Wondering what you need for your newborn once they actually arrive? Look no further!
Are you wondering what newborn essentials you actually need for your baby?
If this is your first newborn, believe me, I understand it can be confusing. Between personal preferences, recommendations, ready-made baby registries, and cute baby item displays at the store, narrowing down your list of newborn essentials can be tough.
If you’re starting from scratch and want to make sure you get everything you need for your new baby, look no further than this list.
(This list does not include any of the fun items like baby toys or adorably cute outfits. Not that there’s anything wrong with buying those things- that’s actually the fun part of shopping for baby items! But those are less specific and left up to your preference.)
If you purchase all of the items off this list, you’ll have all the essentials required to care for a newborn. Everything else that you buy is a fun, awesome bonus!
The Basics
The absolute must-haves when it comes to newborn care.
Diapers and Wipes
You’ll need a stash of diapers and wipes, and you’ll need a large one. A newborn will have an average of 8-12 wet diapers in a 24-hour period. That’s anywhere from 56-84 diapers per week!
Which diapers you plan on using are a personal preference. Disposable diapers are the most popular option in the U.S. If you opt to use disposable, you’ll want to plan on buying enough to last you for the first month (two months, if possible… Then you’ll have one less thing to worry about while recovering!). You’ll want to buy plenty of newborn and size 1 diapers, and a couple packs of size 2 diapers.The amount of newborn and size 1 diapers should be enough to get you through the first month, and it’s always a good idea to have the next size up on hand.
Another option is cloth diapers. This is a more expensive investment at the beginning, but can save you money over the amount of time you’ll be diapering. There are many options for cloth diapers and it can feel overwhelming at first when looking into it, but if you want a good overview of what you’re getting into, read this post.
Wipes can be purchased in-store, or you can plan on making your own at home. An easy wipe recipe to follow is:
- 1 roll of paper towels, cut in half
- 1- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 TBSP baby wash or baby-safe castile soap
- Optional: other baby-safe ingredients, such as 1tsp aloe vera gel or essential oils
- Whisk liquid ingredients together and pour into wipe container. Add the half of paper towel roll and close lid. Let sit for 30 minutes, then flip container over and let it sit for another 30 minutes, or until the liquid is evenly absorbed.
Crib + Mattress (safe place to sleep)
Somewhere for your baby to sleep is absolutely necessary. A safe crib (if you’re buying secondhand, check how old the crib is, as older cribs are no longer considered safe due to how far apart the slats are) is what we automatically think of, but there are also options like a co-sleeper or a bassinet.
Co-sleeping in the bed with you is another option. There is heavy debate as to whether this is considered safe, so do your own research and see what you’re comfortable with. If co-sleeping sounds like something you want to do, make sure to follow the Safe Sleep 7 Guidelines.
The latest research shows that letting your infant sleep in a car seat or baby seat is not considered safe. The position and angle at which the seats let them sleep can sometimes restrict their airways, which can lead to suffocation.
Carseat
Selecting a safe car seat can be expensive, but worth it! Secondhand car seats are an option as long as you can verify the safety of the seat.
Onesies + Sleepers
You’ll need more than just onesies and sleepers for your newborn’s wardrobe, but consider these the staples! A good stash of solid-colored onesies in varying sizes for daytime, and sleepers for nighttime, are a solid foundation for dressing your newborn.
The Rest Of The Essentials
Now that we’ve covered the absolute basics, let’s get into the rest of the newborn essentials!
Baby Nail Clippers
A baby’s nails can be incredibly sharp. They can accidentally cut themselves (or scratch you!) if their nails get too long, so you’ll want to have these on hand to keep them trimmed.
It’s intimidating to cut these tiny nails on these tiny fingers! If you find your newborn moves their hands too much while you’re trimming and you’re afraid of nicking them, try doing it when they’re sleeping instead. Or, if you have someone to help you, have them do it while you’re feeding them.
Nasal Aspirator
For various reasons, your newborn’s nose can get stuffed up. And that’s why a nasal aspirator deserves a spot on our newborn essentials list! This keeps their nose clear and lets them eat and sleep in peace.
The key to using the nasal aspirator is to be gentle. There are various designs to choose from, but whichever you choose, remember that it’s not meant to go up into your infant’s nose- keep it at the entrance of the nostril while using.
Baby Thermometer
None of us want our baby to fall ill. Whether your newborn develops a cold, or if you simply need it for monitoring, keep this on hand for whenever you may need to take their temperature.
A good option to purchase is this one.
