I am 11 weeks postpartum and after 3 kids, I truly know what newborn essentials I swear by. Tending to a newborn is lots of work (with little sleep) and babies require a lot of stuff. There’s no need to even pay attention to the stuff you don’t really need. A lot of the things they make for babies are novelty. At the end of the day, you need to make sure the baby sleeps. They sleep when they’re fed, clean and comfortable. The newborn essentials I swear by will make sure your little one is just that.
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Boppy
This nursing/feeding pillow has been a fave for years. Rightfully so. It helps prop baby up so you don’t have to hold them and cause even more stress on your back and arms while feeding them. The great thing about the Boppy is the variety of covers they offer. So cute. So useful – throughout the baby’s entire first year!
NoseFrida
Ok, so I get it. Sucking snot out of your baby’s nose isn’t the most appealing thing in motherhood. But it gives me great satisfaction to make sure my baby can breathe. Listen, newborns have small nostrils. And they don’t know how to blow their nose. They need our help. Cue the NoseFrida. Just a crafty little gadget that lets you clear your baby’s nose without it being super gross.
The SNOO
Now, 3 years ago I would’ve sworn up and down that a $1300 bassinet was just not worth it. However, the SNOO isn’t just a bassinet. It’s peace of mind. It’s a smart bassinet that soothes your newborn while they sleep and teaches them to self soothe. I wasn’t lucky enough to have this when Maizah was born but Happiest Baby gifted it to me when Caliana was 4 months old. It was good then. But now that we’ve had it since Christian was born, I’m truly learning how great this thing really is. I swear by it. Christian has been sleeping in it since day one. He sometimes naps in it, but he does all his nighttime sleep in it.
Como Tomo Bottles
As a breastfeeding mama, I had to find bottles that Christian would take to fast because I had to bottle feed him early on. (He was a snacker and wasn’t gaining weight at the rate his pediatrician thought he should.) While I had never used Comotomo bottles in the past, I had heard nothing but great things about them for breastfed babies. Getting him used to the bottle was no problem at all. I swear by these.
Graco Glider LX
Anytime I have posted about any of my kids in their glider, I always get questions. I have used this one for all 3 of my kids (same one since Maizah was born) and it is undefeated. The Graco Glider LX is where baby hangs out and naps during the day. He loves it just like his sisters did. And I use it throughout their entire first year. This is definitely a home essential – doesn’t travel well, but during the baby’s first 6 months, we’re usually home the majority of the time anyway.
Chicco Bravo Car Seat & Stroller Travel System
If you ask Hubs, I have waaaaaay too many strollers. I mean it’s not my fault. I had 3 kids in the last 5 years. We have a double stroller, a travel stroller and a really nice stroller that’s great for all day occasions. However, we didn’t really have a stroller for a newborn. Cue the Chicco Bravo car seat and stroller travel system. When I take the girls to school in the morning, I need something easy to transport the baby in and out of the car without having to take him out of the car seat. This carrier and stroller combo is so light, a breeze to get in and out of the trunk and flat out easy to deal with. My. Ministry.
Dock-A-Tot
There’s lots of opinions on the Dock-A-Tot. Some people love it while some people think it’s an overpriced piece of foam. I bought the Dock-A-Tot when I had Caliana. It looked so pretty on Instagram and while it cost more than I expected it would, I made the splurge and attempted to get her to sleep in it. It really wasn’t her thing. So I fell in that group of people who thought I paid for some overpriced piece of foam. However, now that Christian is here, I’m reaping the benefits. He sleeps in this thing, hangs out in it while I make meals and it can go anywhere – the couch, the bed, the floor and it works. It is worth it if your baby sleeps in it. Anything is. We’re huge fans over here.
Skip Hop Tub
I became a fan of Skip Hop when I had Caliana. I love their aesthetic and approach to how they make toys and things for babies + kids. We have a handful of items for the girls from them, but when I saw this Skip Hop tub, I knew I had to get it for Christian. When babies are this little, a tub doesn’t have to be fancy – more so functional. I liked this one because it grows with baby (I’m all about maximizing an essential and getting my bang for my buck) and the elephant is just so cute. I’ve been really into gray lately, so this was perfect.
Carter’s 2 Way Zipper Pajamas
Listen to me. There will be so many cute onesies, outfits and even pajamas you see for your baby. They will fool you into thinking that they are just the best thing in the world. And then you will realize they are the worst because…they’ll have snaps. Hundreds, and what even feels like thousands of snaps. Snaps are the worst. Especially in the middle of changing a baby after a late night feed when you’re half asleep. That’s why I’m a huge fan of Carter’s pajamas with the 2 way zippers. So good, so easy to get baby’s legs in and out of to change them and they have some really cute options.
Medela Sonata Smart Hospital Performance Breast Pump
As a breastfeeding mom who can’t always be around because of work, I rely on my breast pump a lot. Of course, everyone knows Medela as the go to brand for breast pumps. And I was so excited when they launched a hospital performance breast pump – the Sonata. It is really good and it’s been my pump of choice since I’ve had Christian. It’s compatible with the existing Medela breastfeeding gift set which makes the pumping process as easy as it can be. I love the touch screen panel and how easy it is to carry around in case I need to move around while pumping.
HONORABLE MENTION: Gerber Organic White Onesies – just get them. Your baby will live in these things for the first 6-8 months. Get a couple packs in the newborn, 3-6 months, 6-9 months and 12 months sizes. They will be used throughout the baby’s entire first year, trust me!
