MUST-HAVE BABY ITEMS FOR FIRST-TIME PARENTS
BY VALERIE ROBINSON
I remember when we found out we were having our first baby and being so excited, I couldn’t even wait to tell anyone (of course, that was only in 2019, so granted, it hasn’t been very long!). Of course, that came with an overwhelming amount of advice from the veterans, including strangers in a waiting room or check-out line. So, by the time it came down to putting together a registry, I was overwhelmed, to say the least. Not to mention, Amazon has a very extensive checklist. Did I really need all of that for baby??
Well, I’m gearing up for baby #2, and with a little bit of experience under my belt now, I can confidently tell you the MUST-HAVE baby items if you’re a first-time parent! Let’s get into it…
#1 Pacifier Clips
Say goodbye to misplacing, dropping, or forgetting these suckers! Don’t worry; they’re not long enough to be a hazard to baby and not so short as to get in the way of things. The best part? They’re machine washable. You can find a set of them on Amazon, and I found they work great with these pacifiers
#2 Baby Nasal Aspirator by FridaBaby
Have you heard of FridaMom? If not, look into it now because they are a spectacular mom business doing great things for moms! But go ahead and add this item to your registry because you’re going to be so grateful to have it the first time your sweet bundle has a stuffy nose. I won’t lie, it’s awkward for everyone involved, but it will bring sweet relief to everyone as well. Also available on Amazon here
#3 Burp Cloths
So. Many. Burp cloths. I probably have 50 burp cloths. Every single one has had something on them at one point in time. Pack at least 5-6 in the diaper bag alone. When a baby is fresh out of the oven is when this is especially important. There’s a lot going on in that developing digestive system. I promise you they will be so handy well into that first year. These are my favorite!
#4 Noise Machine
A co-worker of mine gifted me an adorable plush bunny that came with four sounds: lullaby, ocean, rain, and wind. At first, I was kind of like, won’t this be a little distracting? But here’s the thing: baby has been inside mom for 37+ odd weeks (everyone’s different), listening to mom’s heartbeat and digestive system function. They come out preferring white noise to utter silence. I don’t have a product link since I didn’t personally pick this one out, but I suggest a noise machine with various sound options, a soft night light option, and avoid anything that emits twinkly, colorful images (such as stars).
#5 Changing Pad Liners
I can’t express enough how nice this item is because it’s not a matter of if, but when the baby will go to the bathroom in the middle of a diaper change. And it often occurs in the middle of the night when you want things to go as smooth as possible and go back to sleep. So when accidents happen, you need a quick and easy way to clear off the pad! These are my favorite.
#6 The Right Diaper Pail
Okay, there is a reason that the diaper genie has been at the forefront of this department. People will try to tell you to get an übbi. It’s cheaper and uses any trash bag, but that comes at a price. The übbi is not good at odor locking, and it’s difficult to take the diapers out when it’s full. It’s also a little bit smaller. I had an übbi, but switched to diaper genie. You’ve been warned; find the diaper genie here!
#7 Baby Motrin
I really only mention this one because in my infinite wisdom as a first-time mom, I just never got around to buying this and having it on hand. It wasn’t until I really, REALLY needed it that I was in a scramble to get my hands on it. My son was experiencing his first ear infection at around 10 months old and went from normal to 103 REAL QUICK. My husband was at work, the baby was not himself, and I was experiencing a bad case of mom guilt for my lack of preparedness. A friend and absolute savior ran to the store for me so I could give my son this magical liquid, and his fever was gone in just a couple of hours. I suggest always consulting your child’s pediatrician for things like this.
And remember, YOU GOT THIS. I’m so excited for you to embark on this wonderful adventure we call parenting. Good luck with your registry!
Great job Val! This list is fantastic! I would like to expand on this and add a couple of my must haves too… 1. A Nuna Pipa carseat. They are a bit pricier than your average carseat from your local department store BUT they are so incredibly easy to use, adjust as baby grows, and are extremely lightweight which makes my arms and back happy when toting baby in carseat into a grocery store, restaurant, etc! 2. Gentle Baby essential oil blend from Young Living. Perfect for rubbing on the back and feet before naps and bedtime to help baby fall asleep quickly AND is an amazing relief agent for any skin rashes or irritations (aka diaper rash, baby acne, etc). Again, great job Val! You are such an amazing mama!!!!