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Embracing the Unexpected: My Journey from Minimalist Mom to Baby Gear Enthusiast
When I first found out I was pregnant, I was absolutely certain that I could be a minimalist newborn mom. Just the BASICS for baby and me. I wanted the real baby tips and to buy as little as possible. I wanted the minimalist guide for my newborn.
Initially, I desperately searched for the basics but couldn’t find any great lists. Scouring the web, there’s an endless array of links to all the stuff you can buy.
Reality Check: The Early Days of Newborn Parenthood
Flash forward six months, and all I can say is that my plan on being a minimalist went out the door (probably by week two of Baby B being in our lives). It became an endless cycle of late-night scrolling and buying things on Amazon to deal with the many things my type A self did not plan for when having a baby. Cue the…
- Is he gulping too fast? Must try a new bottle type!
- Why won’t he sleep? Need to find new swaddle types to contain his reflex.
- Where are the darn pacifiers? Can we just buy like a dozen because I’ve lost all of them…
In short, lots of “WHAT IS HAPPENING?” and I must find the product for that.
Sharing the Love: My Newborn Must-Haves
So, I present to you, my friend, my Newborn Must-Haves List. It’s a minimalist guide for any incoming mom. Every baby is different, but from my inner circle of mom friends, these are the newborn essentials that worked for us. These are the things I wish I had started with versus ended with. Hopefully, it can help you curate a minimalist, practical list for your family.
Education and Support – Your Best Allies
Taking Cara Babies Newborn Class
Not a physical product, but invaluable education that I wish someone gifted me at the start. There’s nothing better than being informed. And honestly so much of the pregnancy phase focuses on the birth and not enough on the after birth. This class offered practical information I could apply immediately, unlike the theoretical advice from other programs. The videos showed real-life soothing techniques that worked instantly! This is best right before you have baby or right after during those nights you aren’t sleeping anyways.
The Newborn Must-Have Essentials
14-15x sleepers
(Gerber Baby Sleepers or Simple Joy’s by Carter Baby Sleepers): I underestimated how much you need by a lot. You will be going through a LOT of sleepers between burping and blowouts (honest truth). I started with about 7 and honestly we ended up doubling it for each stage. Otherwise you are constantly doing laundry. It seems wild to think you need that many. I highly recommend Simple Joys and Gerber as they were the most durable. We did buy Amazon ones that wore through very quickly.
10x Burping Cloths: Honestly this is a crap shoot. Your baby may or may not need this. I had a baby who spit up and thus, I needed a lot of these. Start with a pack of 10 and if you need more then get it. These cloths are great and super durable.
1x Mat: I was gifted a Lovery Play May and I really loved it. There are other cheaper options here or here, but the lovery play mat was a great addition. They do grow out of it quite quickly though, but worth it as it grows with them.
1x Boppy: I definitely recommend the boppy pillow. It’s a great use of breastfeeding and then afterwards a pillow for them to sit up on
1x Baby Bouncer: I was also gifted Baby Bajorn. This was also really helpful for when I needed to take a shower and see him. The slight rocking helped.
2-10x Mam Pacifiers : We’ve tried them all (looking at you itzy ritzy, dr.brown’s, and philips avent). The winner was mam because it’s small enough for baby to reach for himself and hold. The larger ones while adorable were difficult when he was small to keep into his mouth.
2-5x Pacifier Clips: If you are going to use a paci, get a clip. Pacifiers go missing all the time. You’ll be thankful for these
2-10x Dr. Brown’s bottles : The bottle of all bottles. For babies with acid reflux (like ours), these were a lifesaver. We tried Como Tomo, Philips Avent, and Mam, but Dr. Brown’s worked best. Como tomo while nice is easy to spill (hello crying over spilt milk), mam’s nipple allowed him to guzzle too quickly and the avent flow ones made a strange whirling noise when he was eating which sounded like air (not good!). The only con about them is cleaning them. They are really a pain to clean.
1x Baby Bottle Cleaning Brush : Trust me you will need this. Super helpful to get into those tiny crevices. Whether you use this one or another, you do need it.
1x Baby Tub: It’s just easier. You could do it in the sink, but honestly it was easier to have this bath tub to wash baby B in the first few months.
