What Essentials You Should Have for Your Baby

Shopping for a baby starts long before the baby is born. It’s such an exciting time that it’s so tempting to buy nearly everything in the store, from adorable outfits to baby equipment. Though we’d love to, most of us don’t have an unlimited budget, so you must first give priority to buying the baby essentials. New moms can find it overwhelming to shop for the essentials their little one will need, and may not be sure which items are essential. Don’t worry, we have assembled a list of the most important items you should have for your baby, so let’s get into it.

1. Baby Monitor

It’s not possible to have your attentive eye on your newborn every minute of the day. You can consider a monitor as an extra pair of eyes monitoring your baby when you can’t. The transmitter goes into the baby’s room, and you are free to move around the house with the monitor, which alerts you when your baby wakes up and cries for you. Depending on your budget, some monitors come with more range than others. Cheaper ones have less range, so it does also depend on the size of your home. Some parents will be perfectly comfortable only with an audio type of monitor. Or you might want more features, such as video or talk-back so that you can talk to your newborn, and they can hear your comforting voice.

2. Car Seat

Babies outgrow clothes and other things so quickly! Yet, some items will be used for years like a car seat, so you want to choose one wisely. Some people start with an infant seat, then graduate to a convertible car seat as the baby gets bigger, but you can start with a convertible car seat from day one. A convertible seat can be adjusted for your baby to face forward or backward and it can also be adjusted to suit the size of your baby. The two things you want to make sure of is that the seat fits into your car, and has passed current safety regulations. After that, you can find ones with extra safety options or two-in-one options, such as a car seat and stroller.

3. Baby Carrier

Baby Carrier

A baby carrier is one of the most important items for mommy and baby, as it helps them bond. It gives you a chance to have your baby close to you while keeping your hands free. It’s perfect when it’s time to go outside, and you don’t want the bother of a heavy or bulky stroller. Carriers are used from infancy and may support up to 45 pounds in weight. With an abundance of choices, the best carrier for a newborn should support the baby’s bottom and legs, and allow for a natural curve of the spine. Opting for a wrap carrier or a buckle carrier is going to be your best choice. Wraps that you tie around yourself, support a newborn’s natural position. A buckle carrier has two shoulder straps and a waistband – it’s more structured than a wrap, so it’s a matter of personal preference. While most of us use modern baby carriers, the Arctic people utilize a traditional Inuit garment called the Amauti. If you are interested to learn more about this, read our article about The Inuit Art of Baby-Carrying Using the Amauti.

4. Sleeping Cot

It’s advised that a newborn should sleep in the same room with you for the first six months. So, depending on the room size, you can choose between a cot or a cot bed, which is bigger. As your baby gets bigger and stronger, you’ll want a cot with adjustable mattress heights. When he’s tall and big enough, he’ll be climbing out of the cot if it’s not adjusted to his height to keep him safe. You’ll want one that has storage space for sheets, baby blankets, etc. There are also cot-top changers, which give you a top unit to change diapers comfortably. If you have back pain, you might like one with drop-down sides. As you can see, there are many things to consider when choosing the right one.

5. Diaper Bag

Tiny people have a lot of things! Sure, you want a cute one, but don’t ignore practicality because it’s one of the most used items. Find one that is comfortable to carry around when it’s full. You want one with a lot of space and with several partitions so you can easily organize the items inside the bag. You might prefer a backpack style or a style that doesn’t look anything like a diaper bag. An important factor is to buy one that is easy to clean. After these main features, the rest is up to you.

Some of your other essentials come in loads – loads of diapers, bibs, baby wipes, etc., you get the picture. When summertime comes around, and you start going out more, you will need a few other essentials to protect your baby from heat and sun. When you’re at home, you’ll need to have other items at hand. Either way, you want to create a checklist to ensure that you and your baby have everything you need.