Having a baby made me realize how much I like to research things. This, paired with my penchant for throwing my opinions at people, is why you're here today reading this post. Buckle up because it's gonna be a long one. Despite the list being about a mile long, I don't think there are too many things on here that we haven't used, and there are definitely a lot of things that we didn't bother with that I've seen recommended a lot. Your mileage may vary.
** - Denotes items that are super easy to find secondhand
Links to Amazon are affiliate links
Clothing
For the first three months, my daughter Isla basically lived in sleep 'n plays or robes. Changing diapers all the time made wearing pants annoying because you're constantly taking them off and replacing them. She had a few pairs to go with some white onesies for when we wanted to wear non-pjs, as well as one or two cute outfits for when you want to waste hours staring at your baby thinking about how cute they are.
Generally speaking, if you're expecting a full term baby, grab a few things in the newborn size but not a ton. I'd focus on 0-3 month and a few 3-6 month things so you're not scrambling to shop for new clothes while you're also trying to get poop out of your hair and finding time to take a shower for the first time in a week. We registered for white onesies in every size up to 12 months but for everything else we stuck to the 3-6 month size and smaller. As for quantity for each category, it seems like having around 7 tops/bottoms works well for us since we tend to do baby clothes laundry once a week. This literally is just dictated by how often you want to do laundry, so buy as much or as a little as you want, keeping in mind that it's not really worth spending a lot when they don't get used for very long.
Everyone told me not to register for clothing because people would buy me so much. Lies. I think we received exactly one outfit we didn't register for. Also, registering for clothing at least gives people a sense of your style so if they do want to go off script then maybe, hopefully, possibly they'll buy you something you actually like? This is just a very optimistic theory that is probably wrong.
This is a prime category for buying secondhand. There is so much baby clothing out there and it's hardly worn because they grow out of it so quickly. Everything we had in the newborn size was secondhand!
- Short sleeve onesies - We bought all white onesies for easy pairing with pants.
- Long sleeve onesies - Only buy these for the colder seasons
- Pants** - Tons secondhand, but H&M also do good multipacks
- Sleep 'n plays (cheap) or luxe** - You want either double zippered or single zip but that zip from the bottom up so you can undress only the lower half for diaper changes. For the first few months gets ones that have flaps to fold over their hands to prevent scratching.
- Robes (cheap) or luxe - Good for newborn or 0-3 months when they're up and needing diaper changes a lot at night.
- Hats - Steal as many as you can from the hospital for the early months, but have maybe one or two cuter ones. H&M do cute sun hats for summer months and beanies/stocking caps for winter months.
- Socks and/or booties - We haven't used these a ton because we had her in sleep 'n plays a lot at the beginning and then it's been summer time, but it's good to a have a few on hand for when they're wearing regular outfits.
- Cute coming home outfit
- Headbands - For cuteness
Diapering
We started out with disposable diapers full time and then moved to cloth diapers during the day and a disposable at night once she started pooping less and we felt like we weren't drowning. We weren't sure how much cloth diapering would suck but we really like it! It costs more upfront and does use a lot of water but the idea of less shit in a dump somewhere outweighs that. And let's be real, it's not like making disposable diapers doesn't use water too. Plus, we've also never had a blowout while she's wearing cloth diapers, but that could be just dumb luck. For the times we do use disposables we use a compostable/bio-degradable brand that's made from bamboo so as least I feel slightly better about it.
- Cloth diapers outers and inners - We have 6 outers and 18 inners so that we can do laundry every 3(ish) days.
- Diaper detergent - Subscribed out of laziness but it also gets out all poop stains really nicely.
- Disposable diapers - Compostable and with the option of a composting service.
- Wet bags - For storing used diapers in when you're out or at daycare.
- Wipes - the shortest ingredients list
- Changing pad** - Stupidly expensive but the vanilla color got me (also it's not a cloth one which is disgusting to me)
- Portable changing pad
- Diaper cream - Haven't had much diaper rash to really test this. Don't buy too much until you actually need it.
- Diaper cream spatula - Yes, you'll use it.
- Diaper pail - We use this for cloth diapers.
- Diaper pail bag - Literally no reason to use single use bags for this.
- Small trash can - We use this for the single disposable diaper we use over night.
- Diaper bag - This thing holds everything and isn't ugly. We thought the pacifier holder was dumb and then we used it every day.
Nursery
We didn't do any major decorating (literally gave it a fresh paint of the same color paint it already was and put up some homemade shelves with an unfinished board and some spray painted brackets) or buy a ton of furniture (using an old dresser and night stand) and we found our crib on Facebook marketplace, so this category is all about the accessories really.
- Black out curtains - Layer one.
- Portable black out curtain - Layer two. We use both layers to make sure it's dark enough that you can't read a book.
- Curtain rod
- Bassinet** - Definitely, definitely buy this used.
