Newborn Essentials
When I first found out I was pregnant with Nora aside from all of the excitement, happiness, anxiety and nervousness one of the first things I wanted to do was go shopping. I was so excited to buy clothes, decorate a nursery and buy those cute little baby shoes! After the excitement wore off, and I satisfied my shopping itch, I finally sat down to try and figure out exactly what babies need. I hadn't spent much time at all around newborns so I had no idea what they needed. I decided to canvas my girlfriends and search Pinterest high and low to find out exactly what I needed. After three babies between us, Ashley and I nailed down our favorite products and things that we used the most!
Our top 12 newborn items that you need to have AND you will actually use!
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Velcro Swaddles - Trust me on this one. In the beginning the sleepy newborn cuddles are the most amazing thing in the world. You need to soak them up as much as you possibly can as they grow way too fast. However, there will come a point in time where the exhaustion will reach a boiling point and you are going to need to set down that sleepy newborn and either get some sleep, shower, eat or all the above. The great thing about swaddling your newborn is that it is going to calm them down instantly. It reminds them of being in the womb and babies love to be swaddled. I would highly recommend checking out Taking Cara Babies and watching her videos on swaddling. My favorite velcro swaddle is The Ollie World swaddle. It is so easy to use, incredibly soft and a game changer in the sleep department.
Sound machine - One of the big myths out there is that babies need everything to be really quiet while they sleep. Inside your belly, where your baby just spent the last 9 months, it is actually really noisy and babies feel more comfortable and calm with loud noise. I swear by white noise, however there are many different types of noise that you can use from the sound of a fan, to a vacuum or ocean waves. It also helps to drown out some of the other sounds in your house when your baby is sleeping so you don't have to feel like you’re in a museum all day. The Rohm sound machine by Marpac is my favorite. It is small, compact and has the ability to be plugged in to charge so there isn't a chance that it will die in the middle of the night. A mom's worst nightmare!
Comfortable sleepers with zippers - Cute tiny newborn outfits are honestly some of my favorite things in the world but spoiler alert, your baby will never wear them. With Nora, I tried to dress her up occasionally during the newborn phase but it was a lot of work and it didn't really make a lot of sense. With Wynn, she essentially lived in sleepers- and honestly she still does even at 10 months. Now trust me when I say that you are going to want sleepers with zippers. Preferably a double zipper if possible. When you are changing upwards of 10 diapers a day you will want something that is easy to get off and on, especially in the middle of the night. I am a huge fan of the Kyte Baby, Sapling Child, Kickee Pants and Bonds Baby. They are all so soft and there is a huge selection of prints.
Nose Frida & Saline Drops - When I first heard about the Nose Frida I was confused and honestly grossed out. Are you really expecting me to suck the snot out of my baby's nose?? Who would want to do that? Now I must say that the satisfaction I get from using that product is really insane and honestly a bit weird. It is so satisfying to clear out their little noses- especially if they were really plugged up. In the early days of a newborn they still have a ton of junk in their nostrils and they often get stuffed up really easy. Using this tool is a lifesaver and can help them breathe and sleep so much easier. A win for both mom and baby.
Soft baby wrap - If you haven't researched the 4th trimester I would highly recommend doing so before your baby arrives. It really helps to understand exactly what newborns go through when they are first born. Your newborn feels most comfortable being held close, feeling your warmth and smelling your scent. Although all those cuddles in snuggles in the early days are the best thing ever, you are still a human and likely have things to do other than lounge around in bed or on the couch. Using a soft baby wrap allows your hands to be free and makes taking your baby out in public so much easier. Plus, they can nap in there and you can even breastfeed in them! It is honestly a game changer. One of my favorite soft baby wraps is by Beluga Baby. Their wraps are made with bamboo and are so soft and cuddly. Both of my babies loved them and I found it to be one of the things I used most often when they were newborns.
Different brands of pacifiers - Some people are very against using a pacifier from day one as they believe that it will interfere with breastfeeding, each Mama knows their situation the best so I am not going to provide any advice there. However, I will say that using a pacifier with your baby can be so helpful. Infants have a natural tendency to want to suck. It makes them feel calm and can also help with gas and tummy troubles. The other nice thing about it is that it can give you a break if you are breastfeeding so they are not just using your breast as a pacifier. It can also help them drift off to sleep much easier and instantly calm them when they are put in a swaddle. There are so many brands of pacifiers, however we found that the MAM and Tommee Tippee paci's worked the best. From my experience, each baby is different so you may need to try a few before you find one that your baby likes.
