Things you realistically need for baby:
Feeding
- Microwave Sterilizer - You may not have to sterilize for that long (6 months or so, depends on you) but seriously, this is a MUST!! Boiling the bottles is a HUGE pain, get one of these and it saves you tons of time, and believe me when your time is limited, 10 minutes makes a big difference. This item is for breastfeeding or not, they're good for pacifiers etc too.
- Feeding pillow - A lot of websites advertise this as an absolute need, and it was one of the first things I ran out and bought.. yeah.. we hardly used it. If I needed something to support my arm I was more likely ready to reach for a regular pillow or a couple blankets.. so this is a luxury, it's up to you whether you want this or not.
- Bibs - Sure your baby may not be drooling all that much in the beginning, or making all that much of a mess.. but they will. And what a mess it will be.
- Sippy cups - They may not take it at first, but eventually around a 1+, you're going to need a few of these babes. If your LO likes drinking from a cup, Sassy has really great sippy cups that look like actual cups.. super cool.
- Feeding pillow - A lot of websites advertise this as an absolute need, and it was one of the first things I ran out and bought.. yeah.. we hardly used it. If I needed something to support my arm I was more likely ready to reach for a regular pillow or a couple blankets.. so this is a luxury, it's up to you whether you want this or not.
- Bibs - Sure your baby may not be drooling all that much in the beginning, or making all that much of a mess.. but they will. And what a mess it will be.
- Sippy cups - They may not take it at first, but eventually around a 1+, you're going to need a few of these babes. If your LO likes drinking from a cup, Sassy has really great sippy cups that look like actual cups.. super cool.
- Spoons - Babies are going to eat eventually. I've mainly done baby led weaning but these still come in handy every so often.
- Suction cup bowls/plates - So they can't whip them off the table.
- Travel Booster WITH tray - This is a great item for a car, once they are eating solids and you go visiting, it is way easier to have this in the car and ready to go then to try and seat them on your lap. This one is my choice booster: http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=2687904
- High Chair - Makes life hella easier, particularly if you can fold it away.
- Receiving Blankets - I honestly didn't end up using these all that often but I know friends who couldn't live without them so I've added it to the list.
1) Breastfeeding accessories:
- Lanolin
- BREAST PADS! (whether or not you breastfeed, you are still going to need these for a while)
- Hot/Cold packs that can fit inside your bra (Sorry to tell you, but the first week sucks... them boobies gonna hurt... a lot)
- Breast pump (I ended up exclusively pumping for 3 months, so I'd recommend a double since you can cut down on pumping time... however most of the time you will just be using it to relieve some of the milk when engorged, or so that you have some stored for when you eventually want to venture out of the house.. so if you aren't planning on using it too much, just go with a single)
- Breast milk bags
2) Formula feeding:
- Formula.. some babies need to try a few to find one that really suits them so sign up with all the formula companies and they will send you free samples. We ended up preferring PC and Kirkland over the rest. Remember, just because they have a brand name doesn't automatically make them better. Here in Canada, the government heavily regulates this type of stuff and companies producing formula are required to have certain things in their formula, while disallowing others. PC and Kirkland are actually VERY close to Enfamil, without the price tag.. in fact Kirkland is $23 for double the amount of formula that you would get for $30 worth of Enfamil (with the Omega 3 etc... which studies show they don't actually need.. but that's a whole other topic). PC is around $20 for the same size as the $30 Enfamil, however it often goes on sale for $12.97, which is a fantastic deal.
- Bottles - this one is also tricky, some babies will take certain bottles, while others may hate them. To deal with this, I bought about 5 different bottles all different, and all recommended by moms as being 'the best'. My baby liked the nipples on the Playtex Ventaire and Dr.Brown bottles. And although the anti-gas builds on both of those bottles can be useful for newborns and babies who have colic.. they ended up being a pain the ass for cleaning! I ended up getting a few of the no name bottles at my baby shower, and although I was skeptical at first, I use those more than I've ever used any of the brand named bottles... they're just way easier to clean!
