Everyone will always tell you about their favorite items they owned when they had a new baby. Plus, when you’re pregnant, you’ll be inundated with information from brands about the newest baby gear. BUT what do you REALLY need for a new baby? I’ve got you covered! Stop stressing because these 11 must-have new baby necessities will help you out (and your baby registry). Plus, I’m also including a short list of the products that I absolutely thought were 100% a waste of money!
As a mom of two, with baby #3 on the way soon, I can tell you that babies don’t require much at all. It’s a total marketing scheme that you need tons of baby products.
Let me tell you a little story…
I was VERY pregnant with my firstborn in 2013 and went into my local Buy Buy Baby store. We were inquiring about strollers. A very knowledgable salesperson went into a deep comparison of stroller brands for my Husband and I. I got so overwhelmed that I started to breakdown crying. In the end, he spent over twenty minutes to recommend the stroller that we were going to initially buy.
Cut the confusion and whittle your budget. You DON’T need any extra stress as a mom-to-be. It’s easy to get sucked into the marketing and feel like you’re an inadequate parent unless you purchase all of the baby gear items.
Not pregnant and shopping for a new mom? These new baby necessities are also perfect gift ideas for a new baby! Even if a first-time mom doesn’t fully understand how the item works, they’ll quickly learn to appreciate anything you buy from this list!
(THIS POST PROBABLY CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. OUR FULL DISCLOSURE POLICY IS REALLY BORING, BUT YOU CAN FIND IT HERE.)
Related: What To Expect At Your First Pre-Natal Appointment
New Baby Necessities: What Does A Baby Really Need
These are the new baby necessities that a baby really NEEDS. There’s no extra fluff on this list. We’ll do that some other time when we’re feeling fancy…
1. Newborn Swaddling Blankets
You want to look for big, easy-to-wash swaddling blankets that you can use for sleep or even in the carseat. Lighter swaddling blankets can be doubled during the cooler months. I also love cute patterned swaddle blankets to use in newborn photography or as backdrops for photos.
Bonus – if you can find someone to make you some homemade baby blankets, you’ll cherish those forever! They’re such a fabulous baby gift if you’re craft (which I am not – so I always bought this brand below).
aden + anais Swaddling Blankets 4- Pack
2. Zip Up Sleepers For Playtime, Nighttime and Nap Time
I know all of the fancy clothes are so cute and adorable – you just want to buy them all. Nobody blames you. However, you’ll learn to really appreciate the versatility and easy function of zippered sleepers. I was always putting my two boys in these on a daily basis.
Of course, they do have a snap-button counterpart that you can purchase as well. I quickly learned that I HATED snaps in the middle of the night. You’re trying to keep their room dark while you change them and the snaps never line up! It quickly becomes one of the most frustrating little baby things.
Keep it simple and buy zippered! You can thank me later.
Carters 2-Pack Zip-Up Cotton Sleep and Plays
3. Diapers And Wipes
There’s absolutely no way to get around the fact that you’ll need diapers and wipes. That’s just a given when you’re having a newborn. So many people stock up throughout their pregnancy and you might be buying a brand that you won’t love. Instead, buy a few boxes towards the end of your third trimester. We’ve always been a Huggies Little Snugglers family.
Some of my most budget-conscious friends swear by cloth diapers though. They’ve come SUCH a long way! I’ve always been interested in trying them out – just to see what it’s like. If you’re going to go that route, you’ll also need a Bidet Sprayer that attaches to your toilet for easy cleanup.
To be honest, for wipes – I’ll use almost any brand that’s on sale! Even store brands work well for us.
ALVABABY Baby Cloth Diaper 6-Pack
4. Diaper Cream
I brought home my second-born son and he got the worse diaper rash as a newborn. It made me so sad to see on his little bum. He was bleeding because it was so bad. To prevent that from happening, you’ll always want to use a diaper cream. We swear by Boudreaux’s Butt Paste brand. Just smear some of it on every time you change their diaper!
5. Bottles & Breastfeeding Storage Bags
This one is a little controversial because if you plan to exclusively breastfeed, you may never need a bottle. However, I always think it’s best to have 2-3 on hand even while you’re breast-feeding. You can always buy more later if you decide to switch to just bottle feeding. We always purchased Philips Avent bottles – but do your own research about the best bottle for a breastfed baby. There are so many on the market!
