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Hey everyone! Welcome to part 2 of my MEGA LIST of new mom must-haves! These are all the products I found to be the most useful as a first time mom. It can be so overwhelming to figure out what stuff you’ll need and what you should add to your baby shower registry. These are those products that I wish I had put on my own registry! If you’re pregnant and feeling overwhelmed, hopefully this list will help you out.
To read PART ONE of this list, which details all my favorite products for baby sleep, feeding, nursing, cleaning, and clothing, CLICK HERE!
Baby Registry Must-Haves: Diapering and Bathing
- Diaper cream
I swear by Phytoplex Z Guard paste. This is what they used on Josie’s bottom while she was in the NICU and I’ve purchased it from Amazon ever since. I prefer it over all the other diaper creams I have tried.
- Aquaphor
Aquaphor has so many uses. For us, it came in handy when Josie began to develop drool rashes around her mouth. A lot of people also apply it to eczema and diaper rashes.
- Eucerin baby lotion
I use Eucerin Baby Eczema Relief Body Cream on Josie’s skin daily. We originally purchased it because Josie had pretty bad eczema flares when she was little. This was the only lotion that made any difference on her rashes. Now that Josie’s eczema has mostly subsided, I still apply this lotion on her skin every night as a daily moisturizer.
- Changing pad liners
When Josie was still sleeping in her bassinet in my bedroom, I bought a bunch of these changing pad liners to change her on my bed. I used to keep the bassinet next to my bed, and I would simply lay a changing pad liner on my mattress to change Josie when she needed a new diaper. These liners are water resistant, so they protected my mattress from urine leaks.
Once Josie started sleeping in her own room, I just started using these on her changing table instead. They are also great for travel. I pack one in my diaper bag whenever we leave the house, then I just pull it out and lay Josie on it to change her wherever we were.
- Rolling changing table cart
I purchased this Delta changing table with wheels so I could move it around easily. It’s super affordable and convenient, and has held up well over time. It also has shelves where I can store diapers, wipes, creams, etc.
- Baby brush
I have a brush with very soft bristles, similar to this one. It worked wonderfully for brushing the hairs on Josie’s sensitive newborn scalp.
- First Years Sure Comfort baby tub
I just used this tub on my bed or the bathroom floor until Josie was big enough to use the regular tub. It’s a pretty basic tub but it worked well for our needs!
- Hand mitt wash cloths
Let’s be honest – those thin little baby washcloths suck! I love washing Josie with washcloths that you can put on your hand like a glove. They allow you to really clean all your little one’s cracks and crevices. Plus it’s much easier to grip your slippery soapy baby while using these.
- Mustela shampoo and body wash
Mustela foam shampoo and Mustela Stelatopia cleansing cream are my go-to bath products for Josie because they are very gentle, and they are formulated specifically for babies with eczema and cradle cap. Since Josie struggles with both of these issues, I feel good washing her with these products. Plus they smell wonderful!
- Munchkin shampoo rinser
This is a flexible pitcher that is great for rinsing your baby’s hair and body in the tub!
- Cradle cap brush
Josie had cradle cap as an infant. This little scrubby brush was good for washing her scalp and cleaning away the dry skin. There is also a built-in comb to tame her wild toddler curls. She also just loves the feeling of having her scalp massaged with this brush!
- Pampers Swaddlers diapers + Amazon Mama Bear diapers
I’ve tried a lot of diaper brands, and Pampers Swaddlers are still my favorite overall. They fit Josie well and are the best at absorbing. Another brand I love is actually Amazon’s brand, Mama Bear. These diapers work surprisingly well and are quite a bit cheaper than Pampers. Try them out if you’re on a tight budget!
- WaterWipes
WaterWipes are gentle on eczema-prone skin, they smell nice, and they clean messes really well! Read more about why I love them here.
- Bath toys
Bath toys are so important for making bath time less of a train wreck in our house. Josie is not a fan of getting her head wet, so I throw tons of rubber ducks, foam letters, and stacking cups into the tub to distract her. Once she gets a little older I plan to purchase the Munchkin Fishin’ bath toy and Boon Building Bath Pipes – they just look like so much fun!
