Be Ready for Your Baby's Arrival with the Items You Need

You need to have all the needed baby items ready and set up before you give birth. 

Note- in this lesson I only focus on items you need for baby, and mostly items you'll want from when they are newborn to 3 months. 

I don't get into the postpartum items moms should have in this section- that's a whole other topic, which I discuss in Section 9 Part 4.

So, there are literally thousands of baby items out there, but these are the ones I feel are the most essential to (1) have and (2) have ready before your baby is born.

I provide additional details about many of these baby items, which I feel are beneficial for you to know; if you just want to see the consolidated list of items, you can download the 'Baby Items I Need' printable that corresponds to this lesson.

BABY CLOTHING ITEMS YOU NEED: 

I suggest registering for/stocking up on at the very least newborn, 0-3 month, and 3-6 month sized clothes. (And if you also get bigger sizes that's good too, but I suggest you at least have these sizes before your baby is born.) Note that babies grow fast and sometimes are in a higher month size than their actual age. 

Some types of baby clothing you'll want to stock up on:

*Onesies

*Sleepers (these look like one-piece zip-up/button up PJ's and my FAVORITE type of baby clothing)

*Pants (for daytime and PJ bottoms)

*Shirts (for daytime and PJ tops)

*Socks

*Sweaters/sweatshirts

*Dress clothes (such as for religious or formal occasions)- dresses & stockings for girls; dress shirts & pants and ties for boys

*Shoes/boots 

*Coats/jackets

*Mittens (you can also use socks) these are good for cold weather, but also to keep babies from scratching themselves- a LOT of babies scratch themselves, and it's difficult to clip and file a newborn's nails.

*Hats

*Dresser or something of the like for clothing storage- Don't forget you need a place to put your baby's clothing. If you can't find a dresser within your budget or have limited space, you could even just use some sort of plastic storage with drawers for the time being.

Just a few things to remember about baby clothing:

*Babies tend to outgrow the newborn size super quick.

*Some babies may actually be too big for newborn clothing when they're born. When my babies were around 8 lbs they fit in the 0-3 month size better, and the length of your baby will also factor in.

How many baby outfits should you have? People recommend different amounts- personally I say, have enough for how often you will wash your baby's clothes. It's easy to get behind on laundry with a newborn, though. So however often you think you will do laundry, you might want to have an extra day or 2 worth of baby outfits just in case!

Newborns will often go through multiple changes of clothing a day- between spitting up, sweating, and/or wet diapers that leak (yes, even the good brands won't always hold everything.) 

Later, as your baby gets older, you may get through an entire day with the same outfit, yay!

I would account for at LEAST 3-4 outfits a day of each size (for younger babies) times the number of days you will go between doing laundry. When I count this, I include the last day I did laundry and the next day I will do it, and the number of days in between. And again, I recommend adding an extra day or two's worth of outfits JUST in case. 

So I include an example of how I calculate this:

In this instance I plan on washing baby clothes every 3 days- so I'll wash them Sunday, and then again on Wednesday. And to figure out how many outfits I want, I'll count all the days in between, plus the days I'm washing the clothes. So I start counting on Sunday and end on Wednesday.

So that gives me 4 days of outfits I want, but I'm going to add an additional day or two, just to be safe, in case I get behind on laundry, in case a few get stained, and it'll give me a couple extra to keep in the diaper bag. So that's a total of 5-6 days worth of outfits that I want per size. 

And keeping in mind that I should have 3-4 outfits on hand for each day, I'm going to multiply that by the number of days. So the minimum amount would be 3 outfits times 5 days, or 15 outfits total. And the maximum I might want would be 4 outfits times 6 days, or 24 outfits total.

So if I'm going to wash baby clothes every 3 days, I'd want somewhere between 15-24 weather-appropriate outfits while my baby is little. (This can include one-piece outfits as well, like a zip-up sleeper.)

If you plan on washing baby clothes more often, you'd need less outfits, or if you'll wash them less often, like say, once a week, you'd want more baby clothes. So look at calendar, make a hypothetical schedule that's reasonable for how often you'll wash baby clothes, count the days, adding 1-2 extra days for some cushion, then multiply that by 3-4 outfits per day. That's how much you'll need per size.

I'd say this is a good estimate at least for the newborn and 0-3 sized clothing. Once your baby gets a little bigger, they may not go through as many outfits a day. You may want to have 2-3 outfits a day for the bigger sizes- like 3-6 months and up. 

Calculating it this way gives you some room for getting behind on laundry and for having extra outfits on hand to travel. (You want to keep extra changes in the diaper bag too.) 

Each baby is different, so I don't know how many outfits yours will go through a day- could be more or less. (This is a pretty reasonable estimate, though, and if anything you might just have a couple extra outfits on hand, but you should definitely be able to use them all.)

For additional items that your baby won't wear all the time, like hats, shoes, dress clothes, etc. make sure you have enough for when you need them, and take into consideration how the weather will be.

How many blankets and burp cloths do you need?

I recommend a MINIMUM of 10 of each, preferably more. I definitely suggest more if you go a few days between doing loads of laundry.

