{checklist} Essentials to Have on Hand When Baby Comes
Well, now that my baby is here, and I am in the midst of changing diapers, nursing, and rocking her to sleep, I thought I would write up a little list of all of the baby essentials you’ll need at home when your baby arrives. No time like the present to jot down my thoughts of what works, and what doesn’t.
Essentials to have on hand before baby comes:
All-in-one baby wash – Something gentle you can wash both the hair and body with, I recommend Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Baby Wash.
Baby comb/soft brush
Baby thermometer – Good to have on hand when you need it in the middle of the night. Same with some baby Aspirin.
Bathtub - this new infant tub by 4Moms works great and it is super lightweight, which makes it convenient to move around from kitchen sink to bathroom.
Boppy pillow – (this is a must-have if you breast feed)
Bouncer – to set the baby down next to you. It gets tiring holding her all day!
Crib/Co-Sleeper/Bassinet – I have an Arm’s Reach co-sleeper that I use in my room until the baby transitions to crib in the nursery. It’s the perfect size! Be sure to have a few crib/sleeper sheets on hand as well (at least two).
Diaper bag
Diaper Rash Crème
Diapers/Wipes - I recommend having both Newborn and Size 1 diapers on hand before baby comes. I used Newborn size until Summer was one month old, and then they got a bit snug and now she’s wearing size 1. I like Huggies or Pampers, they both are excellent! Some other cheaper brands I tried tended to leak more and I ended up using more of them, so I didn’t feel they were cheaper in the long run.
Gripe Water – This has saved me many nights of sleep! It helps when the baby is fussing and nothing else is working, and it’s all-natural. I use Mommy’s Bliss brand.
Hooded baby towels (3)
Infant Car Seat – Chicco Keyfit and Graco SnugRide infant seats are rated well and most popular. I have the Britax B-Safe infant car seat, but that’s because I have a Britax stroller.
Pacifiers – Get both Newborn and 0-6 months sizes, 0-6 has a bit larger nipple on it for when they baby gets past 3 months or so. If it’s too big for her mouth, she’ll just gag on it and spit it out.
Receiving blankets – I go through these all day long, great for swaddling, spit up, etc. Also, be sure to take a stack of the swaddling blankets from the hospital, they are the best out there!
Sleepers, onsies, pants, socks, and hats and a little jacket – Keep in mind that you will have to change the baby’s outfit several times a day due to spit up and/or blowouts! So have enough sleepers and onsies to get you through a few days without doing laundry every single day (8-10 of each).
Stroller
Extremely handy, but not a necessity:
Baby monitor – I have the Motorola 3.5″ and it works good, but I have had some issues with the battery wearing out!
Breast pump – if you are nursing. I have the Medela Pump in Style (backpack version), it’s one of the most popular models out there with good reviews.
Bumbo – Good for when she starts sitting up, I would sit her up in it and put a toy on the tray. And it’s also handy when she starts feeding at six months and she’s a bit too small for a high chair.
Diaper Genie – This should be a necessity in my book. It contains the smell of all of those dirty diapers!!!
Nursing bras
Wipes Warmer – This is just like having a towel warmer in your bathroom, you don’t need it, but once you have one, there is no going back! I have noticed when I use room-temperature (otherwise cold) wipes my baby looks at me like I am crazy.
Let me know if you recommend a certain product that is essential for a new mom and baby and I can add it to this list!