I am a mom of two (3.5y and 7m old). For the first kid I was barely aware of any baby essentials nor paid attention to the importance of utility versus cost. Like everyone I looked up baby registries of random people (but mostly went with what friends recommended) for the first kid. Through the course of various iterations of products, reviews and research across both my kids I have compiled a list of essentials that I have used.
Travel — Stroller, carseat, carrier, diaper bag
This is a great travel system (stroller + carseat) which is durable, affordable and serves the purpose. It is slightly heavy weight but we have used (rather overused) this system for both kids. Guilty of not buying a new one for the younger one but hey the pandemic has restricted us from traveling anyways!! So why spend more when you have something that works great.
There are other great options as well such as Uppa Baby, Graco, Britax but Chicco Bravo was the cheapest of all I found at the time. The best way to pick a stroller is checking out in store pieces and test for maneuveribility, size, compactness, sturdiness and price.
Baby Carrier: Ergobaby
Ergobaby comes with an infant sleave which is pretty good for an infant up to 1–1.5 months. I did not use the carrier much for my older one but use it a lot for the younger one. Ergobaby is rather more expensive than other equally good options such as baby k’tan, infantino carrier or other carrier wraps out there. I recommend looking for more affordable options if possible but this one is great and durable. Best way to pick a carrier is test for the straps strength, weight and ease of setup — if possible should be able to wrap it around by yourself without help (ergobaby requires help).
This is a decent diaper bag with enough storage compartments and pockets. Surprisingly holds lot more stuff than it looks. The other option I considered was backpack style like Halova. Backpack styles are much easier to carry around but less comfortable in quickly grabbing stuff when needed.
Nursing — feeding pillow, wrap, breastpump, nursing supplies,
Nursing pillow: My Brest Friend is the best nursing pillow. Boppy pillows are no good compared to this nursing pillow. I have used it for both my kids and have not had any complaints.
Nursing chair: Do get a nursing chair if possible, highly recommend it. Try them in store for testing comfort, angle, height and rocking motion. Buy buy baby, Babies R Us, Target have good ones.
Nursing cover: I have not nursed my older one in public but breastfed my younger one very comfortably using this cover. Lets normalize breastfeeding in public!! This particular wrap works great but my only issue was the synthetic material. My baby being a summer baby I used to feel extremely hot while feeding under this cover. If possible go for a cotton or a more breathable material. Worked like a charm for me!
Hot/Cold compress for engorgment: I was heavily engorged due to over supply during 1–3 weeks of breastfeeding. These compress packs worked really well for me to relieve most of the engorgement. The other thing I did was pumping out about 2–3oz of breastmilk before nursing baby so that baby is able to feed comfortably without further cracking the nipples or choking due to heavy let down.
Nipple Cream: No one likes cracked nipples. This nipple cream is really soothing and healing. Used it for first 2 months for soreness and completely safe.
Breastpump: Breastpump is usually partially covered by insurance or provided by insurance itself. I have tried all of the breastpumps listed below. Personal favorite Medela PIS.
- Medela Simphony: Hospital grade breastpump. This is actually the most powerful and highest quality breastpump but expensive. Some hospitals provide this for free rental for few months.
- Medela PIS (Most popular): I have used for both my babies and works great. The motor has a really long life, it is compact and parts work really well with Dr. Browns bottles.
- Spectra S2: I used it for my first baby and worked well enough. It did the job and very decently priced. Downside was parts not being compatible with most bottles and there would be some wastage. I also found that the motor life is slightly lower than PIS.
Breastmilk storage bags: Highly recommend storing excess milk supply for future. You never know when you will need the stash and try building enough supply for 2–3 months. I am thankful for having enough (or rather excess) milk supply for both my kids. Working moms savior!!
Bottles: I wish I did not have to give bottle to either of my kids but thats the only way working moms can continue breastfeeding for a longer time unfortunately. Dr. Browns worked really well for both my babies. I tried the wide neck ones for my second one (as that was the only option for a 5oz bottle) but switched back to narrow neck as it was best compatible with my Medela PIS and no extra overhead of pouring from another bottle. These bottles are the best for colic reduction as well.