What you use blankets for will make a difference in how fast you go through them- I personally used blankets as burp cloths, for nursing covers, as a car seat cover, to cover the changing table, and for swaddling- so I was washing them a LOT.

It's good to have a mix of different types of blankets (receiving, swaddling, thicker blankets, etc.)

BABY CHANGING ITEMS YOU NEED:

*Changing table (& pad)- some come with a pad.

*Diapers- Have enough to last you for the first several weeks at least. I recommend stocking up on sizes Newborn to 2. You don't want to be rushing out to buy diapers right after you have your baby. The good news is people will often give you diapers, especially if you're having a shower. (I didn't have to buy any for the first 3 months with my first baby.)

I personally don't recommend a certain amount of diapers you should stock up on for each size, because every baby is different and grows at a different rate.

For instance, bigger newborns may not fit newborn diapers for long or at all, while smaller babies may be in them for awhile. 

Also, some brands have diapers that run smaller or larger than the standard size, so it also depends sometimes on the brands you use. 

You may want to have a few boxes of each size to start, but as for the exact amount you need, that is totally going to vary from one baby to the next. 

*Wipes- have enough to last you the first several weeks. One or two really big boxes of wipes (with multiple packages) should last you a while. When your baby is little you can also rip them in half to make them last longer. You don't always need to use a full size wipe on a newborn.

*Diaper Rash Cream/Ointment/Baby Powder- A couple of containers or tubes should last you for some time.

Keep changing supplies in each story of your home/where you will change your baby, plus some in the diaper bag. (Depending on how your home is set up, you may also want more than one changing table/station.)

FEEDING SUPPLIES TO STOCK UP ON

*Pump- You can ask your doctor about a script for one.

Most expecting moms can get a good quality pump for free or at reduced cost through their insurance, or through WIC. 

*Freezer-friendly containers/storage bags- for milk, if you plan on nursing.

*Bottles- Even if you're nursing, I'm sure you will want to use them at some point. 

Just a note, most bottles have nipples with different flow rates (these might be numbered as 1, 2, 3, or defined as slow, medium, etc.) 1 or slow is what you want to use with a newborn/younger baby, and you can usually increase it to 2 or medium when your baby is around 3 months.

  A lot of bottles will come with nipples that have the slowest flow rate, (it's usually specified on the packaging,) and some brands sell faster paced nipples separately.

There are also a few types of bottles that have nipples with an adjustable flow rate. I personally have used the Nuby brand and like those, however I didn't start using them until my baby was older, so I don't know from experience how they work with younger babies.

You will have to see what bottle brands work best for you and your baby. You may want to have a few different brands of bottles on hand so that when your baby is born you can see which ones you prefer.

*Formula- You'll want to have a supply stocked up if you decide not to nurse, or want/need to supplement. 

I personally never gave my baby formula, but even for moms that don't plan to use it, I don't think it hurts to keep a small supply on hand, just in case.

*Boppy pillow- This is optional, but I highly recommend having one to use during feedings, especially if you will be nursing. (It makes it a million times more comfortable in my opinion- for you and for baby.)

*Bibs- Parents differ in opinion as far as when to start using these, but they are good to have on hand.

TRAVELING NECESSITIES TO HAVE 

*Baby's car seat- This can be set up in the car in advance, so it's all ready for use when you go into labor. 

Once you have it, I suggest you practice installing it a few times until you got it down pat, because some hospitals will actually make you bring in the car seat and show them before they allow you and your baby to be discharged. (Not all hospitals do this, but if yours does, you will have to know how to put it back IN your car.)

*Newborn insert- Some car seats don't include these, so you may have to purchase one separately, but I would make sure you have one. 

Car seats that are intended to accommodate newborns are often still too big for them when they're first born, without an insert. A properly used insert will help keep your baby safely in place (especially their head.)

*A stroller- This can be kept folded in your trunk or in another convenient place for easy use on outings.

*A baby carrier- You can keep this in your car or diaper bag. 

When my baby was little, I never went shopping without it- babies won't always be content staying in their car seat in the cart. (I have also used mine at home to wear my baby around the house.)

*Diaper bag- Don't forget to bring this with you every time you leave the house with baby. 

I recommend you keep it in your car (unless you travel with someone else) and restock it as needed after every trip.

ITEMS TO STOCK IN YOUR DIAPER BAG

*Diapers- Keep several extra, especially for a newborn, as they go through them faster.

*Wipes- Make sure you have enough to last several changes.

*Small portable changing pad- This is great for changes on the go, and not all public places have baby changers in the bathrooms. (A lot of diaper bags will come with one included- there are nicer ones you can buy separately as well.)

*Baby blankets & burp rags- Keep a couple of each in the diaper bag.

*Diaper rash cream

*Extra baby clothes- Your baby may wet through their clothes when you're out and about- so have at least 2-3 changes on hand. Of course, you will want to make sure these are weather appropriate.

*Nursing cover- There are not always ideal places to nurse in public (for nursing moms.) 

*Hand wipes / hand sanitizer- You may not always change your baby in a place where you can easily wash your hands.

