The Top 5 Newborn Baby Items per an Experienced Mother

First time mom? Congratulations! 4th time mom but can’t remember what you need because mom brain and pregnancy brain combined… I feel you. There are so many different things people say you need- wipe warmer (who uses those?), a diaper pail (sure, they can be nice), a $1,200 bassinet… ok, maybe not so much. I’m here to tell you, as a mother of 2, what I needed more than anything, well other than diapers, wipes and good ole butt paste.

1. Bassinet

No brainer, right? Baby needs a place to sleep! There are SO MANY bassinet options! From a pack and play, the Moses basket, attachable co-sleepers, actual co-sleeping (I do NOT recommend this), the cradle, the old school bassinet from 1980, the Snoo, to my personal favorite, the Halo Bassinest. Yes, bassiNEST. My husband convinced me this is what we needed when we were pregnant with our son (first child). I had seen them in stores but didn’t like the look, too modern for me. After researching a lot and getting baby shower gift cards, I decided it was a good idea to invest in one- they break down easily and lay flat for storage so it wouldn’t be a problem storing it until we had another child… Let me tell you- best decision ever. They’re perfect for c-section mommas because of the 360 degree turning capabilities, the height is adjustable, but the part that sets it above the rest: the bar in front can be pushed down to help you scoop baby up, or it can also be locked in place to where it doesn’t move. I didn’t know at the time I was going to have a c-section, most women don’t with their first child, and this turned out to be one of the best things we had when we brought home our son. Another HUGE bonus (and probably my favorite thing) is that you can pull it on top of your bed, making it in a way a co-sleeper but with full barriers around baby so you don’t accidentally roll over on to baby; or you can have it over your bed, put baby in, then push it gently around so the baby is within arms reach from you, but not on top of you. You can buy one here!

2. A bathtub for baby! 

You won’t believe how many people forget to add this to their registry or forget to purchase one completely. I have given 5 of these to friends after noticing they didn’t register for one, I also checked with soon-to-be grandma to ensure they hadn’t already purchased one. You can always use a towel in the sink method, but this one will grow with baby until they’re ready for the big tub! I loved the sling feature on this tub, great for those first few baths at home before the umbilical cord stump falls off, or if you have a big-time splasher and you don’t feel like giving your kitchen a bath one night. Plus, it also comes in greens/blues or pinks/purples!

3. The Boppy lounger, not to be confused with the Boppy pillow you use for breastfeeding.  

I had my doubts with this, but it quickly became a treasured fixture in our house. The lounger looks like an oversize tie-in chair cushion from 1982, but in much cuter fabric and actually good padding! My booty still hurts from grandma’s old chair cushions not having much padding! Back to the lounger… It has just the right amount of plushness on the thick side to support baby’s head, or you can turn it 90 degrees and lay baby on it sideways so you won’t have to worry about him or her magically rolling off the couch while you grab a drink from the fridge. Ours was napped on, sat on, sprawled across on, and majorly loved on. My daughter still goes and sits in it at 16 months old, will walk across the rug to it just to sit on it if she sees it out. It is now known as “the throne”. Buy one, it will not disappoint.

4. Swaddle Sacks! 

Who wants to help a newborn sleep? I presume everyone reading this is raising their hands. The Nested Bean Zen Swaddle sack was my lifesaver. With my son I used to Halo swaddle sack, loved it. It was the only way he’d sleep at night, but the Nested Bean was a straight up game changer. My daughter went from moving in her swaddle sack quite a bit to sleeping so well once we tried the Nested Bean. I was shocked at how well it works the first night! The difference in the two is the Nested Bean has a small area that has weighted beads in it, almost like a tiny weighted blanket just for a small part of the baby’s chest, making it feel like mom or dad is still holding them, resting their hand on the baby’s chest. Want to check it out? Here you go! (BONUS! Once baby starts to roll transition to a Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit- I swear by these things!)

5. Sleepers? Really?

Last, but most certainly not least, sleepers. You’re probably thinking “duh, Mallory…” but I’m here to tell you that you need AT LEAST 7, if not 10, preferably FOURTEEN in each size. Hear me out: when you have a baby, a newborn at that, the last thing you will want to do, and sometimes not even think to do, is laundry. Or maybe that’s just me? Between feeds, sleep, naps, poop, pee, poopsplosions, sweet cuddles and tummy time, the last thing you will want to do is wash, dry and fold laundry. If you’re like me, your child will almost live solely in sleepers their first month or two of life and there is nothing wrong with that! Here are some of my favorite sleepers for girls and boys!

What are/were your must-have baby items? Chime in in the comments!