When you begin to prepare for the arrival of your new baby, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of recommended nursery items. The truth is newborns don't need much for the first few months, and they'll grow so quickly that it doesn't make sense to spend too much on clothing. You'll want to have these fundamental essentials on hand from your first night home with your infant.
The Newborn Bundle
The Newborn Bundle from Wellements includes must-have products for your little one. This collection contains:
- A soft swaddle blanket
- Baby Chest & Foot Rub with soothing, sleep-inducing lavender and eucalyptus
- All-Purpose Balm to hydrate and protect sensitive infant skin
- Multivitamin Drops are formulated with essential nutrients that support infant development
- Baby Tooth Oil to relieve teething pain on tiny gums
- Night Time Gripe Water to safely soothe evening tummy troubles
- Gripe Water for daytime gas and colic
You'll want to keep an extra bundle in your closet to have on hand for baby shower invites!
Essentials For Your Baby's Physical Health
Whether bottle or breast is best for you and your baby, feeding is the priority in this category. If you decide to breastfeed, use this list to get the right gear:
- Nursing bras
- Nursing pads
- Breast cream
- Manual or electric breast pump
For formula feeding, you'll need a few containers of formula, but wait to buy too many of one brand until you see how your baby responds. Other essentials include:
- Bottlebrush and drying rack
- Eight to 10 bottles, newborn size
Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding babies will also need bibs and burp cloths to keep messes at bay. Also, you might start solid foods with your baby between 4 and 6 months, so consider buying an infant feeding set with a bowl, spoons, and a high chair.
Essentials For Your Newborn's Sleep
No matter what you have planned for your nursery furniture, your infant should sleep in a safe crib, bassinet, or co-sleeper, free from pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals that create a suffocation risk. Other baby sleep essentials for the first six months include:
- Waterproof mattress protectors
- Four to five lightweight cotton receiving blankets
- Fitted crib sheets
What You Need To Travel With Your Newborn
Traveling with your newborn requires an infant car seat, a stroller, or a car carrier. In addition to a safe car seat, a cooler bag for bottles or breast milk makes it easier to get from point A to point B with your baby.
Essentials For Your Baby's Well-being
While the crawling days might seem far away when you bring your newborn home for the first time, you'll need to think about babyproofing around four months when your infant can sit independently. Some of the most critical safety items include:
- Latches for all cabinets and drawers within reach
- Gates on every staircase (both bottom and top)
- Outlet covers
- Anchors for TVs and other furniture
Diapering essentials also fall into the category of well-being. Start with a few packs of wipes, newborn-size diapers, a waterproof changing pad, several changing pad covers, and diaper rash cream.
Clothing needs depend on the season when your baby is born and the climate where you live. Generally, aim for five to seven onesies, five to seven sets of pajamas, seven to 10 T-shirts, several rompers, a cold-weather hat and coat, a sun hat, booties, and socks.
This guide provides the details you need to check the essentials off your list for the first few months with your baby.