June 9, 2020 at approx. 6:50am – I became a brand spanking new mom to my precious Amelia. Oh, my what an experience this has been so far! And I know it will keep on going, highly unlikely that time will slow down with it. Prior to Amelia’s arrival, I remember feeling so distraught about what to get ready for her, what to buy, and just generally losing my mind as time got closer and closer to her being in my arms. Of course, I researched. And when I say that, I literally mean HOURS of research – watching countless Youtube videos on my mommy recommendations, blogs, and new mommy forums. There was absolutely no doubt that I gained a lot of new information along the way throughout my research but I can’t remember actually feeling like I was “ready”. Then again, is anyone really “ready” for a baby?! Haha.
In hopes of helping out a fellow new momma, or a mom just looking for new insight due to ever changing times, I’ve laid out my top 15 Must-Haves for a newborn that truly helped me in the process. Please feel free to comment below your thoughts and if you have any further recommendations here!
Reminder: YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL MOMMA!
1. 3 Tier Utility Cart
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/raskog-utility-cart-white-20382932/
Oh, my goodness I LOVE this thing! Ahh! Seriously! Absolutely amazing and my TOP MUST HAVE! Honestly, even if you don’t use this for baby-related uses, it is soooo handy to have around the house! This 3 tier utility cart is so easy to wheel around the whole house – specifically back and forth from the bedroom to the nursery to the living room and so on. I’m able to hold my drinks, snacks, breast pump, nipple butter, diaper caddy, & anything needed for quick grabbing for that precious little angel of yours. Seriously – take my word for this one and get one! I bought mine at Ikea and I know there are multiple stores that offer these all over.
2. Boppy Breastfeeding Pillow
Obviously, this one is a no-brainer, especially for breastfeeding moms. I personally really enjoyed having this in the newborn stage with Amelia because it saved my back when feeding her, it really did. Amelia was comfortable to feed and I was comfortable, as well (so important!). Not only is this great for feeding baby, it actually makes for a great pillow too! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen asleep on the Boppy. Not to mention that amazing back support you get with it when placing it behind you and leaning up against a wall or, in my case, the bed frame. We also had the Boppy newborn lounger from a baby shower gift and Amelia absolutely loved hanging out with us in it. She was very comfy 🙂
3. Bassinet / Pack n Play
Definitely recommend either or for a newborn baby! We didn’t have a bassinet, rather we just have the Pack n Play. We had this in our bedroom so Amelia could be very close in the beginning stage rather than having her in her crib at that point. Being a new mom, I wanted to be able to hear her breathe and be able to reach her quick if it was needed. Definitely came in handy for this through until we transitioned her to own crib and room (which she does fantastic with). I personally recommend using crib sheets and/or waterproof covers to place over the bedding base of the Pack n Play to refrain wet accidents causing damage, not to mention providing just a bit more comfort for the little angel.
4. Nose Frida
Highly, highly, highly recommend this compared to the traditional bulbs that they send you home from the hospital with. I absolutely hated those bulbs – ugh. They never worked well for me, maybe it was just me but I truly found solace using the Nose Frida. *Warning* You will literally be sucking boogies and mucus out of your baby’s nose. If pregnancy grossed you out, I think you may want to pass on this one then (haha). That being said, this works AHHHMAZING at getting out those pesky boogers and mucus to help your baby breathe better. Trust me on this. I’ve actually started gifting this as a baby shower item because of how much I rave about this product.
5. Medela Breast Milk Removal Soap
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZRN0ZGY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aKP.EbFXJE35F
I used this all the time! Great product that saves a lot of work for you. This product is really effective at removing breast milk and residue all while doing the cleaning for you. I soaked the used bottles in the sink with about 3-4 pumps of this soap and hot water for about 5 minutes. Voila! Just rinse and dry! Seriously so easy.
6. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste or Desitin or Coconut Oil / Baby Powder
My sweet baby Amelia had HORRIBLE diaper rash and raw skin on her bum due to breastmilk poops. According to her doctor, apparently breastmilk poop is really acidic and just wreaks havoc on their newborn skin. Poor baby, it was awful, I felt so bad and I felt like I couldn’t do anything to help. What I can recommend to you is to always put some kind of protectant on your baby’s bum to try to prevent this from happening, especially when they’re newborns. We tried absolutely everything, every cream, everything that was recommended and that was at the store. Nothing seemed to help until her pediatrician prescribed a prescription cream (which helped tremendously, thank goodness). This was our conclusion – Boudreaux’s, Desitin, Aquaphor, practically all creams are good at having the poop slide off baby’s bum but they do not heal the rash once it starts. Remember, this was just our conclusion, definitely can be different for everyone else. Once we were able to get her rash healed, we started strictly using baby powder and this is the absolute best protectant in my opinion. It keeps the area dry and we have not had anymore issues whatsoever. I also love using coconut oil, too. (COCONUT OIL IS AMAZING FOR CRADLE CAP!!!!).
