The Bump baby checklist is a comprehensive guide to identifying the most essential baby products for safety and comfort. It covers essential items such as bottles, cribs, diapers, wipes, and diaper bags. The checklist also includes nursery furniture, baby linens, babyproofing gear, feeding gear, diaper essentials, hygiene and grooming essentials, baby clothes, and travel gear.
The checklist is divided into major baby stages: In the Hospital With Baby, In the Bubble at Home (0 to 8 Weeks), and Early Infancy (2 weeks). Parents are encouraged to set up and test out all the gear before their baby is born to avoid fumbling with all the bells and whistles.
Some essential baby gear include snot suckers, strollers, sleepsuits, and a sticky snack mat. Other essential items include nursery furniture, baby linens, babyproofing gear, feeding gear, diaper essentials, hygiene and grooming essentials, baby clothes, and travel gear like car seats and strollers. A safe place for baby to sleep, mattress, and bedding are also essential. Diapers, aquaphor, wipes, saline solution, nose frida, hand sanitizer, extra pacifiers, burp cloth, disposable changing pads, diaper cream, and more are also essential.
The checklist also includes essential baby gear such as infant car seats, strollers, baby carriers, baby swings or bouncers, baby powder, baby wash, diaper rash cream, shampoo, wipes, diapers, bath tubs, bath towels, baby clothes, mittens, booties, caps, and organic baby clothes.
The checklist goes beyond strollers, baby bouncers, and diaper bags, focusing on crucial items for the first time home. These include car seats, strollers, soft carriers, diaper bags, nursing wear, nursing pillows, breast pumps, bottles and formula, swaddles, Rohn Sound Machines, Dohm Sound Machines, blackout curtains, sleep sacks, MAM pacifiers, Pack n Play, blackout cover, and slumberpods.
📹 MINIMALIST: 5 Baby ESSENTIALS 1st 6 months
Baby ESSENTIALS 1st 6 months (on a budget) Okay, 5 categories: 1. FOOD 2. Diapers 3. Sleep 4. A place to put them 5. Clothes …
What to start buying baby stuff during pregnancy?
The following list comprises the essential items required for a newborn infant, including a crib, linens, blankets, diapers, medication, clothing, a baby tub, bibs, feeding supplies, and a car seat. These items are necessary for the infant’s first few days.
When should I start buying baby stuff?
WebBabyShower suggests starting baby shopping around 15-20 weeks of pregnancy, specifically in month 4 or 5. This allows ample time to gather all necessary items and ensures you don’t run out of essentials like diapers or wipes. Planning your purchases beforehand is crucial, especially in the second trimester when the mother-to-be feels most comfortable. By the third trimester, and after the baby’s arrival, it’s essential for the mother to focus on rest and relaxation. It’s also a good idea to throw a shower, as you may receive gifts from your registry. WebBabyShower provides answers to various questions about buying baby stuff.
What are the 4 essentials of newborn care?
Neonatal mortality remains a significant issue globally, accounting for 47 of under-five deaths. The World Health Organization has developed indicators to monitor maternal and newborn health services, including the proportion of newborns who received all four essential care elements: immediate and thorough drying, skin to skin contact, delayed cord clamping, and early initiation of breastfeeding. This analysis examines the impact of sunflower versus mustard seed oil massage on neonatal mortality and morbidity in the Sarlahi district of Southern Nepal from 2010 to 2017.
The study found that the majority of infants received one or two of the essential care elements, with less than one receiving all four. Skin to skin contact and early breastfeeding were associated with a lower risk of neonatal mortality. The risk of mortality declined as the number of elements received increased, with one element compared to zero resulting in a nearly 50 reduction in mortality risk, and all four elements resulting in a 72 decrease in mortality risk.
What is the most purchased baby item?
Top-selling baby products for new and repeat parents include baby wipes, Fisher-Price Baby Playmat, activity gyms, and Munchkin Sponge Bottle Brush. Wipes have over 55, 000 reviews and are a baby registry classic. Activity gyms are great for growing minds and Munchkin Sponge Bottle Brush is a popular choice. By clicking on shopping links, visitors leave Localish and ABC’s Owned TV station sites, which operate under different terms and privacy policies. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Choosing essential products with thousands of positive reviews on Amazon can make the process of becoming a new parent easier.
What are the 4 needs of a baby?
Breastfeeding is a crucial aspect of infant nutrition, as it provides a balanced and complete source of nutrition for a baby. Breast milk is a perfect combination of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals that are tailored to meet the baby’s evolving nutritional needs. It is considered ‘liquid gold’ as its composition changes throughout the feeding journey and adapts to the baby as it grows and develops. Breast milk is rich in antibodies and immune-boosting substances that help protect the baby from illness.
For those who cannot breastfeed or choose not to, formula feeding is an alternative. Formula milk is carefully formulated to provide essential nutrients necessary for a baby’s growth and development, resembling the composition of breast milk to ensure the necessary nourishment is provided. Overall, breastfeeding is the optimal choice for infant nutrition, but formula feeding is also an option for those who choose not to breastfeed.
What are the 5 needs of a baby or child?
The text emphasizes the importance of children’s safety, stability, and consistency in their lives. It emphasizes the need for basic survival needs such as shelter, food, clothing, medical care, and protection. Stability comes from family and community, and when possible, it’s crucial to maintain a sense of belonging and cultural continuity. Consistency is also essential, with parents synchronizing their parenting and upholding important values.
What are the main baby essentials?
It is advisable to procure the following essential supplies for the infant: eight to ten bottles, nipples, a bottle brush, a dishwasher basket, formula (in the event that breastfeeding is not the chosen method of feeding), a breast pump (in the event that breastfeeding is the chosen method of feeding), milk storage bags, nursing pads (in the event that breastfeeding is the chosen method of feeding), and nipple cream for breastfeeding.
What is the first thing you should buy for your baby?
A newborn’s crib should be kept bare, free of any bedding, including blankets, top sheets, pillows, bumper pads, and toys, to reduce the risk of suffocation and SIDS. A waterproof mattress cover and fitted sheets are recommended, as they fit the crib perfectly. Bassines are optional but are small, portable, and can be easily moved from room to room. A night-light is a crucial newborn essential, as it allows parents to see where they are going and what they’re doing without turning on bright lights. As the baby grows older, a night-light may provide reassurance when they wake up in the middle of the night.
