Everyone Will Tell You: Buy A Thermometer
When baby runs hot, its best to check their temperature. After all, a fever is often the first sign that your little one is feeling under the weather. While you can use a regular digital thermometer, the American Academy of Pediatrics , recommends a rectal reading for accuracy. The Fridababy Quick-Read Rectal Thermometer has a gentle tip and easy-to-read digital display, meaning you can get the task done with minimal fuss.
What Is A Diaper Pail
A diaper pail is a secure, odor-controlling container for dirty diapers and most parents think it’s a baby must-have. A diaper pail isn’t as fun as some other baby products, true, but a good one will keep your house stink-free. Newborns dirty 10 to 12 diapers per day, and older babies can create some surprisingly horrible smells, especially after starting solid foods. A regular garbage can, even one with a lid, won’t contain the odor.
Diaper pails need to keep diaper smells away, be easy to use, and be attractive enough to live in your home. Many have special features to fight odors, like air-lock disposal systems, sliding lids, and carbon filters or baking-soda inserts. Some use special liners that you have to buy separately, while others work with regular trash bags.
You’ll probably use your diaper pail for years, so choose one that you like. Some diaper pails can even be used as regular trash cans once your diapering days are over.
Moses Basket Carrycot Crib Or Newborn Bed
- Experts recommend that your baby sleeps in the same room as you for the first six months.
- A Moses basket or carrycot may be a better option in terms of portability than a newborn bed or crib.
- You’ll need to buy a mattress, sheets and blankets separately, and make sure the mattress is supportive and comfortable enough for your baby.
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The Health & Safety Items You Need For Your Baby
Health and safety items include a variety of items.
Thermometer
You will need to have a thermometer on hand for the just in case. You can read all about fevers, how to take a temperature, and my favorite thermometers in this post.
Nail Files
Those tiny baby nails grow fast! I prefer to use a nail file over nail clippers. Ive seen far too many tiny fingers injured from nail clippers.
This pack of nail files is great. Theyre the perfect size to hold in your hand and file away at those tiny fingernails.
Suction
Personally, I prefer a bulb syringe, like this one. This may come from years of using one in a professional setting. However, many mothers prefer the Nose Frida.
Both provide suction and can help to clear a nose. However, newborns sometimes spit up and have to clear their lungs. The bulb syringe would be preferred if you have to clear the mouth.
Pacifier
A pacifier is a personal preference. My oldest is the only one of my children to ever take a pacifier. He only used one for about six weeks.
I really like this natural rubber pacifier and most everyone I suggest it to loves it as well!
Teether
I prefer a natural rubber teether. Baby girl is currently loving this Owl teether. You can see my other recommended teething toys here or here.
Monitor
A baby monitor allows you to see or see and hear your newborn when you are not in the room with them.
I kept it simple with this audio monitor for my first two. It was easy and worked great.
Munchkin Bath Toy Bundle
Bath toys will help keep your baby entertained while youre trying to get them clean. They come in a variety of styles and designs, so it should be easy to help find something your little one will love. This set comes with an animal theme, which is brightly colored and fun. Youll also get a mesh basket or storage scoop that suctions onto the wall, helping to keep all the toys contained when not in use.
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Other Baby Travel Essentials For Sleep
Night lights. Although no one puts Baby in the corner, weve definitely had our baby sleep in a closet. When youre trying to get one kid to sleep without making everyone else turn in, placing the crib creatively is the answer. Our youngest has slept in a Four Seasons Jackson Hole closet larger than my upstairs bathroom and we were glad we had the nightlight with us to cast that comforting warm glow.
Soother. This is babys comfort item. The best baby can go from chill to crying if a loved soother is forgotten. If your kiddo has a favorite stuffed animal, do not forget it. Also, new moms, if theres an item that your baby loves, please learn from my mistake. Buy two. Inevitably, at some point it will go missing or be left behind and having a substitute is worth its weight in gold.
Sleep swaddle.Hotel rooms can sometimes be chilly, so consider packing a heavier sleeper or even sleep swaddle to bundle up baby. Theyre often easier to pack than baby blankets and easier to wash. We used to keep the blanket for the car and use swaddles at night. Also not to age myself but sleep swaddles are amazing! When my oldest was young we didnt have them and had to baby burrito him by hand. Sleep swaddles are one of my all time favorite baby products.
Diaper Pail With Built
There are all sorts of diaper accessories that youll need , but one of the must-haves is a diaper pail. Youll be going through a lot of diaper changes, so having a place to immediately dispose of dirty diapers is essential. This is the original Diaper Genie, which locks in odors to keep your nursery smelling fresh and clean.
