Newborn Baby Must-Haves

Learning about a pregnancy is one of the most exciting events in a woman’s life. You then conjure images of how your baby’s nursery must look like and all the cute baby stuff you need to get. Shopping for the newest family member can be a real treat for moms-to-be.

However, don’t get the nine or so months of excitement get the better of you. While there are so many wonderful baby clothes, toys, gadgets and what-have-you out there, and while you can get carried away, you still need to be wise about what to spend for. For one, babies outgrow clothes and toys really fast so you wouldn’t want to get more than what your baby really needs. For another, as you will realize later, the money you spend on the non-essentials can instead be saved and set aside for more important things – like a college plan.

So here’s a list of the necessary things you need to prepare before your little one arrives.
Basic layette. A layette is a selection of clothing and bedding for a newborn. Basic layette consists of baby onesies, rompers, hats, socks, blankets, sleepers, and mittens. How many sets of clothes you need to get depends on how often you would be willing to do the laundry. Just make sure that you get clothing that’s made of soft, warm, comfortable and hypo-allergenic material for your baby’s delicate and sensitive skin. There are a lot of baby shops that sell baby clothes made of non-synthetic and organic fabric like cotton and bamboo. Invest on really comfortable bedding for your baby, too, as well as a good crib or bassinet and some comfortable baby pillows.

Diapers and bathing/baby care items. Having a baby means having to clean up a whole lot of mess. First, you need to decide whether you would want to go for disposable diapers or cloth diapers. Disposable diapers rid you of the need for washing, and it affords you more time to do other things. Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are more economical and are environment-friendly. Whatever you decide on, stock up on enough diapers and note that baby soil around 10 of them in a day. When it comes to bathing needs, your baby will need hypo-allergenic baby wash and shampoo, lotion, soft towels and washcloths, baby nail clippers, baby wipes, and other stuff like diaper rash creams and infant acetaminophen drops. Don’t buy a lot of baby toiletry items of a particular brand because this brand may not suit your child, and you may need to try out several others before finding the one that’s best for your precious one.

Feeding needs. You need to decide whether you will breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby. If you decide to go to all-natural, invest on premium-quality breastfeeding support pillow, breast pump, breast pads, nursing bra, lanolin cream, and breast milk storage containers. If you decide to go for formula, it is best to seek a pediatrician’s advice later so you’d know which milk brand will suit your baby. It will also be wise to get some pacifiers, as giving your baby something to suck on will help calm him down and lessen his crying. Whether you are breastfeeding or not, prepare quality baby bottles and nipples, bottle sterilizer, bottle brush, and bottle drying rack. Make sure that your baby bottles are BPA-free. BPA, or chemical bisphenol A, which is present in plastics used to make some types of baby bottles, has been proven to be harmful to babies.

Baby entertainment and travel gears. Your baby will need toys and gears that will help soothe him and stimulate his developing brain. These include a baby swing, infant bouncer, play mat, baby rattles and teething toys. You may also want to buy CDs – of various classical music, nursery rhymes, and learning material – that you can put on the player for your baby to listen to. Your baby will also benefit from breathing some fresh air, regular walks outdoors, or some kind of social interaction. Not to mention the regular visits to his pediatrician. These activities may require getting your little one inside a vehicle or any means of transportation and making sure he is safe and comfortable during travel. You will therefore, need to get a car seat, a travel system or a stroller, a baby carrier and/or a baby sling. A diaper bag is also another essential baby travel need.

Having these items mean that you are well-prepared for your new arrival. Once you have these items, you can indulge on and explore additional baby products that you think will make your life as a new parent and your newborn’s life much more fun, convenient and safe.