As a first time mom, knowing what baby products to buy your newborn for the weeks and months following their arrival is difficult.
The marketing that goes into selling you useless things to garner fear so you buy is something that’s fully real, and something I unfortunately fell victim to.
As a first time mom, I didn’t know any better.
If you are expecting or are trying to conceive and you’re looking to build your baby wish list I hope to provide you with clarity, because trust me you don’t need it all.
In fact, you need very little. Focus on the bigger picture and less on the trendy baby products.
What products do babies need?
This could vary from baby to baby but within those first few weeks you really only need essential newborn baby products.
Below is a list of our essentials, click the links to view each product:
- Diapers we like how soft these are and they fit our newborn perfectly
- Burp cloths this pack of 6 are shaped to fit perfectly to throw over your shoulder
- Bottles these are the best, we bought several brands and feeding with the Dr. Brown bottles was the best experience
- Swaddle the Love to Dream is better than the velcro swaddles as hands up is how babies sleep
- Formula we used the pre-made at first to make life easier
- Soother we bought a few brands and our baby love the nipple on these
- Stroller and car seat we researched a lot and went in person to test this out, the Uppababy system includes everything we were looking for, the investment has been totally worth it
- A crib or bassinet with a fitted sheet these sheets are beautiful and easy to wash
- Onesies (buy a few newborn and 0-3 months); if you’re looking for inspiration, check out this guide on neutral baby clothes
- Diaper rash cream I use this one because my mom did
- Wipes these do the trick
These are the products I’ve used from day 1, the non-negotiables I reach for every single day. Everything else you can get as you go. Clothing accessories, blankets, stuffed animals, bath products, clothes for over 0-3 months can be purchased later.
A list of baby products I bought and haven’t used
Baby products:
Baby Products: Changing pad
The Baby Changing Pad was a tough pill for me to swallow, I initially wanted the aesthetic changing table area you see online and after 4 weeks of having a newborn I haven’t used the changing pad once.
I prefer throwing a towel on the couch or bed, laying my baby down and quickly changing her. It’s more convenient being able to stand above her and be able to maneuver at different angles.
The changing pad is not cheap and is totally unnecessary.
Baby Products: Momcozy Bottle Warmer
If you make your formula manually this might be a good baby product to have, but I haven’t used my Momcozy Bottle Warmer once. We have the Baby Brezza which makes formula for you at the right temperature (more on that below).
It’s also another appliance for your countertop, and if you’re anything like me you already have enough kitchen appliances and want to reduce the cutter to allow for more counter space.
Baby Products: Philips Avent bottles
After talking to my lactation consultant and every nurse at the hospital the Dr. Brown’s anti colic bottles were the number one choice. They’ve reduced my baby’s reflux since using them and we can’t be more grateful.
We bought 4 immediately and haven’t used the popular Philips Avent bottles once.
Baby Products: Forehead thermometer
A forehead thermometer seems like a good idea, the ease of use and sleek design makes them favourable among parents, but my baby’s pediatrician was adamant on using an under the arm thermometer for an accurate reading, stating the forehead version is inaccurate.
Again, this product is not cheap.
Baby Mobile
When you buy a baby mobile make sure to get one that isn’t static and spins. I made the mistake of buying a really beautiful wooden baby mobile but it doesn’t move, and my daughter really loves to watch movement which is also good for their development. If you’re looking for aesthetics only, then this one is a great option.
Baby Brezza
The one baby product I do highly recommend investing in is the Baby Brezza, trust me when I say it makes feeding time a million times easier.
After manually making formula I immediately bought the Baby Brezza which came highly recommended by my brother who has two young kids.
It does everything for you at the exact right temperature. I do wish I had added a bottle sterilizer to my registry because that’s the one thing it doesn’t do.