What moms need after having a baby?
Postpartum essentials for moms include pads, witch hazel pads, peri bottles, Sitz baths, heating pads or ice packs, pain-relieving spray, nursing pads, and breast pump and milk storage bags. These items are crucial for a smooth transition after giving birth. Pregnant women often forget to prepare for postpartum, but it’s essential to remember to take care of themselves after the baby arrives. Newton Baby’s experts provide a list of postpartum essentials for both moms and babies to ensure an easy recovery during this transition.
What’s the most important thing of buying baby clothes?
When buying baby clothes, it’s crucial to consider the appropriate size to avoid wardrobe malfunctions and ensure your child looks cute and neat. However, some parents overlook essential features that contribute to their child’s comfort, leading to uncomfortable garments. It’s not acceptable to overlook safety and comfort when choosing clothes. This includes selecting the appropriate fabric, fitting size, and garments that won’t pose a risk to the child’s safety.
Before making a purchase, read this post to learn about what to consider when buying the best baby clothes and where to find cute baby clothes. Remember, safety and comfort are essential aspects of any child’s life.
📹 21 NEWBORN ESSENTIALS | things I wish I knew as a first time mum!
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60 yo grandma here. This is so true! Babies dont need all the fancy expensive stuff. They dont care! One of my biggest pet peeves is parents who pull 4 or 5 wipes to clean a baby butt that isn’t that messy. A stack of washcloths used exclusively for baby butts is so much better, and when you wet them, use warm water so you dont shock the hell out of baby with a cold wipe! If you are on the go, put a couple wash cloths in a ziploc and take with. They won’t be any colder than a disposable when it’s time to use them. Just my 2 cents worth.
I’m 29 weeks pregnant I haven’t bought a single thing for my baby yet and I don’t feel anxious or guilty about that. I know that there really isn’t that much I need for the first few months and it is very comforting to find women that thinks the same. It is hard to find a simple and chill mother who is also caring, responsible and well informed at the same time, which is I think what every future/ preasent mother wants to be at the end- relaxed and confident in the way she cares for her child while also enyoing herself and staying on a reasonable budget 😄 Thanks for sharing your thought and giving real and valuble advice for moms. 😊
TIP*- a pack n play for my son which was great. It was his crib, the place to put him, his play pen, a place to move around and stand when he got older . He hated the bassinet part of it so we ended up taking that part off and just set him down in the big part and did that from newborn to about 1yr or maybe even a little over a year. It was one purchase, doesn’t cost much and lasted a long time. Another tip I received from a mom is to use doggy pads instead of baby liners.. they’re the same thing, way cheaper and the doggy pads come in larger packs.
HeyShayla – excellent advice. In college I needed 3 credits in anything to graduate. I figured someday I would be a mom so I took a parenting class. I was surprised at how much I learned. One thing the professor passed out free to everyone was a pamphlet from the government about having a baby on the cheap. Surprise! Our Federal Government said you don’t need to buy a crib, a dresser drawer or untreated cardboard box with a blanket on the bottom for softness was fine and safe. I was shocked but happy, even then I was a minimalist. The whole pamphlet was caring for a baby cheaply but safely.
I slept in a pack-and-play at home and my dad’s guitar case at church. Babies have survived for the whole of human history. Some of the fancy gadgets are nice and helpful for some people, but they aren’t a need for everyone. And I agree, why do we make things so consumeristic. “Weddings are so expensive. Babies are so expensive.” Yes, if that’s what you want, but they don’t have to be.
I am currently pregnant with my second. I have made my own burp cloths. I have extra fabric from other projects that I use for the decorative side. I bought a regular shower towel and cut it up and I’m sewing it to the printed cotton side and I am able to make 9 burp cloths. Also we have a bunch of the more expensive items we saved from my first child that we are reusing. I prefer to reuse or buy used for most of the baby items. It’s cheaper and you can always donate it after for some one else to use it.
This is the first normal, actually helpful baby essential article I’ve come across! All of the others are a bunch mommy vloggers recommending overpriced and unnecessary items, along with those dull colors that are no good for the baby, because they want to be Instagram perfect. Their articles all look identical to each other. It’s ridiculous!! Definitely subscribing! will be having our 2nd baby at the end of this year and it’s been almost 7yrs since we went through all this. I have our registry made and it’s so small compared to what other baby moms do. The only reason I’ve been perusal these type of articles is because of how little we plan on getting and I’ve been questioning if there’s other things to get, but I haven’t found anything. I constantly see moms trying to resell unnecessary or overpriced items in my mom group and say it’s hardly used/never used.
THANK YOU 👏 for being so simple and matter-of-fact. I’m 31, at 10 weeks, and I’ve never changed a diaper or babysat in my life. I know NOTHING. This just helped solidify that theres very few things a newborn needs and that all babies wil be different. I’ll definitely be asking for hand-me-downs for my baby shower and NO clothes. Loved your tips and love that youre being sustainable about things. Just subbed. ❤
Finally a real minimum must have article! I honestly have 0money to buy little un necessary things! Definitely 💯 going to recommend this article ❤ One totally unnecessary thing is a changing station! You can change them literally everywhere just put a diaper under the dirty diaper as a easy transition and a easy clean up when there is a bigger poop
Everything you said was gold in this article. I told my husband we are not buying a ton of TOYS AND GADGETS SHOES. NOOOOOO we bought a small house moving next year but still we have 0 space for baby supplies and I was like with baby #2 we put baby on the floor on a blanket so much more than putting him in any baby carrier swing. So this time one bouncer and maybe 2 carriers and blankets are going to be my go too. I don’t want THINGS our small house can’t take it and I hate clutter and baby will be so happy without those things anyway don’t give in to the consumer traps mamas. Sending love and support to you all. Baby boy number 3 coming in 6 weeks 2023
We are expecting our first baby and with my husband we are thinking of doing this, just buy the bare minimum and manage with that. All the toys and things for a newborn seems unnecessary and it’s a lot of money gone to the wrong items. I think you are 100% right, the car seat and the stroller are the most important items that you really need to put money on it. Thank you for your article!!
