Top Ten Baby Must-Haves for the "Baby Goods" Minimalist.
I'm a "baby goods" minimalist. I'm pretty sure its the only thing that I'm a minimalist about. I just hate having gobs of stuff for baby, that I'll never end up using. And after having been a nanny for a few years, I know how little kids actually need when it comes down to it.
Several people have asked for baby goods recommendations from me and I hate exhaustive lists that just make you more confused. So I made a super concise list of 10 items that you literally cannot live without with a newborn (and a couple that go into the first few months).
Plus I’m including a few bonus items for mama!
This post is in no way sponsored, so these are my true and honest opinions as I reflect on the last six months with my bundle.
1. Rock N Play.
This is first on the list because I think it was the thing that I really didn’t know about or care about before we got it and used it. It was one of those last minute registry adds that happened on a whim, and then we were lucky enough to actually receive as a gift.
They run about $30-80 depending on the model. Ours does not rock itself but that never seemed to be too much of an issue. I’m telling you, newborns sleep so well in these things. Maybe I just got lucky with a kid who loves sleep, but maybe it was the power of the Rock N Play.
Rosie easily slept “through the night” (waking once at like 5am to eat) from about 6 weeks or so. Now we’ve had a few regressions here or there, but nothing too bad and she’s always gone back to sleep like a dream.
Our version vibrated, which she liked pretty well, but eventually she got to where she knew it was her bed and would fall asleep pretty much instantly when we laid her in there. She has never ever slept in our bed, which I attribute partially to the fact that we could so easily lay her in the rock n play after feedings.
I would also give her a toy and lay her in there while I was cooking or doing dishes and she would just lay contentedly and watch me.
We honestly used this up until a couple weeks ago, up until she was five months old at least. So I’d say we really got our use out of it.
You’ll understand the first few nights that you’re trying to do a quick diaper change by the light of a nightlight. If there’s anything you try to avoid as a new mom, it’s waking up your baby in the middle of the night more than you have to.
And a million snaps on a newborn who is starving.... that is not something you want to experience. Not to mention those little cuddle bugs won’t even straighten their legs half the time... trust me, avoid snaps at all costs and buy the zipper kind.
And a million snaps on a newborn who is starving.... that is not something you want to experience. Not to mention those little cuddle bugs won’t even straighten their legs half the time... trust me, avoid snaps at all costs and buy the zipper kind.
I like the simple ones from Carter’s that I linked above, but pretty much everywhere has them!
Obviously some moms (and dads) are against pacifiers and that’s totally your call, but if you decide to go with one, I would have to recommend the Wubanub!
It’s intentionally designed to rest on your baby’s chest so that they don’t lose their pacifier so easily; and as they get bigger, they can actually pick up the little stuffed animal part and put the paci back in their mouths easier than a traditional pacifier.
Rosalie didn’t take a pacifier very long, but she still loves her wubanub because of the little animal on it. It’s like the perfect size and she chews the daylights out of the arms and legs.
It’s intentionally designed to rest on your baby’s chest so that they don’t lose their pacifier so easily; and as they get bigger, they can actually pick up the little stuffed animal part and put the paci back in their mouths easier than a traditional pacifier.
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| Helper cousin Daisy |
Rosalie didn’t take a pacifier very long, but she still loves her wubanub because of the little animal on it. It’s like the perfect size and she chews the daylights out of the arms and legs.
4. Huggies (or your preferred brand) diapers.
Don’t skimp on disposable diapers. (If you’re doing cloth, you may still want a pack of these on hand(?). Don’t buy the cheap bulk pack that’s half or even a quarter of the price. Good diapers are expensive for a reason.
We got one pack of diapers from the dollar store as a shower gift and Daniel was insistent that I at least try them. Well, after we showed him a few of her ruined outfits—he told me to throw them away. They just don’t absorb and they don’t fit like they should, and that’s saying nothing to how they might affect your little one’s skin.
If you’re like me, one of the first things you try to work on is getting your baby to sleep long stretches at night. With good diapers, you won’t have to change them during the night (for wet diapers, I always change dirty ones). If you use bargain brands, she’ll be on the changing bad at 5am and you’ll be praying that she goes back to sleep.
That being said, depending on your baby’s skin—you can go cheaper with wipes. I use unscented store brand wipes from Walmart and we’ve never had a problem. Of course, babies with sensitive skin would probably want to stick to name brand.
We got one pack of diapers from the dollar store as a shower gift and Daniel was insistent that I at least try them. Well, after we showed him a few of her ruined outfits—he told me to throw them away. They just don’t absorb and they don’t fit like they should, and that’s saying nothing to how they might affect your little one’s skin.