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Everyone Will Tell You: Swaddling Helps Soothe Baby
Ah, the swaddle blanket, comforting babies everywhere for centuries. Swaddling not only helps your little one self-soothe, but itll also ease them off to sleep faster, as the snug fit reminds infants of their days back in the womb. But when its 3 a.m. and youre trying to get baby changed, swaddled and back to sleep, the last thing you want is to spend time trying to get a nice tight wrap, only to have it kicked off in a matter of seconds. The Best of Baby award-winning Ollie Swaddle features stretchy fabric and velcro fasteners to give you a secure fit in seconds, so baby will be snug as a bug in no time.
Gerber Baby Caps In Gray/white/yellow Sheeps
This dreamy set of five includes one of our favorite newborn hat designs: a knit cap designed to look like a lamb, complete with ears! Of course, the rest of the soft and perfectly snug newborn baby hats are adorable too. And a five-pack for under $10? Now thats a steal.
Buy it: $9 for a set of 5, Target.com
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The Bath & Potty Items Your Baby Needs
Infant Bathtub
An infant bathtub is not completely necessary to some. However, I find that I absolutely need one.
I really like this baby bathtub.
It has a sling for the newborn and early stage. Then when your baby is a little older you can remove the sling, but leave in the insert that prevents your baby from slipping down. Then once they are able to maintain a sitting position in the water you can remove the insert and use the small space as a bathtub.
Baby Wash
For a safe non-toxic baby wash, this Dr. Bronners Castile Soap works well.
Diapers
I prefer to use cloth diapers.
For tiny newborns, I love Green Mountain Diapers organic cloth-eez workhorse fitted diapers with a thirsties cover.
Once they outgrow the newborn diapers I move into the Cotton Babies adjustable diapers. For cost effectiveness, I prefer the Flip system with the organic insert.
When Im traveling or will be out of the house all day, we use disposable diapers. My preferred non-toxic disposable diapers are these or these.
Lightweight Baby Blankets For Travel
Though this might seem like an odd item to have under baby gear. Blankets are one of the best traveling essentials for baby.
We highly recommend the Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddle Blankets. The reason we love them so much is for their large size and how lightweight they are.
They are perfect for giving your baby a place to play on the floor in that airport , obviously they work well to swaddle or keep your baby warm, and they even work as a nursing cover in a pinch. They are one of those wonderful multi-tasking baby travel essentials!
We love them so much, we even wrote an entire blog post on how useful these swaddle blankets are for travel with a baby!
The best part is that youll keep using these even when you are traveling with a toddler! They are worth every penny!
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Everyone Will Tell You: Get A Good Nipple Cream
If you choose to nurse or pump breast milk, sore, cracked nipples are an occupational hazard. Thankfully, a nourishing nipple cream can help. Dab some baby-safe ointment on after breastfeeding or before a pumping session to help prevent chafing and avoid pain in the first place. Bamboobies boob-ease Organic Nipple Balm was this years Best of Pregnancy award-winner, as its made using USDA-certified organic ingredients, has a smooth texture and is safe for mom and baby.
Everyone Will Tell You: You Need A Swing
Rocking baby is often the fastest way to soothe them. But if your arms are aching and youve got a long list of chores to get on with, a swing or bouncer can come in clutch. Simple swings that sway back and forth can work wonders, but newer models come with all sorts of cool features. Mesmerizing light shows, self-rocking mechanisms and hands-free technology will buy you extra time and help baby chill out while you get on with your day. The all-new 4moms MamaRoo Multi-Motion Baby Swing offers five unique modes, five speeds and four sounds that effectively calm a fussy baby. And did we mention that this swing is a Best of Baby winner too?
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Crib Sheets And Mattress Cover Protectors
These crib sheets are great value and have a bunch of cute designs!
We got a waterproof mattress cover protector for our crib mattress and so far its protected the mattress from accidents.
To save time, one tip I received is to put 2 of these protectors on the mattress all the time with crib sheets layered on top. You would put the cover on first, then a sheet on top, then another cover on and then another sheet.
Baby Travel Crib Or Travel Tent
While plenty of hotels and Airbnbs have pack n plays available for you to use, owning a portable baby travel crib is the best way to give your baby a familiar sleep environment. Its also one less thing to worry about if you plan to move around a lot during your trip.
For infants and babies, the best baby travel cribs that we recommend are the Guava Lotus travel crib or the budget friendly Dream On Me Travel Light Playard.
For older babies , the KidCo PeaPod Plus Travel Bed is another great baby travel bed option.
