Hi! New mom here! I’ve put together my favorite products that have made our lives so much easier during this transition into parenthood (specifically the newborn stage). Being a new mom is definitely a challenge, but so worth it! I remember wishing Alina came with a user manual, wouldn’t that be amazing! These products have helped me, my husband, and our daughter Alina to function as smoothly as possible! It has even allowed us to make plans to go out, whether that means going on a Target run or grabbing lunch with a friend. We were able to live our normal lives again! I hope this guide helps you navigate this time with your little one, find it insightful, and find some items worth the splurge!
My favorite newborn must-haves are listed below, enjoy!
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First, I want to leave this link to the Taking Cara Babies newborn class. As a new mom (or dad) I had a big learning curve, and to be honest, I really didn’t know anything. I’m so grateful for Cara, our baby started to sleep 6+ hours starting at 6 weeks. The beginning is definitely rough but it gets so much easier! Remember this stage is so short so try to enjoy it as much as you can. I am sending you all so much love and support, you’re doing amazing!
I have divided my must-haves into categories to help keep them a little more organized. Each item was such a game changer! Therefore, if you asked me which is my favorite, each item listed is my favorite in its own way. I’ve also linked accessories or attachments that made that item even more special and worth it. Every item mentioned makes life a little bit easier and helps things move a little bit smoother. Essentially coming out of this stage as strong as possible so you can enjoy quality time with your beautiful baby and your growing family!
- Carseat
- Let’s start with the baby product that you need to bring to the hospital so you can take your new bundle of joy home! I was hunting down this Nuna car seat for months, it was sold out everywhere! I was so grateful when my aunt gifted this to us. I love that this car seat is super lightweight which makes it easy for me to transport Alina by myself and without any assistance.
- I never left the house without a cover for her car seat and her portable sound machine. This duo worked perfectly for us. It would darken the car seat and drown out all the outside noise. Alina would sleep the whole time and I felt better knowing she was covered, so strangers couldn’t come near her or try to touch her, especially during covid. It became the perfect excuse to keep strangers moving.
- Stroller
- I am so in love with this gorgeous & functional Uppababy vista stroller! This was my number one item on my registry, and obsessed is an understatement! Mine is in the color: Oat Melange, which is a lovely light neutral. It’s the perfect stroller for a growing family. I enjoyed taking Alina on walks while she napped in the bassinet. Here are some accessories for the stroller I found useful: the stroller caddy, the cup holder, the CozyGanoosh, and the rumble seat insert. (adapter for nuna carseat). They have a lot more attachments as your baby grows.
- Diaper Bag
- The Kelly Boss Plus Large Diaper Bag Backpack from Itzy Ritzy is everything I could want in a diaper bag. This bag is practical and chic! I found that a backpack worked the best because it was so much easier to find what I was looking for and it has so many easy-to-reach compartments and pockets. Pockets are the best way to stay organized, the more the better! I also found these packing cubes to be a big help. I’ll pack Alina’s clothes in the large one and some toys in the medium size one. It also comes with a wipeable changing pad in its own compartment. Also, I wanted something that would be versatile with my outfits! The tweed fabric is gorgeous and gives a luxurious, high-end look. I highly recommend checking out their website, they have a ton of different options for everyone’s unique need. I also purchased the matching bottle bag and it’s been so useful for those days I know I’m going to be out all day.
- Baby Bouncer
- We LOVE the BabyBjörn baby bouncer. This item is becoming more and more popular and I totally understand why. We actually just purchased another one so we don’t have to keep taking the same one up and downstairs. I usually put Alina in this after a feeding to keep her up for a bit before playtime, and if she’s awake during our dinner time, she sits in this next to us as a happy baby. It definitely allows for more free hands, it’s super easy to collapse and we take it with us if we go to anyone’s home. Here are a few accessories I attach to the bouncer to keep her busy while I’m doing chores: (Baby Bouncer Toy Bar Flower) & (BABYBJÖRN Toy for Bouncer, Soft Friends)
- Air Purifier
- This item was very important for us, we had construction going on and the California wild fires during summer. We had our Blue Air purifiers running all the time (and still do). We have a total of 4: one in the family room, our master bedroom, the loft, and in the nook.
