Just an average mom sharing her insights, opinions and reviews.
New Mom Must Have Items
As a new mom, I have learned which products are a MUST HAVE and which ones just aren’t worth your time/money. I have a ton of friends that have had babies over the years and learned from their mistakes as well. These products I am sharing with you are products that I personally own, use frequently and LOVE. I have a huge Amazon obsession – who doesn’t love getting products delivered to their door within a couple of days (or day)? I wanted to put together a consolidated list of my favorite ‘new mom’ items to help future mommies out. I consider these an absolute must (or should haves) for new moms – trust me, I’ve done a TON of research on my end for each and every product I buy.
Also, I am sorry, this post is quite long – I mean I have to give you my honest opinions on these products and tell you why I love them so much. 😊
Swaddles: I absolutely LOVE this product! It has quickly become one of my favorite items for my baby. This product is called Love to Dream Swaddle Up. My baby has always loved to swaddle. We have tried many different swaddle products and this one if by far our favorite for many reasons. Even for babies that don’t like to swaddle, I think it is definitely worth trying. This particular product allows the baby to have access to their hands (to self soothe) and give them slight freedom to move around inside the swaddle. It is definitely the easiest swaddle to use, as it just zips up. It has a double zip feature which allows for easy diaper changes (esp in the middle of the night). The BEST thing about this product is that it has allowed our baby to sleep for longer durations overnight. This is the one I own (I actually own many of them – gotta have backups) – Love to Dream Swaddle Up
Baby Monitor: In this day and age, people can hack into various baby monitors on the market. I don’t know about you, but that scares me to death. This is one of the items I did the most research on. I wanted to make sure I found something that was pretty much ‘unhackable’. One of the only ways to really do that is to get one that doesn’t use your wifi. This comes with multiple benefits. I know people who bought the wifi versions and they hate them (takes up all of your bandwidth). In all of my research, I selected the Infant Optics Baby Monitoring System. This camera/monitor does not use your wifi (which is a HUGE pro) and it has a great, large screen to monitor your baby from another room. This is the exact item I own and love (bonus, it comes with a wide angled lens as well) – Infant Optics DXR Video Monitoring System
Boppy Pillow: These are a necessity for many reasons. If you aren’t familiar with these, they are a U-shaped pillow that grows with your infant. They provide a safe space to lay, sit and nurse the baby on a daily basis. They come with lots of different cover options so that you can enjoy different prints. In my experience, I recommend adding this Boppy to your registry and also a couple of additional covers for it (babies like to spit up, drool and poop 😉). This is the item I own – Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner
Car Seat Mirror: I tried a couple of the mirrors on the market (so you don’t have to) because I was never happy until I found this product. This is something I consider a requirement with having a baby. I couldn’t imagine driving without being able to keep an eye on my baby at all times. Car seat mirrors give new mommies a peace of mind. I specifically love this mirror because it is nice and large, it provides a magnified view in your rear view mirror, it comes with a remote to control the light (yes, the light) built into the mirror. Honestly, without the light on this mirror, my baby screams when we drive at night. This thing is a life saver! This is the mirror I use – Parnerme Baby Car Mirror
Baby Carrier:
Leia and I out for a walk (2018).
Having a baby carrier is pretty crucial in the world of motherhood (and fatherhood). These things free up your hands so that you can actually get some stuff done while still holding your baby. My hubby baby carries Leia all of the time. I research quite heavily before deciding which one to purchase. I love the one I purchased. Here is the one I have – Lumiere Baby Carrier
Electric Breast Pump: It is true that most insurance companies will provide you with a free or discounted breast pump when you have a baby these days. However, if yours doesn’t or you want something other than what you are allowed to get with your insurance, I highly recommend giving the Spectra S2 machine a try. My insurance company only allowed me with one option (a Medela branded machine). Since it was free, I of course, gave it a try. This machine was torture for me personally (let’s just say blood and scabbing was involved – very painful). I never thought I would have spent money on a machine, but I am a full time pumper, I had to do something. I spent, out of my own pocket, money on this fabulous breast pump machine. This product was created by moms and lactation consultants. This specific kit comes with everything you need to get started. This is the one I own – Spectra Baby USA S2 Plus
Baby Bottle Drying Rack: It may seem silly to spend money on something like this, but this is an amazing invention. It is so handy and allows all baby bottles, pacifiers, pumping equipment, etc… to dry so quickly. This one in particular is extra special because of it’s size – it is nice a large, but not too bulky. I use this all day, everyday. There are a lot of these on the market, but this is the one I own and love – Baby Bottle Drying Rack
