DISCLOSURE – THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING I GET A COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH MY LINKS , AT ABSOLUTELY NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU. I ONLY RECOMMEND THE THINGS I LOVE OR HAVE PERSONALLY USED.
The moment you find out that you are going to be a parent, a euphoria sets in. At first it takes a while for that feeling to sink in, that henceforth you are going to be responsible for a life other than yours. If you are a first-time parent, you are usually more nervous than excited. You start wondering about the necessities of a baby and the level of baby preparedness in your life. You start questioning the safety of your house which suddenly seems lacking basic safety equipment and in dire need of urgent baby proofing. Once you start preparing a list for the newborn, you realize it is exhaustive. There’s no end to the items and each seems to have its own importance. A simple online research leaves you stretching your budget and gives you a feeling that the baby shopping is going to break your bank, dent into your savings. But it doesn’t necessarily need to be this way.
No doubt the baby industry is a booming business because when it comes to caring for newborns, parents are governed by their emotions. Everywhere you go, the baby brands try to sell you everything under the sun as absolutely must have for a newborn. But the reality is far from it. All a baby ever needs is love and care and, of course, a comfortable place to sleep!
However, our generation is technologically and financially at a vantage point to provide for the needs and comforts to our kids. Every parent wishes to provide the best for their offsprings.
I remember when we were expecting our daughter, we had memorized every single item placed on the racks of Babies R Us store. My husband wanted to fill our house with whatever they were offering. He wanted to bring home every single toy, mat, book and what not!
I started doing my own research and decided to be the wiser parent. I tried my best to convince him to buy only the things we would actually need. Flash forward 3 years, we didn’t use half of the things we bought, some of the stuffs were discarded by our baby right away!
The reason I am writing this post is to help first time parents buy what’s necessary and useful instead of turning their house into a warehouse of unnecessary items. Remember, most importantly a baby needs some space to stretch and play, its best if there’s an area exclusively for that.
I sincerely hope this list that follows helps ease your parenting journey like it did mine.
1. Clothes
I still remember spending hours browsing through newborn clothes, imagining what my baby would look like in each of the displayed item. I was surprised that there was so much choice available when it came to buying clothes for an infant. Almost all the infant attires are adorable and irresistible. We ended up buying two pairs of onesie, a pair of rompers, two fleece footed sleep and play, two bodysuits and one tutu for photoshoot – all of the size NewBorn (NB). Also we got some cotton caps and mitten sets. Our baby outgrew all of them in just a week! She didn’t even end up wearing all the clothes.
One advice to save money and shop smarter is to buy 3-6 months sizes for the newborn baby instead of NB size which are too small. Some notable brands for baby clothes are Carter, Gerber, Simple Joys, etc. It’s good to buy some fleece footed sleep plays – especially if you live in colder areas, few short sleeved onesies and bodysuits, some full sleeved bodysuits, a couple of mittens, etc. Remember that baby’s skin is sensitive, always buy 100% cotton clothes and while choosing clothes for babies pay more importance to comfort rather than fashion/style statement.
2. Swaddle Blankets
Swaddling is the process of wrapping a blanket snugly around a newborn to mimic a mother’s womb. If done correctly it can calm a baby besides promoting sleep.
It’s good to swaddle a newborn in breathable swaddle muslin blankets for comfort and safety purposes. Stop swaddling the babies once they start turning over. Once they have served their purpose, the blankets come handy as burp clothes, towels, wipe clothes, etc. As they are light in weight, you can carry 2-3 of them when you travel without adding any extra pound to your baggage. Many a time they have come in handy when my toddler threw up and the burp cloth or wipes just won’t do. They are long-lasting and highly durable.
3. Diapers
Okay, this is a must have item whether I mention it on the list or not, for obvious reasons. We experimented with a lot of brands – Huggies, Earth’s Best, Kirkland etc. before zeroing on Pampers Swaddlers for our newborn, graduating to Pampers Cruisers and then finally settled with Easy Ups Training Pants. If you are someone who is apprehensive about reducing your carbon footprint by going environment friendly and concerned about a newborn’s exposure to chemicals found in diapers, cloth diapers are best for you. I haven’t personally used them but have heard raving reviews from some moms who use them.
