Now that we are about 6 weeks away from meeting baby #2 (insert shock face emoji!), I thought I would go ahead and share what I am preparing to have on hand. I decided to break up the "Newborn Essentials" series into a few posts over the next few weeks because I'm realizing there is a lot! How does a little tiny baby need so much stuff?
Being that this is my second time around, I feel as though I have a better handle on what I need (also vs. what's just nice to have).
So here are my top picks for newborn essentials when it comes to clothing and diapering (keep in mind when I say newborn I mean from birth to 3 months old):
1. short sleeve onesies and long sleeve onesies: These are what Camden wore constantly for the first few weeks. I would keep him swaddled during nap times, so these were prefect just for him to wear under the swaddle blankets. Since he was a winter baby, I loved
these long sleeve onesies with the mitten cuffs (cover their hands) on the ends to keep his hands warm if they busted out of the swaddle (which they did a lot!).
2. zip up footie PJs: These were what Camden wore during the day or if we went anywhere. It's just so much easier to put those little babies in PJs than try to put a full outfit, socks, etc on them! We love the ones that zip instead of buttons (just easier/quicker for diaper changes). I love t
hese from Old Navy and Target usually has a great selection of them as well.
3. swaddle blankets and swaddlers: We mostly used
these swaddle blankets when Camden was first born, but eventually started using the
SwaddleMe velcro swaddlers when he was a bit bigger (and started busting out of the swaddle blankets). I bought a few of
these SwaddleMe pods to try out this time around as well!
4. mittens and beanies: These come in handy in the very beginning when they are still working on regulating their body temperature. The
beanies are great for the hospital stay and if you have a cold weather baby. Camden wore little beanies while we were in the hospital and when we went anywhere since he was a November baby.
The mittens are great for not only keeping their hands warm (when they're not swaddled), but also for keeping their nails away from their face. Those little hands have a mind of their own in the beginning and they can end up scratching themselves!
5. socks and booties: When you want to dress them in something other than footie PJs, it's always great to have socks and booties available to keep their feet warm. We love the
Old Navy socks and how cute are t
hese little booties??!
6. diapers and wipes: Of course, you're going to need diapers and wipes... And LOTS of them! Sometimes it feels like you are constantly changing them when their first born. I'm pretty sure I remember Camden would need changed every time I fed him, which meant 8 - 10 diaper changes a day for the first few months! We loved the
Pampers sensitive diapers and
wipes when he was little. We still use regular Pampers diapers, but have switched to Target brand wipes when he got older and his skin wasn't as sensitive. And if you are not signed up for
Amazon Prime or Amazon Family, do it now! I still order all our diapers and wipes via Amazon! It's so great to have them delivered to your door!
7. changing pad, cover and liners: You're going to need
a good changing pad in the nursery since you will be there a lot! Of course, it's nice to add a
good cover and liners to keep the cover clean.
These liners are great in case of a blowout or stains that may happen during changes. I typically would just spot treat them and throw the liner in the wash! So much easier than trying to clean the cover.
8. spot cleaner and diaper rash cream: These products will be used a lot in the beginning, so it's a good idea to keep them right by the changing area. I still have both of these on Camden's changing dresser in his room and don't use them as much, but every now and then they come in handy. I have a bottle of spray shout that I use to spray any stains (especially on those white onesies!) and then I just throw them in the hamper to be washed. As far as diaper creams, I know there are a lot out there, but we had the best results with just plain baby Aquaphor! I used this for his diaper rashes and when he had some patches of eczema on his skin when he was a newborn. We still use it today if he gets a diaper rash!
9. hamper and diaper pail: You will use both of these A LOT in the beginning! You will need a good diaper pail (we have
this one) since you will be changing diapers constantly! It comes with an carbon filter insert that helps to block odors.
A hamper near by the changing area is a good idea as well. You may be surprised how many outfit changes they need! It's nice to have it at arms length to just throw the soiled clothes in there while changing them. We have
this hamper in Camden's room and have something similar for baby 2's nursery. It's great because it has a mesh insert that you can just take in and out for washing.
I'm so glad I'm starting this series because it will help me prepare for baby #2! I pretty much have everything on this list except for diapers and wipes! Those are pretty important, so I better go order some (via Amazon Prime of course)!
I hope this list has helped those of you expecting your first (or second, or third, etc). I'm hoping to do a few more posts that include feeding, sleeping, travel gear and what to pack in the diaper bag. I also would like to post about packing for the hospital, so look out for those posts over the next few weeks!
