That amazing moment is getting closer and closer and the baby is about to come into this world any minute now, but you’re probably freaking out big time. One of the biggest concerns might be that you don’t have all the necessary items for when your baby is born and that might lead to over-purchasing stuff.
We sure did so when my little wonder came into this world and I can now share with you a complete list of must have items for when the baby is born so that you don’t buy too much but, most important, to make sure that you have everything that you need when he’s going to come to this world.
To make things even easier for you, we’re going to add a short reason on why you need the listed items (if it’s not obvious) and we’ll have links for each product on Amazon, probably the best choice for such purchases. so let’s not waste any time and let’s check out below the complete list of must have items when baby is born!
– Diapers: when babies are born, they have to be changed about 10 times per day. Get a big box, and I would recommend the Pampers brand as they have a wetness indicator which is extremely useful for first time parents and an umbilical cord notch. Click here for the purchase option (you can open all products in new windows as you read them, add to your cart and order them all at the end!)
– Wipes – You’re going to use a ton of these, so ordering a big package is a must. My recommendation goes for Pampers Sensitive, as you want to have the smoothest thing for your newborn.
Baby Clothes
This deserves an entire chapter, but we’ll surely talk more in future articles about this. I will list the recommended amount of clothes to have, but you might not have to purchase too much here because all your friends and relatives will fill your closets with baby clothes.
Plus, it makes little sense to purchase too many, because the baby will outgrow them extremely fast. However, here’s what I would recommend to have when the baby is born: 7 Bodysuits (long or/and short sleeves, depending on the time of the year), 2 Caps, 4 Pairs of Socks, 2-3 shirts (make sure they have snaps at the neck or plenty of room there as babies don’t know how to put them on) and 2-3 pairs of pants. Also, if the weather requires it, a jacket should be on your list.
Baby Gear
– Stroller: buying it is extremely important, as you will be using the stroller for quite a while. So think about all the things required here: do you want it to be portable and easy to pack, do you want it to have a huge space to make shopping easier, do you need a combo stroller that can be used when the little fellow grows or maybe one that also has a car seat? Make your purchase based on your needs, and make sure that you buy a good product here. As I said, the Stroller is an extremely important product! Click here to see the one that I would recommend.
– Car Seat: if your stroller doesn’t have one, it’s extremely important to purchase it because you should never start your car if your baby is not properly sitting in a car seat. This one is a great fit!
– Baby Carrier: There are people who are against baby wearing, but if you are not (we weren’t and our baby has no problems caused by extensive baby wearing and none should if you do it properly) here is one that looks pretty much great: click here to check it out.
Baby Feeding
This list depends a lot on how will you feet the baby. If you are planning to breastfeed (which I highly encourage!) then you will need to spend less money. The list below is for mothers who will be breastfeeding, but we keep it safe with bottles too: if you won’t breastfeed, simply increase the quantities below:
– Feeding bottle: Get just one or 4 if you won’t be breastfeeding exclusively. I would recommend the Avent brand, and you can click here for their pack that also has a bottle brush, formula dispenser, pacifier and trainer cup. Plus, it comes at an amazing price!
– Baby Formula: You need at least one box here, and it’s best to talk to your healthcare provider for the best choice. Earth’s Best Organic formula is a great recommendation, though if you want to.
– Bottle warmer: Although this is not a necessity if you plan to breastfeed a lot and even if you don’t, you can still heat the bottles using traditional methods (I would suggest not to use microwaving, though!) a bottle warmer will surely warm the milk or formula to the perfect temperature. We recommend this one.
– Nursing Pillow: You could probably be well without one too by using regular pillows, but many mothers prefer the specifically made nursing pillows, so you might want one too. Check out this one for a great product!
– Breastfeeding accessories: make sure you have a Lanolin ointment (get it from a drugstore), breast pads because your breasts will leak.
– Breast Pump: Obviously, if you don’t plan to breastfeed, it’s not something you need. If you do, then it’s a must. Click here for my recommendation.
Baby Care
– Baby Grooming Kit: you need a lot of things like nasal aspirator, nail clippers, digital thermometer and so on. Instead of purchasing each of these, go for a grooming & health kit. Check out the Red Cross kit for example for a great option.
– Baby-friendly laundry detergent: you must use a special detergent for washing your baby’s clothes.
– Also make sure that you have a special baby shampoo and soap, a couple of towels that only the baby will use and one trash bin for the dirty diapers.
Other products
– Baby monitor: this is absolutely vital and you’ll be grateful for getting one, even if you plan to co-sleep or sleep the baby in the same room as yours. You will see just how useful this is, for years to come. And although there are more hi tech models that also come with a camera, I believe that it’s perfectly fine if you only go for the audio one.
– Humidifier: If you live in a dry area, a humidifier is a great option to keep the air perfect for the newborn. My tip is to purchase a regular humidifier (since they’re a bit cheaper than the baby ones) as they do the same thing. On the other hand, if you’re in a very humid area, getting the exact opposite would be a good idea: a dehumidifier.
Apart from these must have items, you might want to get a few extra. This depends on the situation and how you plan to do things: you might need a changing pad if you don’t have something else that would do the trick, you could also need a baby tub and a nursing bra. What a mix!
You might also notice that I have not included any toys on the list, nor the pacifier. While I am completely against the latter, the toys are really not a must for a while because the baby won’t show any interest in toys too soon, plus you will probably get a ton of those from your friends.