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If you are currently pregnant or a new mom let me start this off by saying, “Congratulations!” This is such an exciting time but it’s also a very overwhelming time. There are so many gadgets and gizmos that it can be very hard to tell which ones are worthwhile. So, I decided to take my expertise as a mom of 4 and sharing all the amazing newborn essentials that will help you with your little bundle of joy.

Being a mother to four children means I experienced the newborn stage 4 different times. Each time I felt more confident in my parenting and understanding of my children’s needs. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard, it definitely was. Just in a different way.

The newborn stage is exhausting and tiresome. If you are feeling at your wit’s end please don’t hesitate to reach out to those around you. The best advice I can give any new mom is to know you can’t do it alone. It’s too much stress for one person to take on. Share the load with your significant other, your mother or mother-in-law, a sister, or a friend. People will help you just need the courage to ask.

Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency. please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you!).

What do I Consider an Essential Item?

To me, an essential is anything I couldn’t live without during the newborn stage. I may leave somethings off that others found essential. There are plenty of tools you can use to help you during the newborn stage. I’m not too big on the fancy tools and would consider myself a minimal mom. I don’t need a whole lot to survive. Feel free to add stuff to your list that I didn’t put! Look at what other mothers say they used. This should just be one tool to help you, not the only one.

This is just part one of my series of newborn essentials you will need. This part contains newborn essentials for feeding, going out and about with your newborn, the baby gear you will need, and clothes. Part two will have health and safety needs, bathroom essentials, and sleeping newborn essentials.

Experienced moms, feel free to add things that you used as a newborn essential that I didn’t list in the comments below. I love hearing what helped other moms and what advice they give.

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Feeding Newborn Essentials

In this section I’m going to break it down by breastfed babies and bottle-fed babies. Remember, at the end of the day all that matters is that baby is fed. Fed is best!

Breastfed Babies

My Brest Friend Pillow: I know what you’re thinking, “Wait! What about the Boppy?” and my response is the Boppy stinks! It stinks once you’ve tried the My Brest Friend pillow. This pillow clips around in the back has little pillows to tilt the baby’s head, and it is wider than a Boppy. This is the superior breastfeeding pillow.

Lansinoh Nipple Gel: Your nipples will be so sore the first few weeks of breastfeeding. That’s just a fact. Putting this gel on your nipples will help them from getting cracked or sore, soothe them, and help them to heal quicker.

Breast Pads: Leakage is going to happen when you are breastfeeding or pumping. This pads will protect your clothes from getting soaked in breastmilk.

Nursing Bra: These bras have an easy to access latch so you can feed without having to take off your clothes.

Milk Storage Bags: If you are breastfeeding, you are probably pumping to have a reserve. Here are the best milk storage bags that I’ve used.

Nursing Tops: I love these nursing tops because you can wear them under any shirt and you still have easy access to your breasts.

Nursing Cover: If you are nursing you might want to cover up. Here’s my favorite nursing cover.

Best App for Tracking Feeds: Medela Family is the tracker I used to know how long I’d been nursing for on each breast. I loved it because I believe babies thrive on schedules. This will help you to see when your baby last ate and for how long.

If you are breastfeeding/pumping and want some tips on increasing your milk supply, check out my tips: Breastfeeding Tips: How to Increase Milk Supply

Bottle-Fed Babies:

Breast Pump: If you are exclusively pumping you are going to need a great breast pump. This one is my favorite.

Bottles: I really enjoyed the Avent natural baby bottles but you can find what your baby prefers.

Bottle Cleaner: This is the one we used and I really thought it did a great job at helping us clean the bottles.

Bottle Drying Rack: This is one of the best bottle drying racks on the market. We used it for years to help dry sippy cups and other things.

Formula: If you are using formula to feed your baby, here’s the one we used and our babies liked.

Burp Rags: I love how these rags fit along your back and neck. NOTHING is worst than when a newborn sips up on the back of your neck. These burp rags up with that.

