15 Absolute Must-Have Newborn Essentials

As wonderful as it would be to sit and stare at your baby’s face all day, it’s really not practical.

So for those times that you need to actually get stuff done in another room and your baby is peacefully sleeping, you’ll need a baby monitor.

There are tons of baby monitors out in the market that can do lots of cool tricks, but ultimately something simple and affordable will work.

We chose the Hello Baby monitor to get the job done.

You’ll find that sometimes your baby will just want to be close to you at all times.

A baby carrier or sling will allow for you to be handsfree while also getting some skin to skin time with the little one.

Regardless of which brand you choose, they all function that same.

I own both a Moby wrap and a KaeBabies version. I do find the Moby is a lot softer to the touch.

If you plan on cosleeping with your baby, then you’re probably in the market for a bassinet.

The Baby Delight bedside bassinet is an affordable option for a bassinet.

This particular brand has a zip down flap that allows you to easily access your baby without getting up.

This bassinet is most suitable for lower beds, so be sure to check out the height specifications.

A lot of your time as a new mom will be spent cleaning and sterilizing bottles, breast pump parts, and more.

To remain sterilized after cleaning, they’ll have to air dry.

That’s where a drying rack will be critical.

The most important feature in a drying rack is space for lots of small parts.

The Munchkin High Capacity Drying Rack gives you ample space and options for drying your parts.

You’ll change lots of diapers during the first few weeks of your baby’s life (and beyond).

It’s inevitable that your cloth changing pad cover will get soiled unless you have a waterproof barrier.

This disposable changing pad cover catches all of the mishaps without having to worry about washing your changing pad.

Since we’re cosleeping, it was important to have everything that our baby needs without having to make constant trips to her nursery.

This portable changing table, with its shelves, makes that possible. We’re able to store diapers, clothes, burp cloths, and more to take care of her without leaving the room.

It’s also great for when you need to relocate to somewhere else in the house and have everything you need to be accessible.

Just like the Boppy Lounger, a portable bassinet is a great lounging option for your baby when they’re not in the crib.

It’s not just great for travel, though.

We keep this portable bassinet in our living area as another option for sleeping.

It’s a great alternative for when you don’t want to carry your baby back to the crib or more permanent bassinet.

The old fashion way to sterilize parts is by boiling them.

However, with this microwave sterilizer, you’ll save time and potential damage to your baby items.

This sterilizer only requires a few ounces of water and within 4 minutes your baby parts are sterilized.

I’d also recommend the Medela sterilizing bags, which have the same function.

Your baby is going to spit up and you will want to have a great burp cloth to catch it.

I absolutely LOVE these flannel burp cloths by Gerber Childrenswear.

They are tri-fold and can expand out to cover more surface area. This is important when you’re trying to prevent your clothes from getting spit up on.

Blowouts happen anywhere. So you’ll want your diapers and wipes to be portable as well.

This diaper caddy is great for carrying diapers and other newborn essentials around the house.

I use my caddy to store products that I’ll need for bath time so that I can easily carry them into the kitchen, where my daughter is currently bathed.

You can use it for practically anything, which is why it’s a must have!

A swaddle is a must for your newborn.

Although swaddling can be done with a blanket, I strongly recommend the SwaddleMe swaddle.

Very early on, my daughter learned how to maneuver herself out of the blanket swaddle, so we had to find something more secure.

Of all the swaddles that we’ve tried, this brand is by far my favorite because it works!

Now she’s secure and able to stay asleep longer.

With a lot of night feedings and changes, having a night light is crucial. And, to help with sleeping, you’ll also want a sound machine.

The Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine is a combination of both.

This night light can be controlled by your phone and you can preset your sound and light combinations.

You can also set a schedule with this machine to align with your baby’s sleep schedule.

After having to take our daughter to the doctor nearly everyday after birth, we realized how important it was to have an app to track feedings and her bowel movements.

After looking for a few and even paying for one, we landed on the free Hatch Baby app.

This app allows both my husband and me to input information on her feedings or when she poops. The data syncs so that we can update it from either of our devices.

If you’re planning on breastfeeding, having a breastfeeding pillow will make things a lot more comfortable.

Though I personally have the Boppy pillow, I have used the My Brest Friend pillow and prefer it.

This pillow provides the all-around support that you need when nursing your baby.