4. Wipes
With wipes we used a lot of brands and finally chose the Honest Company Designer Baby Wipes, a decision for which we have never regretted.
A lot of companies will provide you free samples of wipes & diapers if you register on their sites before your due date and provide your address details for absolutely no cost. You could try out these sample wipes before deciding a particular brand to stick to.
5. Baby Bottles
Infants and gas are like two sides of a coin. Babies are gassy because their digestive systems are still a work-in-progress which leads to swallowing air during feedings. Whether you breastfeed or formula feed your kids, a good bottle is something which is a must have and the quest of finding a good bottle is a never-ending battle until you try all the bottle brands and you reach Dr Brown bottles. Once we used them, there was no going back to all the other brands which were stacked up on our shelves. The Dr Brown bottles do decrease gassiness to a great extent. I have lost the count of number of times I have gifted Dr Brown bottles to new parents and recommended these to them.
6. Car Seat
A car seat is probably one of the first items an would-be parent must purchase.
By the law of United States, it is mandatory for babies and toddlers to ride in rear-facing car seats until they are two years old. Even if you live in a country where there is no car seat law, remember car seats protect your child’s life in case of an accident or unforeseen incident. As this item is going to be used for a long time, it’s best to buy the car seats that grow with your baby. We used the Chicco KeyFit 30 InfantCar Seat but a quick online research shows that Graco SlimFit 3 in 1 Convertible Car Seat comes highly recommended. When buying a car seat, check the foam and padding, read the user reviews. We used the car seat until our baby was almost 2 years old and later on switched to Graco 4Ever Extend2Fit 4 in 1 Car seat, rear facing.
It’s good to remember that babies are going to hate being strapped in the car seats and may fuss and even wail in them. That doesn’t mean the car seat needs an accessory or all the fancy items they sell all over the marketplace to keep your kid entertained while in them. They are just waste of money. A good car seat should provide safety and comfort, that’s all. As long as it does that, it’s good to use.
My two cents, whenever you plan a travel, try to synchronize it with the kid’s nap time. That way the kid gets a good long nap and you can have a hassle-free & less stressful drive.
7. Stroller
A stroller is good for use if you like taking walks and running errands. In the initial days of a baby, it’s a good idea to keep them in a stroller everytime you step out of the house. I do mention a baby carrier in the list. You could buy either a stroller or a baby carrier, but if you are a person with back aches or muscle spasms, a stroller makes more sense than a baby carrier. Usually you can find deals on a combination of stroller and car seat like this – Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System with Full Size Stroller, Convertible Frame Stroller, One-Hand Compact Fold, Extendable Canopy and KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat, Nottingham – it is cheaper than buying them separately.
8. Baby Carrier
This is one thing I wish I had purchased sooner. This is highly recommended for parents who like to be on the move. You wish the baby would stay in the stroller or the car seat when you are shopping at a supermarket, but more often than not, the baby likes to be held. Because they are babies, that’s what they do, they snuggle and love to be held! Does that mean you stop stepping out or taking walks? Hell no! Research the baby careers available in all ranges, decide until when you want to carry your baby around, then buy accordingly. After a lot of browsing, I brought my Ergobaby Carrier and my daughter outgrew of it when she was 18-month-old. But it was very helpful in my long duration international flights and trips. I could just strap the kid onto me and take a walk or nap. Baby Carriers are different for newborns and toddlers, basically depending on the neck support. Baby Slips are less pricey and durable but if you plan on using the baby carriers for a really long time, then I would recommend either Ergobaby or LilleBaby. Both of them have great ratings and reviews on Amazon.
Pro Tip :- Did you know you could SAVE MONEY by signing up on Amazon’s baby registry? Besides letting your friends and family know what to gift you on baby shower; it gets you discounts, free samples, easy returns and quick shipping!!
9. Changing Pad
Diaper change can be a tricky business. It is quite a task to change a diaper of a newborn or toddler without having any poop or pee accidents. The changing pad comes as a rescue for easing this process. We ended up using our Summer Basic Changing Essentials Kit for 2 years until our baby outgrew it. The best part of the changing pad was that the cover was removable, machine washable and water proof! Even though a changing pad comes as a recommended item, a changing table is something fancy that the shops try to sell which, to be frank, doesn’t serve any significant purpose .Always be watchful of your kid even when they are strapped to a changing pad because they can still topple over if kept on an elevated surface.
