New Baby Checklist Secret: You don’t need much

About half way through my pregnancy I started to get anxious. I’m not an anxious person at all but I had this new found anxiety focused around what I needed to buy to prepare for the baby.

Now with the newborn experience behind me, I can tell you there is very little you NEED.

New moms are a marketers dream! We are insanely easy to market to. All a company has to do is tell us to buy this or that and your baby will be smarter, sleep better, or less fussy. Before you know it we’ve been suckered into the “add to cart” button. If you are pregnant you’ll see countless re-marketing ads on social media by simply Google-ing “due date calculators”! Facebook is a beast when it comes to giving you ad content that they know you’ll want to see. So let me help you not get sucked in and spend too much money. Kids are expensive, babies… not so much. Save those dollars for down the road. In fact, spend those dollars on you! I am a firm believer that while pregnant or going through postpartum if you find something that makes you feel good, comfortable, and happy, go for it!

Keep in mind this is from a breast-feeding mom’s perspective. It may be altered a bit depending on how you decide to feed your baby or your baby sleep mind-set.

The Absolute Newborn Necessities:

Car Seat
Baby Wrap – Love the Moby
Diapers
Wipes
Diaper Cream
Newborn Onesies (perhaps pants if living in colder climates)
Co-sleeper
Small Bathing Tub
Swaddle (the hospital blankets are amazing and free)
A comfy nursing chair: You’re going to be spending a shit ton of time in this chair or sofa, make it a good one.

The Extras and why they’re not a necessity:

Crib: Most people co-sleep with their newborns or at least use some sort of co-sleeping bed for the first three months. A crib is something you can get down the road. I used mine for naps around 3 months old.
Stroller: I know it’s shocking, but it’s really not necessary for a while if you plan to wear your baby. Baby wearing is such a great bonding experience and your baby will love it. After all we are “carry mammals” (more on that at another time, google it for now).
Cute Clothes: I know it’s tempting but let’s face it, they grow so quickly. With constant diaper changes and feedings combined with rarely leaving the house, there is really no need. Also, friends and family will likely show up with clothes upon visiting the baby for the first time.
Changing Table: Use your bed and a changing pad! I’ll admit, a changing table is comfortable because of it’s height but still not a necessity. My 8-month old only gets changed on the bed at this point because he won’t stay on his back for longer than 2.5 seconds.
Shoes: cute, but not at all needed.
Swings: bulky, take up room and no guarantee your baby will actually enjoy being in them. If you have to have one, find a mom who has a swing and have your baby try it out before investing in one. A baby wrap is the best baby swing you could have. After all, babies really just want to be close to your heart.
Monitor: didn’t use this until my son transitioned to the crib which was after six months.
Wipe Warmer: an extra expense that can be spared. I loved that the wipes were cold. It signaled my new born to wake up and allowed me to structure the schedule more.
Pack and Play: Call me crazy, but I found this to be a total waste. Jules lasted all of 10 minutes (on a good day) playing alone until wanting to get out and roam. I get that every baby is different and perhaps some babies will spend more time playing, giving mom some free time to do something else, but wasn’t the case for me.
Toys: Yes, I have toys but to be frank, babies love exploring all parts of the world and you can totally make due without toys as the world and household items become their playground.

The Fun Splurges

Now, I’m a minimalist and don’t believe in over doing it when you truly don’t know what you will “need” until you go through each stage. However, there are a couple fun items that I’ve enjoyed along the way:

NaturAli 4th Trimester Box: Love, love, love this. It is a box filled with goodies that you’ll need for those postpartum months. From nipple cream to lactation tea, they’ve got you covered. There’s a lot of emotions, healing, and wild times during this period so it’s nice to have all the right tools by your side.
Swaddlez Hooded Baby Towel: Loving how absorbent this towel is especially when you have a baby on the go! Jules moves a ton and being able to dry him fast and efficiently is key.
Clothes from Little Urban Apparel. Love the hipster style on little boys. Pricey so definitely a splurge.
Fedoras! So freaking cute on boys but only good for certain ages because they’ll throw it right off. I got a good three months our of mine. Total waste of money but who doesn’t love a baby in a fedora.
Wall Decor: Dressing up the nursery really is a blast but quite frankly they are out of that baby stage really fast and you’ll find yourself re-arranging the decor to less “baby” before you know it.

I have found that most of Jules’ baby products became useful around 8 months old. He is getting more mobility at this age and exploration is turning up. When creating a registry, avoid the newborn items and think long term. Baby registries are great to help new parents get started so think smart and place things you’ll want when the baby is 12 months or older.