These newborn essentials and baby necessities will help you prepare for baby, then enjoy those early days in peace.
I should know. I’ve done it 5 times and I’m alive to tell the story. After having had 5 babies on 3 separate continents, I know a thing or two about actual newborn essentials.
There is something so absolutely precious about having a newborn baby. It’s utterly exhausting and all consuming and yet one of the biggest privileges in the world.
And not just what your doctor tries to tell you.
But like what you really really need to survive the newborn phase with your wits in tact.
“Let me love you a little more before you’re not little anymore.”
First, we’ll talk about baby necessities, then we’ll talk about the other essentials… like feeding tips, calm down tips, and those early sleep tips.
Do Not Pass Go without collecting these $200 tips that will pay dividends for years.
Read: Life Changing Advice For New Moms (That Your Dr. Won’t Tell You)
In This Post...
After having raised all 5 of my babies (the first two Irish twins) from birth onwards, here’s what I believe to be actual baby necessities.
Newborn essential gear
The truth is that you can be a minimalist and get by with about 5 baby things. Or you can take great joy in shopping and stockpiling all you need for your upcoming bundle.
You really only need a few things, but there are quite a few that are just plain old handy to have. Let’s jump into it.
Essential baby items for sleep
First, you’ll want to figure out whether you are going to room share with baby or not. Either way, there are a few handy things to have at your disposal.
- Bedside or co-sleepers (or a crib)
- Bassinets for when baby is sleeping in other rooms of the house
- Swaddle (this is our fave and zips from the bottom for easy diaper changes)
- Pacifier (which is a great tool to help baby calm themselves when they’re having witching hours)
- Infant seat
- Carrier or sling (lots of options here)
Read: 5 Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs
Newborn Settling Guide
Tried-and-true *hands on* newborn settling strategies that even the most fussy (or wide-awake-sleep-refusing) newborns cannot resist!
Learn MoreBaby necessities for day to day life
Here are some things to have that’ll help baby throughout your normal days. Whether you are going on errands or hanging out at the house, these baby necessities will come in handy.
- Diapers
- Onesies and comfy outfits
- Burping cloths
- A baby nest (you can put these into cribs, on your own bed, at someone else’s house for naps, or even in a pack and play)
- A stroller
- Baby monitors (here are some pros and cons for ya on monitors)
- An organized diaper bag
- A lovely mat or blanket to use for tummy time
Read: Advice For New Parents (How to Rest, Relax & Enjoy)
Tips For Feeding Newborn Babies
If you want to demand feed your infant, then you know what you need to know.
Feed any time you think baby wants to feed.
On the other hand, if baby is whiny, seems to snack all the time, or isn’t sleeping well, the best thing you can do is to put your newborn baby on a good routine.
Newborn Feeding Chart
Use this simple printable chart to track your feeds to make sure baby is fed, your supply is up, and everyone is well.
Here’s why routines work with newborn babies:
- You meet baby’s needs in a systematic way before baby needs to cry to make his wishes known.
- Babies sleep better.
- They feed better at regular intervals as opposed to snacking.
- Mom has some predictability and peace in her days which leads to less stress, depression, and worry.
Newborn Feeding Tips
Here you'll find all you need to know to make sure that feeding your infant goes well.
Newborn Feeding Schedules - All You Need To Know!
These sample schedules will help you organize your day so you have a happy baby and happy mama
Breastfeeding Schedule By Month -- Birth to 1 Year Of Age!
Get schedules for newborns to 3 months (and beyond!).
A Newborn Routine That Works Every Time
Here's a schedule that will help you with those early days and weeks.
What To Do When Baby Is Feeding Every Hour (& Not Sleeping!)
If your baby is feeding every hour (and you are losing it!) there are solutions.
A Printable Newborn Feeding Chart That Works Like A Charm
This gives you a printable to help track your newborn's feeds so you can see patterns and help you decipher any fussiness or colic.
Cluster Feeding Newborns: Do's & Dont's (& How To Do It Right)
Cluster feeding will help your little one fill up and sleep longer stretches. Here's how to do it.
Cluster Feeding CHECKLIST
Use our checklist to use cluster feeding to your advantage without feeding every hour all day every day!
Newborn Baby Sleep Tips
You may feel out of your league now, but with a bit of encouragement and some sound sleep strategies, you can have a baby who is napping the day and sleeping the night away.
If you put baby down to nap after every feed, avoid excessive snacking, teach baby to sleep on their own, and don’t let baby get overtired then you are golden.
Below are my best (and most popular) posts on how to do these exact things.
Newborn Baby Sleep Help
Here are newborn baby sleep tips that'll help your little one rest well from the beginning.
The Ultimate Newborn Sleep Schedule: Week By Week
This newborn sleep schedule will help you get baby set onto a routine that allows for good naps and good sleep.
How to Fix Your Newborn's Day and Night Confusion in 3 Nights or Less
Is baby sleeping all day and awake all night? These tips will help reverse the day night confusion.
How To Get Your Newborn To Sleep Well From Day One!
From the very beginning there are habits and routines you can implement that'll help baby be an angel sleeper from the get go.