- Nursery ChairI
- Love her nursery chair! It’s wide, and the glides like butter. The chair has a nubby fabric that will hide imperfections over time, which is ideal for being in a little one’s room. The style of the chair is more sculpted and is also very on-trend, and the back reminds me of rays from a rainbow. I ADORE this chair, and the best part is it’s on major sale right now!
$1,099to $699!
- Love her nursery chair! It’s wide, and the glides like butter. The chair has a nubby fabric that will hide imperfections over time, which is ideal for being in a little one’s room. The style of the chair is more sculpted and is also very on-trend, and the back reminds me of rays from a rainbow. I ADORE this chair, and the best part is it’s on major sale right now!
- The Best Breast Pump
- GAME CHANGER!! Run and get yourself the Elvie breast pump! This pump has made my life so much easier. I use to stress and have anxiety wondering if I could make it from one feeding to another. I was trying to pump between her naps, it felt like a race. A Breast Pump is one of the pricier items that I would splurge on, and trust me, you’ll be so happy you did! I pop these on when I’m driving, washing her bottles, vacuuming, etc. It has made my life and my day go by so much smoother; I mean who wants to be connected to a wall for (15-20 min) 5+ times a day? Elvie also made me feel like a normal person again, instead of a milk machine. Rather than locking myself in a room, I could sit with family and enjoy my time. One huge bonus: morning feedings! I used to leak and have so much loss while breastfeeding her on one side. Now I put on the Elvie on one side and feed her on the other. Alina will feed for about 15-20 min and before she’s done feeding my bottle is already full and I didn’t soak my shirt or lose any milk. It’s the best feeling!
- Baby Bottles
- When we decided to start giving her a bottle I knew I wanted these glass bottles from Dr.Brown bottles anti colic bottles. I recommend the wide neck opening because it makes it easier to wash and hold while feeding. We purchased the 9 oz bottles so the bottles can grow with her, and buying them in a set of 3 is much cheaper. I suggest buying at least 4 sets because the last thing you want is a crying baby and no clean bottles. I purchased 8+sets because that’s been working for us, I would have 8 bottles with my breastmilk ready for Alina in the fridge. I also like these bottle brushes and the drying rack + accessories.
- Bottle Warmer
- BEABA is the best bottle warmer. We use this 5 times a day sometimes more. It’s very simple and easy to use. Heating up a bottle really shouldn’t be so complicated.
- Formula
- Our fav formula is Loulouka Stage 1! The closest thing to mother’s breastmilk on the market. I started to supplement 1 bottle a day in our schedule once she became 2.5 months, I couldn’t keep up with her appetite, MashAllah, she was drinking 6 oz that shortly went to 8oz during every feeding. You can purchase that brand here (click here).
- I keep this portable formula dispenser full and in the diaper bag.
- Swaddles
- I tried countless swaddles, and when you haven’t slept, are up every 2-3 hours, you become desperate. I remember ordering a crazy amount of swaddles, wraps, and sacks at 3 AM over desperation. I kept telling myself something was bound to work! I found the Halo dream swaddle to work the best for us during her daytime naps and dreamland sleep swaddle at night.
- Bassinet
- The Halo bassinet allowed for close and safe sleep. I wanted to have my baby girl as close to me as possible, I would have the bassinet pushed up against our bed. We also have this gorgeous rattan bassinet downstairs. Love how stylish it is! It was nice having my baby so close to us, and it made it very easy for our family members to see her without having everyone hold her. Having a second bassinet downstairs, also allowed us to keep our bedrooms private, so there was no need for guests to run upstairs to see the baby.
- Pacifier
- The only pacifier Alina will take are natural rubber pacifiers. She loves these two: bibs and Itzy ritzy. There is a huge price difference, so ever since the Itzy ritzy pacifiers came out, we’ve been using those and she hasn’t noticed a difference between the two! Try them both out, I have a friend who said her daughter would only take the bibs, so every baby has their own preferences.
- Lounger
- docatot– This is more for when my husband and I were hanging out and wanted her next to us. It is great that it’s portable, so baby can still nap while we were enjoying our time in the backyard or while at a friend’s house.
