The days we’ve met each of our sweet babies have been the most beautiful moments of my life. And bringing them home has been some of the most precious memories. We’ve had babies that got to go home right away and babies that needed some extra support in the NICU for a bit. But, each and every time we get to go home is such a special day. It’s an exciting and busy time.
As a mom of five, I’ve learned a lot about what really matters and what doesn’t when it comes to newborn essentials. We’ve never gone too over the top with baby supplies. But, with each baby, my list has become even more refined, focusing on practicality, comfort, and items that truly make life easier for both mom and baby. All in all, newborns don’t need much.
We just welcomed home our newest additions – twin boys. The list looks a little different this time since there’s two, but I just doubled most things for the twins versus our single babes. The one exception being the nursing pillow. I used a Boppy for the single babies and am using the Twin Z pillow for the twins.
You’ll find a downloadable checklist below!
Clothing
I stick with one piece outfits as much as possible. Footed sleep n’ plays and onesies are the simplest for the newborn stage. Afterall, their main job as a newborn is just to eat and sleep 😉 The one pieces make the diaper changes quick and simple, whether the middle of the day or middle of the night. I like to have 5-7 one-piece outfits for each newborn (doubled it for the twins this time). That seems to be a practical number that we have enough outfit changes to keep up with leaked diapers and spit up and can do laundry about every other day.
I also like to have a couple outfits with onesies and pants. We’ve used snap-on booties with all the kids and have been so happy with them. They’re the only thing that will stay on their feet! We usually put socks on with the slippers over the top. They also make them with velcro, but the snaps last longer since they don’t wear out like velcro. We used the same pair for three of the kiddos before picking up new ones for the twins.
- 5-7 Footed Sleep N’ Plays (these sleep n’ plays are the BEST with the zipper that goes both ways – so easy for those middle of the night changes). Find them at Walmart, Target, Old Navy, etc.
- 2-3 Onesies with Pants or One Piece Outfits (some variety other than jammies 😉 )
- Snap On Booties
- 1 Pack of Socks
- 2-3 Hats (I’m sure you can get away with just 1, but I like to have a couple to alternate with outfits)
Changing
We use the top of the dresser as the changing station. I put a changing pad on top and a basket for all the supplies. It’s a great way to save space – no need to have an extra piece of furniture just for changing.
Our preemie babies have used newborn diapers for a little bit longer, but overall, babies outgrow the newborn size pretty quickly. With our more average-sized babies, I got 2 packs of newborn diapers, 2-3 packs of size 1 diapers, and then they were into size 2 pretty quickly. They stayed in size 2 much longer than newborn or size 1, so that’s where we started to buy them by the box. Of course, it totally depends on how big your sweet little one is, but that’s been our experience! Newborn and size 1 goes pretty quick.
- Changing Pad and Changing Pad Cover (or a Wipeable Changing Pad that doesn’t need a cover)
- Diapers – 2 packs of newborn size
- Wipes
- Garbage – we just have a regular garbage with a lid and it’s worked great for all the kids
- Diaper Cream (this Earth Mama Diaper Balm is amazing, though more expensive)
- Thermometer
- Nail Clippers
- Syringe or Nasal Aspirator
- Swaddles
- Baby Blankets
Feeding
If you’re hoping to breastfeed, those first few weeks can be really really challenging. But these are a few things that have made life a bit easier in my experiences. My nursing journeys have been different with each of the kiddos. Our preemie babies had to be supplemented with breastmilk and formula for their first few weeks of life, so I did a lot of pumping and bottles in those first few weeks. One of our babies had trouble latching for a while, so I ended up using a nipple shield for a couple weeks. I was working when our oldest was born, so I pumped while at work and breastfed at home. And a couple of the kids have been great at breastfeeding right from the start. I never know what to expect 😂 But even with the ones who had a rough start, I was able to transition them to breastfeeding after a few weeks. And then I’ve breastfed all of them for about a year. These are all the feeding essentials I’ve used and loved in all the circumstances.
- Nursing Cover
- Nipple Cream
- Gel Pads (heavenly for the first couple weeks of soreness). I’ve also heard good things about these soothing nursing cups, but they’re more expensive.
- Nursing Pads
- Boppy Pillow (or My Brest Friend Twin Z Nursing Pillow for the twins)
- Pump (I’ve used this one for all the kids and LOVE it)
- Milk Storage Bags
- 3 Bottles (double for the twins so I didn’t have to worry about washing right away or losing one)
- Burp Cloths Pack
- 4 Pacifiers (small and lightweight so they’re easier to keep in their mouths when they’re little. I get a multipack because they will inevitably disappear to the place that all the bobby pins and single socks go …)
Sleeping
We’ve set all the babies up in our room for the first couple months. They eat every couple hours throughout the night and it’s so simple to be able to reach over and grab them right from bed. I love the bedside bassinets that have a drop side so it’s easy to lift baby into our bed. After a couple months, when they start sleeping longer stretches, we move them into their own cribs in a separate room. Of course, this is just what has worked for us. Everyone does it differently, so make sure to find what works best for you!
- Beside Bassinet
- 2 Bassinet Sheets
- Crib and Crib Mattress (classic and affordable)
- 2 Crib Sheets
- Nursery Chair
- Baby Monitor
- Sleepsack Swaddles
Bath Time
Bath time is the sweetest. We like to have a couple towels and extra washcloths – again, for ease of keeping up with laundry.
- Baby Bathtub
- 1-2 Hooded Towels
- Pack of Washcloths
- Baby Wash
- Baby Lotion
Gear
These are a few of the bigger items that we use ALL the time. Of course, the car seat and diaper bag are musts. The baby bouncers (or swing) are great when you need to lay baby somewhere safe for a while. I’ve never been a big baby-wearer, but I know a lot of people swear by the baby wrap carriers. We’ve used one for hiking and walking around when they’re too little for the backpacking carrier, but I haven’t used one at home much. Again, it’s different what works for everyone!
We love the Graco Car Seats, Bases, and Stroller. All the pieces fit together, which keeps things simple. We keep a base in each vehicle so we can just pop the car seats in and out without having to move anything around between vehicles. The infant car seat also pops into the stroller, which is perfect when they’re brand new and too small to sit in the stroller by itself. The whole system is convenient and easy.
- Car Seat
- Car Seat Cover
- Diaper Bag (backpack style is our favorite)
- Stroller
- Baby Bouncer or Swing
- Baby Carrier
- Pack n’ Play (We use it all the time for travel. Or we also set it up in the living room for those first couple weeks to have a place to lay the baby that’s up off the floor, especially with toddlers running around and big sibling wrestling matches that take place quite often 😉)
Saving Money on Newborn Essentials
Gathering all the supplies for a newborn can get overwhelming, especially with your first. Don’t forget to check garage sales, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc. as well. We’ve gotten a lot of our baby gear second-hand throughout the years. You can find so many great deals on items that are almost new!
Baby Shower Registry
Don’t forget to create a registry for your baby shower! My favorite places to set up a baby shower registry are Amazon, Target, and Walmart. They have great prices and a variety of options in all categories.
I hope this is helpful for you! These are all items that have made life a little easier with each new addition to the family. But, again, at the end of the day, you can get away with very little. All your little one truly needs is you to love on them.
Congratulations on your new little one!
| Tylynn |
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