13 Baby Must Haves for First Time Moms

Check out these baby must haves to best prepare for your little one to arrive. These are great baby registry must-haves to get before baby is born.

No matter what we do, we can never be fully prepared for that precious yet challenging newborn stage.

There is always at least something you forgot or weren’t expecting. So let’s talk about newborn baby essentials for the first 3 months.

Through trial and error, I found my top must haves for newborns. These must have baby items were so helpful for me and my little one, I know you will love them too!

These newborn baby products have saved my life over and over again, I do not know what I would do without them, and neither will you!

So here is the list of must haves for baby you will want to add to your baby registry to have on hand when your baby is born.

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Top Baby Must Haves

Those first few months of the newborn stage are really rough. You are more exhausted than you ever have been before.

There is an endless amount of laundry and dishes. You wonder how in the world a little baby creates so much mess.

There is a myriad of things you never realized that came with this bundle of joy. I get it. I was in the exact same boat.

Here are just a few newborn baby stuff I wish I had sooner that brought so much relief and aid during the newborn stage.

1. Co-Sleeper Bassinet

If you are extremely exhausted, a co-sleeper bassinet is a necessity. During those first few months, newborns wake up all the time, at least two hours, if not sooner. It is one of the baby must haves for first time moms I always recommend.

Having a co-sleeper helps you to sleep more because you don’t have to get up back and forth. You can simply pat your baby back to sleep all the while laying down, or feed your child laying down breastfeeding.

If you have postpartum anxiety, having your baby close to you in a safe place also helps you get more sleep. Sleep is like winning the lottery as a new mom, and a co-sleeper is vital in that process.

We put it on one side of our bed. When she gets a little fussy at night there’s no need to get up, I just pat her back and she immediately falls back asleep and so can I!

It has mesh sides so you can see her and she can see you! It helps your newborn feel safe and know you are right beside them.

A co-sleeper also helps you to co-sleep with your baby and get all the amazing benefits that come from that.

2. Glow in the Dark Pacifiers

One of my top newborn must haves are glow in the dark pacifiers. These things are pure genius.  

It is so frustrating to have to get up, try to have a light bright enough to find the pacifier but not bright enough to wake up your little one, just to get up five minutes later.

These pacifiers are literally a lifesaver every single night. They basically charge all day being in the light and can be seen at night when your newborn spits it out!

These amazingly genius pacifiers give you more sleep, which is what every new mom wants.

They aren’t overbearingly bright. They shine just enough to let you spot it and put it back into your newborn’s mouth.

There are different colors and go through all the stages so any child can enjoy them!

Babies spit out their pacifiers at least a million times a night. If you are worried about having a pacifier clip on your newborn at such a young age, these glow in the dark pacifier are perfect.

3. Burp Cloths

Burp cloths are another baby essential you will definitely want to have as a new mom.

It is important to have a stack of them wherever you go since babies always throw up.

These organic burp cloths were always our favorite to have because they have three layers so they last a long time and keep you dry no matter what.

4. Swaddles and Sleep Sacks

Swaddles are some other baby things to buy before birth you’ll want to add to your baby registry.

We love our swaddles. We got multiple styles of swaddles for our newborn, but I prefer the ones with Velcro on them (like these). They kept it place longer than the rest of the swaddles.

Muslin swaddles were also a nice choice to have a few around. They are so lightweight, but also help keep your baby warm or cool, depending on where you live.

They are so versatile as well. Not only did they work as a swaddle or blanket, but they also worked like a burp cloth when she spit-up or a changing pad when we forgot ours at home.

If you are worried about swaddles coming undone at night and fear for the safety of your child, sleep sacks are also amazing. I always tried to find the ones that can be zipped up and down from two locations, especially during the night for those never ending diaper changes.

Some babies love swaddles while others love sleep sacks. It was that way with my two children. I like to have both on hand just in case.

5. Baby Carriers

I heard baby carriers were a must, so I got a few different kinds, each different but I love them all. Baby carriers have so many benefits from bonding with your child to helping you get things done during the day.

Plus, it’s a great way to carry your baby to dance, go for a walk, and other fun 2 month old activities.

Baby carriers are a definite must have item for newborns. Check out the best baby carriers for back pain.

Boba Wrap

The boba wrap is so helpful. I do not know what I would have done without this wrap. It is so easy to put on, (youtube it!) and newborns absolutely LOVE it because they feel like they are inside the womb all over again.

My baby girl slept for hours on end in my wrap and I got so many things done. It was a win win.

