My Must Have Newborn Products

The newborn phase is filled with so much joy but it is also challenging. My whole life I’ve been surrounded by babies because I came from a large extended family, and my first ever job was working with infants. So I knew what to expect. However, something about having your own child takes it to a whole new level. There are sleepless nights, adjustments Tre and I had to go through, and figuring out when to recover from childbirth.

Even though I’m exhausted and sleep deprived, it doesn’t take away the deep love I have for Carter. Seriously can’t believe he’s mine! I’m obsessed with the little guy. He’s my miracle baby. What also helped (aside from asking family) are baby products that have helped us get through the newborn stage. So I’ll be sharing with you all my must have newborn products.  These items can keep newborns healthy, safe, and comfortable during those first few weeks and months.

Advice On Buying Baby Products

Just keep in mind that all the baby gear I’m sharing is what worked for us. Every baby is different. Lately, I’ve been telling people you don’t need to buy everything at once. Buy them as you need them because baby stuff adds up – in space and money! My suggestion is if you have something you want to use, try that first and if it doesn’t work, then try other people’s recommendations (or my recommendations haha). Overall, having a baby is a lot of trial and error.

What has helped us SO MUCH is Buy Buy Baby’s in-store pick up. Man, it is a lifesaver! We are fortunate to live close to one. Almost everything online is available for in-store pick up. So we would place our order online and in a couple hours, it is ready. If Buy Buy Baby is not close by, Target also does something similar too and we have used their in-store pickup service as well. We go to Buy Buy Baby more often because it is in our neighborhood and their formulas are slightly more affordable.

Must Have Newborn Products

Here is the list of baby items that worked for us and we love!

1 New Baby Bootcamp

This was SO HELPFUL for us and it’s great for babies under 8 weeks. It contains information that is helpful to know when you take your baby home from the hospital such as understanding newborn sleeping habits, why they don’t sleep through the night, and how to calm your fussy baby. They even give helpful tips on building the right sleeping foundation. I seriously wished the hospital gave such information because it was overwhelming when we got home.

You have the option to listen to this via audio, watch the video course, or read the e-book. I did all three haha and used the e-book as a reference.  THIS IS NOT sleep training. Newborns should not be sleep trained and we should respond to their demands. This course gave me more confidence as a mother that I’m doing the right thing, and reassured me that Carter is doing what a newborn baby should be doing.

I did use their consulting advice when Carter had the 4-month sleep regression. I worked with Abby and she was incredible. So if your baby is ready at the sleep training age, then I recommend them! After Carter was a month old, he was sleeping through the night. He’d average 10-11 hours of sleep. Then at 4-months, he started waking up every hour. Abby helped us get Carter back to sleeping through the night and even get better at naps. You can contact Abby at [email protected]

2 Snuggle Me Lounger

Omg, we LOVE this lounger and we used it pretty much all the time especially that first month. It’s so nice to have when you can’t hold the baby the entire time but want them closeby. Carter loved it and was so comfortable in it. I love that this is much more affordable than the DockATot AND you can purchase a Snuggle Me Cover to protect the lounger. Trust me, we were so grateful for the cover. Whenever Carter would spit up, we just machine-washed the cover and put it back on when it was all cleaned. Plus, I love all the Snuggle Me color options! It’s also available on Amazon (and they have more color options too) and have nursing pillows as well.

3 Baby Nail Clippers

Nothing is scarier than trimming a newborn’s nails, and they grow so fast! The thought of using nail cutters is giving me anxiety. These baby nail trimmers have made it so much easier. They’re meant to be used for babies and they won’t harm or cut the baby at all when it touches their skin. Carter doesn’t mind his nails being trimmed and if it touches his skin, he doesn’t notice at all.

4 Babybjorn Bassinet

When we were looking for a bassinet, we wanted one that wasn’t bulky and didn’t take up too much space (city living problems haha). Lucie’s List (one of our go-to baby reference websites) listed this bassinet as one to use. It does the job without any fancy features and Carter was perfectly content with it. You can manually rock the bassinet which we used when Carter was fussy. I especially love that it was so light and easy to transport. When we had to eat dinner but didn’t know where to put Carter, we would bring this bassinet to the dining room.

You do have to use their specific fitted sheet since the sheet is specifically made for the size of the mattress. I recommend getting a few of them. We bought 3 and were glad we did because of the spit-ups.

5 Nuna Infant Car Seat

We love all of Nuna’s baby products! We looked at a lot of infant car seats and are so glad we went with this one. It’s lightweight, easy to clean, and so perfect for city-living. All of Nuna’s stuff is well thought out, easy to install, and can easily click onto any of the Nuna strollers. The dream drape is amazing to use on sunny days!

If you’re shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, this car seat is part of the deal and it comes with 2 bases! That’s a good deal because one car seat base costs $199. So the sale price of the car seat and 2 bases is worth it!

6 Nuna TAVO Stroller

Love all of Nuna’s strollers, but we went with the TAVO and couldn’t be happier. We love that it can easily attach to the Nuna car seat until Carter can use the stroller seat. But what really makes this stroller great is that it is made for people who live in the city. It folds up nicely which makes it so easy to go up and down stairs, you can use it over rough and uneven sidewalks, and it barely takes up any space. Like I said, you can’t go wrong with any Nuna product!

7 Magnetic Me Footed Pajamas

Out of all the baby pajamas, we are OBSESSED with Magnetic Me. The snaps are magnetic which makes changing a fussy baby sooo easy, especially during those late night diaper changes. The modal fabric is so soft that I wish I could sleep in something that soft haha. I have been gifting Magnetic Me pjs to all new parents, and they are now obsessed with them too. Anything to make life easier with a baby is worth it haha.

You can find them at Nordstrom, Buy Buy Baby, and Amazon. But all of the prints and styles are on their website.