What you’ll need for pumping your breastmilk are storage bags for the freezer. I was a really good pumper and I was blowing through storage bags for my milk. It lasts up to five months in the freezer, so it’s best to have a few boxes on hand.
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags, 100 count
6. Baby Soap And Baby Lotion That’s All Natural
Get your cameras ready for the first bath! It’s such a sweet and precious moment. You’ll also need the soap and lotion to go along with bath time. I prefer something that’s super gentle and all-natural. The Babyology Wash and Lotion set can be purchased from Amazon and it’s all-natural (even edible).
7. A Safe Sleeping Space
Every baby needs a safe space to sleep. However, babies HATE their cribs at first. Surprisingly, a crib is not one of my recommended new baby necessities – more like a 4-month-old baby item. If you think about it, they go from a cozy little place in the hospital to a big and wide open crib. When my first son was born, I was so frustrated that we spent months researching cribs for him to hate the crib we bought.
When they’re newborns, you don’t need a big crib (yet). All you need is a bassinet for next to your bed or you can co-sleep with a newborn co-sleeper. We decided to use a bedside bassinet for both of my older kids. The most budget-friendly way to purchase one is probably on Facebook Marketplace or you can rent one.
If you’d like to own, just know that they can only stay in it until about 15 pounds. Be sure to research that before purchasing.
Baby Delight Bedside Sleeper & Bassinet
8. A Car Seat
Even though I made this list in no particular order, this is probably the number one of the new baby necessities. Here’s why: the hospital will not let you go home without it. They make sure every baby is big enough to pass a car seat test before going home too.
Make sure you have it properly installed in the weeks leading up to your due date, so trying to figure out how to do that isn’t something you’re working on at the hospital the morning after baby arrives.
9. A Baby Nasal Aspirator
They have the blue bulb aspirators at the hospital that you can take home, but they aren’t meant for long term use. In fact, there are many studies out there that show people who cut into them and they’ve grown mold. Investing in the Baby Nasal Aspirator Kit by NoseFrida is one of the best purchases we made. Honestly, all you want to do is help your little one when they can’t breath. You’ll want something that works too!
10. A Baby Monitor
This is another controversial item and there are a MILLION on the market that you can pick from. Even if the baby sleeps by your side, you’ll probably want a monitor for the occasional times that you’re not around the baby. There are baby monitors that connect to WIFI and there’s ones that can even tell you the stats of the baby’s oxygen levels.
I’ll be 100% honest with you. I’m having my third baby and there isn’t a baby monitor that we’ve fallen in love with. We’ve had some false alarms with baby monitors that monitor oxygen and we’ve had the tech wear out after six months. Find a top-rated baby monitor on Amazon and purchase a warranty if you can!
11. Baby Socks, Mittens & Hats
Baby’s loose heat from their extremities really quick. Baby socks and mittens are very budget-friendly, which is great because they have a tendency to get lost in the wash (or your diaper bag, etc). So I like to stock up on them! The mittens also help babies not to scratch themselves too.
Songbai Baby Gift Set Hats & Mittens
You Don’t Need These (AKA NOT New Baby Necessities)
I can’t even tell you how many baby products we bought with my oldest that we never ended up using. There were some that just came with empty promises or were too confusing to even use. These are definitely NOT new baby necessities. I’ve learned that I will NEVER buy these baby products again!
Five Baby Products That Are A Waste Of Money:
- Diaper Pails – purchasing the liners just add to the waste of money. A normal trash bin works fine. You’ll never fully escape a bad diaper smell.
- Baby Play Gyms – They’re fun but totally not necessary. You can do tummy time with normal baby toys and skip the waste of money.
- Bottle Warmer – In my experience, the lukewarm water was just fine with my babies. They didn’t need the extra warming.
- Baby Wipe Warmer – Just put that baby wipe in your bosom before wiping them! The kids will get over the little bit of cold that they experience from the wipe.
- Snap Up Sleep and Plays – Don’t fall for the snaps. I promise that they’ll just irritate you in the middle of the night.
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