Must-Have Newborn Checklist

What does a baby really need in the first weeks at home?

The answer is….

probably not even half of the stuff you put on your registry

BUT, there are some baby essentials you want to make sure you have ready.

There is so much information out there, and it’s hard to know where to begin. This is for all you 1st-time moms out there that are as overwhelmed as I was. I am here to help simplify and save you time on researching baby necessities. I’ve provided you with all that I learned as a new mom and what newborn essentials you actually will need.

From what you should splurge on to what you should save your money on, I laid it all out so you can save yourself time. Below let’s chat about the entire list of newborn must-haves, plus I added a few baby product suggestions that worked for us.

I’m a planner, so when I found out I was pregnant, I wanted to dive right on into research. What did I need for pregnancy, what do I need to do to prepare for our baby, what should I put on my registry, what is the best of the best for strollers, car seats, cribs… my mind was swirling. I was having a hard time where to even start. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent researching and obsessing over every detail. I wanted to make sure I was getting the best for the baby and not wasting money on unnecessary items.

I’m going to make it very easy for you and lay out my best tips, tricks, and advice for making sure you have all of the essentials when a newborn comes + all those things you aren’t sure if you should get or not.

Being prepared with the items below will get you through the first couple of months and ensure that your baby is comfortable, well-fed, and has everything they need. Let’s first go over the absolute must-haves:

You will want the following items on hand.

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A COMPLETE LIST OF NEWBORN NECESSITIES

DIAPERS

I recommend getting a pack of newborns and size 1 to start. Sometimes babies go straight to a size 1 diaper, but you really just don’t know until the arrival of your baby.

Ours was in newborn size for over two months before he bumped up to size 1 diaper.

I recommend Huggies and DON’T recommend Honest Company. We had way more blowouts with Honest Company diapers. Huggies seem to be the best for no leakage or blowouts. Here are the ones we still use today

BABY WIPES

You will need baby wipes… and LOTS of them.

This is where I DO recommend the Honest Company brand. There are no harsh chemicals to irritate your baby’s skin, so it’s easy on your baby’s sensitive skin.

We’ve used these since our baby boy was born, and we have YET to have any diaper rash. Oh, and they are multi-purpose. You can use them to clean up little messes, especially when you start with solid foods!

SWADDLES

Honestly, I didn’t think my baby liked to be swaddled, but I later realized we just didn’t have him in the right one. I invested in some SwaddleMes, and that’s when the 4-6 hour stretches started happening.

We tried them alllllll, but SwaddleMe worked best in the end. It takes a minute to get good at, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes effortless to tuck them in super snug, so their hands don’t emerge from their neck. If you know, you know.

Also, make sure you have at least three swaddles on hand. Your baby WILL pee, poop, throw up, do all the things on swaddles.

I remember one particular night Atlas went through so many swaddles that he had none left by morning. You don’t want to be doing laundry in the middle of the night with a crying baby. So do yourself a favor and had enough on hand.

BABY LOTION + BABY OIL

Did you know that a newborn’s skin peels and is super dry. It was a surprise to me. I mean, I guess it makes sense, but I was not prepared. Our son was so dry and peeling like crazy, especially on his hands and feet.

Honest Company lotion and the Beauty Counter oil were lifesavers. All you have to do is apply it while your baby is having a bottle or distracted with something, and it worked like a charm.

BABY BOTTLES

Even if you are breastfeeding, you may need a break, or something might come up where you will need your baby to be bottle-fed.

Get a few differently brand’s of bottles to test out. Don’t be surprised if it takes a while to find the one that works for your baby. My baby initially liked Comotomo for the 1st week or so, then Num bottles, and ultimately Dr. Brown’s. It’s all trial and error, BUT the Dr. Brown’s seems to be a pretty safe bet.

A BASSINET

In the 1st few months, your baby will most likely sleep in your bedroom in a bassinet. The Halo Bassinest Premiere Series is fantastic!