*An extra clean pacifier or 2

*Bottles/feeding supplies- Add any fresh bottles/supplies to your diaper bag right before you leave for each trip.

*Small disposable bags- There are ones made specifically to hold soiled diapers. These bags come in handy if there are no garbage cans nearby when you have to do a change.

You can also use these to place dirty changes of clothes, burp rags, etc., but these will get gross fast if you keep them like that too long, so PLEASE make sure you empty them out and wash them ASAP when you get home (or when you arrive to your destination, if you are traveling elsewhere.)

BATHING AND HYGIENE SUPPLIES FOR BABY:

*Baby bath tub or bather- Please note: most doctors will recommend only sponge baths until the baby's umbilical cord completely falls off.

*Baby wash, shampoo, baby lotion/oil

*Baby wash cloths- These are softer and smaller than regular wash cloths. It's good to have several of these. You can also use them to wipe off your baby's face/body at other times besides bath time.

*Baby bath towels- I suggest using 2 baby towels every bath. I use a hooded one to place over the back of my baby's head /whole backside of their body, then another towel (doesn't need to be hooded) to wrap around the front of them. 

Have enough towels to last for how often you do laundry, factoring in if you will reuse them prior to washing, and how often you'll bathe your baby. My baby's doctor suggested only bathing her every 2-3 days so her skin wouldn't dry out; of course, there are times when you may need to give a bath more often.

*A first aid kit

*A baby care kit- At the very least you'll want to make sure it includes a thermometer, baby nail clippers/files, a comb and brush, and a nasal aspirator. (Note: a lot of parents opt for a Nosefrida (the specific brand) nasal aspirator- regular aspirators don't always work so great. If you want more than a generic nasal aspirator, you may need to purchase it separately.)

ITEMS FOR BABY'S SLEEPING AREA:

*A sleeper, bassinet, or crib- In most cases an actual crib is much more expensive than something like a smaller baby sleeper. But keep in mind that the smaller sleeping area you opt for, the faster your baby will grow out of it. We initially had a baby sleeper which I loved, but our daughter outgrew it within a few months.

*Crib sheets and mattress- if you will be using a crib.

*Baby monitors- These should be charged and kept near your baby's sleeping area so they're handy when you need them. 

If you can afford it, you may want one that also has video, so you can actually see how your baby is doing. If it's good quality you would be able to see them breathing and know if they're awake, because babies don't always make noise when they wake up.

*Pacifiers- Some parents use these to put/keep their baby to sleep. You don't really know how they will work with your baby until you try them. 

*A humidifier or vaporizer- I personally didn't use either, but I know other parents have. I would research your options on these first as there seems to be conflicting medical opinions, pros, cons, risks, and benefits to both of these.

If You Want to Co-sleep

I recommend you have a separate baby sleeping area set up (crib, bassinet, etc.) even if you plan on bed-sharing/co-sleeping. 

Note: Your baby's nursery area doesn't have to be in a separate room, especially while your baby is still really young- you can set this up in your bedroom.

4 Reasons I Suggest Having a Separate Sleeping Area Even if You'll be Co-Sleeping

1. You will have occasions where you'll want to put baby down when you won't be sleeping with them. Yes, you want to sleep when baby sleeps sometimes, but a newborn will generally need to sleep more than you.

2. You may not want them in the bed with you all the time.

3. Depending on where you live, you could run into a CPS / legal issue not having some type of crib. I certainly hope this never happens to you, but if someone wants to cause you a problem, and calls CPS on you, even if it's a totally bogus complaint, they WILL check any children's sleeping areas, and some places legally require you to have some type of crib in your home if your baby is under a certain age.

4. You want a safe place to put your baby to sleep if there are factors that would make you less alert. There are times where it may be better to skip co-sleeping for the night- such as if you're on a medication that decreases alertness/causes drowsiness, if you've had a drink, or maybe you are just sick and out of it.

ITEMS TO KEEP BABY OCCUPIED AND CONTENT

*Toys

*Bouncers- I like having these in multiple rooms throughout the house so I have different places to put my baby down when I need to.

*A Baby Swing- These are great for keeping babies content and also puts them to sleep sometimes!

So all these items we just discussed are the main baby items to register/stock up so you have them and have them ready before your baby is born. They should last you for the first few months, without you needing much else for a while.

Some other things you may want to add to a registry and/or have for your baby for when they get a little older:

*Playpen

*Walker

*Baby spoons

*Teether(s)

*Baby food- I personally waited to buy baby food until my baby was old enough to eat solids, but if you find baby food with a far off expiration date, you can purchase some in advance, especially if you catch sales.

*Plug covers (and other baby-proofing items)- Just a note: I personally like the plug covers I found at Dollar Tree. They were inexpensive and work pretty well (they aren't easy for a young baby/toddler to remove.)

These last several items I just mentioned because you may want to register for or stock up them on in advance, although they may not be necessities right away. 

To Do Next

*Use the Baby Items I Need printable as a guide for registering/for your list of what you need to get.

*List any additional items you need for your baby. 

*Then, you can review the next part in this section- Tips for Registering- when you're ready.