Must Haves – “The Basics”

• Diapers | Pampers Pure or Kirkland Brand from Costco (Amazon~$50)
  • I recommend becoming a member at Sams Club or Costco
  • I did a lot of research when I was pregnant and after using Pampers, these are what I recommend to other moms. If you do end up using Pampers, download their free mobile app for discounts.
    • NB (Newborn) ~250+/- diapers (our girl was 6lb at birth, she was in these until 2 months)
    • Size 1 (8-14 lbs)
  • Good things to know:
    • Most diapers have a yellow line from front to back. When it turns blue, it’s a sign of moisture – so time for a diaper change.
    • There are blue tabs on the front of the diaper to show where the “wings” should attach to.

• Baby Wipes | Water Wipes (Amazon~$50) – We buy these at Target
  • Wipes are very important to keep free of harsh chemicals since you are using them several times a day and putting them on the fresh baby bums and privates. I highly recommend Water Wipes. They have no smell and are 99% water. Just don’t leave the lid open (my husband accidentally does) and it will dry out the top 1 or 2 wipes. Another great option if you are a Costco member are the “Kirkland” brand baby wipes. Huge packs and no harsh chemicals.

• Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail (Amazon~$80)
  • So a diaper pail is basically a glorified trash can. In the very beginning, most baby poop doesn’t really smell, but around 3 months, baby poop starts to have a smell and then around 6 months when babies begin food, their poop really starts to stink. Having a diaper pail is a nice way to keep this smell from spreading everywhere. My best friend had the Diaper Genie and she hated the fact that she had to buy special diaper pail bags, which were costly. The ubbi doesn’t require any special bags and comes in tons of colors. I ended up getting one at a baby shower and I bought another on FB Marketplace. Now, we have one upstairs and one downstairs and I really like it. It has a child proof lock too. The only complaint I have is I wish it was taller. It stands right at 1.25 ft tall, but supposedly holds more diapers than any other diaper pail.

• Receiving Blankets/Aden + Anias Swaddles (Target – $40) or Simple Joy by Carter’s, 7 pack (Amazon ~$16)
  • We actually used these to swaddle our baby girl with the first few weeks. She rarely wore clothes because if I wasn’t changing her diaper or feeding her, she was skin to skin with either my husband or me. These can double as burp cloths or a cloth to wipe up spit up, pee, breast milk, etc.

• Baby Tylenol/Liquid Acetaminophen (Amazon ~$8)
  • Never hurts to have on hand so you aren’t running to the store in the middle of the night. Did you know that Adult Tylenol and Baby Tylenol are the same thing – the baby just comes with a syringe and is more expensive. It is recommended that you consult your pediatrician before giving Tylenol to an infant.

• NoseFrida SnotSucker (Amazon – $20)

• Saline Nose Drops (Amazon~$4)
  • Babies breath through their nose, so a stuffy nose isn’t fun. These saline drops help break-up the the gunk and allow you to suck out the boogies with the snot sucker bulb. Brooke doesn’t like the process, but she sure seems more up beat when she can breath easier!

• Digital Rectal Thermometer, Safety First (Amazon~$10)
  • I like this one because the little knot close to the tip shows you how far to insert into the bum. Doing this for the first time was a little scary, but now I feel like a pro. You will definitely need one of these to check your little one’s temperature. Babies feel like little heaters to the touch, so sometimes a rectal temperature is what you need to ease your mind that he/she doesn’t have a fever.

• Gas Drops/ Mylicon Gas Relief (Amazon~$10)
  • Let’s talk baby farts! Since their digestive tracks are still figuring out their role, your baby will find it very difficult to get that gas out. These gas drops were life savers when Brooke was a few weeks old. She would be fed, have a clean diaper on and just cry and cry. We had no idea how to soothe her and what was wrong. I am so glad we had these on hand because one dose and she instantly felt relief. You can administer up to 12 doses a day, so get these and help that little tummy out.

• Cetaphil Daily Baby Lotion (Amazon~$9)
  • I am not big on putting lotion on your baby too early, but I finally started putting lotion on Brooke around 2 months. This is a great brand, smells nice and has a good consistency. There are tons of options for lotion, so choose what you like.

• ThinkBaby Sunscreen (Amazon ~ $17)
  • It is highly recommended that babies under 6 months stay out of the sun, but we live at the beach and I knew my daughter would be outside. I researched and debating putting sunscreen on her until she got her little cheeks slightly burnt (even with an SPF hat on). I instantly purchased “ThinkBaby” and highly recommend it. It’s not too think and it smells really nice.

