While Nick and I are spending time with our Peanut, I would like to introduce you to a few of my lovely blog friends.
I’ve known Lauren since high school when we scooped ice cream side-by-side at the local parlor. You can find her at with two cats where she blogs about her adorable daughter, fashion, design, thrifting, and renovating her tiny 1930s Tudor. Here she shares her top items for newborns.
Hi all! Lauren here from with two cats, guest posting for Emily while she enjoys her beautiful baby and gets the hang of being a new mother. It feels like just yesterday that I brought my own little bundle of joy home. She was a week overdue, so I found myself off work sitting at home trying everything to keep my mind off of how insanely uncomfortable I was. Needless to say I went a little overboard (as I’m sure do all first parents) with preparing for the new addition to our family, only to find out upon her arrival that newborns don’t need much. Here’s a roundup of items that my husband and I found to be indispensable in caring for a newborn:
Clockwise from top left: Moby wrap, cableknit blanket, organic Boppy, Arm’s Reach co-sleeper, Diaper Genie, changing pad, Chicco travel system, burp cloth and receiving blanket, bouncer
Moby Wrap – When I brought Violet home from the hospital, I wanted to hold her all of the time. Thank goodness I discovered the Moby wrap or nothing would have gotten done. It’s the best of both worlds – you get to snuggle close to your baby and have free hands too!
A Warm Blanket – I had no idea how freaked out I was going to be about the temperature. Is the baby warm enough? Too warm? I had mostly onesies for her because she was born in May, but I ended up running out and buying a bunch of footed sleepers because it was cooler than I expected. One thing you can never have too much of are blankets. We used SO many blankets the first month it was crazy. I love this cableknit blanket from Etsy – so warm and cozy!
Nursing Pillow – I used the Boppy, some moms love My Breast Friend, no matter what you choose a nursing pillow is essential if you are breastfeeding.
Arm’s Reach Co-sleeper – For the first few months I didn’t want Violet out of my sight – not even at bedtime. Not only because I was completely paranoid and wanted to make sure she was still breathing throughout the night, but also to making nursing easier. This co-sleeper is perfect because it can be attached to the side of your bed so that your baby is close by, but you don’t have to worry about rolling over on or suffocating the baby in your covers. It also has great storage beneath for things like diapers, blankets, etc.
Diaper Genie – although the refills are a bit pricey, this thing was a life nose-saver the first few months. With a newborn you are CONSTANTLY changing diapers and this keeps the smell from taking over your nursery. Now that she is older we are doing less changes in a day, so we put this in storage, but I still recommend it to new moms.
Changing Pad – I was soooo tired the first few months that I decided to conserve energy where I could. So instead of trekking up and down the stairs to change her diaper I would just put her travel changing pad on the rug and change her on the floor. She didn’t seem to mind it and it saved me a lot of calories (you burn 500 a day just from breastfeeding alone!)
Travel System – I’ve heard people balk at the idea of a bulky travel system, but I still miss ours now that Violet is too big for it. It was so convenient when she fell asleep in the car to be able to remove her car seat from the base and clip it into the stroller. The other great thing was that we could just buy an extra base for our second car instead of having to transfer an entire seat in and out every time we needed to switch vehicles. Even though most are only good up to 20ish pounds, I’d buy ours again in a heartbeat.
Burp Cloths and Receiving Blankets – Spit up and drool abound in those early months, so a burp cloth is a definite shirt-saver. And if your baby is into swaddling, receiving blankets are a must as well.
Bouncy Seat – If it wasn’t for our bouncer, I would have never showered. Violet wouldn’t sleep in her crib at first – she mostly wanted to sleep in my arms, so naps weren’t a time for showering in my world. Instead I’d pop her in her bouncy seat and bring her into the bathroom with me. We have a glass shower door so she could still see me and was usually content with a toy for the ten minutes it took me to freshen up. Also great for when you need to cook, eat, or go to the restroom (although I’ll admit I sometimes held her while I did that last one – sorry Violet!)
If you’d like more ideas for newborns and babies, check out some of my previous posts:
My favorite products for sensitive skin
How to choose a pediatrician
Tips for little eaters
Tales of teething
Congratulations to Nick & Emily on your precious new baby!
I’d say I agree on about 1/2. Mostly because by 3 weeks my lil guy was not so little. He was rolling, and too big for his bassinet (I know, not quite a co-sleeper, but the idea), and never would tolerate a carrier (until later) or the bouncy seat. Otherwise? Absolutely! Cute pictures!
I’ve been trying to decide whether or not to get a bouncy seat, but now you have me convinced I need one before this baby comes. Great post!
I used my bouncer constantly! Up until the point where she could climb out of it, that is. And Violet was a tiny Peanut just like little Sam, so she fit in her bouncer and co-sleeper for long enough to justify their cost (and convenience) for us.