Complete newborn baby essentials for first-time moms
In this blog, I share a complete list of all the newborn baby essentials for first-time minimalist moms. Read along as I share what you need, what is good to have, and what you will not need (yet).
People used to say that a new baby doesn’t need much more than some diapers and much love. As I searched through lists of baby essentials my husband and I were overwhelmed as new parents by how many ‘essential’ items there were for those early days, even if we looked at a minimalist baby registry.
If you don’t have space, money, or need of many things keep reading. You might need a little more than just diapers and love to prepare for baby’s arrival but it does not have to be overwhelming.
For you to make your newborn essential list as minimal as you like I categorized everything into four categories:
- Newborn essentials for first-time moms I couldn’t do it without
- Newborn essentials for first-time moms I used every day
- Newborn essentials for first-time moms I used often enough that I would buy them again
- Newborn essentials for first-time moms that I used rarely or not at all
If you want to download my complete newborn essentials list you can download it for free below. Use it as a checklist to be prepared for those early months with your first baby as new parents.
Newborn essentials that I couldn’t do without
It will depend a lot on your parenting style and decisions if you use things more often or not. But in my opinion, some things are necessary for every single new parent.
Car seat
One of the most important things you need to get is a car seat. There are many different models with all kinds of features on the market. If you want to go cheap and minimal buy a simple car seat that you can fix with a seatbelt. Those get rarer as most car seats work with an anchor for more convenience. But honestly, I think the advantages of the good old plain car seat are huge.
Firstly, you can move the car seat to a different seat or a different car easily if necessary. If you have to move your anchor with it every single time it gets hard work very quickly!
Another advantage is that you can fix car seats without an anchor directly to your stroller. That way you can transfer your sleeping baby from the car to the stroller more easily.
Structured carrier
If you want to go minimal on transportation items I recommend you not buy a stroller but simply use a structured carrier. That is cheaper and uses less space than a stroller plus it is amazing to have your newborn snuggled up with you when out and about.
There are almost endless options for carrying your baby. When you choose your structured carrier I would recommend you pay attention the the following things:
- Use a carrier that has a hip band for extra support. That way you can carry your baby much longer and you will carry a heavy baby more easily.
- Use a structured carrier rather than a baby wrap for extra comfort and an easier setup.
- Buy a carrier that is adjustable for the size of the baby without using any kind of insert or pillow. Those don’t work too well in my experience.
- Use a carrier that is suitable for newborns with a lighter birth weight.
I love and use our baby carrier almost every single day. Up to 6 months, our baby slept in it every single nap and now as she is a toddler I still love to carry her whenever we leave the house.
Baby clothes
For clothes, it depends on which season your baby is born and how warm your house will be. If you want to go minimal you will need about 6 onesies, 4 sets of pajamas with feet, one jacket, and 2 newborn hats. That’s it.
Some babies are naturally warmer than others. I love to have onesies with long sleeves for the winter and short sleeves for the summer. Even though my girl is a toddler now (!) I still dress her in simple pajamas most days. I got some really cute ones that look decent to leave the house with.
When you are choosing a jacket for your baby consider the season your baby is born in. If the weather is colder it can be handy to buy a warm bodysuit of even a skisuit instead of only a jacket.
Sleeping bags
When it comes to sleeping your specific philosophies and techniques will determine which kind of baby gear you will need. I preferred sleeping bags over baby blankets. They stay at their place even if you have a very active baby. You need two baby sleeping bags size 56-62. If you choose to bedshare that is everything you need for sleeping. But also in a baby bed or crib, sleeping bags are a safe option.
You might be wondering what the best option to sleep is. If you are planning on co-sleeping or bedsharing read my blog about how to safely bedshare with a newborn. Or check out this article if you are wondering if sleeping in the same bed is safe.
Baby bed
If you don’t want to sleep in the same bed, you will need some kind of baby bed or co-sleeper. Choose a hard mattress for the crib. For the mattress covers, I would advise you to buy three rather than two covers to be on the safe side.