• Car Seat & Travel System/Stroller (Amazon~$430)
  • My dad is a retired State Trooper and Certified in Child Passenger Safety. I turned to him for advice because let’s face it, there are SOO many options for car seats and I just wanted her to be safe. The bottom line is all car seats are tested to the highest safety guidelines or they wouldn’t be approved for public purchase. It really is up to you on the functions and features. A girlfriend of mine has a stroller and carseat in one, the wheels fold out from the carseat, which is pretty cool. I ended up purchasing the Britax B-Safe 35 and Britax B-Lively Stroller after reading so many reviews and watching video reviews on YouTube. While this is pretty pricey (like all strollers and carseats), I justified it because we are planning to have more than one baby and car seats are good for 6+/- years as long as they haven’t been involved in a wreck. Or you can resell. It folds up with one hand and is nice for walking around the mall or jogging around the neighborhood. There are add ons that can be purchased for toting around 2 kiddos, which I liked too. Since the car seat fits onto the stroller, Brooke will be able to use the stroller once she has transitioned out of the infant car seat, which is what you want.
  • A great resource I discovered through another mom is Car Seats for the Littles or csftl.org. Here they compare almost all carseats functionality, ratings, etc.

• Ergobaby Four Position 360 Cool Air Baby Carrier (Amazon ~$160)
  • Hands down one of the most used baby products that I purchased. I use the carrier around the house while I do just about anything – cooking, cleaning, walking around, laundry – you get it! I also find it helpful when I need my hands, but still want my baby close, so think – grocery shopping, going to the beach, etc.
  • Good to know! My neighbor originally gave me her used carrier that was an original Ergobaby. It was cotton and nice in the winter, but in the southern heat, me and the baby were glued together from sweat and my husband refused to carrier her because of how hot they both got. So, I ended up buying this “Cool Air Mesh” version and it was a game changer.
  • In addition, I love the wrap and ring sling carriers for when the baby is really small, but this carrier can be used for a longer amount of time and worth the money.

Basic Items to grab from the Hospital

For Baby

Ask your nurse if there is an additional charge for these items because you don’t want to be charged extra for them. If there is not, ask if she can get the following items…

• Medical Dose Syringes (great for measuring milk or medicine)
• Blue Nose/Snott Sucker Bulb
• Hair Brush & Comb
• Receiving Blanket
• Diapers/Wipes

For Mama

• Large White Bed Protector Pad (the one they leave on your hospital bed)
  • Why grab this? Well regardless if you are breastfeeding, your boobs will start leaking milk and you will wake up in a puddle of milk. This thick protector will help catch all that milk that your boob pads don’t and you can wash this instead of your sheets. (Thanks to a lactation consultant who works at the local hospital told me this one.)
• Any pump parts you use
• Tucks (Hazelnut pads)
• Squirt Bottle
• Numbing Spray
• Pads/Ice pack pads (those are the best)

Optional Items (But very handy to have)

• Baby Swing
  • Yes, baby snuggles are the sweetest and when you aren’t sitting on the sofa snuggling you can use a ring sling or wrap to hold baby near you (highly suggest). Mama, sometimes you are just going to want to put that baby down to pee. A baby swing is a magical contraption that will rock that baby to sleep (sometimes) or allow your baby to have a better angle at the TV like Brooke does (HA!). There are so many to choose from and ours was a hand-me-down. So feel free to shop around. Here is a really great Fisher Price one that has been rated very highly on Amazon; however, it doesn’t look like this one vibrates. If you get a swing, I recommend one that swings, vibrates, and plays sounds. (Amazon~$150)

• Boppy Lounger (Amazon ~$33)
  • This lounger was gifted to me and I had no idea how nice it would be. We move it all around the house including on the kitchen counter when I’m cooking. Brooke loves to sit and just watch me while I work. It’s good until baby starts rolling over. So from 0-3/4 months.

• Baby Car Mirror (Amazon~$11)
  • If you happen to be driving solo, it’s nice to look in the rear view mirror and see your little one. Whether they are screaming for the paci they dropped or they are sleeping soundly, it’s nice to have an eye on them. This particular mirror is universal, shatter proof and has the ability to be easily tilted in all 4 directions.

• WubbaNub Infant Pacifier (Amazon~$14)
  • When I was pregnant, I thought “those Paci stuffed animals are expensive”. The thing I didn’t realize is that when you are driving and pulling a one hand ‘find the paci’ for your screaming/hungry baby in the back seat, the animal is much easier to locate than the small pacifier. They are attached to the Phillips Soothie pacifier that I recommend as well. So not necessarily a “must have”, but it is nice to have so you don’t lose every paci.

