It’s hard to figure out exactly what you need to get ready for your little one! When I was putting my registry together, I was so overwhelmed because there are so many options and different brands to choose from.
Now that Chloe is a few months old, I have a much better idea of what is truly essential and helpful! Below is the list that I put together of essentials for baby & me. I’ll keep adding items as I find things that we use and like. A few items are a nice-to-have or I’ll use them once she’s older. I tried to link as many of them as I could to make it easier for you 🙂
And if you missed it, here is Chloe’s Birth Story!
Breastfeeding/Pumping:
- nursing bras (light support) and nursing bras (high support) – I wear them all day & night!
- nursing tanks (great to have for if you’re breastfeeding outside of the home)
- hands-free pumping bra (a must for pumping so you can do other things while you’re pumping)
- breast milk storage bags (I use them almost daily for my milk supply in the freezer)
- breastfeeding pillow (I used this at first & then stopped because was too bulky for me and got annoying)
- electric, portable breast pump (you should be able to get this through your insurance for free)
- Lanolin nipple cream for breastfeeding
- nursing cups, milk savers (milk collection cups that you put in your nursing bra to help keep you leak-free and can add the extra milk to bottles/freezer bags)
- disposable nursing pads (I use these when I wear ‘real’ clothes which isn’t often as of now! If you’re breastfeeding and you don’t use them, then you will get marks on your tops)
- 6-in-1 multi use nursing cover (also a car seat cover and more)
More Feeding:
- burp cloths (get at least 10 – you will use them all the time!)
- bottles (for when you give her pumped milk or if you’re doing formula)
- bottle dry rack (and for pump parts)
- bottle warmer & pouch warmer (to heat up pumped milk)
- bottle sterilizer (to clean the bottles well)
- terry bib set with cute sayings
- cotton bib set
- high chair
- silicone baby bibs (for at 6 months+ with eating solids)
- utensils (for at 6 months+ with eating solids)
- plates + small bowls + bowls (for at 6 months+ with eating solids)
- food steamer (for at 6+ months with eating solids)
- egg cooker (for easily making hard-boiled eggs)
- silicone drinking training cup (Chloe started drinking out of an open cup at 9 months)
- weighted straw sippy cup (make sure you get a cup that is spill proof!)
- toddler sprout drink bottle 15 oz (we upgraded Chloe’s cup at 2 years old to this one! Larger, spill proof, and easy to get water out of)
Baby Gear & Travel:
- stroller & car seat travel system (we love our stroller and car seat!)
- lighter stroller (only 13 lb; started using this at age 1)
- convertible car seat (you can use this starting at newborn and then it converts for infants, toddlers, and booster; 5-100 lbs; we’re switching to this car seat once she outgrows her infant car seat)
- winter car seat cover (a must for the cold weather, wind/rain, going outside and avoiding people/germs/smoking, etc.)
- baby car mirror (so you can see your baby in the rearview mirror while you drive)
- car window shades (protects your baby from the sun, glare, and UV rays)
- jogging stroller (and great for hiking and unpaved terrain)
- stroller fan (key for walking in the summer!)
- Pack ‘n Play Change ‘N Carry Playard (comes with a bassinet and changing area so it’s perfect for traveling; she actually sleeps best in this Pack ‘n Play bassinet)
- BabyBjorn baby carrier (easy to use and feels very stable; used all the time with Chloe)
- Ergobaby newborn carrier (I got this with Liam – easier on my shoulders since buckle in on the hips; for when baby is 7-25 lb)
- Ergobaby baby carrier
- baby wrap carrier (this was hard for me to master so I returned it)
- double stroller (bought this once we had Liam! Comes with a bassinet and toddler seat)
Nursery:
- nursing chair (with a glider and ottoman with lumber pillow)
- side table for next to nursing chair (keep water, food, pump, etc. on it)
- light pink lamp with white shade
- white dresser (for all her cute outfits!)
- baby monitor (a must!)
- crib (for when she sleeps in her own room)
- crib sheets
- musical baby crib mobile
- custom name sign for above Chloe’s crib (make sure to get a big enough size! Brendan then painted it pink!)
- framed photos
- blankets
- plug protectors (for baby proofing her room & throughout our home)
Diapers, Changing Table, and Medical Needs:
- changing table (here I store diapers, wipes, burp cloths, some onesies, diaper rash cream, medicine, etc)
- waterproof diaper changing pad (waterproof is key so easy cleanups!)
- soft changing pad covers pink & white (make sure you have at least a few because they will be washed often!)
- white changing pad covers
- Diaper Genie (to keep her room smelling fresh after all the diapers!)
- Diaper Genie refill bags
- Newborn diapers (Chloe used newborn diapers for awhile – for when under 10 lb)
- Size 1 diapers (8-14 lb)
- Size 2 diapers (12-18 lb)
- Size 3 diapers (16-28 lb)
- unscented wipes (make sure you get unscented)
- diaper bag backpack
- reusable swim diapers (we switched to these reusable swim diapers after learning that swim classes required them rather than disposable; one size fits 6 months to 3 years old; works really well!)
- Childrens Acetaminophen (you will use this if your baby gets a fever; Chloe had a slight fever after her 2 month shots; I like this brand because it’s dye-free)
- Aquaphor baby 3 in 1 diaper rash cream (make sure your diaper rash cream has zinc oxide; this one has 15% zinc oxide)
- Aquaphor fast relief diaper rash cream (this is for serious diaper rashes – it has 40% zinc oxide)
- Baby grooming kit (or make sure to get a rectal thermometer & nail file)
- rectal thermometer
- baby Vitamin D drops
- FridaBaby Electric NoseFrida – USB Rechargeable Nasal Aspirator
- sunscreen (can use starting at 6 months; make sure your sunscreen is mineral-based)
- children’s toothpaste (it’s fluoride-free & dye-free; we started using this once Chloe’s teeth came in)
- all over ointment (we use this on red spots, eczema, etc)
Sleeping:
- HALO BassiNest (you will use this from day 1 until you transfer your baby to the crib)
- Bassinet sheets (make sure you have at least two)
- Baby Shusher (I used this every night for the first few months)
- white noise machine (I use every night while she’s sleeping; can use during naps too)
- Swaddles (get swaddles with Velcro or zippers – much easier & secure!)