If you’re like me, one of the first things you try to work on is getting your baby to sleep long stretches at night. With good diapers, you won’t have to change them during the night (for wet diapers, I always change dirty ones). If you use bargain brands, she’ll be on the changing bad at 5am and you’ll be praying that she goes back to sleep.
That being said, depending on your baby’s skin—you can go cheaper with wipes. I use unscented store brand wipes from Walmart and we’ve never had a problem. Of course, babies with sensitive skin would probably want to stick to name brand.
5. SweeTooth Teether
I feel like everything I’m listing is expensive, but if you’re a minimalist—you can afford to splurge a little on things that really matter. Tula blankets are amazing. They’re made from bamboo which gives them an insanely soft feel, and they are the perfect weight for any season. Rosie was born in September; which in Tennessee the temp is still in the 80s and I didn’t feel like the Tula was too heavy to use. We used it all through the winter too, as it’s much heavier than the muslin blankets that she has.
Rosie loves these blankets. There is no other way to put it. She will literally sit and play with them more than some of her toys. The quality is so great. After about 1,000,000,00 washes (give or take) they’re still looking fabulous.
Rosie loves these blankets. There is no other way to put it. She will literally sit and play with them more than some of her toys. The quality is so great. After about 1,000,000,00 washes (give or take) they’re still looking fabulous.
7. Chicco Bravo Travel System
I couldn’t do this list without including the absolute biggest headache of all time when you are buying baby items—choosing a car seat.
Daniel and I made the noob mistake of going to Buy Buy Baby to create our registry and we have a “personal consultant” who literally talked to us about every last detail of car seats and strollers for literally two hours... she stopped only because the store was closing—I kid you not. We were so overwhelmed we had no idea what to do. I tried researching as much as a could, and I stumbled upon a credible article (I wish so bad I could find it and link it here) that basically said all infant car seats are so regulated that a $200 car seat is just as safe as a $1,000 car seat. It made me feel a lot better and after we both read reviews on Amazon, we settled upon the Chicco Bravo Travel System. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s so easy to use.
The best part is the stroller. It’s super light weight so so easy to fold and unfold (that was a must for me!). As much as I don’t like to admit it. I’m not a jogger and I do not need a giant jogging stroller. Daniel was concerned about the tires at first because they’re are foam and not rubber (a disgrace to the BBB employee) but they have worked great so far and we live in the city, so like 90% of the time we’re gonna be on asphalt. The few times that we have “off roaded” it’s held up great. It’s not at all like that time he and I had to push my Nephew’s umbrella stroller through lose gravel at a festival. Whew. That was a workout.
I couldn’t do this list without including the absolute biggest headache of all time when you are buying baby items—choosing a car seat.
Daniel and I made the noob mistake of going to Buy Buy Baby to create our registry and we have a “personal consultant” who literally talked to us about every last detail of car seats and strollers for literally two hours... she stopped only because the store was closing—I kid you not. We were so overwhelmed we had no idea what to do. I tried researching as much as a could, and I stumbled upon a credible article (I wish so bad I could find it and link it here) that basically said all infant car seats are so regulated that a $200 car seat is just as safe as a $1,000 car seat. It made me feel a lot better and after we both read reviews on Amazon, we settled upon the Chicco Bravo Travel System. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s so easy to use.
The best part is the stroller. It’s super light weight so so easy to fold and unfold (that was a must for me!). As much as I don’t like to admit it. I’m not a jogger and I do not need a giant jogging stroller. Daniel was concerned about the tires at first because they’re are foam and not rubber (a disgrace to the BBB employee) but they have worked great so far and we live in the city, so like 90% of the time we’re gonna be on asphalt. The few times that we have “off roaded” it’s held up great. It’s not at all like that time he and I had to push my Nephew’s umbrella stroller through lose gravel at a festival. Whew. That was a workout.
But really any body carrier in your preferred brand. I am a Tula girl because that’s what I’ve tried and I like. I remember wondering how often I would use it, but some situations just call for it. I use it like 95% of the time that we’re hanging out downtown Franklin or near downtown Nashville. I want to keep her close, I don’t want to mess with strollers, and I want to have free hands for getting out money or using my phone. Rosalie doesn’t love babywearing. She was not that cute little bundle you see when you search #babywearing where the tiny baby is asleep on their Mama's chest as she’s mountain climbing. (I mean clearly I’m not the mountain climbing Mama anyway). That being said, I still included it in my top 10 because there have been several scenarios where it has been a total lifesaver. And if she is having a rare more clingy day, it’s my savior—how about I took down my entire Christmas tree with her in that thing.