Bottles cleaning
Liquid: I have tried Dapple and Babyganics. No strong preference, both worked well.
Brush, Drying Rack, Bottle warmer all are standard, highly recommended and long lasting products.
Poo poo and pee pee
Diapers — Pampers swaddlers, Huggies (Costco)
Pampers swaddlers is a more expensive brand and huggies does an equally good job. I switched to huggies for my second one.
Changing pad: Works great!! I got rubber / waterproof sheets from India.
Cotton dry wipes: I prefer dry wipes for babies until 6 months or starting solids. They are softer on baby’s sensitive skin and chemical proof.
Wet wipes: Work great and cheap if got from Costco. I did not use wet wipes until 6–7 months. They are not 100% water so better avoid on extremely sensitive skin.
Diaper rash: Cetaphil, Bourdeaux’s butt paste
Both work well but Bourdeaux is my personal favorite in layering the skin well enough for further rash protection.
Diaper genie: Smell savior!!
Bath & Sleep
Bath tub: Used the same tub for both kids. Gave bath on lap for first three months until baby could sit up with support. Works great on kitchen sink and perfectly sized. This one has an infant sleeve but we never used it.
Body wash: Always use unsented / lightly sented (blue cap) body wash and shampoo (Aveeno) for 1 year at least. Also tried Mustella, Mom n Co (from India), Noodle And Boo. Aveeno is the best for babies.
Bath cup: No specific preference but this one has a nice dented edge for pouring over the head.
Bath toys of your choice!! I have many.
Body Lotion: I have used different kinds of lotions for both kids such as Aveeno, Noodle & Boo, Mustela. I would highly recommend using fragrance and paraben free products for babies as leave in on skin which is Aveeno. Other products have fragrance which is not ideal for any type of skin — even adults (I recently learnt this). Noodle & Boo is a great brand but is a luxury brand which I dont think is necessary. So after trying multiple options I would stick to Aveeno.
Vaseline after bath: Highly recommend vaseline or a think moisturizing cream to protect sensitive skin from dryness / eczema. I also extensively used Aveeno eczema balm for both my kids. Forms a great protective barrier for the skin.
Massage oil — Coconut oil, sesame oil, mustard oil — personal choice. I preferred coconut oil as it worked very well for my kids. Got the Organic cold-pressed coconut Oil from Costco.
Laundry detergent: My personal favorite due to great fragrance ingredients. Cheaper options include Dreft which does the job as well.
Nasal decongestant: For blocked / runny nose.
Swaddle me: I got various kinds of swaddles for my babies but both did not prefer swaddles. These are trial and error to finally figure what suits the baby. I would rather recommend muslin swaddles which are multi purpose.
Co sleeper: This worked well for few weeks but then baby will grow out of it. Recommend looking for cheaper and more sustainable options.
Pacifiers: Did not use pacifier for my younger one and guess what — he is a thumb sucker!!
Cradle & Swing: One of the best purchases for my babies. I used the same swing for both my kids and they had the cosiest, safest and dreamiest sleep cycles ever. No wonder this is the most popular and highly rated baby item. Highly recommend.
Glider: I briefly used this glider for my younger one but he outgrew this really soon. It served well for the time it was used.
Crib: We did not use crib much for both babies and eventually sold it. Not a must have essential in first few weeks. I recommend picking a crib that has a thin profile, attachable to bed and convertible for future use. We prefer co sleeping and cuddling with the LOs :)
Clothing: Onsies, Mittens (recommend getting all same color pairs), socks, beanies
Play Mat: My personal favorite play mat. Wish I had invested in this one for my older one as well. This is a great play mat until kids out grow them. Very comfortable.
Teethers: Many kinds out there. Doesnt harm to have multiple pairs. I do recommend gel teethers which can be frozen. Provides much needed relief for the gums. I also used fresh food feeder for both my kids and they enjoyed it a lot. Serves as a teether and a feeder.
High Chair: Really well sized and comfortable high char with multiple settings. I can use this for my toddler as well.
Feeding bowl: Prefer feeding bowls with lids.
Nutribullet Baby: Bought this blender but barely use it for mashing/blending baby food. My baby prefers coarse food. Comes with decent sized storage containers which I use regularly.
