Now that I’ve been a mom for over 5 months, a bunch of my family and friends who are now pregnant are messaging me asking what they should actually spend the money to purchase for their new bundle.  I guess it’s because the people in my life KNOW me, which means they know that I pretty minimalistic on my baby purchases.

I will start off by saying that in my situation, I’ve been EXTREMELY fortunate to have some VERY generous friends who gave me lots of their gently hand-me-downs.  For this reason, I’ve actually had to purchase very few things.

Having said that, if I had to do it all over again without any hand-me-downs at all, these would be my top 10 purchases.

1. Car seat

This goes without saying!  This was actually quite stressful for my husband and I to find the “perfect” car seat and we went to look at SO many at the stores.  Each time, we’d walk away completely overwhelmed with even more questions than we walked in with!

My only big piece of advice when hunting for a car seat is to make sure that it fits in your car.  There’s also a great Facebook group that’s run by a bunch of car seat technicians.  It’s easy to post on there the details of your car, how much leg room you need in the front seats and your budget, and you’ll get lots of great advice on car seats to look into.

2. Some sort of bassinet

We were given a second hand super duper bassinet but honestly, A only needed some safe “structure” for him to sleep in.  It was as simple as that.

In hindsight, I would buy one that can firmly stand up on its own on the floor or in our bed so that we can put the bassinet between us and not worry about rolling over on to the baby.  This makes those first few weeks (if not months) of adjusting to having a newborn at home and the multiple middle of the night wake ups to breastfeed MUCH easier.

3. Diaper-related things

a) Diapers

I had intended on using cloth diapers with A but we ran into some health issues for the first 3 weeks of A’s life where we were either admitted to the hospital or running back and forth from home to the hospital at least twice a day.  I ended up opting for disposable diapers that were sourced from green products with no chemicals.

My advice when it comes to diapers is do your research and do what’s best for you.  I went through A LOT of feelings of guilt about not going with cloth or fully biodegradable diapers from an environmental aspect.  However, I had to eventually come to terms with it and settle with a middle ground that didn’t expose my newborn to harsh chemicals but gave my husband and myself the convenience of disposable.  There are many great brands out there but if you’re interested in which one I opted for, feel free to CONTACT ME HERE.

b) A great diaper ointment

I made sure to pick up an organic diaper ointment for A’s bum.  Let’s be honest, I picked up at least 3 to begin with!  I wanted to make sure that it didn’t have any harsh chemicals and that it would do the job at protecting his delicate skin from being stuffed into a diaper all day long.  There are lots of great brands out there but if you’re interested in which one I opted for, feel free to CONTACT ME HERE.

c) Wash cloths and diaper wipes

Again, the environmental aspect made me lean towards the wash cloths.  However, the convenience (and the lesser ick factor!) of disposable diaper wipes was extremely appealing!  I opted to use both.

I tested out a few brands of fully biodegradable diaper wipes and found one that worked best with A’s bum.  I LOVE them.  I would use the diaper wipe for the first (and sometimes second!) wipe when it came to a messy poopy diaper.  Then I’d follow up with a wash cloth to finish the job.

** A random pro tip that I read on my research for baby things that really stuck with me.  When you pick up wash cloths, make sure that you have TWO different types.  My “types” were solid colours of white/teal and patterned.  Decide which type is used on the hands and face, and which type is used on the bum, and stick to that rule!  I thought this was pretty clever.

d) Change table top

I didn’t purchase a change table because I couldn’t wrap my head around making a “bigger” purchase only to have it be used for a couple of years at most.  Instead, we bought a dresser that we hope that A will use well into his teenage years and use a padded change table top on it.

4. Large muslin blankets

A friend had suggested that I buy a bunch of them and I didn’t understand the big appeal initially.  HOWEVER, I can’t rave enough about them!  A good friend gifted me with my first large organic bamboo muslin blanket and I grabbed it one day to use with A and had an AHA moment.

First off, it’s super soft for your new little nugget’s sensitive skin.  But more importantly, it’s extremely versatile.  Of course you can use it as a blanket but that’s just the tip of the ice berg!  You can also use it as a burp cloth, a breastfeeding cover (just tie 2 corners together), a swaddle, a quick sun cover and a bucket seat cover.

It’s great.  Get at least a few.  Get even more if you can.  You will NOT regret it.

5. A white noise machine or app

I didn’t think that a white noise machine would make THAT big of a difference in A’s sleep, so when my brother gifted us with one over the holidays, I didn’t think anything of it.