10. Crib
Whether you decide to train the baby to sleep on its own in a crib or co-sleep with you, a crib is still a very useful piece of furniture you shall find out in time. We did a lot of research when it came to buying a crib and even though most of the brands are pricey, it still seemed like a good investment. Crib is the safe zone of a kid, so take your time looking for the best that suits all your needs. I would advise against buying a second hand or used crib. It is best if a crib is brand new and is in the best of shape and strength. A bassinet is also equally useful but it renders itself useless once the baby becomes a toddler, whereas a convertible crib becomes a bed for a kid, old enough, to sleep in. We got the Baby Cache Natural Hardwood 4-in-1 Convertible Crib along with Dourxi crib mattress. It’s important to note that the bedding for baby has to be firm and not soft to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Also note that any kind of pillows and blankets inside crib can pose serious SIDS threat.
11. Play Gym
I cannot thank enough the Nautical Friends Play Gym for entertaining our baby on numerous occasions. In addition to keeping a baby busy in exploration, it also enhances the motor skills of a baby. Our child learnt to reach out and grasp for things on this. The star shaped musical instrument on the top of the gym can grab the attention of any kid for a while with its delightful music and lights. Due to its portability, we carried it around a lot. The fabrics are machine washable which helps maintain its cleanliness. This instilled the love for amphibians quite early into my toddler’s brain. She can now identify a crab, turtle, whale and dolphin, all thanks to this. Somewhat similar to this is the Fisher Price’s Kick n Play Piano Gym which can keep a baby playing on it for a really long time. Every time the baby’s feet hit the piano buttons, music plays, making it a fun activity for the child. Even while I was writing this post, my 2.5-year-old was kicking her legs on to the piano buttons and having fun. Time and again she retrieves both of these from the store room and plays with them. It is still fun, even after 2 years.
12. Play Mat
I recommend a mat for only carpeted floors, because it can be slippery on wooden floors. The reason mats are useful is that it’s a clean surface for the baby to have tummy time and kick those legs and hands all around. There were times when I didn’t have the energy or patience to vacuum the carpet so as to ensure it was free of any crumbs or anything tiny which the baby might grab and put it in her mouth. At such times, this mat- SimpVale Double-Sided Foam Waterproof Baby Crawling Thickening Mat– came handy, which I could easily wipe with a tissue, sanitize and voila, it became a safe place for the baby to play. I used to surround her with toys and books, watch her have fun in her own safe space. We continue to use the mat even today because it is in excellent condition despite it’s rough usage. Our toddler reads out the alphabets on them and as it’s a two-sided mat, we also have family fun by stepping on the numbers she reads out aloud.
13. Diaper Bag
Why should I buy a diaper bag when I already have too many handbags, you may ask!! I hear you. But let me ask you this does your bag have enough compartments in them to keep the milk separate from the diapers and the snacks insulated from the wipes? Because you can’t stuff them together in a normal hand bag, for the sake of convenience a diaper bag like this comes handy. Infact, for the reasons of hygiene and saving time, a diaper bag comes highly recommended.
Imagine you are travelling and your baby needed a diaper change. You walk into a public restroom, strap your baby onto the baby changing station, open your bag to discover that the cereal box’s lid has come off, resulting in crumbs all over the diaper and wipes. You panic, the baby senses the panic and starts wailing, you clean the diapers, grab some tissues from the tissue stand and if the baby has pooped and not peed, there is a lot of cleaning to be done by the time the diaper is clean enough to be put on a resisting struggling baby. I have faced this situation once when I had decided to brave a handbag instead of carrying the diaper bag around which didn’t seem cool enough to me. Never again have I stepped outside without it after that not so pleasant experience. A friend of mine advised to keep a diaper bag stashed and ready-to-go for emergency situations and I have been dutifully doing the same ever since. A diaper bag besides being useful also helps keeping baby stuffs in separate compartments, which makes it easy to grab them when on the go.
