by Our miracle man turned three months old yesterday. While many choke up when such a milestone is reached, I find myself more & more joyful. As I packed away his newborn clothes, I smiled at gratitude that he is here. He is growing. And as he does so, we get to learn more and more about that sweet heart of his. I’m truly thankful for each & every day of that.
If you are reading this, you have a newborn or have one on the way. In either scenario, you likely don’t have much time on your hands ;-p So I will get right to the point! After three months of “training” (read: failing & learning again and again) I feel confident in all the must haves below. I left out the obvious ones, like bottle sanitizers, warmers, etc. and listed out the newborn must haves I never would have thought of or appreciated as much without the last three months under my belt. Without further ado, dive on in Mama!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click through and make a purchase, I’ll be compensated at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I absolutely adore and believe readers will find helpful.
Every single parent needs this. Truly. I list this first because I absolutely feel it should be in every newborn must haves list. The app & sock tracks your baby’s oxygen & heart rate. If at any point such rates dip below a safe level, an alarm will sound waking you so you can help your baby. After a high risk pregnancy after loss, I cannot tell you how much this miracle of an item has brought me peace of mind and true, rested sleep.
These were definitely one of those “things I never would’ve known I needed” items. These side snap shirts are essential in the first week of your little ones life when the umbilical cord stump is still on. During this time, that area needs to be treated extra gently. Especially for a new parent, it can be overwhelming. We put James in a diaper, one of these shirts and a swaddle and it was so. much. easier. than stressing about a onesie or normal shirt snagging his little stump.
A blossoming bloom for our little bud! 🙂 This soft, spongy flower sits in your sink, giving your baby a squishy space to sit in while you bathe them. It is such a better option than the standard plastic tubs, which can be cold on a baby’s little booty, and cause them to keep sliding down during bath time. The sponginess in this flower keeps them cozy, warm, and exactly where you place them.
These are game changers! When picking baby up, putting baby down, changing a diaper, warming a bottle, allllll the things, it can be so hard to keep a traditional burp cloth up on your shoulders. These have a small snap in the back, making it sort of like a bib shape for the parent. It won’t move at all all day! Unless of course it’s time to swap it out for a freshly not as saturated one. 😉
Our favorite swaddles by far! We have the above pattern and plenty of others. Not only are the patterns so cute, but these stay put best when it comes to Houdini James not wiggling an arm out in the middle of the night 😉 Win win!
I will use these and recommend these for each stage of baby life, but especially during the newborn stage. They are the most natural option for your little one’s newly Earth side skin., and they’re definitely the softest. Because of this, they are the best at wiping away those first days of newborn mess. The infamous meconium diapers are no joke, and these worked far better than any other wipe at making those changes a breeze for all of us, James included!
Same as above, I will confidently recommend these for all stages. We have tried many different kinds, and though we have liked other brands as well, Honest are the ones that give us the least amount of leaks. Even more important, they don’t irritate James skin like some other brands do.
These binkies are not only pretty, but they’re a James favorite. The thickness of the nipple makes it tougher to bite down on, which James really liked. Especially when he wasn’t too thrilled about something :-p These soothed him instantly. The little ring on the top make it easy to slide onto your finger when you don’t have a free hand, too!
What would we do without Lobbie the Lobster?! We have several Wubbanubs. We love them all, but for the newborn stage, Lobbie is our favorite. He lays flatter easier since his plush body is thin, making it far less likely to fall out of James’ mouth. Some other Wubbanubs have chunkier characters that will be perfect for later stages. But for the newborn stage, when baby hands don’t quite know how to manage anything just yet, the skinny animals like this lobster work best.
Sleep on Earth
Last but certainly not least, you need sleep! You, your partner, and your little miracle. My sister told us about Taking Cara Babies when we first had James, and goodness gracious it changed everything. We purchased the Newborn Class and watched it every night after James fell asleep. In the first few weeks, he would wake up every two hours to feed. Since he was growing and eating so well, at his four week check-up, his pediatrician gave us the green light to let him sleep through the night if we was able. Lo and behold, a couple weeks of practice, and we have had a full night sleeper since month two! We fully owe this success to that class. Not only does Cara provide tips for sleep, she also provides so many great tips on soothing a fussy baby, feeding, and more.
And there you have it! Our newborn must haves. If you are still cooking that little bun in the oven, head over to my Natural Mama Pregnancy Must Haves blog for my favorite pregnancy products. Already hatched the little chicken? My Postpartum Must Haves blog lists everything I have needed since having James, from breastfeeding essentials, to self care, healing, and more.
Wherever you are in your journey to your miracle, I’m praying for you & celebrating you!
Wishing you joy in your exhaustion, community in your healing, and celebration in the miracle that is not only your newborn, but YOU. <3
Big Hugs. Always.
KP.
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