Newborn Essentials: 10 Baby Things I Couldn’t Live Without

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to the Big City Moms biggest baby shower.  And make no mistake, it was a BIG event.  Tons of vendors, brand new products, samples, product demos (I actually saw a stroller that collapses itself!), and a swag bag that would make any soon-to-be mom swoon…I’m actually still weeding through all my goodies two weeks later.  But as I walked through the aisles of product after product that was being marketed as a “must-have” for new moms, I couldn’t help but think about how little I really needed for those first 3 months that I refer to as “the newborn phase”.  I mean, you’ll definitely need all those gadgets and gizmos, just not at the beginning.  Because as hard as the newborn phase can be, it’s also a delightfully simple time.

So below is my list of the 10 baby things that I absolutely couldn’t live without during those first 3 months of life:

1. Cotton/Flannel Receiving Blankets – I love bamboo swaddling blankets as much as the next girl, but my flannel receiving blankets got more of a workout than anything else.  These blankets typically come in super affordable bundles of 4-5 and are great to test the waters to see if your baby likes being swaddled.  Fun fact: only one of my children liked to be swaddled as a baby.  They also double as extra large and absorbent burp cloths, changing pads/liners, and just about anything else you can think of.
2. Dishwasher baskets – These were a godsend for me…once I knew they existed.  And unfortunately for me, that was about 6 weeks after Greenleigh was born.  That’s right, 6 weeks of hand washing bottles.  Six weeks of fishing bottle parts out from the bottom of my dishwasher.  All to find out there was a better way.  And for that reason, I now give dishwasher baskets as a part of every baby shower gift.  They don’t get the ooohs and ahhhs that normal shower gifts get, but I know they will get used.
3. Newborn Rock n’ Play – My 3 nights in the hospital with Everett were rough.  ROUGH.  One reason being that Everett doesn’t like sleeping on his back.  So he would sleep just fine until you tried to put him down in the bassinet.  And apparently there were “rules” against propping the bassinet mattress to create an incline.  Needless to say, I was thrilled to have my Fisher Price Newborn Rock n’ Play waiting for us at home.  We even purchased a second one so we didn’t have to drag it from one side of the house to the other.
4. Sling or carrier – If you have a child that wants to be held all the time, a sling or carrier is a must.  For me, it was the difference between getting things done and having my entire house fall apart – especially with Greenleigh.  Taking Everett to Disney at 8 weeks old in a carrier (Ergo) was probably the easiest trip ever, all thanks to our carrier.  I actually keep mine in my car to use for quick trips because it can be so much easier than maneuvering the stroller, depending on the destination.
5. Formula dispenser – An absolute must if you plan to formula feed at any point in the first 1 year.  When I first had Greenleigh, I did things the hard way.  Greenleigh would wake in the middle of the night and I would get up, change her diaper, and then go to the kitchen to heat a bottle.  This seemed normal to me.  But the whole process took nearly45 minutes when all was said and done.  For Hazeline and Everett, I decided to stream line the process by keeping pre-measured water in bottles and formula in the formula dispenser on my nightstand.  Making a bottle with everything pre-measured took seconds instead of minutes, and I didn’t have to go far to do it.  During the day, throw it in your diaper bag and you’re ready to go.
6. An infant carseat & stroller – Because, while you’ll probably be happy to camp out in your house for a few weeks, you’re going to want to go somewhere…eventually.  And while I know you can start using many convertible carseats right from the beginning, I really enjoy having an infant seat…but try to make sure that it has a rounded bottom to it.  My carseat actually doubled as a rocker because it had a rounded bottom.  It was perfect for my child who wanted to be rocked 24/7 and allowed me to eat many meals while we were out because I could rock him with one hand and eat with the other.
7. Philips AVENT Bottles – I’ll admit, for my other two kids I used different bottles.  Bottles that leaked, consisted of multiple parts and were hard to clean (they even required special dishwasher baskets).  But for Everett I decided to ditch them and start over from scratch…and I’m so glad I did.  Because Philips AVENT bottles are probably the easiest bottles I’ve ever used.  They are a snap to put together, super easy to clean (and fit in just about any dishwasher basket), and they are really affordable.  And all those parts?  Not here!  I use the Philips AVENT Classic bottles (pictured below), but they also have a Natural Bottle that is pretty fantastic.  This is the only specific brand recommendation in this list, but that’s mainly because I recommend these specific bottles to every single new mom I meet.  They made my life so much easier.  I’m also a huge fan of their pacifiers.
8. Pajamas with Zippers – ‘Cause there’s no time for all those snaps when it’s 3am and you haven’t slept in weeks.
9. Breast Pump – If you plan to breastfeed, a pump is a must have.  And even if breastfeeding doesn’t work out for you, pumping can offer an alternative that still allows your baby to get all the benefits of breast milk.  For me, as an exclusive pumper, I used my pump up to 7 times per day, so a good pump was key.  I would also recommend having breast pump wipes, milk storage bags, and lanolin on hand.
10. Boppy – Yes, yes, it’s a breastfeeding pillow, but regardless of whether you plan to breastfeed, a Boppy is a must.  It is the ultimate baby positioner.  All of my kids have been so incredibly comfortable in the Boppy…I actually have this theory that they love it because when positioned in it, it feels like arms wrapped around them.  Just my opinion.  While babies shouldn’t sleep in a Boppy, it’s a great place for them to hang out during the day that can be easily moved from room to room.

Add in some diapers and wipes and that’s about it.  So what about you?  What were the baby items that you couldn’t live without?  What would your “essentials” list include?