I’m 37 weeks and your article has to be the best article ever that I’ve come across every one is so focused on brands and all this glam and stuff and don’t get me wrong I love those item too but I love how easy and raw your instructions are I feel relieved because I didn’t want to invest in a crib my son probably won’t spend time in thank you for making this. . God bless you ❤
Just a word of warning not all breast pumps are able to be fully cleaned. There are “open systems” and “closed systems” which means bacteria can be in a place you can’t reach to clean and then you get mastitis. That’s why you shouldn’t share just any breast pump. Hopefully this helps a momma. Great article and thank you!
On clothes, I recommend 1 1/2 outfits per day between laundry days for you. I can’t do laundry often because it’s not in our apartment and I can’t bring my kids to the laundry room (it’s really nasty and dangerous), so I do have more clothes than some people need. Baby clothes with stains are perfectly fine! I cared with my first, but stains happen very easily and doesn’t mean the clothes are dirty.
this article was really helpful! my sister is pregnant and i wanna make sure i get her all the practical stuff because she prefers focusing on the cute side of things. Right now i have two lists, one with essentials and one with ‘essentials’ where she doesnt NEED them but they’ll probably make life a lot easier for her. ive bought the kid one outfit because she sent me multiple tiktoks saying how cute it was but other than that im trying to keep my gifts as helpful as possible
OMG, a minimalist baby stuff article that actually goes far enough! I 100% agree with this list! What I have for my 3mo: Feeding: My boobs, nursing clothes, reusable breast pads, a hand towel for soaking up milk at night Clothes: Used clothes from a family member with an older baby, my Buy Nothing Group, and Once Upon a Child (includes receiving blankets and one towel) Diapers: Covers from my 1st/a garage sale, a bunch of flats, wet bags, diaper bag (needed a new backpack anyway), cloth wipes, spray bottle to wet the wipes, changing pad (one of the plastic travel ones), a tiny potty because we do EC Sleep: nothing, we bed share and he just sleeps in his clothes Place to put them: baby carrier (from my 1st), blanket, car seat (honestly, I’ve never owned a stroller, but I also have never had more than 1 kid that can’t keep up on his own) Other: a few board books, skin balm (purchased after birth because he needed it)
Thanks for this! My husband and I are stationed across the country away from family. I am 15 weeks with my first, and by the time he is born, we will only have 6 months left before we move back. We have a small apartment, so I wanted to try to get the bare minimum for the first 6 months. This really helps!
When i got pregnant i was mortified by all the things i “must” have. I made a baby wish list on amazon and got slowly overwhelmed by how massive the list was just after a couple of days of research 😮💨 Then i completely changed my perspective and decided to filter only the things my grandma in the balkan mountains would had had when she was raising her kids lol now I’m at about 5% of the items i initially needed 😅 29 weeks and I’ve only ordered her bed and a few bits for my hushand to start fixing a couple of things around the house we’ll need done before she arrives lol
Guys! There’s a car seat in the market that like all car seats in the US passed the same safety tests and is like 50 bucks new, the cosco scenera next. not a mom yet but im definitely getting it when i have a baby. AND! you can use a convertible car seat from the start and save yourself some money that you would otherwise spend on an infant carrier they’ll only use for a year. good luck!
I want to say that this website has been a lifesaver for me during my pregnancy and beyond. You really helped me through so much fear and confusion with birth and motherhood, and you’ve made such a positive impact in my life! I want to bring up a few things I noticed, at the risk of being called a Karen, because you’re such a huge influential person in this space and for so many people. I’ve noticed a lot of conflation with the term ‘exclusively breastfeeding’ and ‘exclusively nursing’. In my due date group, there were several mothers thinking they were forced into harming their babies or providing less because they had to pump for work or other reasons—there was also a lot of bullying of mothers who pumped (or exclusively pumped). The meaning of “exclusively breastfed” according to the WHO and the AAP is to feed your baby exclusively breastmilk (and necessary medications). EBF moms can exclusively nurse, exclusively pump, or both nurse and pump. The second thing is that the dockatot and similar cosleeper aren’t beds and aren’t considered safe for sleeping (including under the Safe Sleep 7 for bedsharing). I’m definitely not taking issue with bedsharing—I’ve never met a mom who hasn’t at least once slept or napped with baby in the bed—but the loungers pose dangerous risks whether your baby is in a crib or in bed with you. Again, this website means a ton to me and I hope this doesn’t come across as me being a know-it-all or a Karen. I just felt like these were important distinctions to make for someone with a platform as influential as yours!
I watched so much of you articles, along with others, while I was pregnant. I now have a 4 month old boy. I wasn’t able to breastfeed, it just didn’t work out. I took a lot of your advices, and while I will disclaim that I of course don’t agree with every single thing I’ve heard. Not anything against anyone, everyone’s different. And I love that. It’s so much information from so many different life views. I just got my first apartment with a room just for him when he’s older. I’m now returning to articles on how to get the “perfect” area for him. I’ve gotten everything for him second hand just about. He hates to be swaddled and would only sleep on someone’s lap, he used YouTube for a sound machine. Lol. Such a picky little man. We LOVE your “Montessori bed” where it’s in the floor. That way just as you’ve said “easier to put them to bed” and he won’t roll off. No baby work family is “perfect” and like I’ve said I love seeing different ways different people do things. Thank you so much for all the honesty in your life, even though it’s not 100% what everyone says you HAVE to do.
So a note about barefoot shoes. I buy them for my 4 year old & one pair does NOT last an entire season. Barefoot shoes wear out much faster. This year he has 3 pairs of shoes. His nice “school shoes” Splay ($50). Cute & expensive. He’s pretty much only allowed to wear them to school or running errands. NEVER playing in the back yard, because they get trashed too fast. He has “back yard shoes,” which are actually water shoes ($25). Not real cute, but more durable & cheaper, so he’s allowed to wear them anywhere. Then he has “work shoes.” He & his dad do a lot of nasty home improvement projects (paint, sprayfoam, concrete, etc.). Those are conventional sneakers from the second hand store. Maybe $10. Between those 3 pairs, we made it through the summer & fall. Add in a pair of rain boots for camping & snow boots for winter, and we should be able to make it thru a whole year on 5 pairs. 🤞
Thanks for doing this. There are so many online lists and articles that make you think you need so much stuff. With our first baby we started off with a crib (hand me down) with mattress, changing mat, reusable nappies, clothes and a wrap carrier. I was fortunate that breastfeeding went really well for me, so didn’t need bottles and formula. We didn’t use baby wipes but instead cut up an old towel to make reusable cloths.
