Essentials for a new baby
My top 15 tried and tested essential items for a newborn baby.
Now that I'm onto my third baby, I have a pretty good idea of what you do and do not need to get through those newborn days!
With my first and second child, it was hard to not want it all however onto my third baby and with a bunch of clutter already in my house, I've opted for the minimalist approach!
Here is my list of essential items for mum and bub to get through the fourth trimester and beyond.
A Safe Space to Sleep
First and foremost, baby needs somewhere safe to sleep.
Red nose have a fantastic article that covers safe sleep guidelines HERE.
We use the Ikea Sniglar cot as it is affordable and simple. However there are many different types of baby beds like bassinets, co-sleepers, cots etc so it is best to assess your own situation to find a sleep solution that will work best for you and your baby.
I prefer to use a safe sleeping bag for my baby when they sleep, like these as I find it hard to get a tight wrap that they will stay in with a wrap blanket.
Sleeping bags are also TOG rated for warmth and come with temperature guides so you can ensure baby is always dressed appropriately for the room temperature, so it takes the stress out of wondering if they will be warm enough!
Unless you love a specific muslin wrap, don't bother buying any. This is the most commonly gifted baby item & you will end up with plenty! If you wish to buy your own, don't purchase more than two. They are handy for using as a light blanket when out, wrapping baby if you forget the sleeping bag, as sun protection on the pram, or as a burping cloth - but trust me, you'll be gifted more than enough!
A Baby Carrier
I would argue that for the newborn days a baby carrier is almost more useful than a pram. Even when I take the pram on an outing, I take the carrier too!
My favourite baby carrier is the Chekoh Clip Carrier.
There are SO many reasons why I think a baby carrier is essential and I'll list just a few.
- It allows you to get your hands free - so you can do the washing, vacuuming, cooking.... you name it. It is also a way to bond with baby whilst tending to your other children at the same time.
- Babies love to be held, and if you're having a tough day where bub only wants to contact nap - a carrier will mean your arms can have a rest and allows baby to still feel nice and close to you.
- Want to get outdoors and active on a track that isn't exactly stroller friendly? Pop the baby in a carrier!
I have never found a way to feel secure with a wrap carrier, so a clip carrier is how I feel most comfortable and secure.
The Chekoh Clip Carrier is suitable for newborns from 3kg+ as long as you add the "size" clip which you will need to use until baby is 4 months of age.
I find this baby carrier extremely comfortable to wear, stylish, and best of all my baby is guaranteed to fall asleep in it every single time.
You can shop Chekoh's range of clip carriers and wrap carriers HERE.
A Baby Bouncer
Whilst we are on the topic of getting your hands free... a baby bouncer is great for this whilst also stimulating your baby at the same time.
I've had a few rockers/ bouncers both aesthetic & practical and my absolute favourite is the Baby Bjorn Bouncer Bliss. It isn't the prettiest on the market but the light beige jersey fabric fits in pretty well with my decor and most of important of all my newborn loves it. Add in the play bar too and your baby will have an absolute hoot.
I do have the gorgeous Charlie Crane rocker also, whilst it is without a doubt the most beautiful and aesthetically pleasing baby rocker I've ever come across, I find the angle it makes baby lay at isn't ideal and they can't rock themselves in it.
With the Baby Bjorn bouncer they figure out very quickly that the more they kick their legs the more they'll bounce. Saves you having to sit there and rock them!
A Wipeable Playmat
You absolutely NEED a wipeable playmat unless you want to be washing your playmat every second day.
All three of my babies would spit up milk after a feed - and this is completely normal - so a playmat that just wipes free of any mess is imperative.
We love our Henlee Quilted Playmat. It is a padded playmat made of vegan (faux) leather so you can just wipe it down with a cloth. It is padded for your babies comfort and easy to move around - we take ours outside for picnics and fresh air. It is also convenient to take to a friends house - you know, the ones who don't yet have kids and you're wondering where on earth you'll put your baby down!
You can shop the Henlee Quilted Playmat HERE and use my code TIFFANYXHENLEE for a discount.
Baby Toys
It can be hard to know what baby toys to purchase for a newborn as it seems like they aren't capable of much. But let me tell you what a difference it makes to have the right toys suited to their stage of development!