14. Infant to Toddler Rocking Chair
The Fisher-Price Infant to Toddler Rocker, Jungle Fun is one item which we overused. We used it for soothing the fussy baby, for photoshoots, for some sun time, so on and so forth. There were times when I had to get some cooking or chores done, but the baby won’t just let me go. In times such as these, I strapped my daughter in it and put her just outside the kitchen where she could watch me cook and I could watch her play. Besides wanting to be held, babies often wish to be in the sight of their parents. This chair is a genius when it comes to solving the issue of being around your baby and being able to do a chore. The seat pad is removable and washable, which helps keeps it clean and the removable toy bar keeps the kid entertained on the chair. Always remember to strap your baby while on the chair. Also never carry the chair by holding the removable bar, it’s not safe nor advisable. Right now, our daughter uses this chair to rock her dolls on them, put them to sleep, calms them with the vibrations, basically does everything which we did with her. Once in a while, she likes sitting on them too.
15. Touch Feel Books
It’s never too early to start reading to your baby. Besides creating an interest in books, it helps ignite a kid’s imaginations. Parenting wizards out there recommend reading to the fetuses for better bonding. Best books to start with are the touch and feel books made of polyester, especially non-toxic because little ones have the habit of chewing everything around them. Starting an early bedtime reading habit develops a routine. We used Teytoy My First Soft Book which were quite a hit with our newborn.
This list contains only some of the many items I used while bringing up my daughter which seemed useful and were durable. However this is not a complete list, there are plenty of things that one can think of when it comes to parenting like Nursery care kit with thermometer, nasal aspirator, etc and Baby Bather – each seemingly more important than previous. If you are a parent or have a friend who is a parent do share your thoughts on the list and feel free to share if any items that are equally important as the ones above which I may have missed. Thank you for reading.
If you like what you read please follow the blog’s official pages so that you never miss out a post. Pour your thoughts, perspectives about the story in comments below. Its extremely encouraging to get some feedback.
Great post Alpana! It’s funny how I wrote something and we got the same diaper bag. This diaper bag is so similar to what I had when the kids were younger. I agree with all your pick here.
Thank you so much for checking out the post and your wonderful feedback. I appreciate it.
Many things we buy get actually wasted as you mentioned in this post. We bought a baby carrier on which our baby used to cry whenever we made her sit in it. Nice points perfect for the new parents!
Thank you so much Nisha for reading the post and the thoughtful reply. Yeah, our daughter still cries sometimes to this very day!
This is one amazing post. Somehow it drove me to my past where I made a list of all the items I need to buy before giving birth. I’m going to keep a record of these for the next one now 🙂
Thank you so much Mishael for your wonderful response 🙂
Every items describe to be at it’s best..
Again the magic pen creates wonders on the papers …
Keep writing alpu..
Ur are a gem of a writer
Thanks a lot my friend for your support and kind words of encouragement.
Love this list! I’m not a mama yet (it’ll a few years before the husband-to-be and I are ready to have kids!) but this seems like a great list and some great advice about not buying everything you see at Babies R’ Us! Definitely gonna keep this in mind when that time of our lives comes ’round. 🙂
Thank you so much Becca for reading and your kind words of appreciation. It means a lot to me 🙂
Added the link to favorites in my web browser.. Will definitely come back and read these points (and make sure to buy them as well) when I become a parent !!! Fantastic summary … Looking forward to more such informative posts…
Thanks a lot for reading the post! The appreciation means a lot to me.
I love your post because it brought back happy memories. You have somebof my favorites on this list: muslin blanket, Ergo baby carrier and the Chico Keyfit 30. They’ll be what I use if we’re nlessedbwith baby number 2.
So happy that our favorites match! Thanks a lot for reading and commenting 🙂 Good luck for the baby 2 🙂
This post is super comprehensive! Love it. I’m not a mother but I always feel like I’d be totally lost in terms of the things I’d need to get to be ready! Wonderful post.
Thanks a lot Lily for your kind words and feedback. I appreciate it 🙂
Great post and very informative. Take time to enjoy them, they grow up so fast. 😁🌴
Thanks a lot for your reply 🙂 🙂
Although written with US parents in mind, I think it’s a great article Alpana. Quite exhaustive and detailed in usefulness quotient of each item .
Well done 👏👏
Thank you so much for your kind words of appreciation 🙂