Preparing for motherhood left me feeling overwhelmed. I looked online, read blogs, listened to too many people and ultimately ended up combining multiple ideas and finding my own way. When it came to products we needed to purchase for our new baby, I wanted to keep things as simple as possible. I started by creating a list (because I love lists) separated by categories (feeding, travel, play, bathtime, etc) of supplies I thought we’d need. I tried to avoid buying products that would only get used for a short period of time or not at all as well as products that were unnecessary… for example, a wipe warmer… not necessary in my opinion. Plus, what happens when I need to change my baby in public with cold wipes when he’s used to warm ones? Probably a very angry baby is what happens. But, despite trying to really think through what we needed and what we didn’t need, there were still items we bought and never touched and others we purchased on Amazon last minute because we realized we needed them!

Below you will find some products I found most useful, many of which I did not have on my inital list! Some may work for you and some you may hate because every baby and every family are different. But, if you’re feeling overwhelmed like I was, take a look! Maybe you’ll find something you didn’t think of. Maybe you’ll find something you and your baby can’t live without!

Feeding

Of course you need the usual: bottles, bibs, cleaning supplies for your bottles, etc. But there were a few items we registered for and didn’t think we’d use THAT often… turns out, we use them multiple times a day!

Burp clothes are so useful to have at arms reach at all times. We use them for burping (duh) but also for cleaning up spit up/drool (so much drool) and sometimes they serve as a bib. We love these Burt’s Bees burp clothes.

A Boppy pillow is a necessity. It fits perfectly around your waist, baby rests on top and is able to nurse or bottle feed without you getting an arm workout holding them up. As your baby grows, it’s great for tummy time and sitting upright.

A notebook. You need a notebook of some kind. When you are sleep deprived, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of when you last changed your baby or how much/how often they are eating… all of which are important to know and your pediatrician will ask. We carry ours everywhere with us to write down anytime we change our son or feed him. It’s one less thing you’ll have to try to remember. Trust me, do this. The notebook doesn’t need to be fancy or baby specific but you need one! Here’s a good, simple option.

Nursery

An easy to clean changing pad is important! There are so many cute basket or cloth-covered changing pads on the market. Do yourself a favor and don’t buy these. Find one that can be cleaned by simply wiping it down because the last thing you want is a basket covered in pee or more laundry to clean. We have this one and love it.

If your nursery looks anything like ours, your changing pad likely takes up the top of your baby’s dresser, leaving limited storage space for items you need readily available like diapers and wipes. We bought a rolling cart like this one that we keep next to the dresser and store all our changing supplies (diapers, wipes, baby oil, nail clippers, snot-sucker, Desitin, etc). It’s so handy and convenient.

A humidifier with diffuser and nightlight are not necessarily essential items but this three-in-one machine has been so useful for us. Our baby still sleeps next to our bed in his bassinet and having a nightlight in our room gives enough light to check on or feed him overnight without being too bright to hinder our sleep. The built in humidifier helps prevent dried boogers that lead to bloody noses during these dry winter months.

White noise creates a comforting and womb-like environment for your baby and blocks out household distractions for a less interrupted sleep. This portable machine goes next to the bassinet, hooks to the carseat or rests next my baby at naptime. We charge it throughout the day and it lasts all night!

Bathtime / Diapering

We tried at least 3 different types of diaper rash creams… some didn’t work well, some were impossible to wipe off and some stained. Desitin was, by far, the best. I wipe a generous amount along my son’s butt crack (tmi?) with each diaper change and we have not had a single diaper rash! I swear by this stuff!

If you have a two-story house, a portable diaper caddy comes in handy! Instead of running upstairs everytime our baby needs to be changed, we store diapers, wipes, and Desitin in it for quick diaper changes downstairs. We also keep a couple extra bibs, burp clothes and a cloth changing pad in it.

We registered for the fancy bathtub insert for our baby and haven’t even opened the box. Instead, I purchased this cheap one from Amazon and LOVE it. Highly recommend!

Clothing

White onesies are a must, especially during the cooler months to give an extra layer of warmth. We put our baby in a white onesie under EVERY outfit he wears. Plus, it keeps zippers and buttons away from direct contact with the sensitive skin on his chest and belly.

You have to keep those toes warm! Zutano booties are my favorite. They are cozy, come in a variety of colors and, most importantly, don’t fall off. If my son isn’t in an outfit with foot covers, you will always find him in a pair of Zutano booties.

The right sleep sack. We tried multiple different sleep sacks and our favorite is this one by ergoPouch. We found that the sleep sacks from Halo weren’t warm enough and any that had velcro startled our baby. You will find many sleep sacks have TOG ratings based on room temperature so make sure to pay attention to this when choosing what your baby will sleep in.

Travel

A carseat cover is a necessity in my opinion. We have multiple of this one from Milk Snob because we use it so much. It easily stretches over the carseat and is lightweight but enough to keep away the elements when walking from the car to the house/store. The best part is it limits strangers in public from sticking their hands or faces near your child (why do people think this is okay?) since they’re hidden safely away. Plus, it can be used as a cover when nursing!

A carseat liner during cold months is another must. Instead of trying to bundle your newborn in a jacket and jam them and all their layers into a carseat, this bunting bag wraps around them safely to keep your baby warm and cozy in just a regular outfit.

There are so many different styles of baby carriers on the market. We found a wrap worked well for the early newborn phase but now that my son is 6 months old and more alert I love this Baby Bjorn carrier. It’s so simple to put on, he’s comfortable in it and allows me to have free hands and hold my baby at the same time! We use it when we’re out in public but I also strap him in to get things done around the house (like dreaded laundry).

Love, Jessica

*_{This post contains some affiliate links and I may be compensated but all opinions are my own!}