OMG, I love you!!! We just found out two weeks ago we’re expecting, and even though it’s early, we shared the news with our family, and boy did all the YOU NEED THIS & THAT conversations started rolling, and my first thought was, “What is the absolute bare minimum to cover the essentials without breaking the bank!” So glad I stumbled into your website, thank you.
I’m 27 weeks with my first and can feel the panic buying creeping in. I hunt goodwill for outfits and supplies. My registry is bloated from all the well meaning advice from people online. Thinking I’ll purge all the little outfits and toys he definitely won’t use in the first 6 months. That way if people feel like they would like to gift, which would be so generous, it’ll go towards consumables instead of cute outfits he won’t be wearing for long. Thank you for the realistic advice, it helped calm me down!!
Currently 11 weeks with my second. Honestly, that is why I saved a ton of my daughter’s items, because all of the things will be used again and I don’t need a ton of stuff. That’s what my mom did with my brothers and I. For example she saved a lot of clothes. She saved for when we had kids. Both my brothers kids and mine have worn clothes that we wore when we were little. Over 30 years old and in great condition. She saved all different sizes. My mom came from a big family, so there was no waste.
This is so validating lol. Im 32 weeks right now and i have bought nothing so far. My plan is to wait until after the shower that my aunt decided to have for me, and THEN buy whatever i feel like i need that i dont have. My family keeps giving me shit about it because its my first so they feel the need to “warn me” or whatever. But i already have a crib, a carseat, bottles, and someone in my family texts me a picture of an outfit they bought at least twice a week. And i havent even had the shower yet. They’re all “how would you know what a baby needs youve never even had one” and im like its pretty simple. Food, clothes, a safe place to sleep, carseat. Those are the only things you NEED. Everything else is nice to have and probably helpful but a newborn doesn’t actually NEED 100 toys and a $400 swing.
For stains on baby clothes, soak the clothes in boiling water mixed with Oxyclean powder (follow directions for amount) and leave overnight. Pour everything into the washing machine the next day and wash like normal. Clothes are brand new, even if they had set protein stains etc. It was a life saver since friends of mine sent me all of her clean baby clothes that were in storage for a while where the stains showed up overtime in the storage bag. Also for bedding, I suggest to everyone to buy Ely’s & Co. Waterproof sheets. Those were a life saver and I didn’t have to worry about changing both the waterproof liner and sheet for the middle of the night blowouts in the early days. The only downside is that they don’t have many designs with the waterproof sheets.
OMG I love you already!!! I’m a first time mom and I’m wrecking my brain on what exactly to get for my baby. I always said that I wasn’t going to buy a lot because I want to raise her in a Montessori environment where less and simplicity is best. Your article is spot on my mental and thank you for not making me feel bad about not wanting to buy her everything!!!
Thank you for this article! Holy smokes, the number of times I’ve tried to look for minimalist lists and they tell me I need a bottle warmer. I’m due in February with my first, but I had my “baby shower” in November because I live out of town from all my family and I didn’t want to travel by plane close to my due date. I put baby shower in quotes because I emphasized to my mom that I wanted strictly money or gift cards (or nothing at all) because pretty much anything anyone bought would have to be shipped (I was travelling by plane after all) AND I’d rather buy second hand myself. Queue the baby shower and getting a ton of baby towels and clothes (all new) from people. Not to mention I brought some of the towels home and they pretty much ripped from ONE TIME WASHING. Sure, I can darn it and fix it, but I think I’ll just end up using them as rags since it’s probably not even worth the effort. I also wish I had gotten money (or even a gift card) instead so I could have used it for something I need. I’m actually thankful we’re keeping the sex a surprise because it means a lot of people shy away from buying things because it’s “too complicated”. The other issue I’ve had is not on my front, but my mom. She constantly tells me people are so happy to have a baby announcement (especially since this is the first baby for both grandparents) that I shouldn’t shame anyone for wanting to buy me new items (but it’s completely fine to disregard my wants). She also told me that people would look down on giving me money because I could use it toward something not baby-related (which is a completely ridiculous idea to me considering I want to buy second hand and I don’t expect anyone to do the heavy lifting on that front).
Love this article! Such valuable info. I’m studying to be a birth and postpartum doula and recently got my BFP so as I’ve been studying I’ve realized that babies don’t need as much “stuff” but to see that you’ve put that into practice makes me feel better about those theories. It’s definitely against the grain but I feel that the research backs you up! Thank you for sharing 🙂
We just had a baby in August and my aunt was able to get pretty much everything we needed/wanted for free on Facebook. So awesome 👌. We did have to buy some newborn diapers and a few outfits because we were expecting a big baby and got a tiny peanut 🤣. And we splurged on the car seat of our dreams ..but even that, we didn’t pay out of pocket because we got gift cards from my employer towards the purchase.
We put our daughter on the bassinet that came with our stroller to have her sleeping downstairs, similar to what was shown in the article. We always had it it downstairs as an option to where to put her until she grew out of it. The car seat attaches to the stroller, so we never used the bassinet with the stroller. We also had a swing that someone gave us, and we did use it as well.
Yep I bought so much baby things for super cheap! Rummage sales during my 1st and start of my 2nd trimester then went to marketplace for most of what I need/want for the 1st year Paid maybe 2-3k for at least 50k worth of stuff (I was using target and amazon for prices) and my garage and 1/2 of the basement is full! (I live in a duplex) and so glad we were able to do this Also got 0-3m all the way to 18m from one person…8 huge black bags FULL for only $60 (yes this is part of the total) and I just had to find a few nb and pants for older but again my baby will have a handful for brand new and I’m totally ok with that since I’m one and done…and babys are expensive for no good reason So as long as you’re ok with getting almost new to new for 1/10 of what target is charging…I recommend rummage sales when you can (it’s winter right now I know but when it worms up have fun! Or just look at marketplace and just see what they have…)
I’m pregnant with my first and I have sisters, who are on their second and one of my sisters in laws told her don’t buy a crib buy a pack and play with a detachable bassinet so you don’t have to worry about a crib or anything else like that for a while and it can pack up so you can get a lot of use out of your nursery especially if it’s small, that was one of the best advice I’ve gotten since I became pregnant, yes they are spendy but you could always put it on the registry and have someone else buy it for you, me and my sister had a small laugh when I said that. So just passing on this bit of advice cause I know there’s a lot of Mama’s that can use it.
