Baby Checklist – Everything You Need For Your Newborn

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Baby Checklist

Having a baby is such an exciting time in your life, but preparing for their arrival can sometimes be stressful!  When I was pregnant with our first baby I was overwhelmed with figuring out what items I needed and what things weren’t necessary. There were so many options and so many different reviews on every option that it’s almost impossible to know what you’ll need when you’re a first-time mom.

So, I’ve put together a baby checklist to help get you started and hopefully relieve some of the planning stress!

What do you need for a baby?

You might not need all of these things, but it’s a starting point to get you thinking about your must-haves versus your nice-to-haves. 

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Nursery Items

The nursery was one of my favorite things to get ready for our baby.  It made everything feel more real having that room organized and decorated.  We have quite a few hand-me-down items which made it even more special (and it’s a great way to save money if you’re looking to have a baby on a budget!). 

Feeding Items

Whether you are breastfeeding or formula feeding there’s lots to think about when it comes to feeding your baby. 

For newborn:

As a side note, nursing pillows are useful for both breastfeeding and formula feeding.  They help prop up your baby when bottle feeding so it’s more comfortable for both of you.  And they can be used for others things like tummy time and helping your baby sit – so consider getting one regardless of how you plan on feeding your baby!

For a few months later:

Diapering Items

Changing diapers isn’t the most glamourous thing, but it’s necessary.  You really don’t need much to prepare for this.

  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Diaper cream

Travel Items

Inevitably, you will be traveling with your baby.  The first time you leave the house with them it’s a little scary!  Whether it’s for a doctor’s appointment, errands, or a road trip with your baby, these are the items that come in handy!

Health and Safety Items

I had a hard time knowing what type of health and safety items were necessary for a baby.  Did I really need a nose suction bulb? How do I clip a baby’s nails?  Turns out we use the suction bulb regularly because babies have lots of boogers.  And clipping nails is easy with these nail clippers (especially if you do it while they sleep!)

For newborn:

For a few months later:

  • Furniture safety straps
  • Cabinet safety locks
  • Outlet covers
  • Baby gate

Clothing

It’s exciting to shop for baby clothes – there are so many cute onesies and pajamas.  The first 3 months we mostly just put our baby in footed pajamas.  They are the easiest to get on and off and we didn’t have to mess with socks (because they will inevitably fall off).  Having a few onesies and pants was nice if we wanted to put her in something “fancy”…I know that’s not actually fancy, but it feels like it when she’s been in pajamas for days.

Other Items

Here are a few other things to consider getting for your newborn.  We used the wrap carrier and the backpack style carrier a ton in the first few months.  And our play mat gradually got more and more use as our baby was able to hold up her head for longer periods of time.  It was exciting to see her start reaching for the hanging toys and noticing the musical lights.

Overall, babies really don’t need much.  A lot of items are for convenience (but it’s totally fine to splurge on those if you want!).

I hope this baby checklist helps you get started on preparing for your new baby – happy planning momma!

baby essentials checklist
Newborn Baby Checklist (free printable pdf!)

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