Need to know what you need the first year with baby? Here are some of my recommendations!
As a mother of three children ages 6 and under, I have a lot of experience with what you do and don’t use in that first year with a new baby. There are things that just collect dust and others that I use constantly. This is by no means a complete list, but definitely some of the first things that come to my mind as most useful with little ones!
Must haves and gifts for the new baby.
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- Sleepers with zippers. See that adorable green sleeper on my baby up there? Zipper!! Babies are wiggly. Zippers are easier than buttons, especially at night when you just want to go back to sleep after a diaper change!
Girls Newborn Sleepers
Baby Boy Zip Front Sleepers
Unisex-Baby Newborn Zip Front Sleepers
- Bibs. Babies drool. They drool a lot!
10 Pack Water Resistant Drooler Bib Set
- Nasal aspirator. Babies don’t know how to blow their noses, and you will all be miserable if you don’t have this toolSafety 1st Nasal Aspirator
- Child proofing kit. You need this before they start crawling! Safety 1st Childproofing Kit
- Soft cold teething toys. They need something to chew on. They’re like puppies!
- Nuby Icybite Hard/Soft Teething Keys
- Muslin blankets. These are sooooo handy! Swaddle, sun shade, nursing cover, wind block, light blanket….we use these for lots of things!
- Muslin Swaddle Blankets 2 Pack Half Price for Promotion
- Burp cloth. Spit up happens, usually on the childless aunt’s cashmere sweater. 🙂
- Onesies. They are just easy, okay?
Gerber Unisex-Baby Newborn Five-Pack Elephant Onesies
- Baby socks. The cuter, the better. Their feet get cold! Baby socks
- Mittens. Those little nails are notorious for sharp corners you’re going to miss, and they love to scratch at their faces. Newborn Mittens
- Board books. Yes, I read to very young babies! Yes, they enjoy it before they understand it! Just a few of my favorites for little ones are:
I Love You Through And Through
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
Must haves and gifts for the new mommy.
- Moby. This is amazing for young babies who want carried all the time, which is almost all of them. It’s soft and comfy for both of you, and pretty easy to get the hang of from the included instructional booklet. I have photos of my sweet baby and me in ours- courtesy of my 6 year old budding photographer- below.
- Moby Wrap Original Baby Carrier
- Water sling. If you like to go to the beach, pool or even take a shower, this is a very cheap lifesaver! I used it for pretty much every shower the first three months, and still do often with my littlest.
- Good nursing pads. These are my favorites, because they are very inexpensive, absorbent, soft, and don’t tend to leave a lot of fibers behind. Three nurslings and a few years of breastfeeding under my belt say….just listen to me here!
- Nursing bras for day and night.
I recommend that you get fitted in person for regular day time bras, so not recommending anything there. These look pretty much like my favorite to sleep in, though, and you should be able to guess based on your shirt size. Trust me, you want comfort and easy access at night! Lamaze Sleep Maternity Nursing Bra
- Gift cards. A new mommy often won’t tell you what she really needs. Who wants to admit she has no underwear or socks that aren’t stretched out from pregnancy and she’s outgrown all of her bras?? Get her a gift card to somewhere with a good selection of items she could use, so she can get what she needs most. You can shop here for a Huge Selection of Gift Cards!
Worthwhile splurges for baby.
- Lillebaby carrier. This is the one thing I splurged on for my third baby, and it’s been totally worth it! I used birthday money and then the rest was my gift from my husband. I literally use this carrier daily! Other ones I have tried (other than the Moby, which was a dream until she got heavier) gave me migraines, neck trouble and back aches. This one is so comfortable for someone with neck, back and headache issues! It even has lumbar support for your back. It’s also the best for warm climates, since it’s really breathable. Mine is the berry and charcoal color you see in our fall festival photo. They have plenty of lovely colors and patterns, though! LILLEbaby Complete Airflow 6-in-1 Baby Carrier- Mist
- Rock and play sleeper. My dad and stepmom bought this for us, and I use it every day even now! It’s very soothing for little ones! It also gives me a safe place to set baby quickly so I can use the bathroom and still see her and her siblings. Mine is the cute yellow one in the featured photo!
Fisher-Price Deluxe Newborn Vibrating Rock n’ Play Sleeper
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- Swing.
Ours is a hand me down we’ve used through three children, but this is a great one. Music is helpful with little ones and we love the tray for when they start eating little finger foods! Summer Infant Sweet Sleep Musical Swing, Fox and Friends, Espresso
What are some of your must haves?
and cheap soft structured carrier with my youngest daughter daily for the first several months, a water sling (I have this one 
is a simple option in a nice neutral color for a very cheap price.
is a beautiful, classy choice that will still appeal to the budget conscious.
looks like a nice option for wearing your baby at a price that won’t break the bank.
. I have the Lillebaby Airflow pictured in the collage, and I literally wear it almost daily! It’s amazing! I bought it with coupons and birthday money, but it’s a worthwhile splurge, regardless. This 
is the one I have for my little chunk of cuteness, and I love that I can even use it for my 4 year old as needed!
is the famous mei tai style carrier. It’s like a hybrid between a wrap and a soft structured carrier. It’s the highest recommended carrier for mamas on a tight budget, so that is saying a lot for it!
is a similar style mei tai that I have also seen highly recommended. I think the name is adorable, for the record!
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