- Bassinet sheets
- Crib** - Also really easy to find this exact model used.
- Crib mattress - We opted for the lightweight model and organic
- Crib sheets - So far we've gotten along just fine with two sets
- Waterproof mattress protector - Two of these as well
- Swaddle** - We liked the zipper and the fact that the velcro wasn't super loud like some others. Easy to find used. We had two in the small size and one in medium.
- Transition swaddle - Eventually you'll have to transition them out of a swaddle. We had the non-transition version of this and the transition version, but in hindsight I'd rather have only purchased this one. It lets their arms be up, which she liked anyway, and then you can remove one arm at a time.
- Muslins - You can swaddle with them, use them for warmth on walks, put them down on the floor if you need to set your baby down, etc, etc, etc.
- Sleep sack - Check out their TOG info to figure out what weight is best for the time of year you're dealing with (probably from 4+ months).
- Sound machine - Love that you can adjust this from your phone (for when a dog starts barking outside or fireworks are going off) and set a sequence of favorites (we use light on with no sound -> light on with sound -> light off with sound)
- Portable sound machine - For stroller naps, taking to daycare, etc, etc, etc
- Nursing chair - I tried using a regular chair, but it sucked.
- Feeding/supplies cart - Go follow Karrie Locher on Instagram
- Portable touch light - Another Karrie Locher recommendation that is super helpful for dream feeds
Play Time
This is another category I was sure we'd be inundated with at our baby shower but surprisingly we were not, which is fine by me! It wasn't until after I actually had my baby that I really started learning about Montessori so I'm glad we didn't buy a ton of things beforehand. What we have ended up with now though I love, so without further ado, some toys:
- Play gym - we literally use this every single day and it really has grown and changed with her as her abilities and interests have changed. It's also not ugly. You might even be able to find this secondhand now.
- Subscription play kits - also from Lovevery, we have loved these so far. Totally worth the price and it means we don't even have to think about finding toys. Also, not ugly and don't make terrible. noises.
- Wood and string squish ball - Easy for baby to hold, mouth on and makes a very satisfying noise when the wooden balls move on the dowels.
- Jellycat stuffed animals - Super popular stuffed animals that are also very cute and very, very soft.
- Sophie the Giraffe - Are you even allowed to have a baby without owning this teether?
- Banana toothbrush teether - Recommended to us by a dentist friend, it's a good introduction to the feeling of a toothbrush on their gums.
- Books
- Bouncer** with a Toy Bar - We don't use this a ton, but it can really save you when you just need to eat your dinner or do your makeup.
- Stacking cups - So far mainly for knocking down and bashing against each other, but still a big hit
On the Go
Prepare yourself to start carrying ten thousand things every time you leave the house...
- Stroller and accessories - Many spreadsheets were made when picking a stroller and car seat that worked together. This stroller was by far the best for the money, have the most options for potential expansion, the best accessories, was highly reviewed and didn't have plastic wheels (a pet peeve of mine). We really love it. We have basically every accessory it comes with but I highly recommend the basinet if you're using this from newborn and the parent organizer. You can even get it at Target now too!
- Stroller fan - Good for summer heat, but also for your third trimester and postpartum sweats.
- Car seat - Scores highly on BabyGearLab for safety, is moderately priced, compatible with my stroller recommendation and comes with a foot cover to keep baby warm. It's also all black which is surprisingly hard to find.
- Car seat cover
- Carrier - We love this for family walks. And now it comes in leopard print?? Jealous.
- Baby wrap / soft carrier** - Extended so many naps in this during my maternity leave.
- Diaper bag - This thing fits everything and also looks nice. We also used the pacifier holder accessory quite a bit when she was younger and still taking a pacifier.
- Car mirror - So you can see your little bean from your rear view mirror. This one is pretty large and doesn't fall down with movement.
- Window shades - These aren't a perfect fit but they seem to stick pretty well
- Pack and play - We used this downstairs for naps when she was really young and just for setting her down for a few minutes if you needed to get something done. We honestly haven't used it since then, but once she's more mobile I bet it'll make a reappearance. It's super easy to set up and take down and looks nice.
Feeding
We chose to breastfeed and oh boy, has it been a journey. One that almost didn't work out, for several reasons. Ultimately though, fed is best so you do you and feed your baby however works best for you. If you don't breastfeed, a lot of this section won't be as applicable, but I still included some suggestions for when you start on solids, so look for those toward the end.
- Nursing bras - Super comfortable and stretchy, which is important for your ever changing boob size. Another Karrie Locher recommendation.
- Nursing pads - I only really leaked at the beginning so I didn't use these for much longer than a month, but the reusable bamboo kind I tried didn't cut it at all.
- Haaka lady bug collectors - I preferred these that fit in your bra to the more popular model because my baby kept kicking that one off.
