Whether you’re going to be a parent for the very first time or you’ve been around the block, here’s a list of ten things new parents need. I could go on and on with the list and I’m not including things like breast pads or bottles or baby furniture. At the same time, I would not say that this list is 100% complete. And of course, my list will probably be different from your list. And that’s okay!
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Ten Things New Parents Need
- Sleep! But, as your own parents, neighbors, grandparents, well meaning cashier at the grocery store.. (insert person here) might tell you; sleep isn’t going to come easy. Sleep when the baby sleeps is a decent piece of advice- however, if you have other children at home, pets, etc… it can be tempting to ignore that invitation for nap time. But definitely take advantage of that if you can.
- Diapers! You can never have enough diapers, but be careful about buying newborn diapers. Sometimes your little bundle of joy might skip right past newborn size and right into size 1 or 2. And then there’s a matter of what kind to buy; Pampers
, Huggies, Seventh Generation, Luvs…. or you could go with cloth diapers. Experiment and find out what fits your lifestyle best. There’s no hard and fast rule that says you have to stick with one brand of diaper just because everyone else is.
- Wipes! (see above). Just like diapers, you can’t have enough wipes. We tend to switch back and forth between Pampers Sensitive Wipes
and Huggies One and Done
, though we’ve also bought store brands in a pinch. What matters is that they don’t rip apart easily, and can handle any mess. Be sure to pick up a travel pack for your diaper bag as well- baby wipes come in handy for all situations.
- Receiving Blankets! Helpful for not only covering your new little bundle of love and keeping him/her warm; receiving blankets also double nicely for burp cloths, changing pads, and if you’re planning to nurse- a baby cover if you nurse in public.
- Teething rings! Even before your precious cherub starts teething, you will want at least two or three teething rings. Rotate them out, keep one out for baby and the others nice and cool in the fridge.
- Time! (and let’s be honest, I’m sure we could all use this). Having kids has definitely taught me that there’s never enough time in the day to do what I want to do. Sure, I’ve become a little bit better at managing my time, but sure enough- there’s always going to be a time when I’ll say “I should have done that today!” or “I wish I had time for that today!”.
- Socks! Useful for not only keeping precious toes and feet warm, but also especially handy for keeping the little one’s hands covered. Why, you may ask? Because- those little nails can be sharp. And even if you’re a pro at clipping baby nails, you’ll still want a pair or two handy.
- Onesies! Or one piece suits, undersuits, whatever you’d like to call them. Available in a variety of sizes and colors, onesies are an absolute must. When the weather starts to get warmer, I’m more than content to just let Squeaker play in a onesie or a diaper, depending on how warm it is. Plus, who doesn’t like the cute little ones with different sayings and characters? Little Miss has had a series of Cupcake onesies from the time she was a newborn to 9 months.
- Baby soap! I’ll confess it- we don’t bathe her daily. It dries out her skin and a baby really doesn’t need it. In the first few days, you’ll do sponge baths (or until that stinky umbilical cord falls off), but once your precious bundle is ready, you’ll want a good baby soap. An all in one (for body and hair) is what we use. And again, this is an area that you should feel free to experiment with. Maybe your little one won’t like a certain scent or will have sensitive skin; find what works for you.
- Diaper rash ointment! Ah yes, an essential (I think) for any diaper changing routine; the good old diaper rash ointment. We started out using Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
and we’re currently using Palmers Cocoa Butter Bottom Butter
. But, again, find what works for you. Usually you can find a good coupon or two so you’re not breaking the piggy bank on diaper rash ointment.
What items would you add to this list?
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Kori
Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home
Kori is a late diagnosed autistic/ADHD mom. She is currently located in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodiverse family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and Anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP/Gifted. A blogger, podcaster, writer, product creator, and coach; Kori shares autism family life- the highs, lows, messy, and real.
Kori brings her own life experiences as an autistic woman combined with her adventures in momming to bring you the day-to-day of her life at home.
Kori is on a mission to empower moms of autistic children to make informed parenting decisions with confidence and conviction.
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Brilliant article! I wish people had cooked food for me when my kids were born. We just lived on takeaways!!
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Laura x x x
On most of this your not telling me anything new but the wipes and diapers I don’t know about because I clothed all four of my babies. I did get gifts of diapers from time to time and loved it. I think some of your readers will get something out of this.
As a mother of two and one on the way this is a great list and I must agree!
I would add a bouncy seat to that list. I would have been lost without that.