- Bottle brushes - I've seen people recommend changing the brushes every three months but since I buy the ones with the sponge tops, I end up changing them monthly. You can buy Fisher Price ones for about $1.50 at Dollarama and they're honestly the same thing as the $5 ones from Toys R Us.
- Formula.. some babies need to try a few to find one that really suits them so sign up with all the formula companies and they will send you free samples. We ended up preferring PC and Kirkland over the rest. Remember, just because they have a brand name doesn't automatically make them better. Here in Canada, the government heavily regulates this type of stuff and companies producing formula are required to have certain things in their formula, while disallowing others. PC and Kirkland are actually VERY close to Enfamil, without the price tag.. in fact Kirkland is $23 for double the amount of formula that you would get for $30 worth of Enfamil (with the Omega 3 etc... which studies show they don't actually need.. but that's a whole other topic). PC is around $20 for the same size as the $30 Enfamil, however it often goes on sale for $12.97, which is a fantastic deal.
- Bottles - this one is also tricky, some babies will take certain bottles, while others may hate them. To deal with this, I bought about 5 different bottles all different, and all recommended by moms as being 'the best'. My baby liked the nipples on the Playtex Ventaire and Dr.Brown bottles. And although the anti-gas builds on both of those bottles can be useful for newborns and babies who have colic.. they ended up being a pain the ass for cleaning! I ended up getting a few of the no name bottles at my baby shower, and although I was skeptical at first, I use those more than I've ever used any of the brand named bottles... they're just way easier to clean!
- Bottle brushes - I've seen people recommend changing the brushes every three months but since I buy the ones with the sponge tops, I end up changing them monthly. You can buy Fisher Price ones for about $1.50 at Dollarama and they're honestly the same thing as the $5 ones from Toys R Us.
Diapering:
- Diapers! - Stockpile these, see my other post to see how I did it.- Wipes - I'd get one of the big boxes of wipes with 800 wipes in it or so. I would also just get normal cloths, or some type of soft throw away cloths (at the hospital they were called patient cleaners). Honestly, I'm not a big fan of putting that much chemicals on your babies bum. Mila was getting chronic diaper rashes until I stopped using the store bought ones for pee diapers and saved them only for poop. She rarely gets rashes now.
- Changing Pad - This one is optional. I did not buy one of these, and really, I don't think they are necessary, I just change Mila on her crib, or the bed, or the couch etc. Many of my friends who have bought them said they didn't actually end up using them all that often either. But if you think you'll use them, buy away.
- Diaper rash cream - I like really thick stuff that sticks to the butt better (think Zincofax.. doesn't have to be name brand).. and I have mixed it with a bit of corn starch to thicken it up further when Mila has had some really bad rashes. Diaper Fix cream is also really good, I got a few trials at the last BabyTime Show here in Toronto and it really helped clear up any rashes within a day or two. On a side note, you can also skip getting rash cream all together and opt for coconut oil, which is also really good for moisturizing skin.
Sleeping
- Swaddling Blanket - I found these great little blankets at Winners and Babies R Us that had velcro to swaddle your baby nice and tight (and warm!). They got them nice and snuggly really really fast, and they are realllyy easy. I loved ours!- Normal Blankets - Good for when they fall asleep everywhere but their crib, also just goot to have as babies get cold pretty easily
- Wearable Blankets - As you know, blankets really shouldn't be in the crib until they're older, the wearable blankets by Halo are warm, zip up easily, and reduce SIDS. I bought mine for really cheap at Winners, I think like $12 each
- Crib Sheets - I bought about 5 or so of these. I preferred the ones without patterns because it's easier to see any puke and other nastiness on them
Health and Safety
- Snot Sucker - Honestly one of the most useful things I have for when Mila gets sick. The whole concept is kind of gross but they work WAY better than a nasal aspirator.. which takes out minimal boogers with 10x the stress on both you and baby. http://www.fridababy.com/shop/nosefrida/
- Saline - Also useful for colds, and pretty much everything else. When Mila's eyes were draining a lot the nurses put it on it, when she has a cold, it's good for loosening boogers. I can't even think of the other thing's we've used it for but it's useful to have around.