On a trip to Japan with a baby, a friend recommended the KidCo Peapod Plus Travel Bed to us and was kind enough to lend us hers. The KidCo Peapod Plus travel tent is a lightweight, sturdy travel bed which collapses to fit in a typical suitcase. Whats not to love?!?
Our little guy slept great while using it and it allowed us to sleep easy knowing he was safe and well contained. We were hooked! We got one for ourselves and used it on all our trips until he was too big for his toddler travel bed.
We have a full review of the KidCo Peapod Plus toddler travel bed where we also share all our tips for getting your baby or toddler to sleep in it.
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Baby Bassinet Bedside Sleeper
If youre planning to breastfeed or just want a safer co-sleeping option, a bassinet is a must. If you choose one like this Mika Micky option, it rolls right up next to your bed, and one side can be removed for easier access throughout the night. Your little one will outgrow their bassinet within three months , so make sure you find one that has all the features you need but is also affordable.
Everyone Will Tell You: Room Share With Baby For The First Year
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend parents and baby sleep in the same roombut never in the same bedfor at least six months. While you could use a full-size crib, a bassinet is a convenient choice as it can be used from birth and has a smaller footprint. The Halo Bassinest Swivel Sleeper 3.0 swivels 360 degrees above your bed and has a built-in lowering wall that provides easy and instant access to your little one. And like many of the new mom must-haves on this list, it was awarded the Best of Baby seal of approval.
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Seasonal Clothes For Next Year
You may be really, really tempted to buy that adorable Halloween costume on Etsy. You tell yourself, My baby will be seven months old then! Ill just ask for that size!
Stop.
Dont buy seasonal clothes that far ahead. You have no idea how quickly or slowly your baby is going to grow, so they might be wearing that Halloween costume as an Easter costume.
While you can buy where-anytime items like pajamas, pants and shirts in advance, skip the seasonal wear, including coats and swimwear, until you have a more solid idea of how large your child will be when they can actually wear it.
Baby Soaps And Shampoos
We recommend that you do not use any soaps or shampoos on your newborn for the first year. However, if you do choose to use soaps our preference would be to use unscented and natural soaps and not before 6 weeks.
When bathing your baby you should wash their face, private parts, and neck every day. While bathing the rest of their body 3 times a week is sufficient.
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What Should You Put On The Baby Registry For Dad
Dads are an important part of your babys life. I recommend getting things that make daddy / baby bonding time special. If your husband or significant other will be helping take care of the baby, you definitely dont want to forget a rocking chair, bottles for pumped breastmilk or formula feedings, and books!
Essentials You Must Have In Your Checklist Before Your Baby Arrives
You have a new baby on the way? Congratulations!Planning for your little ones arrival is an exciting time and can be a great deal of fun, but it might also be a little bit stressful as you try to ensure that you will have everything that you need. You dont want to miss anything and find yourself needing to go shopping again once baby has arrived. That is time to be spent at home, resting, recuperating, and enjoying your new arrival.
With your due date approaching, you may be hard at work decorating. The nursery might need to be painted, or wall decals might be waiting to go up. Perhaps you are searching for the perfect accessories and furniture, like a comfortable nursing chair. Preparing for a baby especially if its your firstcan be somewhat daunting. It might even seem a little overwhelming. No need to fret though, we have built a newborn baby checklist of the essentials and fun to have baby items to help you with this transition.
While you are sure to remember all the big things, some of the smaller items could pass under the radar. That is why its a great idea to put together a checklist of all your newborn needs. Staying organized will help ensure that you dont miss a thing. We at Active Baby would like to help you out, so we have put together a list of all the common, less common, and easily overlooked items that you might want to consider.
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Essential List Of Things To Buy Or Put On Your Registry
Although I could have sat down and written out a truly exhaustive list of every single thing you could ever need to have to care for a newborn, I dont think thats the most helpful thing I can do.
So I dug deep and narrowed down the list of absolute must have baby items to only the things that you will REGRET not getting if you dont purchase them beforehand.
These items are key as in, you will regret it if you forget them! Now that I think of it, perhaps I also need to write a post about the most forgotten baby items?! Ill put that on the list.
Okay.back to what all you need to get before your due date
I would personally put all of these on a baby registry so your friends and family can buy them for you. I find that most people LOVE getting practical things for new moms and if you have a lot of people buying for you, you need to put more items than you think on your registry.
In hindsight, I should have registered for more practical basics essential things like diapers and wipes instead of the cool gadgets that I didnt really end up using.
Its so practical to register for things that would cost you money when the baby comes, and people love getting things like this for you!
We didnt register for enough things and had to go back twice to add items because people started getting us multiples of stuff we already had because they had no clue what we wanted!
That makes no sense I know but it is honestly what happened when people ran out of things to buy.