- Sleep Sack / Wearable Blanket (Chloe started using sleep sacks at 4 months)
Clothes:
- natural laundry detergent for sensitive skin (we all use this)
- wool dryer balls (cleaner than dryer sheets)
- baby hangers (to hang all her cute clothes!)
- small enough socks
- small enough hat (hospital gave us one)
- onesies (zippers are best!)
- Sherpa Lined Fleece Baby Mittens
- baby socks with cute sayings
- newborn baby bear snowsuit (this was so cute!)
- hoodie bodysuits
- footie pajamas
- sleep & play suits
- We also received lots of cute clothing as gifts which tends to happen so haven’t had to buy many clothing items yet
- warm winter coat
Toys & Learning:
- The Play Gym by Lovevery | Stage-Based Developmental Activity Gym & Play Mat for Baby to Toddler (This is a must! Chloe loves it. We use it for tummy time, and it’s amazing stimulation for babies that progresses as they get older)
- Playpen (we used this once Chloe hit 7 months and was rolling & crawling off her play mat!)
- Large Soft Play Mat (we started using this at 7 months for open floor time; great soft cushion, and it’s big enough for her to crawl all over!)
- Puzzle Activity Play Mat with animals (we put it under her play gym)
- Lovevery Sensory Strands (an add-on to the play gym)
- Lovevery Play Kits (you can get a new playkit every few months from birth through age 4 – we love them!!)
- Skip Hop Baby Activity Center 3-in-1 Grow with Me Set, Explore & More: Activity Center & Toddler Chairs (for when she’s 4 months & up)
- books (we read a couple books to her every night!)
- stuffed animals
- Wooden Storage Bench with three bins (to store her toys & stuffed animals, and it’s not an eye sore! pastel colors too)
- Wooden Farmhouse Table & 4 Chairs Set (for when she’s older)
- Safety Gate (we got this at 9 months since Chloe crawls everywhere now! This one works really well since easy to open/close and looks nice)
- Personalized Wooden Name Puzzle (Chloe loves to remove to puzzle pieces, and it’s also nice decoration)
- Rolling Drum (we got this at 6 months, and she loves playing it & letting it roll around)
- Let’s Record Music Player (Chloe loves this! So many songs, and you can record yourself too)
- Wooden Musical Instruments (we got this at 1 year, and she loves it!)
- Colorful Wooden Train Set (we got this at 1 year, and she loves it!)
- Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog (we got this at 1 year, and it’s great to motor skills!)
- Montessori Toys (we got this at 1 year, and it’s great for motor skills & sensory)
- SoftZone Climb & Crawl Activity Playset (lightweight foam shapes for climbing, crawling, & sliding)
- Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket (we got this at 1 year)
- Learning Bot (we got this at 1 year)
- Sports Center (we got this at 1 year)
- Wooden Bee Ride (we got this at 1 year; she loves to ride around on it!)
- Xylophone (we got this at 1 year)
Bath Time:
- 4-in-1 Grow-with-Me Bath Tub (get one that grows with your baby)
- bath sprout cover for bathtub
- baby washcloths (I put a warm wet washcloth on her stomach during bath time so she stays warm)
- baby shampoo + body wash + this one + this one (I like to get unscented)
- cradle cap system (we used this on Chloe for cradle cap, and it worked instantly!)
- organic unscented lotion (babies don’t need lotion for awhile but once it was fine to use, we use this one)
- elephant hooded bath towel
- panda hooded bath towel
- rabbit hooded bath towel
- bath toy organizer with hooks and letters & numbers
- bath toys
Bouncers & Swings:
- Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Swing, Dual Motion Baby Swing with Music, Sounds and Motorized Mobile (she loves her swing!)
- Ingenuity InReach Mobile Lounger and Bouncer (I love how it’s mobile so I can move it around on wheels without having to pick it up)
- Ergobaby Evolve 3-in-1 Bouncer (I got this for Liam and love it; it has a newborn insert and then can grow with them in toddlerhood)
Milestones:
- Felt letter board (I used for pregnancy announcement & for monthly milestone photos)
- my first year photo frame (I like that this one has big enough photos because many out there has very small photos)
- baby book
- milestone monthly blanket (thought I would use this but ended up preferring the felt letter board above)
Pregnancy:
- pregnancy C-shaped body pillow (a must for the third trimester)
- Odie’s ‘Promoted to Big Brother’ bandana for pregnancy announcement (we loved this!)
- maternity leggings and shorts (I used them for the last few weeks of my pregnancy)
Halloween Costumes:
- Winnie the Pooh costume (for Chloe!)
- Piglet onesie costume (for me; I did a size kids 13-14, and it fit well)
- Tigger onesie costume (for Brendan)
- Eeyore dog costume (for Odie)
1st Birthday Party:
- 1st birthday outfit (super soft onesie & a tutu!)
- 1st birthday party supplies (plates, cups, napkins)
- “one” cupcake toppers
- 3-tier cupcake stands and appetizer trays (these cupcakes stands were perfect for a few dozen bday cupcakes, and then I put sandwiches on the trays)
Read more about my pregnancy & Chloe’s birth here:
