THE ULTIMATE LIST OF THE BASIC BABY MUST HAVE ITEMS YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE FOR YOUR NEWBORN. If you are a new mom, chances are that you are going crazy and feeling extremely overwhelmed by the baby products and what to buy for your bundle of joy. I have made this intensive list of the absolute MUST-HAVES for your darling. With each, I will be giving you a reason of what to buy and why. These are just the basic items, you can totally go over board, however, please bear in mind that babies grow up super fast. Most of what your baby needs is YOU!
Lets start with receiving the baby and baby clothes:
- A cute outfit for the newborn picture: Its a must if you are planning a newborn photoshoot. If you know the gender then you can prepare for it in advance, and if you want it to be a surprise then be prepared with some neutral outfit. I love these baby boy outfit ideas, and I cant stop drooling over these mini tutus for your princess.
2. Clothes: Buy only 3-5 body suits/onesies in the new born size (baby boy, and baby girl ideas here), as babies usually grow out of it in a month or 5 weeks. VERY IMPORTANT: If you are planning to go for circumcision for your son, then please go with these ‘Kimono’ Tees for your boy in NB size, as they don’t get tied to the crotch, instead they snap across the side. Also, they are super helpful right after birth, when your baby will be sporting his/her umbilical cord stump for the first 10-20 days. This stump can be short or long depending on where it was clamped. If it’s on the longer side, you may want to stick to newborn kimonos and such that don’t rub and irritate it. Think of it as a really deep scab that you don’t want coming off too early. Make sure to get at least 1 nice/party wear onesie outfit for your baby. Get 6-10 body suits of 0-3 months, as this size will last longer than the NB size. If your baby is a winter one, then make sure that you dress them up accordingly and have the appropriate gear.
3. Hats: If you have a winter baby then its an absolute must, if not, still you do need to get at least 1 for when the air conditioner is on, etc. The right kind of baby hats are tricky since I honestly had so much trouble finding them. More than half of the time my baby used to go out in the hospital hat (yeah, I am not ashamed to say that!). These are the ones that I found to be perfect hats for my boy.
I don’t have a baby girl, but one of my best friends swears by this baby hat for her girl.
4. Socks: Your baby’s feet are very tiny, and chances are that whatever socks you will put on your baby, they will fall off. These Luvable socks were life saviors for me, as they did not come flying off my baby’s tiny and delicious feet. New born babies don’t really need shoes, you can just put them on for
5. Footed onesie: I am IN LOVE with these. You don’t need pants, normal/small onesie, and socks. Imagine the less work? and less time spent in struggling?? I agree I am super lazy, but I deserve to be. I love these, Had it come in cute little designs, my baby would have been going to parties too in them!! I will make your life even more easier, get the zipped ones!! You wont be struggling with those never ending buttons. Yeah, you’re welcome!
6. Swaddler: You know how packed the baby feels when he/she is inside your tummy?! By swaddling the baby, you are making the baby feel secure. Babies generally take better naps when they are swaddled up. A lot of the people buy receiving blankets, however it can be a tough job for the new, specially first time mom to swaddle the baby with the receiving blankets. These new swaddlers are so easy, my baby loved being swaddled up into these until 4 months. I had 4 of them and I absolutely adored them.
Bibs: Now till 4 months, babies don’t start to wean but they start to drool. Banana bibs, look oh-so-cute and catch the drool, hence keeping your baby’s neck and clothes dry.
Diapers, get ready of it!
7. Babies need Diapers: Of course Pampers and Huggies are the most popular choices. I have used Huggies and Pampers, both. However, found Huggies to be a better fit. You can try both of them. There are many other brands in the market, which you might want to look at. There is a trend going on for cloth diapers if you want to go completely chemical and waste free.
8. Wipes: I am a big supporter of washing the baby’s bottom everytime you change the pamper, or at least after the baby has pooped, however wipes come in super handy to clean the poopy bottom (before taking him for a wash) or while traveling. I love Huggies wipes, honestly I haven’t tried any other brand except for Kirkland and Huggies. Kirkland ones are good too, however I feel that always more than one come out while pulling out ONE.
9. Diaper Genie: If you are unsure if you should get one or not, let me help you A LOT. Please get it. NOW. When you are cleaning 6-10 diapers a day, you don’t want to throw those out every time. A diaper genie helps you to get rid of the dirty pamper in a safe and clean way. You can get one which matches your room (if you are co-sleeping) or baby’s nursery. You will also need to get its refills.
10. Diaper Rash cream: With diapers, come diaper rash, They can be avoided most of the times with proper care and frequent changing of diapers, however, sometimes they just appear. I trust Boudreaux’s natural butt paste the most. Its natural (preservative free) and works best with my baby.