We live in the city and boy does it make a difference!  We use the ocean waves option and we joke that whenever we decide to brave bringing A on a plane and end up on a beach somewhere, he’s just going to fall asleep everywhere we go and not understand why!

6. Baby wrap/carrier

Jeff and I were in adamant disagreement on the stroller that we each wanted to get.  So my game plan was to just wait it out because I play the long game!

I ended up purchasing a cloth baby wrap initially and with the amount that I used this with A, it was well worth the money within the first month!

I LOVED being able to just wrap him up and he’d comfortable snuggle into my chest and sleep while I was able to have both of my arms free to do all sorts of things like walk the dogs, hold a drink, eat my food, etc etc etc!

I also really enjoyed the fact that because he was well protected in the wrap, it prevented a lot of curious and overly excited people from touching him without my consent.

7. Onesies with ZIPPERS

I can’t even shout this from the roof tops enough for all of the new moms and whoever out there shopping for baby gifts.  Yes, there are TONS of absolutely adorable onesies out there that you’re going to want to buy.  However, hear me out.  Unless it has zippers, just walk away!

Babies are SQUIRMY.  As they get older, they get more and more so!  Trying to button up a full body onesie is the bane of my existence.  I ended up only grabbing the onesies that would zip up and other than putting A in a button onesie to snap a cute photo to send to the lovely person who gifted it to us, that’s ALL he lived in.

Trust me on this one.  Onesies with zippers.  That’s it.

8. A few water resistant cloth bags

I ended up using my MEC backpack as a diaper bag.  But as anyone who knows me, I’m a bit of an organizational obsessed person!  So I purchased a few water resistant cloth bags of an assortment of sizes.

My original thought was to use one for new diapers, diaper ointments, etc.  And another for soiled clothes etc.  I loved it so much that I ended up using 4 of them in my backpack in order to organize everything so that I could just grab it and find what I needed instead of fishing around a big bag looking for one item.

9. Baby glider/swing

We got a baby glider as a hand-me-down from one of our awesomely generous friends.  Having now used it here and there on a daily basis, I would 100% purchase one if I didn’t have it.

We put it on the slowest setting when I want to just sit and enjoy a hot cup of tea for a few minutes.  A seems to thoroughly enjoy it and loves to hang out in it and look at the things around him, and Jeff and I get to relax for a few minutes.  It’s a win win!

10. Baby nail clippers

I won’t lie.  I was completely terrified of clipping A’s nails for the first few times.  And full confession, I actually got Jeff to buy a few baby nail files to ease my anxiety!

I ended up only clipping A’s nails while he slept for the first little while, but thank goodness for baby nail clippers!  They’re the perfect size for baby nails.

For the mamas who are planning on breastfeeding

If you’re planning on breastfeeding, I’d also highly recommend the following:

1. Breastfeeding pillow:  I thought that this was silly bc why not just use a normal pillow!?!  However, it was super helpful to prop up A at the proper angle to feed him.  It also came in incredibly handy for the middle of the night feedings!
2. Breast pump: Every mama’s breastfeeding journey can look different.  This may be worth the investment.  However, you won’t know until you know, so this was a difficult decision for me.  I will say though, it’s pretty easy to get your partner to run out to a baby store to grab one and wash the pieces quickly but thoroughly when you actually need one!
3. Nipple cream: I found a great organic option that I didn’t have to worry about any chemicals being transferred to A.  If you’re breastfeeding or pumping, you’re going to need this!
4. Breast pads: I found a great organic cotton brand (the same brand that I got maternity pads from) that did a great job.  When you and your newborn are first adjusting to the feeding schedule, you’re going to need to put these in your bra.

Let me know what you think about the above list.  Would you add anything extra to the list?  Is there anything on the list that you think shouldn’t be there?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you’d like to work with me to support you during your pregnancy or fourth trimester, CONTACT ME HERE to set up a complimentary 15 min discovery call/meeting to get started.

What’s a discovery call/meeting?  It’s where we get to know each other better to ensure that I’m the right practitioner for you and that you have the opportunity to ask your questions about Naturopathic Medicine before we move forward with an initial Naturopathic consultation.

Here are a few more posts on children’s health or pregnancy that you might also be interested in:

• Pregnancy Care
• What Can or Can’t You Eat When You’re Pregnant?
• BPA & Children
• Change the Way You Talk to Little Girls
• Informative Website for Breastfeeding Moms
• Weight Gain During Pregnancy
• Trying to get pregnant? Test your ferritin levels!
• Top 10 Things to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

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