8 BabyBum Diaper Cream Brush

This butt spatula is a game changer. I was hesitant about it but Tre really wanted it and I’m glad I caved. It makes putting on diaper cream so much faster, easier, and less messy. When I use my fingers, it requires several swipes to cover the entire bum and with Carter moving so much I end up getting diaper cream everywhere. But with this brush, I only need to do 2 swipes and I’m done and my fingers, Carter, and the changing table are all clean. GET IT! There’s also a set that comes with a travel size so that you will always have it in your diaper bag.

9 Desitin Diaper Cream

I’ve tried other diaper creams but nothing works and prevents diaper rash as well as Desitin. It just works! I’ve tried other brands, but ended up disappointed.

10 Dreamland Baby Weighted Sleep Sack

We’ve tried SO MANY sleep sacks and swaddles and nothing worked. Carter does not like his arms strapped in, and this weighted sleep sack allowed him to have his arms out and calm his startle reflex. However, if your baby doesn’t mind having their arms tucked in, it does come with a velcro attachment so that it works as a swaddle. You can only use this when your baby is at least 8 lbs.

11 LouLou Lollipop Swaddle Blanket

While we were on the hunt for the right sleep sack and swaddle, we used the LouLou Lollipop swaddle blankets. It worked for us in the first couple weeks when Carter didn’t realize he liked his arms out haha. But we love that it was more breathable and so easy to tuck in and create a swaddle.

12 Portable White Noise Machine

This sound machine beats all those pricey ones. It works real well and it is portable & compact! Just make sure it is charged before you are on the go. This is the same one we brought to the hospital with us. We love it so much that we use it every day.

13 Solly Baby Crib Sheets

I didn’t think I cared for a specific brand of crib sheets until we used Solly Baby crib sheets. Not only are they soft, but they are so snug that I don’t have to worry about loose fabric that Carter could potential grab or SIDs. I will warn you that it will appear at first that the crib sheets are too small. But trust me, it does fit! You just need to pull more than you think and it will stretch over the mattress corners.

14 Angelcare Baby Bath Tub

We used this baby bathtub right from birth. We went with this one because it doesn’t create mildew buildup, the holes allow the water to drain through, and baby doesn’t slip. It fits perfect in our tub, but it can fit in larger sinks.

15 Baby Monitor

We knew from the beginning that we wanted a baby monitor that has clear sound, video, and good range. And this gets the job done and had great reviews. It comes with 2 cameras, but we only use one and we use the second one when we are going to my parents’ house, in-laws, etc.

16 Dr. Brown Baby Bottles

We love the Dr. Brown bottles. Although, cleaning them is a pain. But they really do help with gassiness. We were told this is the best baby bottle to use for bottle feeding because it is the closet to a nipple. Dr. Brown bottles are suitable for both formula (what we use it for) and breast milk.

17 Solly Baby Wrap

Out of all the baby wraps out there, I love the Solly baby! I’ll admit that I was first interested in them because of their beautiful prints and colors. But after using them, they are worth the hype if you plan on baby wearing. It does take a couple practice tries to learn how to put it on, but once you know how, it’s easy! I mainly used this indoors during Carter’s fussy times and when I needed to be hands-free. I got the most use out of it during the first month. It’s basically like skin-to-skin but standing up. It even helped get those stubborn burps out!

 18 Diaper Bag Backpack

Sometimes a backpack is more convenient to use as a diaper bag. We went with this one because it is more gender neutral so that Tre can use it. It’s just the right size – not too big but fits the necessities. It even comes with a portable changing mat. We also love that it has stroller straps so that we can attach it to our stroller.

19 Ubbi Diaper Pail

Not only does this diaper pail come in so many cute colors, but it has kept the nursery odor-free and we can use any trash bag. But I’ll admit, we like to use the Ubbi trash bags.

20 BabyBjorn Baby Carrier

This is the baby carrier we love to use when we are outside. We love the mesh fabric so that it is breathable for Carter when he presses his face against it and does a good job supporting his head. This can be used right from birth. I also used this during Carter’s fussy hour during our walks. It’s so durable!

21 BabyBjorn Baby Bouncer

THIS IS WORTH IT! Carter loves this baby bouncer so much! When he fusses, he stops once he’s there. Even when he’s not fussy, he’s so perfectly happy and content in this bouncer. We started using this when he was about 2 weeks old.

We love the toy bar because it really keeps him entertained. I’ll admit for a baby toy, it is pricey, but it’s the only attachment for it. Carter didn’t show signs of interest in the toy bar until he was 2 months old. So if you can hold off, then do so. Like I said, I wish the toy bar was slightly more affordable so we could buy more of them.

Other Newborn Must-Haves

So here are other products that I find helpful but don’t have a strong preference or attachment to a brand.

• Burp Cloths – you will need a lot of them
• Bibs – We loved these during the newborn stage (the puns are hilariously cute) and then went with the Pehr bibs when Carter started drooling a lot more.
• Baby Tracker App – I didn’t think I needed an app to help track when Carter sleeps, changes diaper, or feeds, but eventually I caved. It just makes life easier. I know when he last ate, how much he ate, when he slept, how long he’s been awake, etc. And it helps to know why he could be crying. I just look at the app and figured oh, well it’s been X hours since he last ate, so he’s probably hungry. That’s how I was also able to learn and distinguish his cries too!
• Breast Pump – I’ll admit, I’m no pro in this because I can’t breastfeed. However, all my friends that do say a breast pump is a must-have! So I’m adding this in here, because I’m aware that not everyone is in the same situation as I am.

Oof! This ended up being A LOT longer than I expected but I wanted to make this as helpful as possible. I know how overwhelming baby products are and really wanted to be thorough on why these baby items worked for us!

xo RD