- Nipple shells - I had some pretty bad nipple damage at first. These let the damaged tissue heal between feeding sessions and made wearing clothing bearable. Without these I would have stopped breastfeeding a lot earlier. Don't buy these until you actually need them though.
- Nipple Everter - Once upon a time I had relatively flat nipples. Those were the days. This wasn't super necessary but the hospital gave it to me and it did the job for my very lazy feeder baby.
- Feeding pillow and cover** - I wouldn't say I love this pillow on its own, but with another pillow under it it gets the job done and is relatively portable. It's also useful when baby is learning to sit and needs something to keep them from smashing their head on the ground.
- Hot/Cold pads - Really nice if you get a clogged duct / mastitis.
- Pump - Should be covered by your insurance in the US, but probably not when buying through Amazon. Link is just for show. The light on this is nice for those middle of the night pumping sessions (oh, the days of triple feeding). My insurance covered this package which included a pump bag and cooler. I use it to take my pump to work and the cooler for storing my pump parts in the fridge between sessions.
- Pumping bras - I've come to the conclusion that most pumping bras suck, but these are the ones I wear daily and they're way better than some. I've also heard great things about their sports bra version. @bemybreastfriend has lots of reviews of bras too that I haven't tried myself.
- Lactation massagers - Vibrators for you boobs. I use this at every pumping session and pray that I don't forget to lock it and have it turn on somehow while I'm sitting at my desk at work.
- Pump spray - I used lanolin at first but this is way easier to apply and clean upl
- Duckbills - These have pull tabs that make life ten million times easier.
- Flanges - The flanges that come with your pump don't fit the majority of people. Measure your nipple size and order what you actually need. This brand has several sizes that are compatible with the Spectra pump.
- Lactation supplements - Not totally necessary, nor do they work for everyone, but they could be worth a shot if you're struggling with supply. All fenugreek-free.
- Storage bottles and cooler - I bought two of this set -- one to take with me to work and another to take to daycare. I like that it's plain colored and very compact.
- Bottle(s) glass or plastic - Our lactation consultant recommended these super cheap plastic bottles as the best slow-flow bottle when our baby was triple feeding for awhile at the very beginning. Now that she's eating okay again we're using these glass bottles which were the second brand of choice, although they prefer the narrow neck variety. We haven't had any troubles but babies seem to have a lot of opinions about bottles so I definitely wouldn't stock up. Free registry gifts from stores often include bottles you can try out, and Facebook Marketplace has tons as well.
- Burp cloths - Use old-fashioned cloth diapers as burp cloths. So much more absorbent.
- Bottle brush - Love the fact that this comes with a stand and has a small brush inside the handle.
- Bottle drying rack** - Why does anyone get the green when they can get plain white??
- Bibs - Lots of nice color choices. The pocket catches so much food.
- High chair and tray - Expensive? Yes. But so far we like it and it will grow with her and work as a regular seat when she's old enough.
- High chair mat - Gotta protect those floors from flying prunes.
- Open cups - Yes these are made out of glass and that probably sounds insane but so far I much prefer these to opaque ones where you can't see if the cup is tilted enough.
- Silverware and/or spoon - I learned about Montessori after my baby was born and we've been following that approach now, so we have real metal silverware. She likes them just the same as the single traditional baby spoon we have. I would definitely recommend researching how you'll want to approach solids before you dive into purchases for eating.
Health / Wellness
- Bath towel
- Soap, lotion and ointment set - The ointment is especially magical.
- Tub** - For some reason this was the hardest thing to decide for me. I still hate the idea of a baby bath, but this one has treated us well so far.
- Nail file - The idea of attempting to clip a baby's nails is horrifying. This is so much better.
- Vitamin D supplement - Recommended from birth. This one is organic. I will be trying this one next as a vegan option.
- Anti-gas drops - When bicycle legs wasn't cutting it.
- Nasal aspirator - Not a product recommendation but simply advice to wait on buying the Fridababy nose sucker that everyone recommends until you find out if you really need it. We had a very snotty baby and the free ones we got from the hospital we actually preferred.
- Thermometer - We got a free rectal thermometer from the hospital for when accuracy really matters, but for general use, this one has been nice.
Miscellaneous
- Baby book - I use this as a simple scrapbook-y photo album.
- Baby journal - This is where I put little notes about what she's doing at various ages. I like the simple prompts and that it goes from pregnancy up to 18 years.
General Resources
https://www.babygearlab.com/ - Safety reviews for carseats, etc
Plant-Based Juniors Instagram and book - Lots of meal inspiration and general info on their Instagram, but I found the book to be particularly useful and packed with information.
The Montessori Toddler and The Montessori Baby - Really great intro to Montessori. If you read just one, pick the toddler one.
Hapa Family channel - Ashley puts out great quality, informative videos about Montessori at home.
The Positive Birth Company - Great hypnobirthing course.
Karrie Locher's courses and Instagram - I've mentioned her several times in this post and I'll say it again -- go follow her now!