Lillebaby Baby Carrier

When my newborn could hold her head up better and gained some more pounds, we started using the Lillebaby baby carrier.

It has so many pockets so you can hold your phone, your keys, etc. You can also hold your baby in four different positions! So it grows with your baby.

I would walk to the beach and back all the while holding my three-month-old in this carrier and never hurt. It is super comfortable and lightweight. Plus it had an added lumbar support which others don’t give.

If this is your second baby and they are close in age, this is one of the 2 under 2 essentials you don’t want to live without.

6. Yoga Ball

Another one of the new baby must-haves is a yoga ball.  I use my yoga ball literally every day.

Babies loved to be held and rocked during their newborn months. My back was killing me from bouncing up and down either walking or sitting. I felt like I never could get anything done.

Then I started using my yoga ball again. Both of my little ones loved it. It helps put them right to sleep.

I can do my homework and work at the table while bouncing her on the ball. And my back is doing so much better!

It is important to note that this is not a sleep crunch during the newborn stages. Do anything and everything you can during those first couple of months to help you and your baby get more sleep. This method is literally a lifesaver and so worth it.

7. Swing/Bouncer

You need to be able to put your baby down to get things done or just to give your body a break.

I did not do this very much with my first baby. I was so excited to have a little one, if she made one peep I would pick her up.

But, it was so exhausting, mentally, physically, and emotionally. With my second, we used either a swing or bouncer and put him down a lot more often.

Life is so much easier with a bouncer for your little one. There are so many different kinds, but even the cheapest one you can find will work wonders for you. It’s another one of the newborn baby items I won’t live without.

Many come with different sounds and vibrations; however, we never used the sounds or vibrations and my babies still loved it. These things can overstimulate your baby too, so simplicity is key.

I have either a swing or a bouncer, but I don’t get both. It isn’t needed to have both.

8. Sound Machine

A sound machine is a definite must have for newborn.

Make sure to get a really good sound machine. This is something I wouldn’t skimp and get the cheapest one for sure. I tried that.

I had two different types of sound machines that ended up being horrible.

First, I got one that had a night light feature, thinking two for one type of thing. However, every little touch the light turned on. It woke up my baby so many times. It also wouldn’t stay charged the entire night.

Second one was the cheapest and only battery powered. I had to change the batteries weekly, so it ended up not being the cheapest anyway.

Here are my tips for the perfect sound machine:

• lasts all night long
• battery or plug in option
• can be moved around easily
• change sound level easily

You can go for those cool functions such as a light machine or 20 different sounds, but it ended up annoying me more than being helpful. It is worth it to spend a little more on a good quality sound machine.

9. Diaper Rash Cream 

Another one of the infant must haves is a natural diaper rash cream. I prefer Earth Mama Diaper Balm since it is organic, made with plant based materials, and works so well.

It is made with calendula which is one of my favorite healing herbs!

10. Diaper Bag

To keep all your stuff for newborn baby while you are out and about, you’ll want a good quality diaper bag.

I got one that the zipper broke and wouldn’t close properly, even though it claimed to hold enough of the baby stuff I had.

I also like to get some that had the bottle holders that keep it warm or cool to help when traveling. The more compartments, the better in my opinion.

I also like to grab one that has some stroller clips too!

11. Diaper Caddy

Having a diaper caddy is so helpful, especially for the night time. I stocked mine with my breastfeeding items, pumping essentials, diapers, wipes, burp cloths, extra clothes, pacifiers, and a small nightlight.

It was amazing and so helpful. I didn’t have to get up all the time during the night because I had everything I needed.

It even used it with formula feeding too!

12. Portable Diaper Changing Pad

I think a diaper changing pad is essential for babies when you are traveling or going out. You never know how dirty the ones are at stores in the bathroom.

It was also so helpful when we had to change a diaper in the car.

13. Glass Baby Food Containers

I got some glass baby food containers with my 3rd baby, and they were a lifesaver! They helped when I needed to store breast milk in the fridge when my baby was younger.

Then when it was time for our baby to start solid foods, these glass jars are the perfect size and non toxic option for making my own baby food!

The nice thing is once I don’t need to make baby food anymore, these jars are perfect for making lotions, salves, and regular jars for food too. The options are endless!

Baby Must Haves Wrap-Up

I hope this list of new baby items can help new moms out there struggling as I was.

These baby must haves will surely make a difference in your life and help your little one out too. Put them all on your baby registry and get them before your little one arrives!

Now be sure to check out these things new moms need for themselves to prepare your own checklist!

Try out some of these Try It Kits from Babylist to get more baby essentials.