Diapers and wipes are a give-in. Take advantage of what the hospital gives you. We are a pampers household.
Last but not least, formula. Just have it on hand just in case. Seriously, you rather have it just in case.
Surviving the Sleepless Nights: Sleep Essentials
The Swaddles (0-6 months)
1x Ollie: Great for the early months when both arms need to be swaddled. It wasn’t the softest or warmest, but it did the job. I found this through Taking Cara Babies.
2x SwaddleMe: a great softer version of the Ollie and I ended up switching Ollie for Swaddle Me because it felt more comfortable
2x Dreamup swaddle: Great for months 4-5, specifically the transition one to get his arm out (when they don’t want to be swaddled)
Sleep Sacks (5-12 months)
2-3x Sleep Sacks Ry & Pen have great sleep sacks. I had 3 that I rotated through in case of a blowout. I loved how minimalist and soft they were. We often took them with us traveling!
Creating a Cozy Nest: Sleeping + Nap Arrangements and Accessories
1x The Halo: The best. We used this the most when he was a newborn because it sits right by the bed. Truly loved the Halo as the nightside bassinet.
The Dockatot: This was gifted to me and honestly I loved it when I just needed to move things around the house. My rule was only to use it when B was in eyesight.
Hatch Sound Machine: Our go-to that stays next to the crib. It’s great because you can control it from an app in the room or on the other side
The Nanit: We have a love hate relationship with the nanit. If you are getting a nanit, we do recommend you have an extra ipad lying around to use it with. It’s not practical to have it always on your phone
You can venturing out with these on-the-go Essentials
Artipoppe Carrier: A splurge, but worth every penny. It’s the softest and easiest to strap on. It worked for us from the newborn stage and is still our go-to for travel. It is really a splurge at $400, but given that I used this all the way up until he was walking around it was worth it. It’s the carrier I use at home to do things and while we are traveling. Take it from someone who now has 5 carriers (yes, you saw that right – five including: boba wrap, lillebaby and ergobaby). Your carrier will be your best friend. It’s much easier than a stroller in my opinion, especially if you plan on traveling. I have the
Tushbaby Carrier: There was a point where I wanted just an easier way to hold my baby (around 4 months) that wasn’t as cumbersome as the straps. Tushbaby is an answer to that and great for toddlers.
Navigating Parenthood: Strollers and Car Seats
Uppa Baby Vista: Yes, I bought the giant rolex version of a stroller. My honest opinion is that it’s far too big. We have a BMW X3 and this stroller takes up the entire back seat. We use this stroller around San Francisco. It has great storage and I have friends swear by it but for us it’s so big! Maybe it will be better when we have 2 kids, but for now it feels huge.
Yoyo2: This is the best stroller. Truly and honestly, it’s small compact and perfect for traveling. It fits in the overhead compartment which means you don’t have to check it.
Car Seat
Uppa Baby Newborn Car Seat:To match the uppa baby vista we do have the newborn car seat. It is nice to transfer from car to stroller (although we really didn’t do it often because the stroller doesn’t fit in our car). So in theory it’s great, but it was very comfortable. We did have to get 2 of these and an extra base for another car.
Adding Comfort and Convenience: Essential Accessories
Portable Sound Machine: Perfect for car rides and outings. We have two, and they are lifesavers.
AMMA Nursing Cover: I swear by these and it’s what I gift moms all the time. I have them in 2 colors and will get black as well, but it’s the only nursing cover that makes me feel like a human and not a sack. I also use this as a stroller cover and a blanket.
Finding the Perfect Diaper Bag: A Journey of Trials and Triumphs
Diaper bags is of the places I ended up testing a lot of options (6 to be exact). Here is my list of good products:
Definitive Favorite- No Reception Club Bag (although it is slightly big for everyday wear). This is THE bag if you plan on jetsetting around the world. There really is nothing better. It was designed to get everything in and out easily. Endless pockets for everything you need.
Everyday Diaper Bag- I recommend Dagne Dover medium if you want something for everyday. It’s cute, durable and can hold just enough
Best for Trendy Moms Diaper Bag- I recommend Beis insert that you can use with an everyday bag like La Tote or a Louis Vuitton.