9. Backpack diaper bag.
I personally have a JuJuBe, which I love—but I would have never bought for myself. My sweet sisters went together and bought it for me. If you’re looking to splurge a little, Freshly Picked has a gorgeous one too. Even if you choose to go inexpensive (Target has some cute ones) a backpack is a must. When you start carrying five thousand things at a time, those backpack straps are essential! A couple of weeks I was downtown, parked on the street several blocks from my destination and I realized I forgot the stroller. I had to wear the baby and carry her bag and my purse. I was soooo thankful to have backpack straps!
10. Halo Bassinest
Admittedly, we used our Rock N Play far more than the Bassinet, but if you want one and if you’d like something more traditional, this is an amazing bassinet. Rosie slept in it very well for the first couple of weeks until she had some congestion that prompted us to have her sleep in something with an incline (enter: Rock n Play). She continued to nap in it for a couple of months. It was in our bedroom so sometimes I would lay her down in there for convenience. These run a good $250, but they do have several nice features (and I bought mine barely used for like half the price). Ours had vibration, lullabies, nursing timer, and even a little nightlight that shines delicately on the baby so that you can check on them in the night—(not that any new mom feels the need to do that...). The reason I chose this bassinet in the first place was that it has one side that easily goes down so that you can lay your hand on baby while she sleeps. It has an adjustable height so it can be right up even with your bed. I loved those features! I loved that I could rest my hand on her belly and feel that she was breathing and I loved that I could just lay there and creepily stare at that tiny creature. It was a great bassinet and I plan to use it again in the future if God gives us more babies!
I also wanted to include a few items for mom, so I just chose 5. These were so great that I didn’t want to skip over them, and lets face it, mom deserves some new things too!
You’re gonna be a different size, somewhere caught weirdly in the middle of pregnant and not pregnant. You’re gonna be sore. And let’s face it—you’re gonna be exhausted. I was so glad that I bought new postpartum jammies for myself. When I bought them I felt silly because it seemed like something I really didn’t need, I had some other jammies that still fit ok and we were buying so many things at the end; but trust me, it’s worth the splurge—even if you end up going to Target or TJ Maxx. I included a robe too, because a robe is pretty crucial, especially for your days in the hospital and if you choose to breastfeed and aren’t comfortable for everyone to see the goods.
I love journaling. But I am so bad at it. I love this journal because it’s just a simple daily question to prompt like a one or two sentence entry. This is probably the first time I’ve ever been this consistent with a journal, and it’s not like I all of a sudden have tons of extra time. I know I’ll be so happy to be able to go back and read those entries. Not to mention I think it will be a neat way to see how I grow and change as a mom as Rosalie grows and changes.
Obviously this one only applies if you plan to breastfeed, but people seriously sugarcoated how painful those first few weeks are. As I was leaving the hospital, the lactation consultant asked me if I wanted some. I had no earthly idea what they were, but suffice it to say—they changed my life.
4. Baby Tracker - Newborn Log App
This app was so helpful as I was first learning the ins and outs of breastfeeding. It’s very simple and free but it has the capibility to time each feed and also to keep track of wet and dirty diapers, which is info you’ll need handy for all those early Dr appointments!
5. Midnight Snack
Don’t you dare start counting those calories those first few weeks back at home. Those are survival days, and this is especially true breastfeeding moms! Pick out a really yummy snack that you’ll forward to eating at 3am. For me, it was Chips Ahoy. These are something I would never normally buy, but I have distinct memories of eating them in the middle of the night while carrying around a crying baby that did not want to sleep.
Bonus:
If you can afford it, I highly recommend a video monitor. You may not need it at the very beginning, but I think around 4-5 weeks, I started putting Rosalie in her bedroom for naps and I was so thankful to have a way to see her after she was down. We have the Basic Motorola Mid-size version. But they make a million of them at a variety of price points. The only ones I would discourage are the ones that work off of WiFi, since I’ve heard people complain that if your signal is low, you’ll have trouble with it. 
We LOVED the Wubbanubs. They were a little more expensive, but we only bought about 5 pacifiers for each child for their entire paci-needing time. So I think we came out ahead of a lot of our friends in the long run. And bonus - when they chewed through the pacifiers & finally when they were done with pacifiers, we cut the paci part off & they got to keep the little animals. They STILL play with them & take them to bed to snuggle with. And they're 5.5
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