- Baby Monitor
- So happy with our Baby Monitor we got gifted 2 sets by our lovely friends and family. Infant Optics DXR-8 pro I keep one set in our diaper bag and one at home. I also have an extra camera because we actually have two cribs. This Flexible Mount for the cameras made it a 10/10 for me! I just wrap it around her crib so I don’t need to worry about drilling any holes into her crib, wall, or having a large mount sticking out; it’s simple and clean. This style reminds me a lot of the lollipop camera that is highly reviewed on Amazon, but unlike the Lolipop camera, infant optics does not rely on wifi. I really wanted a monitor that had a physical monitor and I didn’t need to rely on my phone through an app to watch her.
- Short Story: My sister and I were both at my mom’s house watching our babies sleep on our devices. I brought my infant optic’s baby monitor and she was using her lollipop camera that only works on wifi. Unexpectedly, my mom’s wifi went down for an hour, and my sister’s lollipop camera stopped working and had to then continuously check on her daughter throughout her nap. Whereas, I still had the peace of mind and was able to continue to watch Alina from a distance on my monitor.
- So happy with our Baby Monitor we got gifted 2 sets by our lovely friends and family. Infant Optics DXR-8 pro I keep one set in our diaper bag and one at home. I also have an extra camera because we actually have two cribs. This Flexible Mount for the cameras made it a 10/10 for me! I just wrap it around her crib so I don’t need to worry about drilling any holes into her crib, wall, or having a large mount sticking out; it’s simple and clean. This style reminds me a lot of the lollipop camera that is highly reviewed on Amazon, but unlike the Lolipop camera, infant optics does not rely on wifi. I really wanted a monitor that had a physical monitor and I didn’t need to rely on my phone through an app to watch her.
- Health
- We started to give her gripe water at around 2 months old. I would give her the recommended dose before her last feeding, and it quickly became part of our nightly routine (I recommend getting the value pack in organic). You need this pacifier medicine dispenser which helped get all the gripe water in her mouth without making a mess. I found this pacifier case was also the perfect size to store this dispenser (it comes in a pack of 2).
- Sound machine
- I constantly have the Hatch sound machine on. Having the hatch play in the background helps soothe her to sleep, and I read in an article that constant sound helps prevent SIDS. There are multiple sounds to choose from, but I personally like the rain setting.
- Butt Paste
- Since we first brought Alina home she would get a little redness on her bottom, it didn’t matter how frequently I would change her diaper. When I started to use Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Maximum Strength Diaper Rash Ointment it took care of her redness and I continued to use it until she grew out of this phase. I would only apply this to the areas that are red and always at night when she would have her diaper on the longest.
- Diaper Caddy
- A rolling diaper caddy helped keep all of her supplies organized. I would have all of her diapers unwrapped and organized in cubes (our favorite was Huggies), a few tubes of Baby Vaseline, water wipes, extra creams, or medicine in here ready to use. I would go in and do a little touch-up and restocking if needed, once a week, it was pretty low maintenance.
- Changing pad
- I love these Quilted Thicker Waterproof Changing Pad Liners – Alina was super fussy if she got cold – this was soft and warm and she didn’t mind laying on it. Accidents happen, and the liner would quickly absorb it! This saved us so much clean-up time (they come in a pack of 3, we have a total of 3 sets).
- keekaroo peanut changing pad! We would use this mainly during blowouts. It made clean up easy and quick! It has a lot of cushion and is easy to wipe down, or even hose down in the tub.
- Bath and Body
- honest shampoo and body wash– (we like the lavender one)
- I will also add a little bit of the honest bubble bath in the tub while the water is running.
- Scalp Scrubbie Cradle Cap Brush
- I didn’t think I would use this very much, however I’ve used it each time I’ve washed her.
- The scalp scrubby has very soft bristles, if consistent really helps to prevent cradle cap. it also helps build a rich and thick lather.
- Bathtubs
- Digital scale tub– loved the size of this little tub, it was one of the few that fit into our apron front sink. It offers a great feature, which is my favorite; the temperature display.
- once she got big enough we switched her over to skip hop
photo by Angela Adel Photography
Book your session with her here: https://www.angelaadelphotography.com
I hope this list helps you decide on what items you might want or need for baby, or maybe a gift you’d want to get for a friend of family member who might be expecting. Either way I wish you all the best in this beautiful journey!