11. Changing Pad: I am not in favor of HUGE changing tables or changing stations. I find a changing pad very useful. Very soon, in 5-6 months, your baby will start sitting, and being mobile and then it will very dangerous. Get a nice changing pad, you can get different covers to match your or your baby’s room’s decor. These are water resistant, I clean mine with baby wipes, and its good as NEW.
12. Diaper Caddy: It is honestly one of the most useful things to have. All your stuff that you need for the changing diapers, like wipes, diapers, butt paste, lotion, some small toys to keep your little one busy while you change the diaper, and other useful stuff, if any is nicely and easily stored in one place. I love it this diaper caddy, as its foldable and washable too (because, accidents happen!) and when my husband is also changing my baby’s diaper, he can easily find everything in one place.
Bath time, fun time!
13. Bath tub: Giving bath to the tiny humans is indeed a scary process. Despite getting training classes, seeing the nurse give him bath in the hospital, still I was skeptical if I will be able to handle it on my own once I go home. But I did. Thanks, to the Fisher Price bath tub with the new born sling. You can easily remove the sling once the baby starts sitting up. I used this tub for a good 9 months, till my baby started walking. He was way too inquisitive then and wanted to roam around (even while taking bath!).
14. Bath gel/shampoo: Because of the controversy with Johnson and Johnson products (powder specially) related to/causing cancer, I never bought any of its products. However, I fell in love with Aveeno products. Aveeno tear free baby wash is my go-to item when I wanna wash my darling. DO NOT use its creamy wash though (which sometimes comes in the gift basket), its very hard to come off.
15. Towels: I have been obsessed with babies with towels. The hoodie on their heads, while freshly showered, they look just so scrumptious, don’t they? These ones are made from organic bamboo material, they are super soft. Only the best for your baby, right?!
16. Moisturizer: I trust my baby’s skin with Aveeno. NO, I am not being paid by them. I just like to endorse what I like.
GROOMING takes time and commitment, but its worth it.
17. Baby Massage oil: I am a firm believer in massaging my tiny human. I usually liked to do it before his bed time and afternoon nap. It took 5-10 minutes each time and my baby used to love it. Don’t we love the massages? The babies do too. I have tried both, Burt bees baby oil and US organic baby oil, and they are super nice, a lot of times I skipped the moisturizer and massaged the baby with the baby oil even after bath time.
18. For Baby nails and hair: You need to clip or cut those teeny meeny nails before they hurt you or most importantly your heart and soul. Its unbelievable how sharp those claws can get (no kidding!). There is no need to purchase those big grooming kits, just get a smaller kit, you will be only using nail clipper, or the scissors and the comb most frequently.
19. Ear wax remover: I am one of the parents who is really scared to put anything in her baby’s ears because I am too afraid that I will hurt his tiny eardrums. So Debrox ear wax removal kit was suggested to me by his pedritician. Its a water soluble that loosens up the wax and it removes by itself in some cases, or you might suck it out with the hand bulb ear syringe easily (it comes with it). It is easily available in the pharmacy stores but also could be online.
FEEDING:
20. Breast pump: Now you may want to exclusively breastfeed your baby, but I would still recommend getting a pump. Its such a blessing when you have your pumped milk in the refrigerator or freezer. You can get MORE sleep, honestly that used to be the only incentive for me (sleep is a luxury once you are a new mom!). Mostly in the USA, pumps are covered by insurance, if not then get the one that is most used and loved by new moms. I got my Medela electric breastpump from insurance as well, and I found it extremely useful and easy to use.
21. Bottles: I can swear by Dr. Brown’s bottles. It has this air vent system in which the air does not go into your little one’s system, which could cause gas and make the baby in pain later. My baby had reflux till almost 7 months, and I could not survive without these bottles. I used 4 ounces one until 4 months and later on I got 8 ounces one (the same bottle!). Dr. Brown’s bottles can also attach to the Medela electric breastpump so it was a win win. The only downside to these bottles is more parts to wash, but, its worth the hassle. Of course, you will need a bottle brush for cleaning it all up.
22. Nursing pillow and Nursing chair: The nursing chair is very useful for C-section moms (I was one, so I know!), as when you have C-section, you are in so much pain for the first 10-14 days that it hurts to sit up on the bed. Chair on the other hand was much easier. Get a comfortable chair that glides. You can later rock your baby in it too, or read stories to your baby in it. You will need a nursing pillow for the chair. Some moms whom I know even take nursing pillows with them while visiting other homes or for traveling too. I found very helpful because my baby had reflux and this kept him elevated. I used this a lot for tummy time. He loved his.
23. Burp cloth: They are very near and dear to my heart. I had the small (normal sized) burp clothes by gerber initially, but I had no idea then that my baby will love to cover me in vomit (*yes thats the ugly truth behind momhood*) that I started using big towels and I used to be having one on me 80% of the time, I had my baby on me.
PLAYTIME:
24. Play Gym: This is going to be your baby’s best friend. Babies smile at the characters, talk to them in their own language. I remember, my baby turned to his side the first time he was on it. We had Fisher-price rainforest deluxe gym with music and lights and I loved it and so did my baby.
