Six years ago when we were expecting our first child we looked at all the baby stuff. We thought we needed all of it. We totally didn’t. Now looking back there are things I wish people would’ve been honest about what you absolutely need and what you’ll probably never use! I thought, someone somewhere is staring at a wipe warmer thinking, yes this is great! It’s so cold here! I don’t want to wake the baby with a cold wipe. I am here to tell you, it’s pointless. One of two things if not both will happen. The first being, you’ll forget to add the water to keep it moist, or forget to clean it because you will be focusing on keeping a new human alive. The second, even if you manage to remember the maintenance and to actually refill it, IF it’s cold enough you think you NEED a wipe warmer your baby is going to wake up the minute that cold air hits their little tooshie anyway. Save yourself the money, use it to buy a coffee and just hold the wipe between your hands long enough to warm it up, or shove it between your big milk filled boobs while you get baby’s butt exposed. Either way the wipe will be warmed.
So with all that said, I have created three lists.
1. Things you will actually use
2. Things you definitely don’t need
3. Things that make life easier but you don’t necessarily need per say.
With our further ado:
1. Things you will actually use
Diaper bag - this really goes without saying but it’s important to consider all the crap you will be carrying and if you plan on having more then one. I quickly ditched my purse. Congratulations your cute hand bag days are on hold. Get yourself a cute but FUNCTIONAL diaper bag. The backpack style is my favorite, but be sure to consider how hot and sweaty your back will get, if you’ll be carrying a car seat in addition to a should strap diaper bag, how much space you have for outfit changes, bottles, toys, your stuff, baby stuff and if you have a toddler change of clothes for them. Which reminds me, put a shirt in the diaper bag for YOU. Baby will 100% vomit on you. You will want a new shirt. You’re welcome.
Hakaa if breast feeding - whether you over produce or under produce you will want this little handy contraption. It’s small, travels easy and catches your let down. Saves tons of what would be wasted milk. In my house we use the Hakaa with every feed and my husband sort of sings it like a crow calling. His new favorite joke is “how do you know when the crow is lactating? It asks for the ha-kaaaw” 🙄
A baby carrier of some sort - I have two favorites, a moby for the newborn stage because it has great head support and you can snuggle them so close, and a lillie baby for when they are older. Either way baby carrying/wearing makes life so much easier!
A breastfeeding wardrobe - If you are breastfeeding you will want to invest in clothes that are designed for it. I wish I would’ve done this early on with my first. They just change the game so much! Totally worth it.
A stroller, a simple easy to fold up with one hand stroller - I personally like the grayco click and go strollers. They collapse so easy! Plus you can hook the bucket car seat right in without waking baby up. I have used my double click and go for 5 years now, I will never part with it! And listen here, unless you are actually going to be JOGGING you don’t need to invest in a big bulky jogging stroller. You just don’t. A simple stroller walks just fine. None of y’all are walking faster than a 15 minute mile and so a regular stroller will work just fine. Save your money and only buy what you need!
A bottle brush - Save yourself the time and frustrations, just go ahead and get a good one right out of the gate! Don’t think that dollar general one will do, I mean it will, we’ve gone through several through the years but there is a reason some bottle brushes are more than $1. Sometimes its worth it to pay more. I don’t often say that about things but bottle brushes is one of those times you should get the more expensive one.
A good glider/rocker/recliner - Make the investment now. You’ll spend many hours in that chair
A Playmat - If you get a really nice one that lights up and plays music it will be amazing. It will occupy your child until they can crawl! They even have some cool mats you can put water in and then whenever baby moves while on their belly it moves stuff in the water, it’s really cool.
A jumparoo/gym - These things are amazing, when your baby wants to be active and mobile but just isn’t yet! Or even when your baby is mobile and you need a break. Put them in a jumparoo gym and let them go to town. You can move it around to whatever room you’re in and chat with them while they play and you have two hands to get stuff done!
Books - There is tons of neuro science out about the amazing pathways your child’s brain develops when your read out loud to them! It’s insane! So get the books, all the books and do the bedtime, nap time, morning time reading! Skip cartoons and movies and just read to them!
Bumbo seat - I didn’t even use a real high chair with my numbers 2-4. They take up too much space! I use a bumbo until they can sit fine and then I use the sassy seat. Or sometimes a clip to the chair booster seat of sorts. All of which are easy to clean and can be tossed in the tub if needed.
