What do I buy for my first baby? That’s a question most new moms ask or even moms (like Diana) who’ve been out of the new baby game for a while. Yes, Diana is expecting!
In her honor, we compiled this list of the top 10 things you need when preparing for a new baby. This is a helpful “preparing for baby checklist”.
Baby Checklist
Crib and mattress – we like a convertible crib so it can go from the baby stage to a toddler bed this convertible crib is one of the bestselling cribs on Amazon and we like the modern clean lines.
As far as baby mattresses, check out Newton Baby for chemical-free sleep. It gives you peace of mind knowing your baby will breathe easy. Check out Newton Baby here. Watch for our review coming soon!
See the list of the top 100 most registered baby items on Amazon Baby here
Bouncer – safe and fun place for baby to sit that safely holds your baby so you can take a shower, make dinner, and do other things you need to do (and can’t hold a baby). Light enough to easily move around the house. Try to borrow one because babies grow out of them quickly. Amazon has a great selection at all price ranges but we prefer something low-cost and simple.
Glider or rocking chair – rocking, feeding, and bonding with your baby, the most comfortable place to do this. A glider often doubles as a napping chair for both of you so get one that has a taller back in case you doze off. A footrest helps you get your feet up.
Changing table – love the ones that go on top of the dresser and a basket with diapers, wipes, and other changing supplies (like baby powder, lotion, and diaper cream) that you can put in a basket next to the changing pad. You can get a basic memory foam type changing pad but it will not be waterproof and they often rip or stain. This one means no laundry, no mess, and no soaked urine. Plus this lets you use a regular dresser as a changing table rather than a standalone changing table.
Love this changing pad! This one costs a little more but you can wipe up everything, no extra laundry is required.
Baby Changer that goes on top of dresser
Baby monitor. If you’re like us the baby’s room is upstairs and we’re downstairs, so we had to have a baby monitor. This will be on the baby registry!
Diaper bag. Of course, you need one of these. The trend is to get a backpack that features insulation and is waterproof in a neutral or gray color. However, we loved the colorful bags from this brand.
Petunia Pickle Bottom Boxy Backpack Diaper Bag
Swaddle blanket – we LOVE SwaddleMe with the velcro. Swaddling blankets always come loose, especially as the baby grows and they take some practice to get right. Use these right out of the package, no special wrapping technique is needed!
SwaddleMe Original Swaddle 3-PK, Busy Bees (SM)
This is the gift we give to new parents and they love us for it. Though it may not seem like much it’ll help everyone get more sleep. Babies have a startle reflex and no fine motor skills to control their movements so they often wake themselves up. These offer security by snuggling the baby in close and keeping the baby warm in the winter months when pediatricians advise not to put blankets or loose bedding in the crib. We also love the book Baby Wise. It’s not the best written but the concepts are dead on!
Pre Filled bottles and formula and/or breast pump. We always had at least one small (4 oz baby bottle) and one taller bottle (8 oz) ready to go in the diaper bag. In fact, we didn’t leave home without being sure it was stocked. We prefilled each bottle with the right amount of formula so all we had to do is add water and shake. Keep a reusable water bottle in the bag too. If you have a hungry baby who’s screaming and you’re fumbling with that powder it will spill all over and gets really frustrating fast! On trips these baby formula packets saved us. Breastfeeding is great and if you have to be away and can’t always feed the baby in person, a breast pump is the best.
Need at least 2 of each size, but 3 or 4 is better.
Diaper Genie and diapers. We used the Arm and Hammer version because it worked better than the Diaper Genie (ours broke) and the refills were cheaper. However, today I’d go with this diaper pail because again, of the sleek modern design, plus the reasonable price. Or this one (because of the colors it comes in and it holds more diapers. Prepare to argue about whose turn it is to take these things to the trash and put in the refill – but at least with this one, you have to do it less often.
As far as diapers go, we’re Huggies fans all the way!
Need at least 2 packages of diapers and a refill if you choose to get a Diaper Genie-type diaper pail.
Amazon Baby Registry
Free 30-day trial for Amazon Family which gives you discounts on things you buy often like diapers, formula, and wipes.
Car Seat (here are the bestsellers). Again, convertible is key here. Save money and hassle by buying a car seat that will grow with your baby. We had two – one that had a carrier that snapped onto our stroller (like this) and one that went from infant to toddler (like this).
Evenflo Travel System stroller
Another nice-to-have is a mat to go under your car seat to catch messes. It will save your car upholstery!
BONUS: BABY REGISTRY ITEMS
Sound machine – it’s actually noisy in the womb with your heartbeat, your voice, and noises. Drowns out noisy environments that could disrupt your baby’s sleep.
Umbrella stroller that’s lightweight and easy to bring on trips. If you’re tall like we are, look for one with longer or adjustable handles. Ideally, it goes back for when your baby falls asleep and we insisted on one that has storage. This one has a cupholder too.
High Chair – this kind straps onto a regular chair and saves room. Plus baby can eat by the table at the same height as the rest of the family. Or there’s even the kind that attaches right to the table.
Swim suits, swim diapers and baby floats – for vacations or trips during the winter months we always bought swimsuits and swim diapers online when they are tough to find at stores. Try finding a baby float in February – it’s not going to happen!
What would you add to this newborn checklist? Let us know in the comments!