Safe co-sleeping is super important and you can’t use dock a dot or something similar in bed during nighttime! It is actually illegal in some places. Please pin this info 🙂 Otherwise, love your content, baby no 2 coming soon and I find it refreshing to remind myself that I dont need basically anything 😀
My ethnic community don’t use cribs or commercial baby beds. We just assemble a smaller 3 by 3 ft sleeping mat next to us on the bed for the baby. In fact china, japan, korea, and Southeast asia do the same too. For any offended westerner, our baby does fine as a toddler and a kid at school as any other american kid. We don’t care about cradles, bassinets, and baby monitors etc.
Also hang onto as much as you can after baby number 1! I kept so much from my first son and now pregnant with my second son, staggered by how little I need to buy second time around. There is a 4 year age gap with mine and I have loaned most of it to friends in the past few years. My bedside cot has slept 5 kids now as I bought it second hand. There truly is no need to purchase things like that new.
I think we’ve spent $350 total so far, mostly on clothes and diapers since we’re having a girl this time and we couldn’t reuse too many clothes from her big brother. We saved everything else including the car seat and have no plans to buy any over-the-top gizmos and gadgets. You can totally prepare for a baby on a budget! I’ve actually gotten a fair bit of clothes for cheap of FB marketplace, even some diapers too.
The only thing I can put on my baby’s feet to keep her warm when she’s sick is a pair of booties with a clasp to wrap around the ankle. Her first ones were a gift 0-3 months and the ones she wears now are 6-12 months because she grows fast otherwise I have to put socks on first then pants. You’re right about the toys, my daughter has 10% of the amount of toys that other baby’s probably have. She’s obsessed with one crinkle book, a rattle ball and the bag of wipes.
Babies see colors as good as any adults already at 1 to 2 months old. And they really like sharp clear colors. So not only black and white. Black and white for babies is something I find only the US talks about. It is so funny how different it could be from one country to another. I also feel that there is not alot a baby needs so this is a great article. Thank you!
Thank you 🙏 I’m a first time mom and 26 weeks and have been feeling overwhelmed with baby stuff especially since I live in a small apartment and baby won’t have a nursery. Baby is sleeping in my bedroom and I don’t want to feel like we are cluttered with stuff. Again, thank you 🙏 so much for the information.
Thank you for this guys. Really informed some questions I have been asking. Time to go read Scriptures and compare what you talked about today. Thanks again for your hard work and studies. Question for Joshua: Can you talk a little slower on scriptures that seem like common knowledge? Hard to follow sometimes. Thanks guys!
I bought a single stroller that converts to a double. It was very expensive but I figured a good value since I could easily convert it… turns out the conversation kit is super expensive and now I wish I bought a cheap single and then a cheap double. That being said, the expensive stroller is really great quality so maybe I wouldn’t have liked a cheap one?
i am first time expeecting. every time i tell someone who is already a mother im pregnant they give me advice on a bunch of things to buy when i have always planned to be minimalist as possible for babyhood. for example, someone said i cant just put my plastic laundry basket in the tub for bathtime because newborns are difficult to wash without something to lie on and support their head. does anyone have advice or reassurance..
Before my first came, I was worried about not having something essential and then having to order and wait for it. Now I regret the car seat and stroller we got because the car seat isn’t the kind that we can take out and carry her into like, the doctor’s office—we live on a second floor unit so carrying her upstairs in our arms was nerve wracking at first. And living on a farm, the stroller doesn’t make as much sense as baby carriers, except she doesn’t always tolerate a carrier. 😭😂 Basically, yes, stick with a few essentials in the early days and then wait for bigger purchases for when they’re older, like even a couple months old. 😅
Im 38 weeks pregnant 😲😲 and tbh we’ve been extremely lucky and have given loads of things like clothes, crib, buggy etc.. otherwise i have no idea how we would of payed for it 😅😅. The one thing ill nevernunderstand is when parents go out and spend loads of money on designer clothes for babies/children 😅 like whats the point ? Its gonna get dirty/torn/ruined in like 2 hrs 😅. Any clothes that we have bought have been 2nd hand unless it what was for a special occasion. 😊
I thought I was gonna breastfeed exclusively, but then my baby was born premature and couldn’t latch. He also needed a special preemie formula, so even if I’d bought formula before he was born, we wouldn’t have used it. He’s now on a gentle formula because he has a sensitive tummy. I also got sent formula for free, but he hated those ones, so they were a waste too. I wholeheartedly agree that each baby is different, and you don’t know what they’re gonna like or anything they might need that’s unique to them. This article was so helpful when I was pregnant. My baby is 5 months old now, we didn’t have the ability to buy all the things and I had insane fear and guilt that he wouldn’t have things he needs and he’d be behind developmentally because of it, but babies have been born for millions of years, and only these past 50 years has babyhood become so commercial. They truly don’t need much. The best thing I do for my baby is have him around other babies and children. It makes him so happy to watch them and try to engage. Otherwise, we’re just staring at each other for hours in the day, lol. He’s also just kinda into toys, but not really. I keep thinking I just need to buy him the right toy, but he prefers people.
I thought I’d insist on barefoot shoes for my daughter (16 months), but I rarely even put her in shoes when we’re outside, so it’s not even worth it for us. If you take your kid to a wood-chippy playground often, it’s a good idea, but we play in fields or walk on smooth trails more often, so I figure regular shoes on odd occasions won’t do much harm
Yes yes yes this is exactly what I was looking for. I’m due feb 20th and for the first 6 months of my babies life we will be living in a converted school bus and I am re evaluating EVERYTHING. Do you know if cloth diapers would be difficult to do in that setting? I know people usually spray the cloth off in the toilet or something, but we will have a composting toilet so I’m just not sure about the diaper situation. Thank you!
