Andrea Friedman Photography / Age Blocks
As soon as I learned I was pregnant, I began diligently researching the necessary supplies for newborn/parent survival, cross-referencing friends’ recommendation lists and scouring blogs and product reviews for guidance. I was truly shocked to learn about the sheer volume of stuff that is required* for these tiny people! Now that Wyatt is six (!) months old, I thought it was a good time to look back on the products that have been our biggest helpers during this time. I completely recognize that every baby and every situation is unique, but I hope this is helpful in simplifying the massive universe of baby goods.
*A word of caution: Babies are a complete sinkhole for money. It’s very easy to get carried away, particularly if you have the consumer propensities that I do! I highly recommend looking to purchase all of the below (short of diapers and a car seat) as hand-me-downs if possible – I found a wealth of high-quality, barely used baby goods on my local moms’ group, NextDoor, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist.
I’ve organized my list into different categories that I’ll share in a few upcoming posts – this post covers the basics: Diapering, Bathing, Feeding, Medicine Cabinet. Please share your go-to products and questions too (comments section below)!
Diapering
I had a fabulous experience interning for The Honest Company during my MBA, and I am a huge fan of their diapers & wipes bundling service. In the realm of disposable diapers, these are one of the best non-toxic and environmentally friendly options out there. Also, their prints are so adorable, how can you resist? A diaper pail is essential – this Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail comes in every color under the sun to discretely package the contents.
The Keekaroo Peanut changing pad was a gift from my best friend, also a new mom. This is definitely the way to go vs. a traditional cloth pad, as you can simply wipe it down when leaks/sprays/explosions inevitably occur. A wipe warmer is completely optional (the same best friend has mocked me tirelessly for falling into this trap), but I liked the idea of keeping my little one’s bum nice and toasty during late night changes. We only recently started to see signs of diaper rash, and we’ve been using The Honest Company Diaper Rash Cream. This bum brush is also fabulous (like a butt spatula) to get it in all the right places (what fun!). For on-the-go diapering, take a look at my post on my Diaper Bag Checklist.
Bathing & Cleaning
Bathtime is a special time with baby. This First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn To Toddler Tub fits perfectly in our kitchen sink (we have a large basin-style sink, so this may not be true for all) or bathtub and served us well for 6 months. We’ve recently transitioned him to the bathtub now that he can sit up well on his own. We have a dozen of these super soft bamboo washcloths that we always use to lather and rinse with California Baby Calming Shampoo & Body Wash, and we moisturize post-bath with The Honest Company’s Fragrance Free Face + Body Lotion. Wyatt loves being bundled up in these aden + anais Hooded Bath Wraps, which I love as they are belted to stay snug.
We keep his nails trimmed (they grow like weeds!) and hair combed with the little essentials that come in this Safety 1st Deluxe Healthcare and Grooming Kit. For laundry (for baby and for us), we use these Honest Free & Clear Laundry Packs. When the inevitable blowout occurs, we spray Wyatt’s clothes with a little of this Dapple Baby Stain Remover Spray before washing.
Feeding
If you’re planning to breastfeed, I have a separate post on all of the nursing essentials I love here. I talk about my love for the Kiinde Breastmilk Storage System, which I highly recommend you consider if you will be breastfeeding. We also have the Kiinde Kozii Bottle Warmer (this is built to work with both Kiinde bottles as well as most other bottle types) to warm up frozen milk, though admittedly a short dunk in some hot water serves us just as well. At six months, we are now transitioning to formula (bittersweet, as I have loved the bonding nursing allows). I trialed all of the leading bottle brands recommended by friends (Dr. Brown’s, Lifefactory, Munchkin), and we opted to go for the Comotomo as it was by far the easiest to clean due to its wide mouth (we have 2 and I find that’s plenty). I had originally thought I would definitely go with glass bottles, but they was simply too heavy for the boo bear to hold onto himself (subtext: I’m lazy). We use this Dabble Baby Bottle & Dish Liquid to keep our bottles and nipples squeaky clean, and dry them on one of these Boon Grass Drying Racks. Bibs are also essential (Wyatt tends to wear one most of the day except when napping or in his car seat), and we love these adorable bandana bibs by Aden and Anais. I’ll talk about feeding (real food) soon as we are just getting a handle on this now at six months.
Medicine Cabinet
I highly recommend this FridaBaby Bitty Bundle of Joy Mom & Baby Healthcare and Grooming Gift Kit because it includes two excellent products, one for mom post-partum – FridaBaby Momwasher (more on this later) – and one for baby – the NoseFrida. This bizarre Swedish snotsucker is a must-have to relieve congested babies. Your doctor is also likely to recommend Vitamin D drops – we used this concentrate and put a drop on his pacifier daily (or as often as we could remember…). I think having a thermometer and baby Tylenol on hand are also wise so you don’t need to venture out if they’re required, though we have been lucky to avoid using both so far.
If you’re feeling totally overwhelmed by said “essentials”, or where on earth to put them, I hear you! Towards the tail end of my pregnancy, I read a book called “The Minimalist Mom: How to Simply Parent Your Baby” (blog also linked here). It’s sort of a novella – maybe an hour-long read – and I wish I had read it at the very beginning of the process. Rachel shows you a range of possibilities for exercising minimalism in parenthood, so even I (the writer of a blog on must-have stuff) didn’t feel alienated. It’s a good reminder that successful parenting has nothing to do with the stuff you have for your kid, and has helped me to talk myself out of several impulse buys and search for goods with more longevity or multi-purpose uses.
Still struggling to decide between a few key items? Leave a comment or email me with questions! I guarantee I ran down that same rabbit hole in the last year and I’d be happy to help! Newborn Checklist: Part II coming soon, including baby gear, transportation and toys!