes off to get his weight but then we waited a few minutes for the doctor so it kept him from being too cold). I used them as burp cloths. I laid them over my arms in the summer so his perfect skin wouldn’t stick to me when it was hot out. They’re just wonderful. Plus they’re super lightweight, soft and come in the prettiest prints.
2: Dishwasher Basket for Bottle/Pump Parts
WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS SOONER? I went a few weeks without this gem and I honestly don’t know how I didn’t pull my hair out. I was hand washing EVERYTHING because I didn’t want tiny pieces getting tossed around my dishwasher.
3: Ubbi Diaper Pail
Basically a diaper genie but you can use any garbage bags you want, not just the diaper genie brand. Plus, it keeps unwanted smells locked away perfectly.
4: Angel Care Baby Bath Support
Small, lightweight and made me feel super safe bathing my slippery little bundle of joy.
5: Nest Indoor Camera
So easy to set up, I can see and hear my little guy on the app, and I move it to whatever room I need it in.
6: Hatch
I’m on my second one! Easy to use app, plenty of color and sound options.
7: Footless, One Piece, Zippered Outfits
WHY ARE THERE SO MANY SNAPS ON BABY CLOTHES? Zippers are your best friend, especially ones that zip from the bottom. My son grew out of things so fast because he’s tall so I loved footless options, they last so much longer because length doesn’t become a problem so quickly. My favorite, which is linked above, is the Burt’s Bees pajamas but they do run pretty snug so keep that in mind when choosing a size.
8: Disposable Changing Pads
It’s hard enough to get out of the house with a baby but now I’m supposed to lay this little angel on some germ (and who knows what else) covered public changing station? I don’t think so. OR, I could lay a reusable changing pad down first but now I have to put that back in my bag where it’s going to carry all kinds of germs onto all my personal items. Strike two. Disposable changing pads were great for those times I did need to change him in public but didn’t want the headache of either of the issues mentioned above.
9: Bottle Drying Rack
You know what I’m talking about, the thing that looks like grass. I used it every single day for over a year and a half.
10: Zip Lock Bags
Yup, you read that right. Zip lock bags. Keep one in your diaper bag AT ALL TIMES with a change of clothes in it for your little one. That way, WHEN they make a mess of what they’re wearing, you’ll have an extra outfit ready to go and you can put the dirty one in the zip lock bag. Trust me, there will be plenty of times you won’t want what’s on their clothes to touch anything in your bag. The other thing I use them for is when I have to change a dirty diaper in the car, at the park, or someones house. This way, I can toss the smelly diaper into the bag and throw it out when I can.
I hope this list has been helpful! If you’re reading this pregnant or as as new mom, CONGRATULATIONS! I’m so happy for you! Don’t forget, just because these items worked great for me, they may not for you. Trust yourself. Trust your instincts. Most of the time, all your little one will need is YOU 🙂