Diapers and wipes
Now we finally arrived at the one thing everyone knows you need: diapers. There are many different types of diapers from using no diapers at all (elimination communication) to disposable diapers and cloth diapers.
If you are wondering if disposable diapers or cloth diapers are better for your baby read my blog about the honest pros and cons of cloth diapering.
Diaper cream
Even if you are careful with regular diaper changes and soft diapering materials you will most likely struggle with diaper rashes at some point. Therefore I would advise you to use a rash cream at least once a day to prevent diaper rashes. I love this diaper cream from Weleda. If you use cloth diapers I would recommend using Vaseline to prevent a diaper rash every time you change the diaper.
Thermometer
In the beginning, we were advised by our midwife to measure babies’ temperature with every single diaper change. Even though I didn’t keep it up very long it was a good way to assess if there were too many blankets or layers of clothing or not.
When it comes to a baby thermometer try to look for an anal thermometer that measures the temperature very quickly. Infrared thermometers are less accurate and often don’t measure core temperature. Therefore I would advise you to use an anal thermometer in those early days.
Baby soap
Baby skin is very sensitive. Therefore, I advise you to not use baby soap very often. It can be very helpful however to use baby soap at bath time if there is a big blowout or spit up to have kind of a ‘deep clean’. Use a wash gel without soap when your baby is still small. Avoid fragrance and alcohol.
Baby oil
Most baby oils contain alcohol as well as fragrance. Therefore, I prefer 100% oils such as avocado, coconut, or almond oil instead of regular baby oil.
Soft paper nail file and later nail scissors/clippers
Baby nails are very soft, especially the first few days. Imagine soaking your nails for nine months in water! Therefore it is best to use a soft paper nail file rather than a metal one. In the first months, you will even be able to pick the nails with your hands.
When the nails get stronger within the first months you can start using nail scissors or clippers. I prefer clippers over scissors at any time.
Breastfeeding essentials
If you are planning on breastfeeding you will need a breast pump and something to store your breastmilk in. Even if you don’t plan on pumping regularly you are better prepared with a pump than without. According to research more than 2 out of 3 new moms pump especially in that newborn phase at least occasionally.
There are many different nursing pumps available. If you have a small budget I would recommend you buy a good quality pump second-hand. Make sure that it has not been used for more than a few months and check it on mold in tubes and other parts. Sterilize it and you got yourself an as good as new breast pump.
If you want to you can do it without a nipple cream. Use breast milk and let it dry on your nipple. It forms protection and nourishment for your sore and tender nipples. I did that and only that for the first weeks after I was able to drop the nipple shields and it worked just fine.
You also want to have a package of nursing pads or breast pads. My favorite was these washable nursing pads.
Baby bottle
No matter your choice of feeding you will need a bottle. If you formula feed you will need formula. Since there are so many types of bottles on the market it can help to ask your care provider or any medical professional about which kind of bottle would suit you best. Even talking to an experienced salesperson in a baby shop can help.
Playing
Newborns (and fun fact: children of all ages) don’t need a lot to play with. If I had to pick a few things that you can use to entertain them I would pick a high-contrast book, a book or toy that makes this rustling sound when you touch it, and a biting ring or two preferably from natural materials. Those items will train their visual abilities as well as their gross motor skills.
Something that helped us a lot for tummy time was our baby’s playing mat. This can be a playing blanket or anything soft where you can lay your baby on the floor. Even if your baby will not spend much time on it the first month it will be a great way to introduce independent play to your baby early on.
Newborn essentials I used every day
I am sure that with the things listed above you can make it work. If you would have to. There are many things that I use daily and would not want to miss in addition to the list above. Here are my newborn essentials as a first-time mom I didn’t need to survive but used every day. I surely used more baby clothes than listed above but I didn’t need them and for sure not on a daily basis.
Rocking chair
When it comes to sleep there were several baby essentials I wouldn’t want to miss as a first-time mom.
