When I became pregnant with our first daughter, I was overwhelmed by all the “must haves†that I was told that I needed. Mostly, I was hyperventilating over which items were necessary and which were not. Believe it or not, some “must haves†are a waste of money.
Here is a basic list of what I consider to be “must haves” when you first bring your newborn baby home.
Diapers and Wipes: This is a no brainier considering most babies either urinate or defecate no less than 8 times a day.
Diaper Genie: This is a must have unless you don’t mind your home smelling like a toilet all the time or are willing to run every single diaper out to the garbage can.
Bassinet: Baby has to have a place to sleep and, quite frankly, when they first come home you will want them near you.
Blankets: Babies need to be swaddled and tend to go through almost as many blankets a day as they do diapers.
Car Seat: You will need this to even leave the hospital, so if you want to take your baby home with you, buy one.
Diaper Bag: This will be your “purse/catch all†for the next 2 years, embrace it. Your diaper bag is your friend.
Clothing: I know they come out naked but babies are used to being all nice and toasty inside of mama. They need clothing; plus, it’s loads of fun dressing them up.
Pacifiers: My girls didn’t use them very much, but there were times (the occasional 2 minutes it took to get situated to breastfeed or the 20 seconds that I needed to warm a bottle) where the pacifier saved lives.
Bottles & Formula: Even if you are planning on exclusively breastfeeding, it’s a good idea to have some on hand.
A Swing: Fussy babies love swings.
Wipe Warmer: I know some people think they are not practical, but my girls loved them, and how would you like having an ice cold wipe on your butt at 3 in the morning. Shocking!
What item do you swear all new moms need when they bring baby home?
Photo Source: Kitt Walker
