Newborn Essentials Checklist

October 12, 2021

There are a TON of to-dos when it comes to prepping for the arrival of your baby. You may find that shopping for newborn essentials for your little one is one of the top things on your list of things-to-do list. I have come up with a list of things that I think are the ESSENTIALS that you need before your baby arrives.

BABY CHECKLIST

The number of things a newborn needs can be overwhelming to any mom-to-be. So knowing which of the items out there are essentials and which ones you can forget about is always nice to know. Here is a bare-bones list of baby items you’ll want to stock up on before your baby is born.

Baby clothes

Let’s face it nothing is cuter than tiny baby clothes! You’ll want to get practical items that will be comfortable and cozy for your baby. Nothing too many ruffles or bling or anything with a lot of buttons or snaps.

4-8 onesies (make sure they have a wide head opening and loose legs)
4-8 one-piece pajamas (I prefer the ones with snaps over the zipper ones)
2 blanket sleepers (for winter baby)
1-2 sweaters or jackets
1-4 rompers or their dress-up outfits
4-8 socks or booties
1-2 hats (summer babies need a broad-brimmed hat and winter babies need a soft cap that covers their ears)
2-3 No-scratch mittens (socks also work great for this if you don’t want to buy mittens)

Nursery

Of course, you can go over the top and do a ton of fun things with your baby’s nursery, but remember we are sticking to the essentials here.

Crib, cradle, or bassinet (of course out of the three of these the crib will not be outgrown as fast)
A firm flat mattress that fits snugly in the crib
Rocker/Glider or armchair (you will want something comfortable to feed baby in)
Baby monitor
Nightlight (you won’t want to turn on a bright light at night)
Dresser
Toy bin or basket

Baby Bedding

Sleep is a very important thing for both you and baby! You will want to make sure your baby is sleeping safely as well. This will help ease your mind while baby is sleeping so you can sleep better as well.

1-3 washable crib mattress pads
2-4 fitted crib sheets
4-6 soft lightweight receiving blankets
1-2 heavier blankets (for when it is colder)

Diapers

You will be changing a LOT of diapers! Changing diapers at first may feel overwhelming, but these must-haves will make things much easier for you.

Changing table or cushioned changing pad
Diaper pail and liner (or a trash can to toss the dirty diapers in if they are disposable)
Diaper bag/Backpack
Diaper cream
Unscented baby wipes (these don’t have a strong order and cause less irritation on babies bum)
6-10 dozen cloth diapers and 6-8 covers OR 2-3 large boxes of disposable newborn-sized diapers

Bath

Bathtub (this is something you don’t have to have but is helpful)
Baby soap & shampoo
2-4 soft hooded baby towels
4-6 Soft washcloths
Baby hairbrush (great to use to avoid cradle cap)
A gentle baby laundry detergent
*I always liked putting lotion on my babies…this is not essential and some hospitals say not to, but I LOVE a good smelling baby

Feeding

You will be feeding your baby about every 2-3 hours around the clock so I like to suggest to my clients to have baskets with their feeding essentials where they will be feeding their little one. Some of the things on this list will apply to bottle fed babies and others to breastfed babies.

3-6 bottles and nipples, you will want both 4 and 8-ounce bottles
Pump (if you plan to breastfeed)
Milk storage bags and a good pen to write on them with
Nipple cream (this is by far the one my clients talk about the most)
Bottlebrush
Dishwasher basket for smaller items
4-6 bibs
Burp cloths
2-4 pacifiers
Formula (if not nursing)

Health

Babies need occasional grooming. Also, unfortunately, babies do get sick sometimes.

Baby nail clippers or blunt scissors
Baby thermometer
Petroleum jelly and sterile gauze (for circumcision care)
First aid kit

Baby Gear

These things will help you while you are running errands or just getting things done around the house.

Infant or convertible car seat
Stroller or infant carrier (Moby wrap, Ring Sling, or another baby carrier)
Baby swing or bouncer
High chair (for when the baby is old enough to sit up on their own and able to eat more solid foods)

Note From Your Doula

Another great thing to think about getting for your first couple of months home is a postpartum doula. A postpartum doula helps you with your recovery, light housework, prepping meals, running errands, and of course with baby! To learn more about my postpartum support, you can learn more here.