Our Top 10 Must Have Baby Items

Below you will find a list of our top 10 must have baby items for new moms.

Our Top 10 Must Have Baby Items

Now that I am pregnant with our third child I know what we use and do not use when it comes to baby items. There is a TON of baby gear on the market and it can be extremely overwhelming when you are pregnant to figure out what  you actually need.Luckily for us, my boys are still young so we have a lot of the bigger items that we normally use like our crib and bassinet and do not need to purchase those items. I could honestly add a bunch of more items to this list, but I am trying to keep it simple and basic. Your needs will vary though depending on if you breastfeed or bottle feed or any other personal decisions you make for you and your baby.This list of must have baby items will give you an idea of what you need, and were necessities for us with our other kids.

10 Must Have Baby Items:

Car Seat – Not only is this mandatory but it is extremely important to keep your baby safe. It is a necessity to have when you are leaving the hospital. You can either choose between an infant car seat or a convertible car seat. Infant car seats come with a base so that you can take the actual car seat in and out of the car each time instead of having to always un-strap the baby. These are only rear-facing car seats. A convertible car seat will normally allow you to get more use out of it because the weight limits are higher than an infant car seat. We always liked the infant car seats because of the convenience. Most of the times we would go places and our children would fall asleep in the car so we did not have to carry them or wake them up when getting out, we would just unhook the carrier and take it with us.Diapers – There are a ton of different choices when it comes to diapering your child but the most important thing to remember is you will be changing your newborn more than 10 times per day in the beginning so you would need a lot of plastic diapers or several cloth diapers that are clean. Trust me, you do not want to run out of diapers! This is a personal decision whether you are going to use cloth or plastic diapers, either way there are many choices that will suit your needs.Diaper Bag – This can be any brand or type that you choose. You want to make sure that it is big enough to fit all the items you will need when you are out as well as comfortable for you to carry. We really love our Columbia cross-body diaper bag because it allows us to still have both hands free when going places. It comes with a changing pad and lots of little compartments so that you can stay organized. You can also clean it very easily. My husband enjoys it because it is not feminie looking so he doesn’t mind carrying it places.First aid kit – This is always nice to have just in case you would need it. You can also find a kit that is both a first aid kit and a baby grooming kit that will come with the essential items for taking care of a baby like: thermometer, nail clippers, nasal aspirator, brush, comb, etc.Baby Clothing – The more important items would include onesies, hats, sleepers, socks, swaddle blankets, and sleepsacks. You want your baby to be comfortable and you also want it to be easier for you when you are changing all those diapers. We preferred the sleepers that looked like dresses because they made it much easier for all the late night diaper changes. I always put a onesie on our boys under everything they wore just in case they soiled through their diapers and they seem to be the softest and most comfortable for them. We loved using swaddle blankets because it helped our children sleep better because they were tucked in and it also kept them warm since they cannot use a blanket when sleeping.Bathing Products – Not only does this include cleaning products but you will also need a safe bath tub, wash cloths and baby towels. You can choose whichever brand you prefer when it comes to the soaps but it is best to choose ones without harsh fragrances just in case your baby has sensitive skin. For our kids, we always loved the hooded towels because it helped to keep them warmer once we got them out because it covered their heads’. We were given a bath tub at our baby shower and have used the same one. I like it because it can fit into our sink which makes it much easier to bathe the baby especially right after your delivery.Baby Swing – I was a little hesitant about getting a baby swing with our first baby because to me it seemed like a waste of money and it took up a lot of space. We quickly realized that it was a necessity for our kids because they absolutely loved being in their baby swing. Not only would it help them sleep longer because of the motion, but my oldest son was colic and he needed the constant motion all the time.Bouncer seat – These are great because you can easily move them around your house because they are small and portable. They are perfect for setting your baby in after they eat to help keep them upright. We also used ours when we first started our kids on solids because they enjoyed sitting in it so much.Baby Gate – Although you will not need this right away it is definitely a necessity. Baby-proofing your house is extremely important because you want to keep your baby safe. Having a baby gate can help prevent injuries. There are many different kinds you can choose from that can either be portable or you can screw them into your wall so that they are permanent.Monitors – Even though our children were only a few feet away from our bedroom I still always used a baby monitor. That may seem a little ridiculous but I was afraid I would not be able to hear them if they began to choke, spit-up or cry in the middle of the night. It gave me peace of mind. They are also nice when you are napping your baby and trying to get other things done around the house. We initially bought a pretty cheap set and found out that you do get what you pay for when it comes to monitors and had to invest in another set after a few months. You can choose a regular baby monitor or they also sell a video monitor. I am sure your list will differ, but these items are just the main necessities that we used for our children.

What must have baby items would you recommend for a first time mom, please share in the comments below.