Probiotics - As a first time mom, I had no idea that baby’s tummies were so sensitive and could experience the worst pains when they had gas or needed to poop. After pumping Mason’s legs back and forth, doing bicycle kicks, tummy time, and colic holds etc...he was still having tummy pains! So the research began on what to give him! Before I go any further this is not intended to be medical advice so please talk to your Pediatrician before giving any over the counter medication to your baby. Probiotics were a game changer for us. I wish I had known about them sooner! Our pediatrician recommended Mason take probiotics to help balance out the good and bad bacteria. Honestly, within a few days we noticed big improvements! The bouts of extreme pain were few and far between, and I found when Mason was in a lot of pain, it was almost easier to treat since his tummy was already healthy. Our favourite gas drops, recommended by both Kayla and my pediatricians is Bio Gaia. Simply put, they really work and all three of our children get them daily.
Gripe Water and/or Gas Drops - What happens when you need a little more help than the probiotics alone?! What’s the difference between gripe water and gas drops? Let’s break them down. Gripe Water is made up of sodium bicarbonate and a ton of herbs. Some gripe water has alcohol in it (weird right), but I chose to steer clear of those brands. Gripe water is intended to soothe baby’s tummies, and has also been used for hiccups, teething, and some moms swear by it to help their colicky babies. All I can say is Gripe Water was a life saver for me when it came to hiccups. They would last nonstop without the Gripe Water. Our favourite brand is Mommys Bliss. It contains no sugar, no alcohol, and is made with organic ginger and fennel. Better than that? It works! Now let’s talk gas drops. Gas drops contain simethicone which is a drug that helps break down gas bubbles. When Mason’s tummy was rock hard and you could just tell he needed some relief, we went for the gas drops. Ovol was the brand we tended to use most frequently.
Taking Cara Babies Newborn Class - Buckle up this may be a long one. Looking back to before we gave birth, if there was one thing we wished we would have bought, it’s this. We took the newborn class when Mason and Wynn were around 8 weeks old, and it changed our lives. Does that sound dramatic? It’s the truth! I had no idea I would have to teach my baby to fall asleep. I just assumed he would sleep when he was tired! And sure, sometimes he did. Others, I could see in his eyes he was so beyond exhausted but just couldn’t put himself to sleep. This class teaches you so many tips and tricks that will save your sanity and help your little one sleep. The class explains why baby sleep is so important, how much sleep they need and how to lay a healthy sleep foundation. Cara talks about “loving the newborn stage”, and that is exactly what this course accomplishes. Looking back, I honestly believe my first eight weeks with Mason would have been so different (and much easier) had I taken this class sooner. The Newborn Class is an online prerecorded class that is broken down into segments. It’s perfect because you can watch at your own pace in your pj’s (even better with a glass of red wine). You also get a reference guide that will be used more times than I can tell you. Honestly, this is money very well spent. If you’re expecting, take the newborn class. If you have a friend or family member who is expecting, buy them the newborn class! Anyone we know who is expecting, we always tell them to follow Taking Cara Babies on Instagram! She is the baby whisperer for real!
Baby swing - Now that your baby is sleeping soundly, where do you put them when they’re awake? Insert the magic of a baby swing. The rocking motion of the swing is sure to calm your baby, if not put them to sleep. But with anything baby related, please check with your pediatrician and the manufacturer of the swing before you allow your baby to fall asleep. There are so many types of swings on the market and it really depends what you are looking for. My favourite is hands down the 4Moms Mamaroo. This amazing creation moves up and down and from side to side. It really mimics the motion of the baby in utero, and the way that we hold and rock our babies. Mason loved to be bounced. Rocking him back and forth in a chair or in my arms was not enough to soothe him. I had to bounce on an exercise ball and build back muscles to bounce him for hours and hours each night when he was a newborn. A swing is a newborn essential I could not have lived without.
Bassinet - If you’ve decided that room sharing is for you, but you don’t want to co-sleep, you’re going to need a bassinet! Safe sleep experts recommend room sharing for the first six months of your babies life. There is the potential to decrease the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) by having your baby in the same room. Knowing your baby is sleeping soundly beside you truly gives you peace of mind, or at least it did for us. You can choose to have a bassinet that is attached to your bed, one that free stands next to the bed, or use a portable crib that you can set up next to you, or at the foot of your bed. Some of our favourites are the Halo Bassinet and Graco Dream Suite Bassinet.
Baby 1st Aid Kit - we’ve already talked saline drops, nose frida, probiotics, gripe water and gas drops, but there are a few more key items we recommend you keep nearby for your little one.
Baby thermometer
Infant Tylenol
Nail clippers
Nail file
Medicine dropper
Gauze
Vaseline
Rubbing alcohol
Cradle cap brush
We hope you enjoyed our newborn essentials! ‘New Mama Essentials’ blog post coming soon! What are some of your “can’t live without” newborn products? Let us know in the comments!
* This post is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always speak to your pediatrician or other qualified healthcare provider with questions you may have.
