Newborn Necessities

A friend of mine is expecting in January, and contacted me to ask about what she should have on hand for baby’s first month. My first thought was to google an adorably-Pinnable checklist of what to buy and what not to buy, but I realized that my experience had been more like a Pinterest fail. So many of the things that I bought, registered for or stocked up on barely made it out of the box.

So here’s the real scoop: my list of the things I couldn’t live without in baby’s first couple months (note: this will be different from mama to mama and baby to baby, but here’s what worked for us):

Doona Car Seat: Oh man, is this thing convenient. I love just having one unit that acts as both car seat and stroller.

Boba Wrap: In our house, this became such a lifesaver that we now own TWO of them. Whenever Phoenix would fuss, we’d wrap her up and she’d be asleep in five minutes. I give this at every shower now.

Clothes in all sizes: Nothing was small enough for my tiny baby when we got home, and two weeks later nothing seemed big enough. I was so thankful to my friend, Kailey, who gave us two huge bags of clean, well-kept clothes from her baby girl in NB up to three months.

Breast pump: You need one of these on hand—your boobs will start thinking for themselves and acting without your consent. We got away with just using the two bottles that came with it for months.

Nipple ointment and soothies: I left the newborn bubble to go to Target and stock up on all kinds of stuff to make my breasts less angry the day after we got home from the hospital. Save yourself the run and buy it well in advance. I like Lansinoh’s soothies, with vitamin E gel.
Food: And lots of it, you will be starving. We froze six weeks worth of meals and ordered FreshDirect until I was ready to brave the grocery store.

Dock-A-Tot Cosleeper: We didn’t have this right away, but I wish we had. This baby lounger allows you to bedshare with baby without worry of rolling on them or smothering them.

Diapers: Just don’t go too crazy on the disposables. We never used the newborn size—she was in size 1 right away and size 2 not long after that.

Boppy Nursing Pillow: If you’re nursing, you need this. Trust me. You back will thank you after you’re nursing for literally the hundredth time.

Sweatpants and tank tops: Tank tops are nursing friendly and so comfy, and the ones with a shelf bra negate the need for underwire. Sweatpants for most of the same reasons. But the secret here is that dressing in layers will also help you regulate your temperature, which is directly affected by hormones. I was cold all day, but would wake up in sheets drenched with sweat. Between milk and sweat I changed clothes constantly.

Cable/Netflix: Newborns don’t do a whole lot, but they keep your hands busy. Even if you’re not a TV person, you’ll become one. Get ready to spend a LOT of time on the couch. Get a basket and fill it with snacks and water.

Water: I was so, so thirsty. A month after I got home from the hospital, I set up a Poland Spring delivery—that’s how much I was drinking. We still have it and I love it.

Comment below: did I miss any must haves?