For my 3rd child I have been getting Lovevery's stage based play essential kits which are curated by experts allowing your baby to learn through play. I cannot believe how mesmerised he has been with each box as he progresses through the stages.
Each play box has the toys you need to support your childs development at that specific stage and it includes a really handy information booklet that explains each toy, a timeline for bringing them out (you don't want to give them all of the toys at once - less is more!) and how to play with your baby with those toys.
These are toys your child will actually play with, and you will seek comfort in the fact that you're providing your baby with the toys they need to aid in their development through every different stage. Check out the stage based play kits HERE.
We also love the Elle Collective play gym for the first 6 or so months. Play gym linked HERE and you can use code MRSTIFFANYCLAIRE for a discount.
Baby Bath Time
I love the Shnuggle Baby Bath for up to about 6 months or when baby can sit independently in a proper bath.
Baby can rest easily in this bath and having it up on a bench means you're not bending over and hurting your back while you bath baby
I sit ours on our bathroom vanity (although if it doesn't fit you can purchase a stand or use the kitchen/ laundry bench which may be bigger).
If you have the bench space, I love having a Leander Matty change mat on the bathroom vanity for easy changing and drying of baby, but if you're lacking bench space you could just do this on a bed or sofa instead with a portable change mat.
In terms of grooming, the Nail Snail is the absolute best way to cut babies nails! Unlike scissors or clippers which can cut or pinch baby, this is a really easy to use tool that won't hurt your baby,
Baby Change Mat
Changing a baby can be messy at times. That's why I find it's helpful to have a wipeable change mat available for nappy changes. I have never found the need for a designated change table. Whilst I have set up a "changing station" on top of a dresser for all of my children, I can probably count on two hands the amount of times I've actually used it for nappy changes. With a simple wipe-off changing mat you can do nappy changes on a bed, on a couch, on the floor, in the boot of your car...
My advice is skip the changing table and opt for a changing mat only! I love the Henlee UNI mat (here) as it folds/ rolls up for easy transportation.
Baby Feeding
Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you're going to need burp cloths -and lots of them!
Our favourite are the terry towelling 'nappies' - basically a square, white towel. Get two packs of these - you'll go through a lot and you don't want to be washing every day.
If you're breastfeeding, I highly recommend a Haakaa silicone breast pump- this is such an incredible tool that catches milk from the breast you're not feeding from without the use of an electric pump and it is hands free!
I also love having an electric breast pump & baby bottles, and introducing these early (by 6 weeks old) to gain myself some freedom when I want to go to a beauty appointment or catch up with a friend.
Car Travel
Have a car? You'll need a safe way to transport baby! I've used both a capsule and a 0-4 rear facing car seat for my newborns.
Whilst a capsule has its benefits (being able to take the seat out and walk with it or connect it to your pram so you don't have to disturb baby while they're sleeping), they are heavy to carry and I have never had trouble transferring bub from a fixed car seat to the pram or cot.
They also grow out of capsules really quickly - sometimes as early as 4 months but certainly no longer than a year, so I'd probably recommend saving your money and going straight to the 0-4 car seat instead.
The Maxi Cosi Pria is an amazing recent addition to the 0-4 extended rear-facing child restraint market. It is incredibly slimline but spacious for bub at the same time! I also love the britax range of seats - the graphene for a 0-4 or the unity for a capsule.
Pram
The type of pram you choose will depend on your lifestyle. I have a number of prams and they are all great for different reasons.
Want a single, all terrain pram? The bugaboo fox is a dream to push with large wheels to handle all sorts of off-road bumps. The seat is spacious for a child and quality is top notch.
Want a compact pram for the city or travel? A Joolz Aer + will take up little boot space, folds up and down with one hand, is small enough to fit in the overhead bins as carry-on luggage on a plane and will fit in even the tightest cafes or retail shops.
Want a double pram? The Bugaboo Donkey is the ultimate, high quality side-by-side double pram that will grow with your child with both a bassinet option and toddler seat. You can even attach a footboard to transport three children like I did for the best part of a year!
And that's it...
I hope my list of baby essentials helps you decide which items you need for your newborn.
You could also share this list with friends or family as a wishlist for your baby shower.
My 15 tried and tested baby essential items in list form
Too long didn't read? That's ok - here I've listed the 15 essential items you should buy for your new baby,
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