25. Baby Rocker: This was my favorite thing as my baby used to feel calm in it. As I already mentioned that he had reflux, so this glider had the inclination option in which he used to sleep and stay peacefully. It even makes different kinds and different levels of motions and sounds to keep your baby busy. Its a package that you will never forget to get. There are many brands and different styles that you cant get it in. Its a nice investment, and you can always sell it or donate it once your baby is old enough. I used mine for up till 5 months.
26. Baby Lounger: I used my nursing pillow as a baby lounger as it had that feature, however the Bobby pillow can and is widely used. A plush baby lounger has also been introduced which will be even more comfortable and soft.
OUT AND ABOUT:
27. Car seat: If you are abroad, then most likely the hospital will not discharge the baby until you have a car seat installed. Some hospitals (in some states) go to the extent of tucking your baby in it too. Now you can get a travel system, in which you will get 3 things: Car seat, its base and its stroller. Or, you can get a car seat (with base) and get car seat’s caddy. Chicco have this option which I opted for. The reason why I did not go for travel systems was that I found their stroller pretty heavy. The car seat caddy is not heavy. Of course, I did not know of Graco Jetsetter till then, otherwise I would have saved myself the trouble and gotten it only, it is even lighter than the car sear caddy that I used, it comes with an attachment on which the car seat can be attached (I have a full review on Graco Jetsetter as being the best travelling stroller for 2018 for me) and it folds ultra easily. Do your research, and get what you like.
28. Baby carrier: The show keeps running, you will be running errands, and a lot of times, you will like to carry your baby on you. I have washed the dishes, done the vacuum (several times!) wearing him (Thanks to the baby carrier!). It was also super useful for transit flight to Pakistan, where they give the stroller at the final destination (dumb laws!). I loved my BOBA wrap, and used it as even a nursing cover a lot of times.
Sleep time:
29. CRIB: Although my baby and I co-slept (and by that he slept on half a kind sized bed, while I used to be on rest of the half, however, I knew I wanted him to sleep in the crib. I heard too many horror story about SIDS. I often used to put him in his crib while he was asleep or awake even to get him used to of it. He is 18 months old now and sleeps on his own in the his CRIB at night. I have a 10 year old crib that was used by my oldest one (which btw is not available anywhere now). I am not sharing any link here, since everyone might be looking for different specs. Some points to consider before buying a crib are:
- never buy a second hand crib, as the rules and regulations keep on changing
- Look around the space that you want to keep the crib in and buy accordingly. Some cribs come in smaller size, while rest are the usual size.
- See for how long are you planning to keep it, as some cribs can be later on changed to day bed, toddler bed and then full single bed (however there is mostly extra cost as you have to purchase the kit to make that happen).
- Would you want a portable crib perhaps? If yes, then get a one with wheels.
- Get a good crib mattress and its protector, along with the fitted sheet (the side rails and protectors are not recommended until one year.
30. Baby Monitor
When you have a little one in your home, you want to make sure that they are alright at ALL times, even they are sleeping. I have a simple hearing only baby monitor, and I still use it (he is 18 months now), and its a blessing. However, there was a time, when I was sleep training him, that I badly wanted to get a video monitor and I was about to order this one with a night vision and an app, etc. But I became lazy and my child got sleep trained in 3 days so I dropped the idea. However, it definitely would give a greater peace of mind, as sometimes (specially when your baby is a light sleeper) you would want to check him but would be too afraid to walk in the lion’s den.. hehehe!
Miscellaneous:
31. Aquaphor: This is my go to item whenever I think my baby is having super rough skin or whenever is having a body rash. I used it in tonnes of quantity after his circumcision. My older ones also use it sometimes for dryness. This is also recommended for craddle cap if your child develops one.
32. Gripe water: I did not give it religiously, but as I already mentioned that my baby had reflux issue, so I sometimes (read: one time in 2 weeks perhaps) used to give the suggested amount to my baby.
33. Thermometer: You have to keep it to make sure that your baby is not running a high fever. Try to get the most accurate one. The arm one, and even the ear one is sometimes hard with babies to use. I have this Braun’s forehead thermometer and I absolutely love it.
34. Tylenol: You will need to have tylenol as sometimes after the vaccination babies run a high temperature. Your doctor will suggest you the accurate amount of infant tylenol based on your baby’s weight but.
THIS IS ITTT!! THE ULTIMATE LIST OF THE BASIC MUST HAVE BABY ITEMS YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE FOR YOUR NEWBORN. May all our babies stay safe, protected and happy!
Disclaimer: The above article contains affiliate links which means that if you shop from these, I will earn a tiny commission with no harm to you. The reviews and suggestions are a 100% accurate and most of them have been personally used by me before reviewing them (as always, I believe in honest reviews).