Baby Tips: Pumping
I was an exclusive pumper for B. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My hope and wish for you is that you never have to do it. But if you do, here are the tools I recommend:
Medela In Style – It’s ok and does the job. The wear and tear is high. Looking back, I probably would have gone with the Spectra over medela pump. Make sure to ask your insurance to cover your pump vs. buying it! If you end up pumping a lot, make sure to buy all of the accessories!
The elvie – There’s so much to love and hate. On the love side: it allows you to be free from a wall, carry your baby (halfhazardly), and be out and about without people realizing you are pumping. On the hate side: sometimes it didn’t pull enough out and the parts can be a nightmare and a half to clean. If you end up pumping for awhile and need something on the go, I do recommend springing for it if you can.
Avoiding Regret: Items I Wish I Hadn’t Bought (Things you don’t need)
I’ve linked the things I bought for reference for the newborn stage, but honestly wouldn’t recommend these products. Hopefully this is a helpful guide.
A crib: You really don’t need this until 8 months or after. We spent so much time worrying about getting the crib and the nursery up and ready, but didn’t use this at all until afterwards.
The Snoo: Oh, the snoo debate is real amongst parents. Do you need it? I have friends who swear by it and I have friends who don’t. Our family falls perfectly within the no snoo. We tried it by renting it through loop. The biggest thing for us is the shaking actually made things worst. The shaking is a bit violent.
Milk Warmer: We have one of these and never used it. Totally depends on your baby, but the secret is – you can feed your baby cold milk. We never warmed up the milk for B and he actually ended up preferring cold milk.
My breast friend pillow: I wanted to love this thing so much, but honestly it was a pain to go grab every time you need to feed. I found a better use with boppy than this pillow. Everyone is different though
Baby Brezza Sanitizer and Dryer: Ok so we did use it. I’m on the fence about it. One of the things that stressed me out to no end was the amount of sanitizing and drying we had to do for all the stuff. A huge pot that you boil also works, but if you are tired and lazy then get a bottle sanitizer and dryer. This is totally dependent on if your baby even needs a bottle. Otherwise it’s just counter space that it takes up.
Diaper Pad & Wet Wipe Warmer: We also bought these. To be honest, it lasted such a short time. A changing pad on the floor and cold wet wipes are much easier to change than looking for the pad. They are super cute and trendy, but honestly not needed.
Butt paste wand: I tried really hard to only use this. This lasted me a week, you will find it easier to use your hands and wash them. My husband also laughed at me endlessly for getting this in the first place, but you live and learn.
The Nanit Breathing Monitor or Owlet Sock: We bought this and used it once. It’s honestly really silly and did not give us peace of mind at all. You DO NOT need this. Hard pass. Truly you don’t need this
The Beis “Ultimate” Diaper Bag: I loved this at first, but the quality is meh. It fell apart after our first trip and their customer service was so unhelpful. The handle ripped off after the first trip and then started moving to the actual strap. It truly is spacious and practical, and it fit everything including my pump and cooler for pumped milk. But the quality isn’t there to warrant the price.
The Bumbo: Hard pass. We used this once. You really don’t need it. Use the boppy and some pillows.
More than 5x toys, rattles, spaces – Toys truly come later. Your newborn will be happiest just starting at you or at black and white printable cards like these. Save the space. Keep it minimal. I wish I knew this starting out because I ended up with a ton of random toys
From My Heart to Yours: Five Golden Tips for Newborn Parents
These are the 5 things I would say for anyone with a newborn:
- Allow and ask for help: Truly and honestly, take advantage of anyone who will help!
- Food Service: Sign up for a microwave meal service or have people cook for you. It was essential in those first few weeks. You are not going to want to clean, cook or do anything
- Formula Stash: Have some formula on hand for peace of mind. Don’t listen to the nurses harass you about breast is best. Fed is best. Your sleep is best.
- Allow the Mess: Sleep when the baby sleeps and don’t stress about cleaning
- Video and Photograph Everything: The newborn stage goes by so fast, and capturing those precious moments is invaluable.
Having a friend with a baby a few weeks older than mine was a godsend. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or for support!
Remember, every journey is unique, and these baby tips are here to help you navigate the beautiful chaos of the newborn stage. Happy parenting!
