(My) Newborn Essentials

I try not to teeter too much into Babyland but since I DO talk about shopping quite a bit on here, I thought I’d share some newborn essentials.   I’ve had a LOT of requests for this–probably because I’m a bit of a veteran in this arena and I realize many of you are new moms or exploring motherhood! 

Now, I can’t stress this enough: every baby is different.  Every baby has a different locker combination.  What works for one baby may not work for another.  However, I tried to highlight things that have worked for all or most of my babies and why.  Hope this helps you create a registry, buy a gift for a loved one, or get some sleep (that’s what we all need, right?)!

Newborn Essentials

1. SNOO bassinet – This may entail a more detailed post but this is my first time using it for a baby!  For a final baby, I wouldn’t buy it–I’d rent it.  If you’re having your first and think you’ll want more kids, I would buy it (better if it’s used!).  Buying used or renting seems most economical, though.
2. Nursing tanks – I have basically worn one of these since Bennett was born.  I wear them under my clothes, work out in them, sleep in them.  It’s me and nursing tanks, baby.  
3. Boppy – You’ll use it for feeding, lounging, tummy time…trust me, you’ll use it.
4. DermaFrida Flake Fixer – HOLY CRAP, this works.  I wish I knew about this with Teddy, who had awful cradle cap.  It’s disgusting and satisfying removing the cradle cap, all at the same time.
5. SenseU baby monitor – Yes, i put a breathing monitor on my kids when they’re babies.  Look, it gives me peace of mind.  For the two older boys, I used a Snuza but I lost it in the move so I bought this one–so far, so good!
6. Puj baby bath pad – Whoever invented this is a genius.  Bathe your baby in the sink–it’s so much easier rand this makes it a cinch!  It’s so awesome for newborns and makes bath time a breeze.
7. So many swaddling cloths – I ALWAYS have a towel on me; you need so many of these, trust me.  Aden + Anais is my favorite brand!
8. Elvie pump – This is my third baby and third pump.  And as someone who hates pumping, this is as good as it gets.  I don’t think it’s as strong as my Spectra (which I would recommend!) but it’s dang close and if I remember from past babies, it gets out just as much milk.  And as far as convenience goes, it’s #1 to me.
9. Comotomo bottles – My favorite bottles of all time.  All my breastfed kids have loved them!
10. Baby Bjorn bouncer – My first two kids hated this and go figure, Bennett loves it!  I added this little toy bar to clip on and he’s obsessed.
11. Baby Scale – I bought this years ago for the baby stage.  My olde kids are so huge now that I can’t believe I worried about their weight, but newborn weight gain gives a little anxiety.  I can’t wait for the appointments so I bought a scale for peace of mind; it’s slightly crazy, but keeps me at ease.  (I’ve always been a milk under-producer and several lactation consultants have confirmed so keeping an eye on their growth at the beginning is why I bought a scale!)
12. Dock a tot – Dock a tot saved me with Teddy–he loved it.  Bennett is ok with it.  So many of these recommendations depend upon the baby.  But the good news is that there’s tons of cheaper options on Amazon when you search for dock a tots; I can’t recommend those but i”m sure there are some legit options!
13. Baby Bjorn mini  – LIFESAVER.  The MVP of the 4th trimester.  All three kids needed to be carried a LOT this saved my life.  Both my husband and I wear it and it’s extra helpful when you need to cook dinner or attend to another child.
14. The clip for the baby bjorn bouncer!  It’s Bennett’s favorite toy.
15. NoseFrida – It’s crazy how comfortable I’ve become sucking out my kids boogers…with my MOUTH.  There’s a lot of knock-offs of it, too, in case you want something a tad cheaper.

Well, shoot.  I forgot to put the baby monitor in the collage.  Here’s the one we use! Our old monitor was like from a different era/VCR technology but this one is NICE.  And relatively inexpensive!

And if you are having a c-section, or want to know what it’s like, check out my post about having three c-sections HERE!