Those are definitely top 10.. wipes were more important than sleep for us.. our kids were always good sleepers. .
My youngest is pretty good about napping during the day, she stopped sleeping through the night though. 🙂
Great post. I agree with all these. My number one was sleep. I so needed sleep. I never got enough. i am just now getting to where I can get enough.
Yeah, my 9 month’s old sleep schedule is still anything but predictable.
Great post! I always give the new mother’s diapers and wipes, because you can’t have enough of them. When my granddaughter was born, I went down to visit for the week and let her mother relax and do things for her, without worrying about the baby. This is what I love about being a grandmother.
Yeah, I’ve always found that diapers and wipes make for a great gift at any time. With my youngest, between her two grandmothers, we haven’t had to worry about wipes at all. It’s been such a blessing.
what a great list. Oh yes for diapers. You can never have enough
That list sure brings back some memories :).
Absolutely! Great tips here!! I loved my big stack of receiving blankets!
Yes, me too! I always carry at least two in her diaper bag.
I love buying muslin blankets for new parents. They were my favorite thing when my girls were little!
They’re so versatile too.
What a great list! One of my favorite baby items was my boppy!
Ah, yes! Something I’ll definitely have to add if I make another list 🙂
Great article! I am a mom of 3 and this has all of everything!
I agree wtih this list. Especially onesies. Lots and lots of onesies.
Sleep is a big one. I remember how exhausted I was for weeks after my kids were born. Some days I was barely able to function.
I super agree on these. As a new parent, I didn’t know what to do. My parents and siblings are thousands of miles away. My husband and I had to take care of our little one ourselves.
Having family close by has definitely been a huge help for me.
I had to laugh when i saw sleep at the top of the list. It’s one thing they need but don’t get enough of during those early months.
Sleep and time are big ones for me. I’ve got a two month old and when he sleeps, I write/blog or try to clean or do yoga, the result exhaustion. But there’s so much to do! I’m so fortunate that I had a postpartum doula for two weeks. I recommend every new parent look into one. My doula stayed up with the baby at night so I could sleep, she helped troubleshoot nursing issues, established a sleep training routine, cooked dinner, cleaned the house, did infant massage, helped my three year old get used to his new role as a… Read more »
What a nice reminder on how to be helpful and connect with other parents.
I’m going to share this on my Facebook. What great, to-the-point must-haves, and ways to help!
Spot on! There are so many things I do now with my friends that are expecting that I had no clue what to do before. I always make sure they’re up for company when I’m coming over and I bring a meal (including dessert-of course!) We almost always had some sort of socks or mittens our our kiddos hands for the first few weeks-because as you said, those nails are sharp!!
Ha! Sleep is a good one. Being tired because of your baby is the best wake up call to realize you’re a parent! lol! I think bibs are a big necessity too. Most babies dribble quite a lot and bibs are so important.
Yes, bibs are definitely important too. I’ll have to add that to the next list 🙂
This is a good list. And I loved onesies, they came in handy for protecting baby’s skin, were cute on, and they’re soft and comfy for the little one.
Yes, I don’t think I could ever have enough for my children.
Good list! Even as someone who cloth diapers I found disposables to be a life saver with my boys, although next time I’m thinking I might just start out with cloth, especially when they were still getting rid of meconium.
I also second a postpartum doula, they are invaluable!
I don’t think you can have to many receiving blankets. You can use them for so long and for more than swaddling a newborn.
I agree with everything, including time and sleep. I used those receiving blankets as burp cloths as well.
Every time my best friend has a baby, my Mom and I send her a care package of clothing and baby essentials. I will definitely keep in mind some of the items on your list. She will be having her first boy soon.
I still remember how if my mother-in-law hadn’t stocked our fridge we would have starved lol. I had no interest in food or cooking after my csection and it was such a gift to have that taken care of!!!
I think we survived on five ingredient (or less) meals.. and made plenty to feed a small army. It’s really something that does get overlooked (in terms of gifts to give) and a definite blessing when someone does something like that for someone else. Thank goodness for your MIL!
Great list! 🙂
Thanks! I’m sure there’s plenty I was missing though.
My kids are in school and I’m still trying to figure out how to get enough sleep! I wanted to drop by and say thanks for visiting the Mommy Needs a Timeout and linking this post with us last week. We’re doing it again on Wed. at 8pm Eastern–we’d love it if you drop by again! Find us at BeerandGluesticks.com
Thank you so much for sharing. I often wonder how I can better help out my friends who are moms. Now I know!