Nose Frida - I know it seems nasty. BUT it works so much better then a bulb syringe. And the more times you try to suction a baby nose the more damage and inflammation you cause only making the nasal congestion worse. So suck it up and we’ll literally suck it out with the nose frida.
A thermometer designated as the BUTT thermometer - Because your baby will fever and the first time they do you’ll want to be sure it’s an accurate reading, so just get a thermometer, mark it rectal or just butt. And use it. Its the most accurate way to get a temperature especially on an infant.
Sassy Seat - the good old fashion plastic or vinyl only seat that hooks to the counter top. These are amazing, they travel well, clean easy and kids can sit right at the counter munching on whatever you give them while you cook, fold laundry, dance, whatever it is you do in the kitchen.
Baby socks - they disappear all the time, never both together. Just get a bunch.
Diaper Rash cream - get at least one tube. Better get if you can get a few samples, you just never know which kind will work best for your little ones bum.
A Boppy Pillow - now for breastfeeding moms the half circle one is perfect for feeding. The closed one that looks like a donut but with the center still in, is a great place to set baby down and get stuff done. That is until they can roll. We used ours with all four kids. I mean a doc a tot is also nice, but super expensive so we never owned one. Any of those type of pet bed mimicking pillows but marketed for babies are great!
A few good pair of shapewear or control top leggings - This is not just about trying to hide the inevitable mommy pouch. They just hold all your organs in place while you try standing, moving, coughing, laughing or jumping. You may never go back though, to a normal legging that is.
2. Things you definitely don’t need:
A stock pile of diapers - This sounds weird right? You’re thinking but Miranda, I am having a baby, I need diapers. Yes, yes you do. Just hear me out. Don’t stock up on any one type of diaper until you meet that precious little bundle. I had a friend that couldn’t use anything “huggie” because her kids broke out in rashes. My first three could only use Huggies so when I was gifted TONS of pampers diapers and wipes with my number 3, I graciously thanked everyone and promptly regifted them. So then my number 4 comes along, I am convinced she will be fine with huggies, she was not. Her little bum hated huggies so we switched to luvs. My point is, you just don’t know what your babies skin is going to do until you know. So try a few types before you do a big costco run on diapers and wipes!
A wipe warmer - See above for that whole explanation.
Those fancy travel bottle keeper warmer contraptions - Grab yourself a travel coffee mug that the bottle fits in, fill it with hot water and there you go. You’ll need that mug for your own “go go juice” which is also known as coffee. So IF you’re going to invest in a bottle keeper warmer just do it in a really nice travel coffee mug like a yeti.
Baby shoes - they can’t even walk y’all. Save your money. They will find a way to squirm out of them and you’ll be devastated in your post baby hormone storm when you realize you’ve lost the other fancy boot you bought for your 3 month old baby. I say again, save you’re money.
A Diaper Caddy - Get yourself some cute baskets you’ll use elsewhere in your house for decoration or storage a year from now. Or even just some totes. Put them wherever you’re going to be changing the baby and use that to hold diapers and wipes and whatever creams you’re using. Of note I have one for just bows. That’s a girl problem though. Plus one for bibs to just sit near wherever you’ll feed baby. We have a drawer in our hoosier cabinet that’s just bibs.
A Diaper Pail - Listen once you have kids, gone are the days of not emptying the trash daily anyway. So, just toss it in the trash. You don’t need a special trash container.
Baby Laundry Detergent - Y’all, this drives me absolutely NUTS! First off, if you think you’re going to have the time to separate your babies clothes and do individual loads of laundry of just their stuff, bless your little heart. Big ambitions. Big unrealistic ambitions. Here is the thing, these organic companies will have you convinced your baby needs that special laundry detergent labeled “baby”. But you’re going to be holding your baby right? And sometimes you may even be dressed when you hold them. So unless you’re washing everyone’s clothes in baby laundry detergent, your little bundle is going to be snuggled up close to Gain or Tide or whatever you use. So hold off on that special laundry detergent and see if your baby is affected by your clothes, sheets and towels before you get all crazy with your laundry routine. You’re welcome.
Baby gloves - They never stay on. Just use baby socks instead.
A Changing Table and the silly mattress pad thing that goes on it - I said it. I really think the changing table is probably the biggest con of the baby industry. When else in your life will you need a changing table? You won’t! Get a dresser at the right height for you, and a nice foam bath mat. Put the bath mat on the dresser. get a little basket to set next to it for diapers and wipes. Put the extra diapers, wipes, creams and nose suction stuff in the top drawer. Then you’ll use the dresser forever. Until the kid grows up and moves out. We use a kitchen island downstairs next to our couch for a changing table. Bath mat and all, we put one of the 192 blankets we got for the girls on it and when there is a blow out we toss the blanket in the wash and put a different one on it. We have baskets of toys in the bottom of the island and it’s a piece of furniture that will continue to be practical and useful long after my babies are grown.
A baby bath tub, hooded towel and washcloths - Use your kitchen sink until they don’t fit anymore, then put an inch of water in the bath and let them lay down, kick their feet, splash and play. You don’t need a baby bath tub, a baby bath seat or special baby bath towels and washcloths. Use the towels you have, use the washcloths you have. Your baby will be fine and then you won’t be stuck with a set of weirdly small square pieces of paper thin fabric in a year.
Dishwasher Basket - These things are totally unnecessary. Use the baskets in the utensils section and put the bottles on the top, but really most of the time you’ll just hand wash them anyway. I have two, and I have never used them.
Lanolin - Use coconut oil, you don’t have to wipe it off, it’s a highly versatile oil (see previous post about uses) and it doesn’t taste bad if baby gets in in their mouth!
A bunch of really cute or funny pun pacifiers - Just wait, wait and see if your baby will even take a pacifier before you go down that route.
A surplus of any one type of bottle - Again, just wait. Wait and see what your baby likes. Which reminds me, don’t use the pump bottles if you’re trying to breastfeed, that will make your baby a lazy eater. Ask a lactation consultant and let them explain.
18262826 plush blankets, animals and toys - Your baby will play with anything, like a measuring cup. Hands down the favorite bath toy for kids ages 4 - 18 months. And your child is going to one day decide they only like ONE just one of those thousand blankets and plush animals you have for them. Just buy one special blanket or animal and be done. You will be gifted so many of them. More then you will ever need. You’ll end up using them as burp rags and bodily fluid catchers.
Modesty - Just leave that at the door, once you have that baby ain’t nobody got time for that for at least 6 months.
3. Things you don’t necessarily need but would be nice to have:
A mat for you to kneel on next to the tub - I never got one, I thought surely my normal bath mat and young knees can handle this. I wasn’t wrong, BUT I gave my kids a bath at my friends house and she had one of the fancy baby bath time kneeling knee mat things, y’all, it was like a sleep number mattress on my knees. Now, do you NEED one? No. Are they a nice addition that I can get behind, absolutely.
Pack and Play - Honestly unless you’re going to be traveling a lot, you don’t really need one. I haven’t even used ours with my number 4! I use the baby dome more. The baby dome is great if you’re traveling a lot, more compact than a pack and play, easy to carry and has a sun shade/big screen cover. It’s in my taking the kids to the beach post because it’s just so useful!
Baby Swing - You don’t need one, some kids don’t even like them, but they are incredibly nice to have if your kid does like it.
A big comfy cloth high chair that reclines and does all the things - They are nice, but they take up a lot of floor space and are annoying to clean.
The Johnny jumper seat/swings that hook to door frames - I LOVED ours, but we didn’t have a good frame to hang it on, and number 2 kept walking her head right into the side of the door frame. In our old house number 1 would get a running start and swing for a while then jump around like a cat on a hot tin roof.
The medela cooling gel pads for sore or cracked nipples - These things are something you don’t need until you need them and then by golly they are AMAZING.
Vibrating boob heaters to help with let down and mastitis - This is for fancy people. A sock of rice and a good old fashion vibrating sex toy does the same thing although it does also add a certain level of…awkwardness should someone be around while you’re pumping.
A super fancy pump - I tried the willow and I wanted it to work so bad! It just didn’t for me, the good old fashion Spectra does wonders for me. So before you dump a lot of money into the latest and greatest, see if you even respond to the type of pump you want. You can usually find some used ones for cheap or free.
Teething necklaces - both kinds. The kind made of amber for the baby to wear (yeah I thought it was a bunch of hippie mumbo jumbo until magically number 2 slept through the night for the first time at 20 months because we put it on her). But also the kind you can wear that looks like a fashion necklace but is really for your baby to chew on. They are great to wear while breastfeeding if your baby gets handsy, pinches or whatever. You can survive without them but they sure are nice.
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