- OXO wipes dispenser
As I stated before, my all time favorite baby wipes are WaterWipes. Ever since I first tried them, I’ve been obsessed and I’ve never bought another brand. The only downside to WaterWipes is that the “resealable” part of the package tends to lose its stickiness quickly due to the wetness of the wipes. As a result, the package stays open and the wipes tend to dry out.
To solve this problem I bought this wipes dispenser. It works perfectly for WaterWipes! It has a weighted piece inside to help you pull out one wipe at a time (instead of a huge handful). This dispenser also opens easily – all you have to do is press the top down – so you don’t have to worry about fiddling with a difficult package when you’re wrestling a baby out of a poopy diaper!
Baby Registry Must-Haves: Health & Safety
- Thermometers
I have a digital forehead thermometer and a rectal thermometer similar to this one. These are important to have if the baby spikes a fever. I’ve already used them several times.
- Baby Tylenol and Baby Motrin
Tylenol and Motrin are great to have on hand for colds and fevers as well as teething! Just check with your child’s doctor first, and use sparingly.
- Gas drops
These Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops were great to have in my “baby first aid kit.” Josie definitely had an upset tummy quite a bit due to antibiotics, formula changes, new foods, etc. These drops helped her get some relief.
- Maty’s All Natural Baby Chest Rub
This chest rub was given to me at my baby shower and I love it. Since Vick’s VapoRub is not safe for infants, this stuff is a great natural substitute. It has a nice natural smell that helps to relieve congestion. I rub in on Josie’s chest whenever she gets a bad cold.
- NoseFrida Snot Sucker
Another tool that I love for treating baby congestion is the NoseFrida Snot Sucker. Many PRS/cleft parents also use the NoseFrida for getting food out of their baby’s nose, which can be a big issue with cleft palate babies. It might seem gross to “suck” the snot out of your baby’s nose, but this thing really works! When your baby is sick you will do whatever you can to give her some relief, believe me!
- Saline drops
This was another element of my baby first aid kit. This saline spray helps to loosen congestion in the nose. I always spray it in Josie’s nose before using the NoseFrida, or before bed when she’s sick.
- Baby nail file
I preferred nail files over clippers when Josie was tiny because clippers scared me! I still use a file on her nails at 19 months.
- Baby probiotic
We decided to give Josie a probiotic because she was on antibiotics for 4 months after her jaw distraction, and had to repeatedly take more antibiotics throughout her first year of life due to ear infections. After doing a lot of research I settled on Probonix brand drops. These drops can also be helpful for soothing colicky babies.
- Needle-less syringes
These syringes work well for squirting meds in a baby’s mouth. Since Josie took so many pain meds and antibiotics over the course of her multiple surgeries, these syringes definitely came in handy in our house.
- Baby toothbrushes and toothpaste
I use Jordan Step 1 baby toothbrushes, Hello fluoride-free toothpaste (watermelon flavor), and Orajel Paw Patrol fluoride toothpaste (bubble berry flavor). I purchased these when Josie’s teeth started to emerge. Before then, I usually just cleaned her gums with a wet cloth.
I don’t have much to say about the toothpastes other than Josie seems to like the flavors… But as for the toothbrushes, these are great because they fit well in Josie’s little mouth, and the unique shape makes them easy for her to hold so that she can practice “brushing” her own teeth!
- iBaby baby monitor
I received the iBaby baby monitor as a gift and it has worked really well for us. It has an app so you can check on your baby remotely using your phone. You can also rotate the camera, take pictures/video, play music, and even speak through the monitor using your phone. It’s not the greatest picture quality but I can definitely see what I need to see and hear what I need to hear. It even has night vision. My only complaints are that it is difficult to mount (I currently have mine positioned on top of a tall bookcase so that it can view down into the crib) and sometimes it has a hard time staying connected to our WiFi (which honestly could be more of a problem with our WiFi than this monitor).
- Outlet covers, baby gates, and other baby proofing stuff
Pretty self explanatory. It’s helpful to purchase and install this stuff before the baby even comes, so you don’t have to worry when baby starts crawling and getting into everything.
Must-Haves: Playtime & Travel
- Musical toys
My kid LOVES music and dancing. These toys are her all-time favorites! They have great tunes and are educational, too.
VTech Lil’ Critters Moosical Beads
VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube
Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Around The Town Learning Table (This is the newer model of the activity table Josie loves!)