7. Bouncer
Definitely got to have a bouncer of some kind. Amelia loves lounging in her bouncer as she hangs out with us. The bouncer we purchased came with a cute little clasp of hanging toys and Amelia was originally not phased by them being she was still a newborn just starting out. Now 7 months later she absolutely loves it all of course! I really wanted a swing so bad but we decided with our finances that a bouncer would be just fine (and it really was). We now have a walker for her that we purchased later on and she loves that. Overall though, highly recommend getting a bouncer or lounger of some sort for baby to hang out in instead of crib, etc, not to mention having a safe option to keep baby enclosed and close to you while you do daily things.
8. Breast Pump FREE Through Insurance!
Yes! You read that right! Take advantage of a FREE breast pump through your insurance! I honestly had no idea this was a thing until I found out about it through a sponsored Facebook ad (go figure) and am so glad I found it. They also will send you extra supplies if needed. Follow this link to claim yours! https://aeroflowbreastpumps.com/
9. Velcro / Zipper Swaddles
Trust me when I say this will save you so much time during those exhausting nights and they truly do the job right! I had absolutely NO issues with these and so glad I had these as an option for quick swaddling. Highly recommended item! Do not hesitate! Trust me!
10. Nipple Butter
Girl, you better get yourself a good nipple butter! This is so important! Again, TRUST ME! If you don’t know it already, I’m going to tell you now…. your body is going to change drastically as it readies for the new human addition you are creating in that beautiful body. I purchased my nipple butter through Amazon (link below) and loved it. Want my recommendation? Start using this prior to birth – just trust me. Nipples gon’ be sore sista. Breastfeeding is incredibly hard and, if you are able, I highly encourage you to do it! Don’t give up easily! It is such an amazing experience and is so so worth it. Either way though, we know a fed baby is the best baby – absolutely! You’re doing great momma.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JVCBBG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5RP.EbTGNDJAK
11. Baby Wrap Carrier
Definitely loved having my Lil Amelia close to my chest with this wrap when I did daily chores and things. She loved it too. Word of advice – don’t order more than two. Just trust me on this. I managed to get like four or five total from my baby shower and used only two of them. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe these are specific to use when they are newborns.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005SP2LWW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nVP.EbBNEXWMC
12. Chicco Bravo Travel System
https://www.target.com/p/chicco-bravo-trip-travel-system-orion/-/A-76465479
You guys. This stroller travel system is absolutely amazing! Absolutely recommend this stroller system, AND the brand Chicco overall. Great quality products that won’t empty your pockets. I did A LOT of research on the best strollers to have and first time parents recommended strollers. Each course brought me back to this specific travel system and I can personally say that it is a wonderful option to have for an infant car seat and stroller bundle. Absolutely love this. We use it practically every single day. Feels comfortable to me, and I’m very confident Amelia is too, not to mention I feel that she is safe in the car seat. I personally say this stroller system is about the middle tier, price wise. Remember – you get what you pay for!
13. Breast milk storage bags, Re-useable/Washable Breast Pads, Nursing Bras
Take care of those boobies, girls! Be sure to have plenty of these items on hand to make your life a little easier while being a new mom. Be sure to find comfortable nursing bras to you prior to birth. It is so important that you’re comfortable. Not to mention, these are all must-haves for breastfeeding mommies.
14. Avent Bottle Warmer
We love using this thing! We managed to get it as gift from our baby shower and we still use this today. Some people may argue that it’s not needed, and I understand why they would say that. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t buy one but receiving one as a gift is a plus, in my opinion. We love it. We have this one for Amelia. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LJ64JR4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_taQ.EbZZCME08
15. Burp Cloths
Trust me when I say it is never a bad idea to have a large number of burp cloths on hand. You are going to be using these A LOT, especially during the newborn stage. You’re also going to find times that you have a burp cloth and you still manage to get spit up on. This is okay. You are a new parent. You are learning. That precious new life you are holding in your arms is so so worth it. I recommend these because of how soft they are but really any burp cloths will do that you prefer.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HG74QRC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_V7P.EbNZFBQHN
Those are my top 15 items I recommend for new moms for newborns.
Just a couple side notes…
I’ve found Huggies and Pampers diapers have been our favorite diapers so far! They are the softest and are truly worth the money compared to the cheaper options out there (i.e. target brand). Honest is good too but didn’t have the same effect for me, in my opinion. I also only get the sensitive or aqua wipes. I personally don’t like a lot of perfumes for myself since I’m so sensitive. Whichever brand you go with – see if there is a rewards program! Huggies and Pampers definitely have great rewards programs. We tend to purchase Pampers more mostly because the reward program is so easy to use. Huggies is too but we also already had points built up from prior purchases and gifts and boy, do those points add up!
Also, have lots of soft wash cloths on hand!
Feel free to comment below if you have any further recommendations!
Talk Soon! xx