Preparing For Baby – The Essential List of What You Need!

When you are preparing for a new baby to come it’s easy to get caught up in all the fun things there are to purchase. I walk through baby stores and am amazed over how many items there are being promoted as essential for a baby. Now that we are on our sixth baby I have a better idea of what I really need, and what is just fun to have.

Your list will vary based on your lifestyle. At this point in my life, if I had to pick, I would choose a baby carrier (like an ERGO) over a stroller. I stay home a lot and need something to comfortably carry the baby in around the house. You might use a stroller often and not like carriers. Really think through the needs of your family and what your lifestyle looks like. First time parents are probably going to have more on their list than a mom of a larger family. And that’s ok! But you don’t have to break the bank to have a baby. 

Here is a list of items you will want when preparing for baby, I’m going to write a separate list of items that a mom will want for herself in a future post!

The Essential Baby List

 Co-Sleeper – A co-sleeper is essential for me, as I nurse my babies at night until they are around 9-10 months. After that, I normally try to work on getting them to sleep through the night as my health always seems to reach a point where I really need a full night of sleep by then. I’ve tried a traditional  bassinet, a wooden bassinet, a pack-n-play that was supposed to be like a co-sleeper, and the Arms Reach co-sleeper. After trying all of those, I really prefer an actual co-sleeper.

Using all the other options still required a lot of getting up to get the baby. With the Arm’s Reach co-sleeper you can just roll over and pick the baby up, since it is level (or very close to level) with your bed. If you have a high bed you can even purchase adjustable legs for it.

We have the mini co-sleeper and love it. Our bedroom is small so it’s a perfect fit. Our last baby outgrew the mini version at around 5-6 months. We use a pack-n-play for a crib when they outgrow the mini co-sleeper.

Car Seat – I prefer a traditional infant car seat versus a bucket seat for a new baby. I’ve had mostly fall and winter babies, so carrying them into church and stores during the cold weather is more practical in an infant seat. A lot of times I’ll bring a baby carrier along with me into a store and carry them that way, but transporting them through the cold is not fun without an infant car seat!

We’ve used several different brands of car seats. My favorite infant seat is the Chicco Keyfit 30. We had one of these for our last child, and I was able to get an amazing deal on a brand new one for this baby with credit I had earned at Zulily.

I like this brand so well because the safety ratings are high, and it seems really comfortable for the baby. Some car seats have little padding and I can’t imagine having to sit in them for a long time. This seat has the perfect amount of cushion, and the base is really easy to install.

Diaper Bag– I have yet to find the perfect diaper bag. I’ll make a confession – I have two new diaper bags to try for this baby! My problem with diaper bags is that I don’t want a giant bag to carry, but I end up having a medium size diaper bag that I never can zip up and I walk around with it bulging open. This time around I knew I wanted a bag with a messenger style fold over front.

I have the above diaper bag that is an OiOi brand. I like how roomy it is inside, and that it is bright and cheerful! It can be wiped down on the outside, and I can see myself liking this bag a lot. I can stuff it full and fold the front over. 🙂

After I found the OiOi diaper bag I saw this Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag on ThredUP. I had always loved the different fabrics that Petunia Pickle Bottom offers and heard great things about their bags. It wasn’t cheap, but I had credit (anyone can earn credit on ThredUP, just create an account and share your own referral link with your friends to earn $10 in credit when someone new purchases!).

I was so excited to get it in the mail, but I’m honestly not sure if I will like it as well as the OiOi diaper bag. It’s taller and not as wide as a normal diaper bag. I feel like things are going to get buried since it’s deep and tall, versus more wide. It definitely is good quality, and I’m going to give it a try and decide which one I like best! This bag has a really strong magnetic closure, so I know it will keep shut better than the OiOi.

Baby Carrier- A good quality baby carrier is a must! I purchased an Ergo baby carrier with our second child, and it was one of the best purchases I’ve ever made for my babies. I since have tried the Beco Baby carrier and like it as well. I really want to try a Tula baby carrier as I’ve heard a lot of good things about them, but there are only so many carriers I need to purchase. 😉 When they are little I like snuggling them in a stretchy wrap.

Baby Blankets – Forget about the tiny flannel receiving blankets that you can find everywhere! A good blanket is larger than the tiny square blankets. 🙂 I’ve had some blankets made for me as gifts that were from flannel but they are much larger and work great. You can easily make your own receiving blankets, or find them on Etsy. I sewed a new one for this baby that has flannel on one side and minky on the other.

Another good option are the popular muslin swaddling blankets that are larger. Aden + Anais have lovely muslin swaddling blankets, and there are other brands that offer them as well. I found several of these at a children’s consignment sale and I’m looking forward to using them. They are incredibly soft, and I know the baby will be nice and cozy all wrapped up in them. 🙂

Burp Cloths– Some babies are spitters, others just spit a little bit. It’s best to be prepared and have some burp cloths on hand. Cloth diapers make good burp cloths!

Baby Sleepers – I don’t get many newborn clothes as a lot of babies outgrow that size quickly! I try to have 4-5 newborn outfits, mainly sleepers. I add more fun outfits for the 0-3 size, and even more for the 3-6 month size. They just seem to grow so fast that I try to be careful with how many outfits I collect. It can be hard to stop because tiny baby clothes are just so adorable!

I like shopping at children’s consignment sales for gently used clothing, and have also seen adorable outfits on ThredUP  that are gently used for babies.

Onesies – Because I’ve had a lot of fall and winter babies I like long sleeve onesies. I’ve even layered them under short sleeve outfits to keep the baby warm. It can be easy to go overboard on collecting onesies. Just a hand full of plain white ones are necessary and it’s also nice to get some of the onesie and pant outfits. Carter sells some really nice ones, and Costco offers them for a great price.

Diapers – Last but not least, diapers are a must! Every family has to decide if they are going to use disposables, cloth, or a mixture of the two. I’ve done both, and I think there is a season in life for everything. 🙂 With our last baby I had a husband in college full time and only did disposables. This time around I’m planning on doing a combination of both. I have some brand new Applecheek diapers from Sweet Little Blessings that I’m excited to use. There is not a right or wrong way, just whatever works best for your family.

Since I’ve always breastfed my babies I don’t have bottles listed, but if you formula feed you obviously need the supplies for that!

Some other items I would say are essential depending on your baby and your family would be a bouncer seat and a pack-n-play if you travel much. We have always used a pack-n-play to go to parent’s and grandparent’s houses for the night. A bouncer seat has been a lifesaver during some colicky baby moments. I’ve borrowed a swing from my sister before, but I’m honestly not sure if we will even have room for one at our house so we might not use one this time around.

I’d love to hear what other items you consider essential, or which of these items are your favorite!