- Turtle activity gym
The Infantino 3-in-1 Grow With Me Activity Gym is great for tummy time and exercise for younger babies. The best part is that it grows with the baby. It can even be turned into a ball pit! So you can get good use out of this toy for many months.
- A soft rug or mat
I have hard flooring in my house, so I purchased this huge beautiful shag area rug to provide some cushioning when Josie was learning to roll, crawl, and walk. We also bought this big double-sided play mat from the brand Wander & Roam, which is wonderful for floor play. We got this one specifically because it’s PVC free.
- Play yard
This play yard was so helpful in my house when Josie started crawling and walking. I used it to create a “cat zone” – basically I blocked off a section of the living room where I kept the litter boxes, which allowed the cats to have some privacy and a safe space away from the baby, while keeping the baby from getting into the kitty poop! These panels work great to form a standalone playpen, to block large doorways, or to section off areas that you don’t want your baby getting into.
- Banana teether
So far Josie hasn’t really needed to chew much to relieve teething pain, but when she does, she prefers her banana teether. It’s easy to hold and the bristles feel good on her gums.
- Fisher Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat with Tray
I loooved this little seat! By the time Josie was only a few months old, she wanted to sit up so badly, but she didn’t have the muscle strength to support herself alone yet. This cute little chair helped her sit up until she was strong enough to sit by herself.
- Fisher Price Rainforest Jumparoo
The Rainforest Jumparoo was Josie’s favorite toy EVER. It’s so fun for both mommy and baby. As soon as I put Josie in it she would go crazy with bouncing and giggling. This was one investment that was worth every cent in my opinion.
- Board books
Board books are everything in our toddler-run house! Josie absolutely loves to “read” and she also loves to bend the pages of books on purpose. So the obvious solution is BOARD books that she can’t destroy! Here are some of our faves:
Happy Baby Colors by Roger Priddy
First 100 Words by Roger Priddy
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie by Natalie Marshall
Hello, World! Dinosaurs by Jill McDonald
Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Clubhouse My First Library
- Fisher Price Little People
Josie adores her Little People collection. She has lots of animals and characters, and she has lots of fun learning the name of each figure. For her second Christmas, I even purchased the Little People Frozen Kristoff’s Sleigh set and Little People Frozen Elsa’s Ice Palace set, and Josie now likes to carry the Elsa and Anna Little People figures around in each hand. These are also toys that will continue to grow with Josie, which is why I feel good buying them for her.
- DIY ball pit
Here’s a fun mom hack. A cheap and easy way to keep your baby entertained is to buy a kiddie pool from the dollar store and fill it with plastic balls. Instant ball pit! This is also great for kids’ birthday parties!
- Toy organizer
I used to keep Josie’s toys in several storage boxes, stacked in the living room. It made the toys easy to rotate, but it definitely didn’t look pretty.
Once Josie started learning to crawl and stand, she learned how to lean on these boxes and usually just ended up knocking the whole stack over. I decided she needed an organizer that would allow her to easily see and access the toys she wanted.
This Tot Tutors toy organizer fits the bill for us! It’s not the most sturdy thing ever but it’s holding up fine so far. I love being able to keep all the toys organized, and Josie’s favorite game is pulling out the toys and throwing them on the floor. At least it keeps her entertained!
- Diaper bag backpack
When Josie was little I used a traditional purse-style diaper bag. Now that she’s older I definitely prefer using a backpack like this one. It allows me to have my arms free for grabbing my constantly-on-the-move toddler, and it’s just much easier to carry in general.
- Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier
When Josie was small, I put her in this baby carrier all the time to go for walks in the sunshine. It’s such a nice way to be close to your baby and still remain hands free. I also found this particular carrier to be very comfortable and breathable, so neither of us were left sweating after our walks.
- Babytrend Snap N Go Universal Stroller
This universal stroller is neat because it will fit any car seat. It’s also lightweight and pretty affordable. It’s not the fanciest stroller but it did the job well, and because it is universal we can also use it for future babies.
Well that’s every product I could possibly think of that made my life easier after I gave birth! I am also planning on making a similar post about products that are more centered on self-care for new moms, so stay tuned. What was your MUST-HAVE item when you gave birth? Was it on my list? Let me know in the comments!
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