7 newborn must haves you need to know about

The top baby items every parent needs. The last one is not what you think!

Welcoming your new baby into the world is one of the most exciting times of your life, yet it can also be one of the most daunting.

There is so much information out there on how to parent, what to buy, how your baby “should” behave that it can seem overwhelming.

As mums ourselves there are so many things we had to learn quickly in those first few months of our babies arriving earth side. Before having our own children, we had never even changed a nappy! There is a lot to learn and figure out so here is a list of a few things that we think are essential as new parents.

Wipes.

Now, this may seem like an obvious one but you will quickly learn how many wipes you really do go through. Keep a pack in your car, bathroom, kitchen, handbag, anywhere that you and baby will be!

Honestly, you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without them. They can clean up spew, wipe down toys, clean tables when you are out, the list goes on. Stock up on these before baby arrives, that way you have one less thing to think about once they are here.

Opt for a natural, fragrance-free wipe to ensure you don’t have any skin irritation in your new little one. We love the wipes from Luvme as they are compostable and great for sensitive skin. Just add them to your Wipes Case and you are good to go!

Nappy Bag.

There are some people out there who don’t think that a nappy bag is essential, but those people are wrong. Gone are the days of just walking out the door with your phone and keys.

With a baby, you’ll need spare nappies, wipes, change of clothes, burping towel, toys, dummy, water and formula for baby or just water (that’s for you, breastfeeding makes you thirsty!). It’ll just take one poop explosion to make you realise why you pack all of these things. A good nappy bag is one of the most used items you can have, trust me on that.

You can pre-order our luxury nappy bag here, these will last you from newborn to toddler and more! 

Change Mat.

You’ll find yourself changing a nappy everywhere you go from a café table to the boot of your car, so having a changing mat that you can fold up and store in your bag is so important. Not only is it hygienic for your little one, it also makes it easy to contain any mess and protects them from whatever surface you have to change on. This is another item we always have a spare one tucked away in the car because you never know when you’ll need it! You can’t beat our Nappy Clutches for quality and usability. 

Coveralls with zippers.

Trust us on this one, you do not want to be trying to pop buttons together in the middle of the night. Coveralls with zippers (and ones the can be opened from the neck or the foot – very important.) are an absolute, no debates about it, must have! Not only does it make your life easier, which is a huge plus as a new parent, but it keeps bub warm by not exposing their chest while changing.

This is hugely important if you have a winter baby, remember – whatever you have on, add a layer for them as babies cannot regulate their own body temperature. So, cute buttoned outfits all day longer if that’s what you want BUT zippers for night time. Thank me later for that one.

Some of our all time favourites have been the Bonds Wondersuits or Target Coveralls, keep a spare one tucked into your nappy bag for those poop-explosion days!   

Red Light.

The struggle with night time feeding and changing is waking the baby up too much. Ideally, you want to keep them in that sort of dream-like state if you can. And one way to definitely wake someone up is by turning on the light.

This is where your new best friend / lifesaver comes in. A red light. You can get these at almost all baby stores now and they are highly recommended by professionals (and me!) to help your baby sleep.

The red light doesn’t interfere with a baby’s circadian rhythm or melatonin production, which is a fancy way to say it won’t wake them up. It’ll allow you to see but the soothing red light doesn’t trigger the brain as a signal to wake up. Not only is this good for the baby but it’s good for the parent who is up as it will help you get back to sleep faster.

We love the Tommee Tippee Dreammaker as it has Pink Noise and a Crysensor which is very handy!

Accept Help.

This may seem like a funny “must have” to add in but I honestly believe this one is the most important of them all. They say it takes a village to raise a child, yet as a new parent (especially as a mother) we feel the need to do it all on our own. That somehow accepting help is a weakness or sign that you aren’t good enough. Babies are a full time, round-the-clock job and when they are small all they need (and want) is you.

So, take the help, if friends ask you what you need as a gift, ask for a meal or a load of washing to be done.

Get someone over to walk the dog for you, have a roster where friends and family can do a chore, make a meal or bring you a coffee.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help but more importantly don’t be afraid to accept the offer 

Your baby is only small for what feels like a blink of the eye, yet in the moment it can feel like it will never end.

You won’t regret not doing the laundry, but there will come a day when your little one doesn’t want to lay on your chest to sleep, so enjoy it while you can.

Trust your gut.

This list, it could go on forever. There are so many things out there that people swear by and it can be a bit of trial and error to find what works for you. Remember that you know your baby the best, trust your gut and always make sure there is coffee in the house.