I went a little too minimalist the first time… hand me downs don’t always hold up and frankly I regret not setting aside a little to pick out clothes once she was born and we knew it was a she because that small stuff you use every day is so ingrained in your memories. Don’t regret splurging on the nuna pipa or the keekaroo peanut. Those and new newborn diaper covers for my prefold/fitted stash and one size diapers (best bottom system with bamboo inserts) were all I got aside from basic clothes/blankets/etc. I will say also splurged on copper pearl burp clothes and felt that was worth it too. For diapers/cheap burp cloths nickis diapers prefolds are well priced and all Nickis Diapers brand cloth diapers are buy one give one. I bet a lot more people would cloth diapers they stayed a way from cheap microfiber cloth diaper inserts and oh man they are so cute and don’t have the gross soggy cereal chemical smell. Also always get a few smaller newborn covers like thirsties size newborn/Preemie covers… even with my almost 10lb babies it’s still nice to have something that fits really nicely the first couple weeks. Wrap carriers are 10/10 underrated. Not the stretchy ones… I tried the solly one with my son and did not like it. Granted if you have a 6lb newborn maybe it would be easier, but overall I’ve found woven wraps much more comfortable. Ive had ones from Wrapsody and Girasol. Expensive but waaaay cheaper than a nice stroller haha. Never had a stroller because we live rural.
I don’t like clatter everywhere as well . But you make it sound like throw him, y don’t need this, don’t buy this … I don’t know 🤷🏻♀️ I cannot relate to you or your advices tbh. However motherhood is such a unique experience and I m glad that it worked for you . We might not be the same but our babies are healthy and happy and that’s all matter
Thank you, helpfull article… we are prepared… but this days i thought that “maybe ill need something more”, i was walking through shops this last few days and inner voice in my heart was saying to me that its not necesary… i just could not find what i was looking for and my shopping was not smooth, it was a bit tiring… now i see that maybe Jesus was trying to tell me that i am prepared and dont need anything more, i believe He spoke to me through this article also cause its sane article :), there are a lot of things we think we need, but accually dont… so thank you ❤
I’m a Mom of 5, my youngest is 8mo. I cloth diaper full time and I bought all of mine off Marketplace. I just sanitized them before using them, but if you are on an extra tight budget you can use old t-shirts as diapers (there are you tube articles on how to fold them) and just purchase some diaper covers which tend to be much cheaper than other cloth diaper options and some fasteners. I have also cut up old flannel sheets and then you can fold those in a “pad fold” and stuff in pocket cloth diapers. 🙂 just some thoughts on ways to keep costs as low as possible.
the only thing I would add that I want to `splurge` on would be a baby monitor that is essentialy two sensors you put underneath the mattrace that alerts you if the baby stops moving/breathing. A friend of mine`s baby died of SIDS and I don`t think I could sleep peacefully with that fear, so I`ll gladly pay money to spare myself the stress and worry
Hey shayla! I just got the cali beach co pop n go playpen that you recommended in another article (can’t remember which article). It’s so awesome! But I didn’t realize you have to purchase the mat/cover separately. 🤦🏼♀️ The mat on their website seems to have mixed reviews and bubbling issues. Do you have their mat and cover? What’s your take on it? Thanks for your input! I appreciate you 😍
Yeah you don’t really need that much. I got a lot of 0-3 month clothes for my son and he ended up being born 10lbs 5oz and he barely even got a chance to wear that stuff. (Forget about the newborn clothes, none of my kids ever fit them for more than a few days.) A lot of it he never even wore once. Now he’s two months old and weighs 15lbs! I was tryung to think how many outfits do I really need? Maybe about 7 so you have one fornevery day of the week, but you might go through them faster if they have a blowout. You could technically only get three outfits if you were always washing the dirty one and had one on the baby and one as a standby. The best clothing for babies is a warm footie suit, and a onesie. The whole pants and socks thing is cute but you will probably never find the socks again because they just roll away. My mom got me an old high chair from a friend of hers, she got me some used kids furniture, and gives me a lot of clothes etc. She also bought me a used changing table. I bought a mini crib and a car seat. Mini cribs are great because you can take one panel off and use them as co sleepers and they only cost around 100. I bought a pink one for my daughter but I kind of wish I got one in wood color so I could have used it for both. As it is, I bought a mint green one for my son and she is sleeping in it now. My biggest problem is dealing with the clutter. From all the stuff my mom gets me.
Whoever is reading this do your research on the Dock-A-Tot countless YouTubers recommend them for co-sleeping and a few infants have died. You want to watch these articles and get ideas but do your research on the side. I personally did not add it to my registry so that I or anyone else would not be tempted to leave my baby unattended or sleeping at any of those loungers; however, you do what is best for you.
Thanks for sharing. it’s helpful but at the same time, as a working mom who cannot afford a long maternity leave, I actually need something that can help to smooth out most processes so that I can perform my work while taking care the baby at the same time. Also, in UK it’s highly recommended by NHS not to cosleep with baby on the same bed for safety reason, especially our bed has a big gap between the frame and mattress… so I think everyone and every country works differently.
You go girl I have a three and a half month old baby he’s very good baby he only screams when he needs food he said that he is wonderful but I have my girlfriend going to work everyday I work everyday so her mother and father Works was father with a father works everyday the mother doesn’t and I don’t particularly like my girlfriend’s mother and I don’t really like her perusal my kid so there’s that I’m going to have to do more shirt but anyway I’m going to find a way to have my mom watch the kid instead she’s like trying to keep her away from my mom for some reason my mom is most loving person I’m a first-time parents do some more detail more help with a baby his age should be like how he should be progressing any Milestones anything that awkward her off about him anything I just want to know everything there is to know thank you
5:59 – We used a *Beep* Me – *horrified noises* Used a what? But in all seriousness can you talk more about cosleeping. I have a very small room in an apartment and I’m not really sure how I would be able to get a crib in it and I’m not about to have baby sleeping in the living room. But most other articles are all never cosleep or we’ll call CPS. I would love to do it but I’m just so worried. 😟😟
Some of this I agree with but I’m never doing hand me down clothes from strangers, goodwill, garage sales etc. I find it to be gross. I’ll take them from family but if none of those, than Walmart it is. Idk how people keep their clothes. Some people have bed bugs and roaches. And yes I know u can wash them but it’s still gross to me. Also, laying ur baby on the floor is good if u don’t have pets. If u do, put them in a swing. Swings are not that expensive. Saw one on Walmart for sale for $20. U can get a lot of new things for cheap. U don’t have to spend a lot of money on anything except a car seat and stroller. They put those items as high ticket items on purpose because these companies know u NEED to have them. So there’s no going around that.
