When I first started out on this parent journey I was absolutely clueless on what I needed once baby girl got here. I didn’t have many momma friends at all and all I had to go on was Instagram and google searches. However, looking back there are definitely 10 items that I recommend to any new parents out there. These are my must haves!
The number one thing I recommend to new parents is The Snoo by Happiest Baby. It is a sleep bassinet that you can use up until your baby is about 4 – 5 months old that will shush and rock your baby to sleep. This was a Godsend for us! It was developed by baby sleep expert Dr. Harvey Karp who is all about the 5 S’s – Swaddle, Side, Shush, Swing and Suck – the keys to getting your baby to sleep well. Baby girl has been an amazing sleeper since we’ve used this day one. You can buy The Snoo out right or rent it monthly through the site. My friend even found a gently used one on Facebook marketplace and once she was done with it she sold it herself. We ended up renting the Snoo monthly and had signed up for gift cards on our baby shower registry which helped us a lot. It was definitely worth it! We were so sad to say goodbye to it once Violet outgrew it but it served us so well and baby girl is still a great sleeper.
We were absolutely blessed to be gifted an Owlet camera and sock! The Owlet sock shows your baby’s heart rate and oxygen whenever they wear it. Our baby girl is actually a noisy sleeper haha, like scream crying while she is asleep even though she is completely asleep so the first few days we brought her home were a little unbearable. Her sporadic scream cries woke us up even though she was out haha. We moved her to her own room the next day haha but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the Owlet sock on her. Anytime I was worried about her I would just watch her on the Owlet camera and look at her vitals on my Owlet app and feel relief seeing that she was all good. You can use the Owlet up until they are 18 months old so baby girl still fits it and we still use it every night!
Strollers are not cheap! That was the first thing I learned when I started searching for baby gear. I was looking at all the popular strollers like the Nuna that was over $1000 and I couldn’t believe it! I was like, how can I afford that and all the other stuff I need to get her! Then I found the Mockingbird stroller online. It had everything I wanted from the more expensive popular strollers but had a bigger carriage on the bottom to hold my stuff including my 25 lbs Mini Schnauzer and also a pink canopy and all for less than $500! The Mockingbird not only looks great but you can choose what color canopy you want. You can also get attachments that customize the Mockingbird according to your needs, like a bassinet for when they are really young and also a car seat adapter for some of the most popular car seats out there. We had a Chicco Key Fit car seat and got the Chicco Key fit adapter so it was so easy to bring her from the car to the stroller without having to buckle and unbuckle her. As your family grows, the Mockingbird Stroller also can go from a single to a double stroller and there is even an option for a new riding board! Also as she got older we got the snack tray compartment for her to eat her snacks on the go. This stroller is also amazing for Disneyland! When I take my Disney outfit photos, it’s a great “locker” haha.
I had no idea what car seat to get Violet when I first started doing research but I just kept seeing the Chicco Key Fit 30 come up as one of the highest rated so we got it. It was perfect and I felt that Violet was so safe in it. It was available everywhere and I was so happy to see that it was such a staple that many strollers had Chicco key fit 30 adapters for it to fit. We loved our Chicco Key fit!
We love our Newton Crib Mattress for our Mini Crib. It’s an absolute God send and the fact that it is breathable gives me so much relief that I know baby girl could breathe through it! It’s sooooo easy to clean too. You can just unzip the outer cover and throw it in the wash. For more in depth cleaning you can even wash down the breathable core inside the mattress! So easy and gives me one less thing to worry about. If you are looking for the most perfect and safe mattress for your baby use my code “sweet_karen50” for $50 off your Newton Crib Mattress. This item was #gifted but absolutely found I couldn’t live without it! Highly recommend!
Baby girl was a preemie and only about 5lbs when she was born so I knew I wanted a carrier that kept her close and cozy to me in the first few months. I came across the Solly Baby wrap and was kindly gifted an adorable pink polka dotted one from the company. I loved the way the wrap looked and I loved that I could hold baby girl so close to me. It was definitely a need especially for all those pediatrician check ups in the first year of her life. You can use the wrap until your baby is about 25lbs so our baby girl is only about 21lbs and I can still use it for her even though she is 1.5 years old!
Ok, I use my JuJuBe Diaper backpack everywhere I go! I was kindly gifted a few super cute and adorable Hello Kitty JuJube Backpacks and bags from Jujube and I will never ever need a different kind of diaper bag ever again! They are amazing! Most of the bigger backpacks come with a changing pad and enough pockets and zippers for all your diapers, wipes, pacifiers, places for your phone and keys and basically everything you need. Some collections even have matching pacifier pods.
Giving your newborn baby a bath for the very first time is the most nerve wracking thing! I researched over and over on how to give her a bath properly and came across the Angelcare Baby bath and it was perfect! It is easy to clean and the silicone drain holes were gentle on baby girl. It also felt super secure and never moved around in the bath which made me feel safe giving her a bath in it. You can use it until your baby is 6 months old and every time we used it I felt so confident while bathing her.
When figuring out what to bathe baby girl with, of course I had to research the cutest and most popular baby bath products to use. I was first drawn to Tubby Todd through their cute, modern design and when I got to try their products in person I was super impressed with their scents and gentleness on baby girl. Also their All Over Ointment was used on a few diaper rashes for baby girl and was cleared up within a day! I was super impressed. They also have a few Disney collabs that I’m so excited about!
Ok, so yes baby towels are essential to dry up our cute newborns but a Disney Baby Towel turns up the cuteness ten fold! I currently have a Winnie the Pooh Bear one and a Minnie Mouse towel and every time I put the towel hood on baby girl I just can’t take how cute it is!! She also loves looking at herself when she is transformed into Pooh Bear and Minnie Mouse. These towels are musts in our house!
THAT’S ALL FOR MY TOP 10 NEWBORN MUST HAVES!
Soon I’ll also list my favorite baby items for when your baby outgrows the newborn stage. These babies grow so fast and as parents we’re always having to adjust and find new hacks and tips to keep us sane! Subscribe to my blog so you can be up to date on my latest and greatest posts! Also follow me on my Instagram for daily inspo!