It basically has all the bells and whistles and is really beneficial if you are breastfeeding. The side bar easily pushes down, so you can get your little one for feedings seamlessly. It’s a really nice bassinet.

Some of the features include:

The sides are mesh
It vibrates
has a sound machine built in
pockets on the side
swivels for easy maneuvering
+ more!

Another great option for daytime is a portable bassinet!

Another lifesaver for daytime naps is a portable bassinet like a Moses basket. I strongly recommend investing in one. We invested in a Moses basket is also worth every penny.

I got mine from Plum and Sparrow, which are a little pricier, but so amazing and cute. If you end up getting the Plum and Sparrow basket, you can actually get a stand with it and use that as your full-time bassinet.

Here is another great option found on Amazon:

BURP CLOTHS

You will use A LOT of these.

There will be plenty of drool, milk, spit-up, plus more special surprises.

Always keep one on hand. You’ll want the cute, trendy ones at first, but save yourself the money on this one and purchase this item in bulk. I bought cheap ones in bulk from Amazon. Practicality over style for this one.

BABY CLOTHES

Multi-packs of onesies (short-sleeved or long-sleeved depending on what season you are in). Multi-pack of socks OR some booties. We put booties on our son because he had humongous feet, and we couldn’t find socks that fit.

The six months and older were too wide around the ankle, and the 0-6 were just too dang small. Get pajamas with footies. Some little hats keep them warm during the day and baby mittens (they WILL scratch their face… its help).

Side note: This is coming from someone who went overboard… don’t go overboard with the clothes. They will grow out of newborns anywhere from within weeks to a few months. I had so many outfits that he didn’t even get to all of them.

Plus, we had Atlas in the midst of the pandemic, and not a damn soul saw him in his cute outfits except my husband and me. So here is what you will need, though.

BABY TUB

You will need some sort of baby tub for your little one.

The one below is great because it grows with your baby until they can sit up on their own and don’t need a baby bath any longer.

BODY WASH AND SHAMPOO

Honest Company has a great all-in-one that not only our baby uses, us adults can, too! It’s gentle, smells amazing, and there are no harsh chemicals.

Tubby Todd is another fantastic brand, especially if your baby has sensitive skin. Here’s 10% off!

ACTIVITY MAT

To get in some good tummy time, an activity mat is a great idea. Or maybe you just need a quick fiver? The activity mat is perfect to keep your baby happy and occupied while you get a break. Our baby hated swings and baby carriers, so this was our one saving grace.

This should definitely be a baby registry item, because they can get a bit pricey. If you’re looking to save some money, Facebook Marketplace is actually a great place to find gently used items like an activity mat. So, you might want to check there if you are looking to save a few bucks.

GROOMING KIT

We got the FridaBaby’s Baby Basics Kit.

It comes with a snot sucker, gas passers, baby nail clippers and nail file, and a skin soother.

You will use EVERYTHING, including the gas passer. Yup, desperate times call for desperate measures when your little one is suffering from gas pain.

My baby came out with claws, dry skin, tummy issues, and we used EVERYTHING in this kit within the 1st two months. The skin soother was great to put shampoo on and scrub his head.

CAR SEAT

You will be going to your baby’s very 1st doctor appointment just 1 week after your baby is earthside.

Also, a lot of hospitals won’t even let you leave the hospital if you don’t have an infant car seat, so make sure you check with your hospital before buying one.

We got the Maxi Cosi Mico 30 that comes with the base.

I also got this mirror to ease my mind, lol. I was usually in the back with him why my husband drove, but there were a few times I was driving alone with him, and I hated that I couldn’t see him.

WRAPPING UP: Must-Have Newborn Checklist

So that’s my list of baby essentials that got me through the first couple months. There are lots of other items I could add to the list that made life a little easier, but these are the absolute MUST-HAVE items. Don’t worry, I will share my newborn baby lifesaver items next week!

Must-Have Newborn Checklist