Hey all! Third time mom here to offer some tips. Instead of a white noise machine, I use box fans. I have one in each child’s room as well as out in the hallway. This not only helps with white noise, but it also keeps the room cool, which aids with sleep, AND studies have shown that having air circulate can help lessen the risk of SIDS (they believe that an improper oxygen/co2 balance in the blood is what causes SIDS). Also, first-time moms (myself included) tend to be overzealous with the diaper changes. Unless they have a full diaper or lots of poop, most babies don’t need a diaper change every night or multiple times a night. When my second and third baby were less than 2 months old, I would change them once a night usually. Although I’ve found that even with poop, unless they’ve started solids, it usually doesn’t cause a rash if it sits in their diaper (and doesn’t really smell much). But I was fortunate in that all 3 of my babies stopped overnight pooping 99% of the time at like 3 months at the latest. But yeah, you don’t need to be waking yourself all the way up or turning on lights and confusing baby’s day/night cycle for diaper changes unless they’re bursting. My boy is 6 months old, nurses quite a bit and wakes at night to nurse most nights at least once, but he almost never pees out of his diaper. Which leads to my third tip… Always put your baby in as large a diaper as they’re ready for (for overnight at least). Don’t wait until they couldn’t possibly fit into their current size to size up.
YES Sezzy, my second Bub is 7 months old and I second all of these. The chair that swivels as well as rocks is a game changer, makes reaching for the snacks and water so much easier. My added essentials: – water bottles – everywhere you might feed. There’s nothing worse than sitting down, starting to feed, thirsty as f$&@ and you left the water bottle in another room. – ingenuity bouncer ($129 at big w) is a dream – so easy to move and babies love them. I dragged it with my feet so many times. My baby also hated the swing (the same one you had) – comfy loose stretchy pyjamas for yourself. Whether hot or cold weather, stretchy loose pyjamas are a god send. – a snack caddy (even if it’s part of your normal one), I found light snacks helped keep me awake in the early days too, and you’re so ravenous when your milk comes in – everything clothes in BONDS – the zippers, the stretchiness, the ease of washing, they are just the best
Hi, just watched your article now it was so helpful for me. This is my first pregnant and I’m so confuses what to buy and I don’t have any family here with. By the way I live in Dublin Ireland and I’m from Africa, it’s really hard for me. Thanks for this article and if have any more tips please let me know thanks.
We have that bath seat and it’s good for teeny tiny newborns but as soon as our baby started to use their legs, they can wiggle down and off it. We switched to the shnuggle as soon as they had good head/neck control, which is similar to Sarah’s original bath but A LOT lighter, easy to lift, empty etc. Also good for; hauling loads of laundry about and containing baby when I need a quick shower myself!
I’ve recently had my third bub and the terry towelling cloths for burp cloths are the best, I tried fancy ones and went back to the basics. Newborn essentials for me are Bonds Zippy Wondersuits, Love to Dream swaddle ups and a capsule for the car so you can buckle them in the house and not chase a toddler while trying to get the baby in the car seat.
This is by far the most helpful and accurate list of “essentials” I’ve seen on YouTube. I’m a mom of four kids, aged 4-13, and currently pregnant with my fifth (and final) baby… so I can vouch for this and say every item she mentioned is practical and WILL be used. No need to watch more articles; save yourselves and your friends time and stick to this one!
My daughters 2 now but 100% agree on everything, especially the nursing chair. Like that is legit the best thing to invest in as far as newborn life goes. I do have 3 mattress protectors though as I have 2 layered on the bassinet/cot ready to just pull a layer off if it gets spewed or pooed on in the middle of the night. Can’t wait for your little bubba to arrive!
I’ve tried a few swaddles with my bub and I’d definitely recommend the ‘love to dream’ sleeping bag over the ergo pouch. It does the same thing with the temperature but better for hips and arms. I wrapped my little one for the first few weeks then switched over to the love to dream swaddles. I found my bub and a lot of others love to sleep with there arms up… (after the tight swaddle stage). However with the ergo pouch it doesn’t allow bub to do that… whenever I tried the ergo pouch sleeping bag, my bub kept wanting to sleep with her arms up and relaxed above her head but in her sleep she’d try get her arms up by putting her hands through the neck hole and sometimes they’d get stuck. Making it abit harmful. I’ve had so many mums recommend love to dream over ergo pouch and I couldn’t agree more. I liked the ergo pouch once she was sleeping without arms wrapped!
So exciting, I love these articles!! I’m by no means an experienced mum (only have one bub) but a few things I’d add! Kmart and big w have the burp cloths- they’re actually cloth nappies! I always buy 2 packs for new mum friends because they’re the best. As well as just getting 1-2 0000 onesies, it’s sometimes handy to have at least 1 00000 onesie in case bub is prem or just little so you have something to dress them in at the hospital (my bub was huge and straight to 000 😓). The red light in glow dreaming/aroma snoo machines is also supposed to help melatonin production, I used to use the red light for night time changes so she didn’t think it was daytime. And the chair! I have the Il Tutto I love it, it’s the best thing ever but they have one with a wooden handle on the side that sticks out rather than the small plastic black handle that sits flush- I didn’t have a c section but I’ve heard that closing the footrest on recliners is especially more difficult post caesar so one with a handle that you can manually close the footrest with (and it’s not all ab/legs closing it) can be handy! I know some of this stuff might not matter for some but it’s food for thought 🥰 You’re looking so healthy Sez! Good luck with everything! I can’t wait for my second, I miss my small baby haha
Loved this article, I am currently pregnant at the moment and found this super helpful so thank you. Quick question Sezzy Love the reclining chair I can see online that the bottom ring comes in black but i noticed your’s is white, how did you manage that, was it a special request or they also have the option for white also? ? thanks xxxx
I recommend as a mom of 2: Get a few sleepers and onesies in newborn size. I’d say 7-10 in each. They will grow out of it in 2-3 weeks! Don’t buy snap sleepers! They are so difficult to put on a screaming newborn 😓 Get a few items for the new size up! Shop at the thrift store to save money especially with baby clothes! Don’t buy any activity anything until baby gets there! Baby will most likely want to be held anyway! Learn what your baby likes before purchasing anything! Prefold cloth diapers are great for spit up! It’s also normal to not leak much. I only leaked for the first 2 weeks with each of my babies. I nursed my first for 3 years and now nursing my 11.5 month old! I never really needed the breast pads but definitely have some on hand the first time!
