What you REALLY need for a baby

When I was pregnant, I accumulated a lot of items to prepare for our baby girl. I had enough clothes to last a child, whether a boy or a girl, until they turned 5! Living in a small house (728 sq ft), we struggled to find space for all the things I was acquiring. Thankfully, we had a garage to store everything! It seems like the internet and businesses try to convince you that you need a lot of stuff for your little one. In hindsight, I would have approached it differently. The reality is, you don’t actually need much. However, there are items that can greatly simplify your life. Let me break it down for you by age.
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New born to 6 months

-10 footie pjs with double zipper and built in mittens in size newborn and 3 months: Honestly, no matter home many cute newborn outfits I had, I really only used footie pj’s. They are super easy, comfortable, and all newborns really do is sleep.

-10 footie pjs, 10 onesies and baby socks in size 6 month

-Swaddle sleep sacks: These love to dream swaddles are an absolute game changer. These made life soooo much easier. They are extremely convenient with its double zipper and you really cant go wrong with how adorable they are! I honestly wouldn’t even bother with the blanket swaddles.

-Baby Swing: I really think baby swings are a must have. They are incredibly soothing for babies and will finally give you a break to get stuff done or to just take a break! Make sure when your baby starts to roll that you always strap them in or just stop using the swing. Honestly, my baby was an aggressive roller around 4-5 months so I just stopped using it so I wouldn’t be worried if I walked away. This one is similar to the one I have ( I got mine off marketplace) but there is a lot of choices out there.

-Rocking bassinet: I ended up suffering for far too long before I got this rocking bassinet. We used a small portable bassinet for about 3 months before I finally cracked and got this bassinet and it was the best money I ever spent. It lengthened her average sleep time from a max of 2 hours at a time to 4-5 hours! This is probably top 5 things I’d recommend to you. I must have gotten the generation before this one but the principle is the same and Graco is always a reliable brand but there is a few other rocking bassinets to choose from.

-Baby Monitor: Isn’t crazy how far technology has come along that we can watch our babies in another room for such a cheap price?! This is one thing I don’t think you should cheap out on. I ended up getting a cheap small one and you just really couldn’t see a whole lot on it. My brother ended up buying us a new one when she was 5 months because he hated it that much haha I have the link to the one we have now and its fantastic. Plus, if you have more kids or need to watch more rooms you can add more cameras. I do recommend getting one with out Wi-Fi so people can’t hack into it.

-Heating Pad: I used heating pads a lot. Actually, I still use them a lot. I would use them for sore muscles after giving birth, warming up her bassinet before I put her down for bed and I would warm up her changing pad to put her on after her bath. They really are a huge help! This is the one I got and I love it because it has a display screen with the temperature and timer on it.

-10 burp cloths: These are a must have for sure but you can really use anything. I ended up sewing my own from some old towels and a soft fleece. I had a burp cloth that I really like and used it as a templet. It had a crescent shape cut out of the side for your neck and it was a great feature! If you are not a crafty person and would just like to buy and not stress, I’ve had friends use these burp cloths and they love them!

-10 to 20 bottles: Obviously you are going to need baby bottles. I used Dr. Browns and my baby took to them perfectly. I have had friends whose babies only liked certain bottles, such as the Nuk bottles. I would recommend to get a couple of bottles in a few brands to see which one you and your baby likes the most. After you have decided which bottle you like best, get enough for one to two days of use. Make sure to get the exact same bottles so the nipples and rings are easily interchangeable. I ended up getting a ton so I wasn’t always washing bottles. To be honest, I would fill the dish washer with them every night and run it, even if the rest of the dish washer wasn’t full. I did use both the glass and plastic of the Dr. Browns. I liked the glass but I did end up dropping and breaking two. So probably not the best if you are clumsy.

-Dishwasher basket: There are so many little parts to baby bottles and pacifiers, you’re going to want a little basket to put everything in. I’m sorry but your silverware basket just isn’t going to do it.

-Bassinet Sheets and Protector: There really isn’t anything too special about bassinet sheets and protector. Just make sure you get the right size because there is a bunch out there along with a lot of different sized bassinets. Also, make sure you get a quiet protector so the crinkling does wake up the baby.

-2 hats: I really like getting two of the things you want to keep one of in your diaper bag. Hats are a great thing to have seeing as how babies have a harder time keeping their temperature regulated. We had our baby in February so warm hats were a must. If you have your baby in the summer time, sun hats are a great option to keep the sun off their little faces and help keep them cool.

-Baby Sling: These are a wonderful way to bond with your baby and also a great way to get things done if your baby is on the clingy side. I tried pretty much all of the baby carriers out there. I ended up making a baby sling. It’s so simple to use and compact compared to the other carriers out there. You can use it for a wide range of ages too! The one below is just like the one I made.

-Convertible Stroller: A stroller is a must have if you want to ever leave your house. It also helps if it does other things too! I absolutely loved our stroller combo, I also got a ton of compliments on it. This is an investment I really think every parent should make. This one came with a car seat that snapped into its base and the stroller for easy in and out! The stroller adjusted into a bassinet which wasn’t only cute but was perfect for that newborn phase.

-Pacifiers and Leashes: Pacifiers are such a controversial item. There is actually a lot of research showing it reduces SIDs but a substantial amount. My baby never really took to any pacifier but I know other babies benefit from them a lot. If you do choose to use pacifiers I highly recommend a pacifier leash. They will save you a lot of frustration in constantly picking it back up and washing it.

-Diapers, Wipes, Diaper rash cream, Nose sucker, Nail clipper, Thermometer, Gas relief: You are going to want to have all of these things ready to go. I ended up getting a starter pack bundle for all of the hygiene stuff just to cover my bases and be ready for anything. It’s so nice to have everything health wise when you need it in a pinch. I also had a set for the diaper bag. Some really good advice I got from my pediatrician is to have corn starch on your changing table for those really bad diaper rashes. I’d put the diaper rash cream and corn starch and it cleared up the rash by the next diaper change half the time.

– Bottle leash: These are an absolute game changer when you are driving and your baby needs a feeding. I would adjust the car seat handle above her and hang the bottle from the bottle leash. It worked like a charm! Make sure to get the adjustable kind.

-3 blankies: We ended up with so many baby blankets. I thinks its just a natural present to get a new baby. Blankets are great for keeping your little one wrapped up and warm, but they are also great to lay them down on the ground. I seriously never thought of just laying my baby on the ground until I went to my parents house. I either had her in her swing, bassinet or I held her. When I started putting her on the floor/ blanket is when she really started learning and being able to do things.

-Sound machine: If you have a small house, dogs, other children, or are just a normal human that doesn’t want to always be quiet. You’re going to want a sound machine. With this running next to them while they sleep, you can pretty much do anything in the next room!

– Diaper bag: Your diaper bag is going to make or break your outings. Having a well organized and efficient diaper bag will make your life a million times easier. I LOVE the diaper bag I chose. It is a backpack style with a built in lounge area with mosquito net and changing pad. Their are so many features to this bag you will just have to check it out!

-Nipple cream (if breastfeeding): If you’re choosing to breastfeed you will absolutely need nipple cream. Choose a cream that you don’t have to wipe off before you feed again. Please, make sure you use this religiously especially with in the first month! I got a little lazy about putting it on and with in a day my nipples were literally cracking! I honestly don’t know how women coped before these creams.

-Wearable breast pump (if breast feeding): I used my insurance bought breast pump for maybe a month before I got so tired of all the tubes and cords. I ended up getting a wearable pump and it freed me up to do so many things! I actually would be pumping and no one knew I was doing it. There are a lot of cheaper options on Amazon which is great. I ended up getting 2 so that I didn’t have to clean as often. This is the one I got and it worked great plus it has an awesome carrying case to take anywhere easily!

6 to12 Months

-10 footie pjs, 10 outfits/ onsies, 2 jackets in size 9month and 12 month

-Sippy cups: There are so many kinds of sippy cups out there. I currently have 4 different ones, 3 of which I would recommend. My friend also has a cup my daughter super loves but I just cant bring myself to pay $20 for 2 cups when I have a ton already at home haha It’s the one with the straw (sippy cup 2), I’ll put a link for it as well. Sippy cup number 3 is great for teaching your little one to drink out of a cup.

– High chair: We ended up getting a booster seat and hook on chair because our house is so small. They are both great, but my favorite is the ingenuity booster seat with tray. It’s super easy to clean plus you can put it on the table or strap it to a chair. The hook on high chair is super nice for the space saving qualities and also you can throw the whole chair fabric in the wash which is super convenient.

-Plates: I find it super helpful to have the plates with suction cups on the bottom with lids. They stop your baby from throwing their food around and allow you to easily cover and refrigerate left over food.

-Plasticware: You are going to want to start getting your baby used to silverware. I started letting my daughter use a spoon as early as 4 months to get her familiar with it. These are great because they are small enough to fit in their mouths, soft enough not to hurt them and come in a variety of colors!

-Bowls: You are going to also want to get the bowls with the suction cups and lids. You really just cant go wrong with that combination!

-Silicone bibs: This is the smartest thing since sliced bread, I swear! My sister in-law recommended these to me and now I recommend them to everyone. They are so easy to clean and keep a lot of food from falling to the ground or in your babies lap.

-Cabinet locks: Once your baby starts crawling, you better get those cabinet locks in place. They are so curious and so good at getting into dangerous situations! You really don’t want to have to think twice about their safety.

12 to 24 months

-10 pjs, 10 outfits 2 jackets, and 3 different pairs of shoes

-Potty chair: At first I tried using the the potty chair that looked like a real toilet but my daughter just kept taking it apart. I was a little annoyed with how many pieces it was in. I was wanting to do the potty seat that goes on the toilet so I didn’t have to clean out poop from a chair but I thought it would be too hard for her to get up on. I ended up giving the complicated toilet to my mom for her visits there and I got a new one and I love it so much more. Its only in two pieces and is shorter than the other so its not so hard for her to sit on. Potty training is hard enough without adding extra obstacles too it!

In Conclusion

Every mom and dad have their own products they love and can’t live without. I’d love to hear about yours, so please comment below!