Newborn Essentials List

Becoming a parent is one of the most exciting times in your life, but it can also be overwhelming when it comes to figuring out what are true newborn essentials and what aren’t. There are so many items out there for babies and it can be difficult to know what you really need. Most new parents are on a budget and some don’t have space for all the extra stuff, so that’s why I’m sharing the true newborn essentials today.

*This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, which helps this mama continue to run this blog. This in no way affected the products I am recommending. These are all items I relied on as a new mom. Thank you for your support!

When we had our first daughter, we lived in a 900 square foot apartment in Los Angeles and I had no idea how we were all going to fit. Not only were we adding another person to our home, but also all the things that come with a baby.

However, I later realized that you don’t need as much as you think! To help you out, I’ve put together a list of newborn essentials below. Whether you’re preparing your baby registry or just making your own list, I hope this post helps. (For a printable version, just keep scrolling until you see the turquoise box.)

And if you’re still looking to register somewhere, I highly recommend the Amazon Baby Registry. There’s lots of perks to registering through them, especially if you’re a Prime member, including free shipping, free 90-day returns and up to 20% off diapers and baby food. What I liked best though, was how easy it was to create the registry and the fact that I didn’t have to leave the house. 😊

NEWBORN ESSENTIALS

1. CRIB

We got a bassinet due to the lack of space in our apartment, but we eventually needed to move up to a crib once the baby outgrew the bassinet. To save money and if you have the space, I would just buy a crib.

We bought a convertible crib and it’s awesome. It converts from crib, to toddler bed, to daybed then to a full size bed. This crib is the one that we have and it’s lasted through two babies so far!

A crib is one of the most important purchases you’ll make for your new baby. It’s where they’ll sleep for the first few years of their life, so it’s essential that it is safe, sturdy, and comfortable. Look for a crib that meets all safety standards and has adjustable mattress positions to accommodate your growing baby. (That’s why the convertible ones are awesome!)

2. DIAPERS and WIPES

I recommend getting some newborn diapers but not many. Both my daughters outgrew the newborn size fairly quickly. You will need much more size one and two diapers. We prefer either Pampers Swaddlers or the Kirkland diapers from Costco.

As far as wipes, we also like the Costco brand, Kirkland. I would start with unscented ones until you know more about your baby’s skin type and how sensitive they are.

3. BATHTUB

There’s a ton of different bathtubs out there for your little one but we LOVE the Blooming Bath Lotus. It was much easier to bathe our baby in this, than the traditional plastic bath tubs. The bath lotus fits perfectly in most sinks and it feels like the baby is more secure.

However, any bathtub will work, but you will need one specific for your baby. It’s too hard and not as safe to try and bathe them in a regular tub without anything. If you don’t love the idea of bathing your baby in the sink, check out this tub here. We got this one later on when our daughter was getting bigger.

4. BABY SWING

Some people might not consider this a necessity, but this was a huge help! If you can find it in your budget, I highly recommend a baby swing. (And if it’s not in your budget, make sure to add it to your registry and hopefully an awesome friend or family member will help you get it.)

Both of my girls loved the swing. It was also one of the few places I could put them down and know that they were safe, when I needed to get something done. We really liked the Grace DuetConnect Swing and Bouncer.

5. CAR SEAT and STROLLER SYSTEM

A stroller travel system is a convenient and practical choice for new parents. It includes a stroller, car seat, and base, so you can easily move your baby from the car to the stroller without waking them up. Look for a stroller that is easy to maneuver, has a good weight limit, and a car seat that is compatible with your vehicle.

We were given one of these as a gift at our baby shower and we love it! We still use our stroller to this day with daughter number two. Let’s just say we’ve definitely gotten a lot of use out of this.

We really like the Graco Modes Pramette System, but if you want to check out some more, you can take a look at my list with Our Top Five Stroller Travel Systems.

6. BABY MONITOR

A baby monitor is an absolute must if you want any peace of mind while your baby sleeps. We liked this one, which is one of the more basic ones, but we were really happy with it. There are definitely more fancy ones on the market, but this one worked great for us and is much less expensive.

7. BREAST PUMP (if breastfeeding)

If you’re going to breastfeed, I highly recommend investing in a breast pump. When I breastfed my first daughter, I produced more milk than my baby was able to drink and needed to pump often to release some of the pressure.

It was also very convenient to be able to pump, put the milk in bottles and then have my husband help feed the baby. With my second daughter, I chose to solely formula feed. (If you are interested in why, check out my post Why I’m Choosing to Formula Feed My Second Baby.)

Here are the items that you DON’T need:

1. Changing Table – we never used this. Most diaper bags come with a changing pad (like this one here) and that’s all we needed. You honestly end up changing your baby anywhere, like the couch, bed or wherever is convenient. Most moms I know agree that they never used their changing table.

2. Diaper Genie / Diaper Disposal System – waste of money. We just toss our diapers in the trash and empty it frequently. We had a diaper genie and it was more of a hassle than anything. You have to buy certain bags to fill it and the cost added up.

3. Bottle Warmer –  we had one for our first baby and it took the same amount of time to warm it in the bottle warmer as it does in a hot cup of water. I wouldn’t bother with this.

4. Bottle Sterilizer – you definitely don’t need this. Just put your bottles in a pot of boiling water to sterilize them. Works just fine and this method is free!

5. Special Feeding Pillow – I personally didn’t care for the feeding pillows. They felt awkward to me. I much preferred one of our regular couch pillows. This one is more of a preference thing but I didn’t particularly like the feeding pillows.

6. Wipes Warmer – we had one of these for our first baby but stopped using it after a couple weeks. It’s honestly not necessary and it was more of a hassle than anything else. Babies are just fine without warm wipes.

7. Rocker / Glider – I am on the fence with this one. We never had one because we didn’t have the space and we did just fine without it. I was able to comfortably lay with my baby on the couch and rock her there. However, if you have the money and the space, this might be nice to have.

8. Fancy Crib Bedding – all you need for the crib is a mattress and some sheets. It is still advised against using crib bumpers due to the risk of SIDS. Plus, most of the extra crib bedding can be costly. It’s definitely not a necessity.

Here are some things you may need down the road, but not for a few months or so:

1. High Chair 
2. Pack N Play
3. Jumper / Bouncer

I hope this helps! Take my word for it – you really do not need anything except for what’s on the list. We had the wipe warmers, bottle warmers, diaper genie and a bunch of other stuff for our first daughter and not only did we not use them, they just took up the little space we had.

Is there anything else you experienced mom’s out there would recommend as a true necessity?