Easy Peasy Swaddling Tips for Happy Newborns
These swaddling tips will help you wrap baby up so he can sleep well.
Foolproof Baby Sleep Tips -- Routines, Habits & Strategies
This is an exhaustive (and I do mean huge) list of all the tips for baby sleeping I've compiled over the years.
Baby Bedtime: 4 Essential Elements To Success
You don't just turn the lights off and put baby into bed. By having a bedtime routine you've set the stage for sound sleeping. Here are the newborn baby bedtime routine tips.
How to Encourage Sleeping In and Longer Naps
Your newborn baby may wake up too early for your tastes. You're not alone! Here's how you can help your little one to sleep later in the morning and nap longer.
How to Help Baby Nap With Loud Older Siblings
If you've got more than one child, odds are that the older siblings wake up baby. Never fear! These tips will help you protect your newborn baby's sleep even with loud older ones in the home.
Baby Sleep Times: The Ultimate Guide To Naps, Nights, & Sleep
Wonder how often baby should nap and how many hours they should sleep at night? Here are some baby sleep times that will give you something to aim for.
Wind-down Routines Guaranteed to Help Your Baby Sleep
If your little one seems hyper and wide awake when it's time to sleep, these wind down routines will help you calm your little one so they fall asleep more easily.
Common Habits That Help and Hurt Baby's Sleep
If you want to make sure you aren't starting any habits that will be hard for you to break later - that contribute to tiredness and fussiness for baby - then here's a list of things that help and hurt newborn baby sleep.
The Surprising Reason Your Baby Fights Sleep
This will help you get ready mentally to work on your newborn's sleep. Once you realize what's holding you back, you can move forward.
Baby Reflux: A Surprising Cause (And How To Help Baby Sleep)
If your little one has reflux know you aren't alone. And that you can have a newborn baby that sleeps pretty well even with reflux. Here are some tips to help with reflux in newborns.
Why Frequent Night Wakings Will Actually Make You Crazy
You may feel a bit nuts after you have a baby, but frequent night wakings (more than one every couple of hours) will actually - in the long term - make you crazy. That's why it's so important to work on your baby's sleep now.
28 Things To Do If Baby Won’t Sleep CHECKLIST
Here’s a handy dandy list of 28 things to try so baby will stop fighting sleep and sleep longer and later.
How To Take Care Of Your Newborn Baby (And Your Mental Health) Well
It is the most joyous time of your life… having a newborn baby.
It can also be one of the most stressful. You are a tired, wired, hormone crazed shell of a woman you used to be. And you ain’t the only one!
You’re up at night feeding, spending all day very home-centered meeting the needs of your precious one 24/7 because newborn babies have 0 independent skills.
It is truly precious.
It can also be, for some women, one of the hardest seasons of life. Here’s how you take care of yourself while you’re taking care of baby.
Motherhood In The Early Months
Those early months can be so difficult for mothers. Here are some strategies, routines, and encouragement.
5 Non-Negotiable Newborn Baby Needs (And 1 For Mom!)
Here are some non-negotiables you can take on board now to keep the sanity for the long haul.
How To Mentally Survive the Newborn Phase
The hormone changes, crying, lack of sleep, and complete life shift can really take a toll on a mother. Read on to find out how you can weather the storm well.
The Scientific Reason Moms Are Super Tired You've Never Heard
You are probably absolutely knackered from life with a newborn baby, toddler, preschooler, etc. It's not only for the reason you think (lack of sleep) but for this reason as well.
Why Moms Lose Their Identity and How To Get It Back
Mothers with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers lose their identity so easily. Here's why it happens and what to do about it.
Words Every Emotionally Exhausted Mom Needs To Hear
Those early months with baby are so exhausting. If you're emotionally exhausted, well, even more so.
Why Your Husband Isn't Doing You A Favor By Watching The Kids
Especially with newborn babies in the home, it's so important to have help around the house. If you have a spouse, read this about your own mindset.
The Real Reason Moms Never Have Enough Time (Hint: It's Not Because They Waste It)
This post had SO MANY Ah Ha moments for moms. It's something we all tend to do that actually ends up driving us bonkers. If you have a newborn baby, you need to read this.
How To Live Within Your Limits And Hold Your Boundaries
So many of us didn't learn how to create limits and hold them in our lives. This post will help you figure out what your limits are and how to live within them so you are the happy mom you want to be.
Self-Care Habit Tracker
Do you forget to sleep, bathe, eat, relax, etc.? NO MORE. This tracker will help you consistently live within your limits so you have more love to give to your family.
FAQs on newborn essentials
Anytime. You can buy as soon as your budget allows, particularly if you are going to buy gender neutral baby items. If you are going to find out your baby’s gender, you may want to wait until after 20 weeks to start buying.
Nope. If you only want a few essentials you can simply put the word out. Registries aren’t too hard, though, if you want quite a few things to get your nursery ready.
Diapers, a car seat, onesies, and some love and cuddles for your little one. You can grab the rest later, as you are able.
The thing with routine is so right! Baby are so much better when you follow the patten. I discovered my biggest mistake – no schedule. I was trying to have one but I was cheating myself and the baby. Routine with more than one hour of delays is not a routine for a baby anymore!