I’m going to be a first time mum in May- im so glad I got the free rider sling for her so I can carry her around in the house. Also I have a rocking chair exactly like that one your friends have so im so pleased people have recommended it! Loved this article Sarah thank you so much it’s amazing having support & advice even from people the other side of the world to me! 🥰❤️
Hey Sezzy, I know this is a long shot, but I saw you are giving away the old rocking chair you used with Fox. It is exactly what I have been on the hunt for. I don’t want this to sound like a sob story but my partner and I have been looking for a second hand one that’s a lot cheaper for us for the longest time. I am 36 weeks plus 3 days and we still have not found one. My partner has his own property maintenance business that is only a few months old so we don’t have much income to spend on baby stuff right now. We live in Newcastle so I was wondering if you still had it would there be any way you would give it away to us or we could pay a cheap price for it too. Sorry if this is a weird comment or to close for comfort. I totally understand. But I thought it was worth trying to see if you are interested ❤️
I think dummy is essential – helps soothes newborns. 1 . Babybjorn is expensive. There are bouncers that come with toy attachment already eg fisher paykel and are gr8 . 2. Re Bed light. .Any lamp with a pull cord is good (ikea has many ) 3. Re Nursing Chair: – they can be expensive and u need space. So even just a couch or bedhead is fine to lean head on 4. Bath: Not everyone has a bath or big sink. There are many collapsible & foldable baby bathtubs that are super cheap. 4. Small baby bags are good as they have compartments and pockets. Keep small change mat and bottles if you bottlefeed and carry water around . It has side pockets etc. Also don’t forget changing mat when u are out.
Agree with every point so hard 🤌 Side note, with white noise, you can use a little google speaker (probably the other smart home ones too), you just say “play white noise” and then it gives you full volume control and you can adjust it from your phone 👏 . Also the added benefit of just using it as a speaker for music etc. in the day 🙌
I think you should look into the hatch it connects to your phone, you can change the color the volume and type of noise it is, plus you can set timers. for quite time etc. plus you can set routines like the timer goes on at 6pm and you can also child lock it so your child cant turn off the noise. they have an adult one too with a alarm clock. 10/10. recommend it
Sezzy! Get a Hatch Rest. It’s the best sound machine!!! My baby loves it. He falls asleep to rain! When he wakes up in the night, I tap the light on, feed him, and he goes right back to sleep!! He’s 12 weeks old and literally has always been able to go right back to sleep, all thanks to the Hatch!!!!
The vava night light from Amazon is amazing. It was perfect lighting for late night diaper changes it has different light tones and you can take it with you anywhere. It’s easy to charge and has different brightness settings. It came with stickers so you can give it a face. It’s like a little egg with a cute face
Hi have just found out I’m pregnant with my partner (bit of a shock because he and I didn’t think I’d fall pregnant so fast). I’ve watched so many articles but I find the UK and US based articles have different brands which are harder to order, shipping cost etc. This is my favourite article by far honest and to the point. So helpful for us Aussie girls 💕💕 thank you!
Get a Himalayan salt lamp! I have one on my bedside just because I love it, and then I bought two more for rooms like the bathroom and path to the bathroom. Just make sure you get an adjustable one! I love it for when I’m up later than my fiancé. (I have IBS and gut problems, I’m often awake nauseas) so it’s very helpful.
Mom tip for the mattress pads! Totally agree with Sezzy that you should have two. If you really want to level up you can make, what I call, a bed lasagna. You put down mattress pad, sheet, mattress pad, sheet. So if the sheet gets gross in the middle of the night, you just strip off one layer and you have a fresh sheet underneath!
i’m nowhere near thinking about pregnancy or having children (i’m more closer to thinking about what university to go to) and have no intentions of having my own. always wanted to adopt children. but my god i love perusal articles like this. i love seeing different items and especially clothes. LOVE LOVE LOVE
I would highly suggest the fragrance free version of the Weleda cream (if there is any) all natural products doesn’t exists cause everything is chemistry. Especially for new borns it is essential to use products with a short ingredient list opposed to products with essential oil and fragrance that could cause allergies and rashes. Wish you guys all the best ✨👼🏼
I’ve been waiting for this article!! I’m 3 months and soooooo excited to start slowly getting all of the essentials🤍🌙🤍🌙 Thank you for your beautiful recommendations Sezzy. Just curious what colour your nursing chair is in?! I absolutely love it! Sending lots of love to you and your beautiful, growing family💕💕💕
I’m trying to figure out a baby carrier but I’m literally 4ft 10″ and worry some won’t fit right nad be bulky and i’m looking for a comfortable one. Would you recommend the baby bjorn or something? I’m not sure on the type you have to wrap yourself it’s a lot of hassle then sliding it on and clipping in.
I’m a mom of 2! I want to second, third and fourth the small pouch for diaper changing! I don’t like using a baby bag either. It just does not work the way that I had expected it to. Using my own bag and having the diaper changing pouch ready to go is everything! My daughter is 1 and I currently have one ready to go in my bag. It’s so much more practical for me and has been much easier than a baby bag. (And note, I do cloth diapers & it works just as well for me!!) I also cannot agree enough on NO BUTTONS. Don’t put yourself through it. The outfits are not cute enough to put yourself through the trauma of a middle of the night feeding trying to line up buttons. Zippers are the way to go! (: (: