Sometimes, it's hard to filter out the absolute necessities when every mommy has their own "newborn must-have list", mine included. Unlike many pregnancy guides, I did not get into my nesting phase just before giving birth. I nested for months, filling up the nursery well before my wild bubba's arrival. A month into being a mom, I realised how much I didn't need.
This, is my honest-to-god newborn essentials list:
1. Diapers
A no-brainer. But before you go ahead and buy cartons upon cartons of these, know that you don't know how big your bub will be when he finally makes he way into your arms and how fast he grows. Don't get caught up in that bundle deal and end up with nb-size diapers that he outgrows in a week. Another experience with had mwb was an allergic reaction she had to a specific brand of diaper which we ending up getting rid of.
2. Wipes
Babies are messy, really messy. Newborns pee and poop ALL THE TIME. Sometimes, literally just after you've changed them and sometimes even while changing. Later on, you'll find the wipes go even faster when your little one starts exploring food.
3. Baby Crib
Call it a crib, a cot or a cradle, this was a top must-have for us. We thought having baby sleep in our bed was an unnecessary hazard in addition to losing the sacredness of our bed. If you are struggling with space, there are bedside crib options. Having baby sleep in her own crib can also help her to transition to sleeping independently sooner! Mwb began sleeping in her own room at 3.5 months, after being in her crib next to our bed, with almost no fuss.
4. Mittens & Socks
Admittedly, these were not a priority on my own list. I thought I could get away with not having them since we live in a tropical climate. A couple of days at home and mwb experienced bluish skin from cold in addition to sporting a scratch on her brand new face. As a guide, I had about 3 sets which were sufficient to rotate until mwb outgrew them.
5. Footie Onesie Pyjamas
I cannot get enough of these! There will be a whole other post on the types of footie onesie pyjamas you can buy. If not for our weather, I would have had mwb live in these. You worry less about them kicking off their swaddles/blankets and getting cold. Some footie onesie pyjamas also come with hand covers, which mean no need for socks or mittens at night.
6. Swaddles
Mwb was not a swaddle-loving baby. We struggled so much with sleep when she was a new born. When other parents heard of our troubles, they would often promise us better sleep if we could just swaddle her but no matter what type of swaddle we would buy, she would struggle until she got free. Why then, is this still on my list? Because, whether or not they met their purpose, mwb developed another type of comfort from the muslin swaddles we bought. Our swaddles are now multifunction pieces of cloths that:
- mwb sucks on to self-soothe
- I used for nursing when I forget to bring my nursing cover
- thin stroller blanket to cover baby
- stroller cover when it gets too sunny outside
- emergency burp cloth
7. Bath Cloths & Towels
Little tiny bath cloths/hankies are just so handy to have around and so are towels. I don't think I can ever place enough emphasis on the mess that babies are. As a guide, I have bath towels and a pack of 10 bath cloths/hankies that are on rotation.
8. Changing Mat
I'm talking about the inexpensive ones you get from ikea. You don't need a fancy changing station since baby is likely to outgrow it before outgrowing diapers but no matter how careful we were being, accidents were bound to happen. For the first 3 months, we would place the changing mat wherever we would need to change her (i.e. the couch, the floor, the bed). Do look out for a mat that is easy to clean.
9. Baby Carrier
The first baby item that was gifted to me was my baby carrier. I didn't actually think we would use it as soon as we did. With mwb who constantly wanted to be carried, I couldn't be more grateful for this product. I was wearing it all the time even around the house just so I could have my hands-free to do chores. Just a note to new mommies, please ready up on the carrier you've been eyeing to ensure that they're suitable from 0months up as some carriers do require you to buy newborn inserts.
10. Milk Bottles
Lastly, i thought about this one. I breast-fed mwb almost exclusively and questioned myself on the necessity of this product. Even though I didn't use them often, they were still useful to have around. When mwb started on solids, we got her to drink water from her milk bottles first.
There are quite a number of other products that I don't regret buying but did I really need them? Probably not.
Can't wait to start on my absolutely honest list of products I probably didn't need!
Think I've missed out a really important item on the list? For any feedback, topic suggestions or questions, drop us a message at hello@thewildbub.com