One thing that was a game-changer for me was a rocking chair. It was the chair with which my grandmother rocked her babies to sleep. You might need a chair to nurse your baby but it sure helps if it can rock to help them go to sleep quicker. As soon as we installed this chair in the nursery I didn’t have to walk our baby to sleep which surely was very convenient!
Baby-nest
The other item we used every day was her baby’s nest. She loved it for day and night sleep. A baby nest is a great option to use as a ‘portable’ safe place where you can lay baby everywhere you are. Some sites tell you that nests are not safe for babies to sleep in even with a breathable cover.
After some research, I found that some manufacturers claim that their breathable covers are safe for sleeping unsupervised but there is not enough research done on the breathable covers to tell if they are safe for sure. We figured that a breathable cover would be sufficient for us and our little one loved laying in her baby nest.
Baby blanket
Even though I always used baby sleeping bags for sleeping I loved our baby blanket. You can use it when you leave the house or you hold that lovely bundle of joy. Baby blankets can be a fun way to decorate the baby’s room and make your feeding station look and feel more cozy.
We were so grateful for the baby blanket my grandmas and mother made for us. This blanket surely will be a treasured item in our home and also a great gift idea for any baby shower.
Swaddles
We also loved swaddling our baby. If you want to swaddle, having two swaddles is enough. I loved the ones with a velcro fastener because they are put on quickly and stay at their place.
Baby bath
For baby care, I enjoyed having a baby bath. In the early weeks, I tried without one but bath time in the sink or under the shower was not working for us. We eventually invested money into a baby bath and bought a new foldable one. If you have the space or you can afford a foldable one, choose a bigger one. Your baby will be bigger sooner than you think and bath time is much more exciting if your baby can move its legs freely.
Changing pad
We have a changing pad and used it so many times that it is worth the money and space it uses. We have a plastic one with 2 covers.
Baby comb
Many newborns lose skin on their heads (it is called cradle cap). It is not dangerous but doesn’t look too nice and I love to brush it away with a baby comb and some oil.
Booger pickers
I also loved the little plastic nose tweezers and booger pickers to clean my baby’s nose if necessary.
Diaper bucket
Having a simple diaper bucket that is closable is enough. You don’t need an expensive and complicated one. We inserted a regular garbage bag into it and that worked just fine. Buying a complicated diaper pail can cost a lot of money and doesn’t add much in my opinion.
Changing table
Another practical thing for diaper changes is a changing table. Even if we changed our baby a lot downstairs on the changing pad on the regular table we used it to store all baby clothes, bed sheets, and diapers. To organize our changing table I used organizers. They sure helped me to stay on top of baby laundry since there was no need to fold them.
Pacifiers
Let’s talk about pacifiers. The recommendation is to establish breastfeeding first. When the baby is 4-6 weeks old you can introduce a pacifier if necessary. My tip is to buy two different kinds of pacifiers: the round and the flat one. Some believe that the round pacifier stimulates breastfeeding. Your dentist however will tell you that it is very bad for the developing baby teeth.
If you plan to keep the pacifier in for longer than 6 months I would recommend you use the flat one especially when breastfeeding is established. Our baby didn’t want the round one and we ended up using flat ones even though the pacifier had to go with 6 months anyway. She never struggled with nursing.
Silverettes
If you choose to breastfeed I can recommend Silverettes to you. Those silver cups will help your nipples to stay intact and heal. I used them in the first week or two after birth just as long as we established a good latch. They worked perfectly for us and I heard so many mamas about how they saved their breastfeeding journey.
Breastmilk bags
Another item I used that you probably wouldn’t necessarily need is breastmilk bags. They pile up more easily in your freezer making storing your breastmilk more efficient.
Burp cloths
Some kind of absorbent or burp cloths also come in handy. You can use it to burp your baby and catch up spit. It is also a good idea to use burp cloths to dry your baby after a bath.
Newborn essentials I used often enough that I would buy them again
There are a few things that I didn’t use daily but I sure would buy them again.
Now and then we used a white noise machine. You don’t need a fancy one with all kinds of features, one that makes the white noise is enough.
