Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to products or services that I’ve used and/or support. I may receive compensation if you click and end up purchasing from said links.
Unfortunately for the minimalist in us, bringing home an infant means adjusting to the plethora of new items needed to keep everyone in the household alive, healthy, and comfortable. While you can probably get away with using some cloth for diapers and a laundry basket as a crib, we have so many things that really do help make life as new parents so much easier and enjoyable.
Below are several items from different categories that are technically optional but would make life so much more simple/comfortable, while the ones with an asterisk (*) are items that I learned the hard way that I really needed, or would not have made it through without.
As many parents will probably also tell you, buy second-hand if you can. Items I’ve italicized are ones that I would highly recommend buying new though.
I’ve linked to items that I personally owned or gifted others that I’ve really liked as examples. But the market is full of many great things, so do your own research. With that, let’s go to our lists!
Pre/postpartum
- Pregnancy Pillow*
- Pets and babies also enjoy this.
- Post Partum Meal Delivery*
- Witch Hazel Wipes
- Adult Diapers
- I was in the hospital for so long that by the time I got home I wasn’t bleeding out Niagara Falls anymore and was able to just use regular pads. However, my friends recovering at home who had vaginal births swear by these.
Feeding
- Nursing Pillow
- Bottles*
- Bottle Nipples*
- Silverette Nursing Cups*
- Despite what people say about “breastfeeding shouldn’t hurt if you’re doing it right”, totally not true for me. I was in horrible pain and my nipples were so raw that wearing any kind of shirt, much less a bra, was so painful. I was so skeptical about these nursing cups, but they miraculously healed my nipples in record time and made me feel so much better than any of the creams I tried. Also protected me from any chaffing. May not be an issue for everyone, but I can’t imagine going through BF again without these.
- Wabi UV Sterilizer & Dryer*
- This seriously saved our marriage. We’ve used our Wabi every single day, multiple times a day, for an entire year. It is hands down the single most used “baby” item we had and I cannot imagine drying and sterilizing all our bottles and pump equipment any other way. I’ve told every expecting parent that they must have this. It’s game changing.
- Burp Cloths x20*
- Bottle Cleaning Brush*
- Breast Pump*
- Extra Pump Accessories
- Zojirushi Water Boiler
- Rocker/Recliner
Sleep
- Convertible Crib
- I picked the Wave Crib because I wanted to be able to roll baby around to different rooms because full-sized cribs can’t fit through average door frames. Also liked that it grows with the kid.
- Crib Sheet x2
- Muslin Cloth Swaddles x8*
- Zip Up Swaddle*
- Sleep Sack x2*
- Baby Monitor*
- White noise machine*
Health & Hygiene
- Nail Clippers*
- Baby nails grow at a ridiculously fast rate. They somehow figure out a way to scratch up their own faces if you don’t trim at least once a day.
- Towels x2
- Scalp Scrubbie*
- Bath Rinser
- Bath Support
- Aquaphor*
- I wish Aquaphor cured all my skin blemishes and problems overnight too
- Tear-Free Shampoo*
- Desitin
- Diapers*
- Snot sucker*
- Wet wipes*
- If you have a Costco membership, just get the Costco wipes
- Trashcan with lid*
- I used a small step trashcan that I sprinkled in baking soda whenever I changed the bag.
- Diaper Changing Pad*
- Diaper Changing Pad Liners*
Clothing
- Pumping Bra*
- Please just get this. I wasted so much money on a bunch of other “nicer looking” pumping bras that couldn’t hold the flanges tightly and leaked everywhere.
- Nursing Bra
- Mittens*
- Onesies
- Baby Beanie*
- We just used the hospital provided ones
- Booties
Transportation/Travel
- Baby Lounger*
- Car Seat*
- Did you know that car seats have expiration dates and also need to be replaced if in a car that had an accident, no matter if it looks undamaged? Unless you are getting a car seat from someone you know and can trust, buy this new.
- Stroller*
- Diaper Bag
- Flyaway Kids bed
- Travel Crib
- Stroller Caddy*
- Baby Carrier
Organization
- Dresser
- Utility cart
Well there you have it! Tons of things to, or not to, add to your registry. Like I said in the beginning, with the exception of a few items, it’s really not necessary to buy everything new. There are also several factors involved that may require you to need or not need some of these items, but during planning it may feel like you need to be 200% prepared for every scenario and have everything within arm’s reach. Take a deep breath, remember in this day and age, items you don’t have can show up at your doorstep within hours with a click of a button, and enjoy the process!
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