- Digital Thermometer - I have both the pacifier version and the regular version. If your baby likes a pacifier that one is REALLY convenient, however when Mila decided she no longer wanted one, she puked when I tried to use it... sooo.. yeah, we went out and bought a normal one.
- Nail Clippers - Babies don't have nails, they have claws... these are necessary when they get older. ( I just bit them off in the beginning)
- Laundry Detergent - Sensitive, no scents.. doesn't need to be super fancy.
- Gripe Water - Useful to have around, particularly if your baby has gas or is colic.
- Outlet Covers - For some reason, babies are danger prone and think outlets are the PERFECT place for their little fingers to try and go.
- Safety gates - We keep her enclosed in the living room so she can't go wander and eat dog kibbles.. also useful for stairs (top and bottom)
- Baby monitor - We didn't actually use the one we got all that often BUT our room is right beside hers... so if you don't wake up easily or your room is far away, this is pretty useful.
- Cupboard latches - Also really good for nosey dogs.
- Pacifier medicine dispenser - Very useful if they need to take something by mouth and refuse it.
- Shampoo and Baby wash - I just use Johnsons, but with all the controversy surrounding it I know a lot of moms have switched to other brands. So if you are opposed to Johnsons, I have heard that Liveclean and Aveeno are really good :)
- Cloths - You really don't need baby cloths, they're really small and it's easier to just use the regular cloths
- Towels - Baby towels are soft, but kind of outlive their usefulness really quickly. It's just as easy to use soft adult towels on your baby... I couldn't help myself from buying a cute animal hat towel though, and literally squeeled when I received a little hippo towel robe from a friend... so cute!
- Baby Bathtub - It's really unnecessary to go out and buy one of those big fancy $100 baby bathtubs that they will only use for 6 months. I got a little one with a sling built in and it was great, and used often until she was about 6 months old ($30).. then I either rolled up a towel under her head and laid her on the bottom of the tub, or she just sat up on her own... much easier! I think next time I'll just buy the little $10 sling for the bathtub for the newborn stage.
Keep Yourself Sane
- Exersaucer (aka the circle of neglect) - GREAT item. Keeps them entertained so you can do things around the house, or just have a few minutes to yourself
- Bouncer - Really good for putting them to sleep and calming them down sometimes.
- Play Mat - Another way of saving your sanity is to plop your baby on these soft mats with hanging toys dangling above their heads. There is a certain amount of time where your baby really can't do much, and these keep them occupied sometimes during that immobile state.
- Swing - Mila loved her swing, other babies didn't. This is the type of item that's really up to the discretion of the parent but it's also one of those nice items that can put your baby to sleep or keep them entertained.
- Playpen - I preferred the one with the built in bassinet etc. We used it in our room so that it was easier to feed her in the middle of the night, and sometimes in the living room for a quick nap. And now that she's older and hates the exersaucer, we put some toys in it and she hangs out in there when we need to do something... also great for when you have to go somewhere overnight.. honestly just a great investment.
- Pacifiers - Don't knock it till you try it. Sometimes they're just really useful. Mila used one until she was 3 months old.. and it saved our sanities on more then one occasion. A lot of babies I know preferred the one by Avent, Mila really didn't like too many other ones: http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/philips-avent-scf19007-bpa-free-soothie-pacifier-green-0-3-months-2-pack/6000072577703
- Toys - I liked Lamaze toys, even though she really didn't care about them all that much. In the beginning she REALLY loved the twirly whirly toy for the carseat (http://www.toysrus.ca/product/index.jsp?productId=3689110&prodFindSrc=search&foreSeeBrowseSampling=15&foreSeeBrowseLoyalty=1&foreSeeEnabled=true). At 11 months old she is dragging around teddy bears as she crawls around, and LOVE the noisy push button toys most parents hate (but I love because she has fun with them).
- Teethers - Babies are pretty miserable when they're teething, something soft and squishy (and maybe even freezable) are pretty good for their little sensitive mouths to chew on.
- Books - Preferably the indestructible version. I believe it is good for babies to hear stories, and we generally read to Mila before bed or if she's really cranky.
