As my firstborn son will be two this month, I’ve recently been reflecting on his birth and all of the things I’ve learned and experienced since becoming a new mom. I remember researching a ton of recommended checklists for my baby registry and searching for hours trying to find the perfect baby items to add to my registry and personal checklist.
There are some days when I am so grateful for how much easier some items have made my life. Other days I realize how little I’ve used a particular baby item. I’ve been asked a few times, since having my son, by people looking to get gifts for a baby shower, what my favorite baby shower gifts were. It’s got me thinking I should put a list of realistic recommendations for the expected mommas out there looking for additions to their baby registry and baby shower guests who aren’t sure what the best gift would be.
1. 3-in-1 Stroller
When we were looking at strollers, it seemed most efficient to get an all-in-one stroller and I’m SO glad we did! It is a stroller that a toddler can sit in, but also has a carrier that snaps into place for newborns, and a base for your car so the carrier can be a car seat. We recently discovered it’s also a jogging stroller that my husband has been using when we go on family runs together. Definitely not necessary at the time I was shopping on our registry, but such a nice feature to have down the road: now! It’s been recommended that we get an umbrella stroller to use for simple outings. Even after getting an umbrella stroller, the 3-in-one stroller has been my personal preference because it’s sturdier and has compartments for everything I might want with me. I don’t mind the additional weight/lugging.
2. Diaper Pail
We have a Diaper Genie {affliate link} so I can’t say I have experience with much else, but I think a diaper pail is absolutely necessary – especially one that keeps the smell contained. The design is simple, contemporary, and our color is a neutral white which isn’t distracting in the nursery and goes with our color palette.
3. Hamper
This was not an item I had thought about adding to my registry. It was a surprise gift and one that I can’t imagine not having. It sits right next to the changing table and every morning and every evening I can quickly toss dirty clothes into a contained space.
4. Bottle Brush
Not only was I new to being a mom, but also relatively new to adulting and believe it or not, I had never heard of a bottle brush up until my third trimester, but once I discovered them, they became a staple in our kitchen (and not just for baby bottles either!). After all, being unable to breastfeed resulted in our son being formula-fed and some VERY disgusting bottles to clean.
5. Tylenol and a {GOOD} Thermometer
As a full-time working momma, our son was in daycare after my maternity leave. I soon found out that daycares have a pretty strict policy especially when it comes to fevers which can be problematic depending on your career and how much time you are able to take off work. There were quite a number of occasions when I would get a call to pick up my son for the day because he had a fever spike. There were a couple ear infections in there, some common colds from his immune system adjusting to life in the world, but the majority were fever spikes due to him teething and naturally running a higher fever since our pediatrician indicated everything else was normal. Having a good thermometer on hand was helpful to know what was going on if there was no other indication of illness or that there was something else wrong. Tylenol was also a necessity for us to help him with any pain and to decrease his temperature quicker.
6. Burp Cloths
Our baby had a difficult time keeping regular formula down {although there was a significant difference when we switched him over to AR formula}. This meant we needed A LOT of absorbent burp cloths. We got a lot of really nice ones from our baby shower but found ourselves running to the store to get more. The recommended ones for absorbency were actually not burp cloths at all, but cloth diapers.
7. Baby Gates
My husband and I will laughingly joke that our son is in “baby jail” because we have a baby gate that sections off our living room {and his playroom} from the rest of our house. This baby gate allows us to keep him in a safe and controlled space not only for his sake but also for the rest of our home’s sake {and my sanity!}. Not only is this one of our absolute necessities for a baby, but also for our dogs! I don’t think I will ever go without a gate again as its addition has been, shall I dare say, life-changing.
8. Diaper Bag
The diaper bag was one of my favorite items because it was super cute to carry around. Not to mention, I don’t know how anyone could NOT need a diaper bag especially with a newborn. A helpful feature of the one we got was that it included a changing pad so you could essentially change your baby anywhere. As much as I do love our changing table, it’s not a must-have for me only because it’s more practical that you are going to change your baby everywhere else first before you would run to the changing table.
9. Swing
The swing was another one of those surprise items that we received as a gift but weren’t expecting. Of all the baby items, I didn’t think this was one we needed to have, but it was. The swing was a Godsend for our newborn as he went to sleep immediately when he was in it and it was the perfect place for him to nap during the day if we needed to get chores done around the house.
10. Bumbo Seat
I had never heard of a Bumbo Seat until our son was about three months old and my mother-in-law introduced me to it. The Bumbo Seat was a practical way to support the baby while giving them the ability to sit while they were still gaining optimal strength in their neck and back to sit on their own. This was the most practical and easy solution to feeding our baby solids.
{Bonus} 11. Diapers
This may be a simple one, but diapers! We were INCREDIBLY blessed at our baby shower. Overwhelmingly so. Two years later and we just ran out of the majority of our diapers up until the size he is currently in. Every baby needs diapers – cloth or otherwise. Cloth wasn’t really an option for my preferences so we went the disposable route which is much more costly and having so many diapers gifted to us was probably one of the best gifts we could have received. You can never go wrong with diapers.
Share in the comments below what your must-have baby items are! What has been a hit at the baby showers you’ve attended? What is an item you are looking forward to off of your baby registry?
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