Gentle Baby Shampoo
Your newborn’s first few baths won’t require any cleanser. Rinsing them with lukewarm water and gently cleansing their skin with a rag is good. Eventually, however, you’ll start washing them up with a cleanser. When you do, you’ll want a gentle option on hand!
Baby Leaves Bubble Wash from Attitude
Cradle Cap Brush
Cradle cap is a skin condition that causes a buildup of white or yellow flaky patches on your newborn’s head. It’s usually harmless and will clear up on its own. (In rare cases, you may need to go to a doctor for treatment.)
It’s common for most newborns to develop cradle cap within the first three months and clear up before their first birthday.
It’s tempting to want to pick the patches off of their head, but don’t! Picking them off can cause your newborn’s head to bleed, which has the possibility of leading to an infection. If you’d like to clean it off, a soft cradle cap brush will help.
When bathing your baby, take some baby safe oil and gently rub it into your head. Let it sit for a minute or two. Then take the brush and softly rub it over your baby’s head in a circular motion. Don’t scrub! Always use gentle motions.
A Safe Baby Bath
Speaking of bathing your baby, you’ll want a safe baby bath to use. If you aren’t able to get one right away, you can use a kitchen sink or a bathroom sink, if it’s large enough. Just make sure that you clean the sink thoroughly before and after bathing your baby.
Burp Cloths
All babies spit up. It’s completely natural and generally not a cause for concern. It can be cause for many outfit changes, though!
A good stash of burp cloths is so convenient to have on hand. They’re absorbent, easily washable, and can help save your (or your baby’s) outfit.
Rash Cream
A rash cream can be used for diaper rash and for any rash your develops within a fold of skin, Babies are known for their wonderfully chubby rolls, and it often happens that a red, painful-looking rash develops in an area that isn’t getting as much air flow as it needs.
The risk of diaper rashes can be lessened by changing your newborn’s diaper when wet, rather than letting it sit. That doesn’t guarantee that your newborn won’t develop a rash, however!
A rash cream will help to treat the rash, and should be coupled with keeping the area in question clean and dry. Once the rash starts to clear up, you can usually stop using the cream.
If you’re looking for a good cream to use, check out these options!
Earth Mama Organic Diaper Cream
BaboBotanicals Sensitive Baby Diaper Rash Cream
Diaper Bag
A diaper bag is the most convenient way to keep all of your newborn’s necessities in one place while traveling. You can even keep one packed simply for going from upstairs to downstairs!
It doesn’t have to be a bag specifically marketed as a diaper bag, but you will want to find one that is large and has enough pockets and zippered areas to keep things organized.
A good rule of thumb to keep your diaper bag ready to go is to re-pack items once you come back home. Or, if you’re using it at home, to re-pack during your morning routine or right before bed– whichever works best for you.
Sling
I debated listing this one under newborn essentials rather than an “extra”, but decided it deserved a spot on this list.
There will be times that your newborn needs to be held and you have to get something done. Since many newborns are happiest when held close to your body, the solution often is to put them in a sling.
Some women end up feeling like a sling doesn’t work for them, and that’s okay! Sometimes it’s a matter of not having the right sling for you, and sometimes it’s that the sling simply isn’t something that you like to work with. If it doesn’t work for you, your newborn, or you just don’t like it, don’t pressure yourself to keep trying to use it only because it seems to work well for so many others.
If you want to look into using a sling or having one on hand to try, there are a few different styles with different methods of carrying. Find the one that looks like it will work well for you!
Bonus! Extras
Almost done! These weren’t quite within the category of newborn essentials, but are useful enough that they’re worth a mention.
White noise machine
A white noise machine is anything that creates a steady, static background noise. It helps lull a newborn to sleep and drowns out outside noises.
There are a few machines designed specifically for use during newborn sleep (check out these options here and here), but anything that creates steady noise will do, including a regular room fan.
Stroller
Having a stroller is great not just for the newborn period, but for much of infancy and toddlerhood. While you can use a sling for taking walks with your newborn, a stroller is a good option for when you don’t want to or cannot carry them. It also doubles as storage for diaper bags and other supplies!
Swaddle
Again, not something that could be considered a newborn essential. A regular baby blanket works just as well for swaddling if you want to swaddle your newborn. (Bear in mind that recommendations and methods for swaddling have changed in recent years!)
But if you struggle to swaddle with a blanket, or your newborn keeps wriggling free, a swaddle is a good option to keep little one snug.
All-inclusive list
Remember, this is just the basics- everything you need to safely care for and clothe your baby. Everything else is for you to pick out for fun!
Click here for your free printable checklist!
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