Baby Bottles: This is another item I did quite a bit (extra) research on. Having the ability to breastfeed was super important to me and I didn’t want to cause any nipple confusion for my daughter. Fortunately for me, my baby does well transitioning between bottle, pacifier and nipple (honestly, I am not sure how much I buy into the ‘nipple confusion’ thing). Regardless, I ended up deciding to purchase the Comotomo Baby Bottles. I LOVE them! These work great because they are one of the, if not the, closest bottle to a real breast. They are soft and squeezable at the base and the entire bottle is only three pieces. They are super simple to clean and use. We use them in a bottle warmer and have no issues. They come in 5oz and 8oz bottles. This is what I have – Comotomo Baby Bottle 2-Piece Set
Nail Clippers: I used to have my husband do all of the nail clipping on the baby because I was so scared I would hurt her. Needless to say, he ended up nicking her on one of the the first times he used some nail clippers on her. It makes you feel so sad/bad as a parent. We ordered and tried these clippers and we love them. They light up when you go to clip their little nails and they’re super simple to use. Clipping a young baby’s nails is always easier when they are asleep or while they are being fed. These are the ones we use – Safety 1st Sleepy Clippers
Diaper Bag: There are more diaper bags on the market than you could ever imagine. Fortunately, this allows parents to find which bag best suits their needs. I am not going to say the bag I currently use is the absolute best one out there, but I do really love it so far. The bag I use comes with a changing pad (which several do) and it has a ton of pockets including insulated ones for your bottles. It has plenty of room for everything I need for my baby. Regardless of the type of bag you choose, I do highly recommend choosing a backpack one. Having a Diaper Bag Backpack makes life so much easier and helps fully free up your arms. How can you go wrong with a 5-Star reviewed item? This is the one I use – Baby Backpack Travel and Portable
Gas Drops: Before I had my baby, I had no idea this product even existed. Thank goodness it does though. My baby, especially the first several weeks, struggled with gas. It caused her to be so fussy. I wanted something that was natural and safe for her to take. On top of the probiotic drops her pediatrician recommended, we also use gas drops. These typically help relieve some of her pain within a matter of minutes. We still use them now and then when she is struggling with gas pain. As a mother, you can’t stand to see your little one suffering (it is so heart wrenching). These are the drops I use – Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops
Laundry: Babies have very sensitive skin, obviously, right? You have to be pretty careful in choosing which products you will use to launder and take care of your babies clothing items, soft toys, socks, bedding, etc… I like to do a combo mixture to try and help me save a little bit of money, while still making sure I can get all of those baby stains out (baby poop really stains everything). This is the stain remover, scent booster and laundry detergent I use on all of our loads of laundry – Dreft Stain Remover Spray, Dreft Scent Booster, and Tide Free & Gentle Pods
Wipes: I personally enjoy two different brands fairly equally, so I will share all both of them with you. Amazon Elements and Huggies One & Done. Overall, I feel the Amazon Elements is the best bang for your buck in the long run. The Huggies One and Done are my favorite overall (they just cost a bit more). These are the ones I use – Amazon Elements Baby Wipes (the green, fresh scent is my favorite – there are several to choose from) and Huggies One and Done Wipes
Diapers:
Man oh man, you go through a TON of diapers with newborns. These are obviously a requirement item (regardless if you choose cloth or disposable). I’ve gone through many different brands, but my favorite is Huggies Little Snugglers diapers. Sometimes, you can find good sales from Amazon, Target, Costco, etc… (regardless of the brand you choose to use, keep your eye open for sales and coupons). I highly suggest trying a small pack of all of the brands you are interested in and see what suits you and your baby the most. Diapers are a great thing to add to your baby registry (either small packs of various brands to try, or if you already know your preferred brand, load that sucker up with boxes of diapers). Again, you will go through a TON of these. There are some helpful diaper guides online to help you know how much to stock up on of each size. These are the diapers I use – Huggies Little Snugglers
Diaper Pail: Some people say these are not a ‘necessity’. While that statement is true technically, this thing is a life saver in our home. I have the Munchkin Diaper Pail and the Diaper Genie. My personal favorite is the Diaper Genie. It is so convenient to have this product next to your changing table. It allows for multiple diaper changes all throughout the day without having to run to the trash can and stinking up your house. It keeps them all compact and together and using the pail is SUPER simple. This is the one I use and these are the refills I use (name brand is great, but the off brand saves some $$$) – Diaper Genie Diaper Pail and ChoiceRefills
Pacifiers: Every baby is different and will take to different products. My baby loves the MAM baby pacifiers. I bought a ton of these to keep in different rooms, bags, etc… I specifically like the ‘night time’ versions because they glow in the dark. In the middle of the night, when you are half asleep, it makes it much easier to find and put in the baby’s mouth. We are a MAM family. These are some of the ones I use (night time) – MAM Glow in the Dark Pacifiers