Big Purchases
- Carseat - I bought a Snugride 30 bucket seat initially as it is really easy to lug baby in and out of the house in it... once she got to about 15lbs though it got harder and harder to carry her in. Now that she is bigger she is in a covertible carseat (Safety 1st Alpha Omega), which we got on sale for $99 at Walmart, down from $180. We will keep her rear facing until she is at least 2... even if it is inconvenient.
- Crib - Walmart usually has cribs on sale once a year in the summer time. We got our 4 in 1 for $125 down from $200 and we've seen even cheaper ones.
- Crib Mattress - You really don't need to pay $200 for one of these, I think ours was like $50 and she sleeps great
- Dresser - For Mila's clothes and blankets etc. we purchased an Expedit unit from Ikea with a ton of the $5.99 boxes. They're deep and they hold a lot of clothes and toys etc.. well worth the purchase.
Clothing
- Onesies - About 7 of each size... they are really useful since they wear them constantly
- Sleepers - 5 to 7 of each size, I like to buy thinner ones for the spring to fall season and nice fuzzy ones for the winter and cold nights.
- Pants - I realllyyy like the little leggings they have for girls, they are really easy to pull on and off. Also, you can get jeans with adjustable waists, which are useful if you have a baby who needs longer legs but their waist really isn't big enough to upgrade to the next size.
- Socks - In the summer I really didn't put socks on Mila all too often, but kept a pair in her diaper bag just in case. In the winter however she always has socks on since her little feet get cold really easily.
- Outerwear - Okay, so this is a tough one. I really like the one piece suits that keep them really warm, however I have friends who prefer the two piece snow suits. Now, this is where is gets tricky. It is not recommended to put a baby in a puffy jacket in a carseat.. this is because if you get in to an accident, the pressure from the stop will push the jacket in and the belt that was tight on your baby over the puffyness, won't be anymore. And since I can't bring Mila out in nothing, I prefer to buy a one piece fleece suit... it keeps her warm but it's super puffy and therefore I'm not so concerned about the safety of it in her car seat. I keep the big puffy ones for when we'll go outside in the snow to play etc.
- Shoes - Shoes are cute, but a pain in the ass. Mila hates stuff on her feet.. the only ones I have really found that stay one are Robeeze styles, otherwise she just kicks them off within minutes.
- Hats and Mittens - Babies lose their heat from their head pretty quickly so we always keep a hate around just in case... and in the cold I like the have something on her little fingers. For mittens, the ones without thumbs are really great because otherwise they just don't get that they need to put their thumbs in the holes and it's just more of a pain.
Now that I've talked about WHY each item is useful, I've gone through and just written a list for you to copy and paste :)
Feeding
Sterilizer
Feeding Pillow
Bibs (5)
Spoons
Suction Cup Bowls/Plates
Travel Booster with Tray
High Chair
Receiving Blankets (5 to 10)
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding
Breast Pump
Lanolin
Breast Pads
Hot/Cold packs
Breast Milk Bags
Formula
Formula Samples
Bottles
Bottle Brushes
Diapering
Diapers
Wipes
Changing Pad + Cover
Diaper Rash Cream
Sleeping
Swaddling Blankets
Normal Blankets
Wearable Blankets
Crib SheetsHealth and Safety
Snot Sucker
Baby Tylenol
Saline
Gripe Water
Digital Thermometer (Or pacifier thermometer)
Nail Clippers
Laundry Detergent
Outlet Covers
Safety Gates
Baby Monitor
Cupboard Latches
Pacifier Medicine Dispenser
Shampoo
Baby Wash
Towels
Cloths
Bathtub/Sling
Sanity Items
Exersaucer
Bouncer/ Vibrator
Play Mat
Swing
Pacifiers
Toys
Teethers
Books
Big Ticket Items
Big Ticket Items
Crib
Crib Mattress
Dresser
Clothing
Onesies (7)
Sleepers (5-7)
Pants (5)
Socks (8)
Coat/ Snow suit/ Fleece suit
Shoes
Mittens
Hats
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