newborn must haves

Our newborn essentials for the first 4 months

​My husband and I had no idea what we needed for baby boy when I was pregnant. We'd spend countless days going in and out of baby stores to add things to our registry or get hand-me-downs. We also got a lot of stuff from our Facebook Buy Nothing groups! The baby market is HUGE and there's just soo much out there. What in the world do we need? I was also leaving my job and becoming a stay at home mama for a year so we knew we had to budget our money soon. 

So here's some of our must haves or go to items for the first few months. I didn't add any diapers, wipes or clothes since we don't really have any big preferences. I also didn't want to add strollers or swings because he transitioned through so many and was so picky. I'll talk about that at the end. ​

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Feeding

I was lucky enough to have a pretty easy time breastfeeding. Calvin had a great latch from the beginning.. maybe too good! He would latch so hard I would sometimes cry! We introduced him to a bottle the same week after coming home from the hospital because I needed a break from him sucking so hard. He didn't have any nipple confusion or issues transitioning from the nipple to bottle or vice versa. 

• Dr. Brown's Anti Colic Bottles: I love that there are multiple nipples to try so it was nice to be able to find a slower flow nipple when he was first born. I also liked the narrow neck/bottle because it fits easily inside any diaper bag/backpack without issues. The anti colic feature was great as well. 
• Dr. Brown's Ultra Preemie Slow Flow Nipples: My best friend told me about these nipples so we used them and it was great! The flow was slow enough so he actually took the milk and didn't spit up or waste any. 
• Mommy's Bliss Daily Probiotic Drops: We didn't use probiotic drops until he was about 3-4 weeks old and I wish we used it sooner. This was a GAME CHANGER! He was having so many issues pooping and was so constipated/gassy. These drops really helped regulate him. We still use them daily!
• Nature's Bond Silicone Letdown Catcher: This silicone letdown catcher was such a life saver! As I breastfed baby, I attached this on the opposite breast and the natural suction would pull my letdown. I didn't waste any milk! 
• Soothing Gel Pads for Breastfeeding: My nipples hurt SO bad the first two weeks of breastfeeding. They became raw and was peeling because I was feeding him so much. I basically kept the gel pads on them 24/7 unless I was feeding him. The soothing/cold gel pads helped them from swelling. 
• Burp Cloths/Receiving Blankets: I loved muslin burp cloths and receiving blankets. We used the receiving blankets as burp cloths too just because they were absorbent. Honestly I didn't have a big preference on any brand. We just kept these all over the house and diaper bag. 
• Boppy Nursing Pillow: I tried a few other nursing pillows but this was my favorite because it didn't hug my c-section incision line too hard. It was also soft and comfortable for baby. We also used this to help prop him up a little for tummy time. 
• KeaBabies Organic Reusable Nursing Pads: I tried so many disposable nursing pads but they made me so itchy. These organic reusable ones are soft and so absorbent. They got softer as you wash them more too!

Sleep

Sleep was the hardest part in the beginning because we weren't getting any! At the beginning he would only sleep on our chest or in our arms. He hated the Snuggle Me and Dockatot co-sleepers. It took us weeks to finally get him to sleep in his bassinet. It took lots of time trying and being persistent but eventually we got to a nighttime routine. He's 4 months now and it's a breeze to get him down to bed and he sleeps about 6-8 hours on average before waking up to be fed and getting put back down for another few hours. 

• Halo Bassinest: The Halo Bassinest was great because it swiveled. It also sat a little above our bed so I didn't have to bend down and reach for baby. I needed something raised because I couldn't bend over and grab baby due to having a c-section. I know Halo has multiple models that are fancy with lights and sounds but we opted for the basic one.
• BabeBay Head Flattening Pillow: Calvin was breeched and his shoulder was pretty well lodged into the left side of his head so it was pretty flat when he was born. He also had a hard time laying flat on his head so this helped keep him on his back and stay at midline. I really think this helped fill out his head. 
• Swaddle Me Velcro Swaddles: We used these first and he loved it at the beginning because he was swaddled tightly. They're great because the velcro is easy to use and tighten. 
• Love to Dream Swaddle: We didn't use the Love to Dream Swaddle until he was a little older than a month when he started sucking on his hand to self-soothe after he spits out his binky. This was great because he didn't get startled when he slept!
• Dreamegg Sound Machine: We use sound machines throughout the house and even when we're out. The white noise helped him drown out any other sounds and makes it feel like he's in the womb. This specific sound machine has soo many other sounds, a night light and so many volume settings. I absolutely love this one. 
• MAM Pacifiers: He just loved the MAM bink binks. He seriously won't take any other brand! I loved that they have newborn-6+ months. We did give him a binky 2 days after coming home from the hospital because he needed to suck to self-soothe !

being out

I remember I was so scared being out on my own because of my incision and I was just anxious about not knowing what to expect. My diaper bag was full of things at the beginning but now we don't carry too much. It's usually bulky because of a carrier but that's about it. 

• Milky Chic Nursing Poncho: I loved this nursing poncho the best. I have a full review on it here. Long story short, it covers nicely, has metal grommets that hold your shirts up and has a wired neck to create airflow and a peekaboo window for you and baby.
  
• Bumco Diaper Clutch: This diaper clutch is great because of the wipes opening and it's large enough to fit a ton of diapers and an extra set of clothes!
• Portable Changing Pad: I seriously dread changing him when we're out and about because of those nasty changing tables. I never know if stores/restaurants actually clean them and they're just gross! But when you have to change them then you have to. I carry a portable changing pad with us so he's not touching the actual ones. We've gone to many places that don't have a changing table or the flip down tables in bathrooms so the portable pads make it easy to change him anywhere. 
• Portable Sound Machine: It helps calm him down so quickly!! 
• Colugo Baby Carrier: My favorite baby carrier! I'm petite so this is the only one that works for me. I love carriers because they help put the weight to your hips rather than shoulders. I also wrote a full review on it in another post. Check it out here. 

bath time

Our bath time is pretty quick and easy. There are a few brands we like such as Tubby Todd and Hello Bello because they're hypoallergenic and plant based. I also really enjoy using an Otteroo bath floatie in the bathtub for fun! I would highly recommend it because they get to swim and relax. We used it at least once a week since he was about 8lbs. 

• Fisher-Price 4-in-1 Sling 'n Seat Tub, New Version: This was the best tub we found. The sling kept him in place and he didn't slide around. We do bathe him in our kitchen sink. We have a large stainless steel farmhouse sink so it fits nicely inside. I also like that there are many features to it so he will grow with the tub and we won't have to buy another one when he gets bigger. 
• Frida Baby Nail Clippers: I tried 2 other nail clippers and these were the best. They're angled/curved so it hugs his nails. It's almost impossible to nick and cut the skin. I do recommend clipping their nails when you're feeding them or when they're asleep. 
• Hooded Towels: I tried a few types of towels and we got some really cute ones for our baby shower. I will say that I don't recommend the microfiber feeling material. I do like the 100% cotton towels since they're more absorbent. The hooded feature is great to dry off their heads.
• Frida Baby Windi: These were a go to. Sometimes he would be so backed up and couldn't poop or even fart. He would grunt and turn so red. It broke my heart! You lubricate it and put it in their rear end just like a thermometer. We would keep it in for a few seconds and he would push all the gas out. Sometimes even more than gas.