Out and About Newborn Essentials

Diaper Bag: I really enjoyed this diaper bag because you could fit a lot in it and it was washable. The diaper bag typically ends up on the floor wherever you go, so you want one that you can wash easily.

Car Seat: I’m a big advocate for Graco car seats. If you didn’t already know, I’ve been in two accidents (one time our car rolled over) with my kids and both times the kids were unharmed in Graco seats. I trust this car seats with my children’s lives. There aren’t cheap but do you want a cheap car seat? No.

Stroller: This is the stroller we’ve had since our oldest was born. I love how easily it collapses, how the big wheels make it easy to travel, and it has a two cupholders for adults!

Winter Cover: Here is the cover we used on the car seat during winter times.

Summer Cover: Here is the cover we used in the summer to protect the babies for the sun. I would also recommend another newborn essentials’ is putting a fan in so they don’t over heat.

Baby Carrier: I didn’t use these very often but this is the one we really liked.

Backseat Mirror: This is important to have to make sure the baby still has his pacifier in, to see if they are sleeping, or if they are just hanging out.

Shopping Cart Cover: This is one of those newborn essentials that I recommend to every new mom. You can use it in the shopping cart or you can use it on a high chair in a restaurant. We used this all the time and I protected our babies’ heads.

Related Posts:

• Why I Make a Registry EVERY Pregnancy!
• My First Trimester Essentials
• Second Trimester Essentials
• My Third Trimester Essentials
• 5 Postpartum Essentials You Will Need
• Everything You Need to Pack In Your Hospital Bag

Newborn Essential Baby Gear

Play Mat: The newborn stage is very limited in the fun gear department. They aren’t strong enough to hold their head up so you want a mat that encourages tummy time.

Baby Swing: This is one of my newborn essentials that we used almost everyday during the newborn stage. I love our swing so much and so did our babies.

Baby Rocker: This is another essential that I feel we used everyday. It was nice to have it in the living room while the older kids were playing. You can turn it into a mini bassinet so it doesn’t rock.

Newborn Toys: Now we didn’t use a lot of toys for our newborns but here’s the few we did use: teether elephant, Sophie squeezer toy, and plush soother.

Essential Newborn Clothes

Onesies: I loved having my kids in the short-sleeved onesies. They are easy to take off, and since my babies were naturally warm, they didn’t like the long-sleeved ones. Find ones with fold-over shoulders so you can easily remove them for diaper blowouts.

Sleepers: I’m gonna say this once and I hope you listen “GET THE SLEEPERS THAT ZIPPER FROM THE BOTTOM!” This is the best invention for new parents since they made strollers easy to fold. Find some sleepers that are thick and get some thin ones. My kids lived in sleepers.

SwaddleMe: Almost all of my babies loved the SwaddleMes. Yes, it feels like you are putting them in a straightjacket but some babies enjoy it. Newborns have a reflex that kicks in when they are sleep that jolts them. These help to reduce the jolt.

Receiving Blanket: These are some of the best blankets we used on our kids. I love how soft they are without being too heavy. They are perfect for swaddling and covering your baby when you go places.

Baby Hats: A baby gets most of its warmth from their head. If their heads are cold, they will probably be cold. This was said to me by a nurse when I had delivered my second child. Ever since I try to keep a hat on if they are out and about.

Final Thoughts

If you made it this far you are probably a little overwhelmed with how much stuff you need for a newborn. The crazy thing is that this is just part one! We still have to go over the health and safety needs, bathroom essentials, and sleeping newborn essentials. I hope this first part of my newborn essentials from an experienced mother of four helps you to get your list together of what you need. if there’s anything you think I forgot or if you are already a mom and there was something you used during the newborn stage, let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from all of you!

If you found this useful or informative, please share it on any social media platform. You can also share it with a friend! Thanks for all the love and support. I greatly appreciate all of you!

Thanks for reading,

Kel

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