• Moms On Call book (Amazon ~$20)
  • This book is great! I got it as a gift and have really appreciated the resource. It’s a thin book, but contains some valuable information from sleeping to eating. Tips and tricks from 2 pediatric nurses who each have 5 kids each (including twins). My favorite part is the “typical day” schedules in the back. I thrive on a schedule and so do babies. Create healthy habits early so sleep training is easier.

• Baby Bum Brush (Amazon~$8)
  • I’ve heard from other mamas this was very handy to keep your fingers clean when applying sticky diaper cream. We have one, but thankfully no diaper rash at this point, so no need to use yet.

• Diaper Caddy (Amazon ~ $22)
  • This was a baby shower gift that I still use today to hold diapers in our bedroom since her nursery is on the second floor. It’s great to hold wipes, diaper cream, nail clippers, etc.

• Diaper Book Bag (Amazon ~$40)
  • Get something that is your style. This is basically your new purse. So shop around and get something that fits your lifestyle. I recently found this bag that I really love. It’s pretty, feels expensive and half the price of some of those fancy bags. I am not a name brand person, but I do love for things to look nice. I will warn you that at first it smells like chemicals, so take it out of the plastic and let it air out for a week or so before you use it. I even added a washcloth with essential oils in it, so it would smell better.

• Skip Hop Changing Station (Amazon ~ $30)
  • To my surprise not every restaurant has a changing station, so I’ve sadly had to change my daughter on the floor before. This is so nice. It has compartments for a few diapers and wipes and fold out to a changing station. The material is easily wiped down and it comes everywhere with us!

• Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifer (Amazon ~$60)
  • Don’t wait (like I did) until your baby has a stuffy nose and you try to find a large humidifier for their room. This humidifier holds a gallon of water, which will usually run out in a night.

• Oilogic Stuffy Nose and Cough Essential Oil (Amazon ~$7)
  • I bought this at Wal-Mart because I was desperate to give my daughter some relief from her first little cold. You rub it on the bottom of their feet, the back of their next and chest and it helps break up the snot. I find it to be helpful.

• Badger Baby Balm (Amazon ~ $20)
  • For my baby showers, I think I got every kind of diaper cream. Butt Paste, A+D, End It, Aquaphor, Destin, but I’m not a fan of the harsh chemicals in these since they are being applied to delicate private parts. I found this diaper cream at a local place – Tidal Creek Co-op, but you can also purchase on Amazon as linked above.
  • A tip I learned from a nurse friend is if your baby does get a diaper rash, try leaving the diaper off for a while and let that baby butt air out. Also, you can apply breast milk or put your baby in a breast milk bath. If you ever have breastmilk that has gone bad, keep it and write “void” on the bag.

• Ingentity SmartClean 3-in-1 High Chair (Amazon ~$100)
  • The easiest high chair to wipe down. No fabric, just a soft cushion like foam that wipes the messy meals off with ease. The top of the tray is removable and can be tossed in the sink or dishwasher for easy cleaning.
  • Oh and it’s 3 in 1, meaning you can use it for many years as a high chair, a booster seat, to a toddler seat. The only downside is it is wide and does need space, so if you have a compact room, it may not be the best choice for you as the front and back butterfly out so it cannot be tipped over.
  • We love the wheels on the bottom for scooting our daughter into the kitchen or another room.

• Munchkin White Hot Infant Safety Spoons (Amazon ~$5)
  • Great to have on hand!

• Munckin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup (Amazon ~12)
  • We introduced this cups to our daughter as soon as we introduced solids. She was drinking out of them by 9 months and drinking like a pro by 12 months. They teach your child how to drink out a regular cup without spilling.
  • The downside is if they are dropped from high up, some liquid will come out, but not a lot. my daughter likes to “drop the mic” with her sappy cup and I don’t mind as long as it’s water. 🙂

• BABYBJÖRN Baby Bib, 2-Pack (Amazon ~$20)
  • Look for these on Facebook Marketplace or at a yard sale. They are expensive for a reason. They are solid and catch food into the little tray. I absolutely love these suckers when we go to a restaurant because hardly any food gets on the floor. Score! The neck is adjustable and the pearl accent is a nice touch!
  • Downside is when pulled up to the high chair tray, they prevent your little one from seeing their food.