Microwave Sterilizing Bags: Okay, so you can just boil all of your baby products, but it is sooooooooooo much easier and faster to do it in these bags. I wish I knew about these before I did my first boil on the stove. These things are amazing. Use them for anything you would typically need to boil (pacifiers, bottles, nipples, toys, etc…). Be careful handling the bag and use the proper precautions labeled on the product. You can use each bag for multiple uses, how cool is that? These are the ones I use – Philips Avent Microwave Sterilizing Bags
Baby Bath Wash & Lotion: Before I had my baby, I thought I knew which brand of wash and lotion I wanted for my baby. I ended up getting a sample of a new product Johnson & Johnson had come out with and changed my mind pretty quickly. I LOVE this new product they came out with. They came out with a variety of new scents, but I love the Cottontouch one. It is the nicest, unoffending, fresh smelling baby wash/lotion I’ve encountered. It also makes their skin so incredibly soft. This is what I use – Johnsons Cottontouch Baby Bath Wash and Lotion
Bath Tub: While you can certainly just use your sink, I highly recommend investing in a good baby bath tub while your little one is little. I love this specific tub because it allows her to be able to sit up without sliding down. It is the perfect size and will be able to still grow with her. It doesn’t take up too much space compared to a lot of other tubs on the market. I keep this little tub in my regular bath tub to give her, her baths. She loves it. This is the one I use – Shnuggle Baby Bath Tub
Tummy Time Floor Mat: There are a ton of these on the market. Pick which one you think your little one will love the most. These are great to have because babies have to do tummy time. While you could just lay your baby on a blanket or the floor (for free), I would recommend purchasing one of the cheaper (but still good quality) tummy time mats. They usually come with toys and/or mirrors to give your baby things to keep them entertained while they do their tummy time. Some babies absolutely hate tummy time and you will need anything you can to help get them through it. This is the one I use and my baby loves it – Bright Starts Tummy Time Prop & Play
Onsies: My baby lives in onsies (especially in the summer). I highly suggest in investing in this 15 pack from Gerber. It is a ‘grow with me’ set. I LOVE it! My husband is obsessed with white onsies, he feels they are crisp and clean looking. We have all sorts of onsies (have fun picking them out), but this set is a great starter set. It makes a great baby shower gift too. You can never have enough of these and there will always be a need (year round). This is the set I have – Gerber Unisex 15-Piece Onsies Bundle
Disinfecting Wipes: This is not just a must have for new moms, but for everyone. Lysol recently came out with these handy packs, and I am in love! They also introduced some new scents. I keep these in my nursery, kitchen, car, etc… These are pretty self explanatory, I just love these in particular. These are the ones I use – Lysol Handi-Pack Disinfecting Wipes
DockATot: I was fortunate to get one of these to test out. I had no idea what it was before I had a baby. For my review of this product, check out my blog post ‘Product Review of DockATot Deluxe+‘. Boy, do I wish I had one of these before I had my baby. I definitely consider this a must have, esp if you plan or do co-sleep with your baby. This is where you can find it – DockATot Deluxe+
Amazon Alexa Device: Before I even had Leia, I bought two Amazon Echo Dots during a Black Friday sale. I keep one in my living room and one in my master bedroom. These things are great for many reasons and have multiple purposes. How does this relate to being a ‘must have’ baby item? Because it can help get your baby to fall asleep and stay asleep (sometimes – every baby is different). They have a lullaby music channel that is awesome for babies. You just say ‘Alexa play lullabies’ and she will start playing a random playlist of baby music. The Echo Dot is the most cost effective device but they make multiple models. This is the one I own – Echo Dot
Binxy Baby (Cart Hammock): This is a great product to avoid you having to lug your baby in their car sear around, especially when you go shopping. I know this helps save the sore arms and back. For more info on how I feel about this product, check out my blog post ‘Product Review of Binxy Baby‘. This is the one I own – Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock
While the next items are not ‘MUST HAVES‘, I do recommend giving them a read. There is a ton of helpful information in these books.
Books for Baby: As a child, I loved these books. They are classic. I have been reading these to my baby since she was in the womb. She loves them (even as a small baby) more now. They are short to keep their attention, come in a variety of choices / content, lots of colorful pictures, and are good on the pocketbook. I am referring to the Little Golden Book collection. I have probably bought my daughter over a 50 of these books so far. I have a good variety of these books (from the originals to the cool Disney stories – gotta include Star Wars). I own a ton of these, but this box set is a fantastic starter set – 75 Years of Little Golden Books Collection Set
I will try to add to this list as I find products that I love. If you have any specific questions for me about any of these or other products, feel free to drop me a comment. I am happy to share my opinions on products I’ve used or been exposed to.
If you plan on buying any of these products (whether it be now or in the future), help a mama out and buy from my Amazon links above, I’ll earn a small commission from your purchase and it doesn’t cost you anymore money – Thanks in advance!
Feel free to add a comment about products you consider a ‘must have’ as a new mom and your thoughts on the products I have recommended.