Another thing is a baby phone. Especially in the beginning, we didn’t use the baby phone regularly because we were with our baby all the time. However, it can be very nice if the baby decides to do a beautiful nap all by herself to have one on hand. We liked our baby phone which connected through radio waves a lot! Everywhere we went it was set up within seconds. No complicated settings whatsoever with 100% privacy.
Another thing we used fairly often was the stroller. We did use it for church and visits with family. In the beginning, we used the car seat adapter a lot to transfer our sleeping baby from the car inside. But most of the time we did use our structured carrier rather than the stroller.
The last thing that we used quite often was our diaper bag. If you want to do it without a diaper bag you can pack some diapers, baby wipes, one set of clean clothes, and maybe a burp cloth into your regular bag. Young babies don’t need very much on the road. If you decide that you want a diaper bag you don’t need to buy a special bag. Any bag that opens up easily and has some different pockets will give you easy access to all the baby items you need.
Newborn ‘essentials’ I used rarely or not at all
Because I tried to be minimal with my baby essentials as a first-time mom there wasn’t much I didn’t use. There were a few things that I didn’t use or used so rarely that it wasn’t worth the money or space.
I never used my nursing pillow. Already in the hospital, I figured that I didn’t like those huge breastfeeding pillows. I would use regular pillows to support my arms when holding my baby and never even took mine out of the closet at home.
We bought an amazing crib for the living room. It looked beautiful and it was a safe space for our baby but that was about the only two things that it was good for. We did lay our baby into the crib to be fair. Mostly it was with playing time because she would not sleep in the crib at all let alone next to us in the living room with all the noise.
As a present, I got different baby creams and soaps. I used one soap for the entirety of my baby’s newborn stage and never used any other cream than pure oils. Other than a diaper cream you will need nothing to cream your baby other than oil or Vaseline.
Funnily enough, we got a lot of newborn shoes. They do look cute and we used one pair occasionally but it is not worth spending your money on.
We bought a baby bouncer but it didn’t keep our baby entertained for long. It also isn’t the best position for your baby to be in so all in all it was not worth the space (and that is a lot of space!) it takes.
Postpartum essentials for the new mother
This topic actually should be a whole blog post on its own. As we are dealing with newborn babies we sometimes forget that we are also dealing with us as new mamas. Taking care of a baby can be hard work at times. You just gave birth and have to recover from 9 or 10 months of pregnancy. But instead of leaning back and taking a rest you are faced with sleepless nights, a crying baby, feeding challenges, and different dynamics in your marriage, friendships, and your time.
Even though the postpartum period has its challenges it is also an exciting time. Here are my 6 must-have items that you might not find on other postpartum lists that will help your mental but also physical health.
- Dried fruit and nuts at every feeding and changing station
- Comfortable clothing that makes you comfortable when being around people but also fits your post-partum body
- Flax or chia seeds as natural stool softeners
- A nice water bottle that makes you want to drink water
- Frozen pre-cut veggies and fruit for easy meals
- A YouTube playlist with your favorite postpartum stretching and pelvic floor exercise
If you are struggling with a lack of sleep, read my blog about how to safely do co-sleeping with a newborn.
Link to products I love
Here is my list of baby items I love to use for our baby. If you use my links to purchase you support my blog without any costs to you. This is also a good opportunity to make a list of things you want from your friends or family members for your baby shower.
- Weleda Diaper cream
- Vaseline
- A baby carrier that works for newborns as well as bigger babies with hip-band
- Thermometer rectal thermometers are the most accurate, and this one is very fast in measuring
- Breastmilk pump that I loved for occasional use
- Reusable nursing pads
- Biting ring of natural materials
- Baby nest with a breathable cover
- Foldable high-quality baby bath
- Baby brush and comb
- Booger picker and nose pincet
- Cheap and simple diaper pail
- Silverettes
- Breastmilk bags
- Simple white noise machine
- Baby phone with no need of WIFI
- High-quality stroller from Bugaboo that I would recommend you buy second-hand
What are your favorite newborn essentials as a first-time mom? Write a comment, I would love to read all about it!
