Baby girl has been earthside for three months now, so I thought I'd compile a list of our favorite newborn essentials that got us through the first three months of life.
Mylicon Gas drops were a lifesaver. At 3-4 weeks old, Viv started getting some serious gas pains and would scream out in pain. After an unsuccessful attempt with gripe water, my friend recommended these drops. After a midnight Kroger run, Viv finally got some relief from all that gas! *And we got some sleep*.
When researching gas relief products for newborns, I found a lot of mom's recommending Gerber Soothe Probiotic. I followed up with the pediatrician and asked her if she approved and she said she definitely recommends a probiotic for all newborns. She hadn't mentioned anything to me up until this point, so I'm glad I found the recommendation in an online forum. We started implementing the probiotic the following morning. I would breast pump and put 1 ounce in a bottle and add the recommended 5 drops to the bottle every morning. We definitely saw a change over the next couple of weeks. She hasn't been nearly as gassy or fussy as she was previously. Important to note: The pediatrician recommended that we continue to use the probiotic daily, whether she was gassy or not. At $30/bottle, it's a little pricey, but totally worth it!
Mommy's Bliss Gripe Water wasn't great for gas but it's been great for hiccups! If Viv had hiccups, I would mix this in her bottle and the hiccups seemed to fade rather quickly.
We LOVED the Halo Swaddle. Viv would Houdini her way out of every cotton swaddle blanket. Velcro. Is. Life. This was my favorite swaddle. I went and purchased one for my friends who were pregnant following me. A must-have! She was in the newborn size Halo Swaddle for 8 weeks but we could see that she was getting too long for it so we transitioned her to the next size, 3-6 months. Again, the best investment ever.
I never imagined how many BIBS you could go through in a day with a newborn. Viv seemed to be spitting up a lot and we'd go through 5+ bibs a day. I was gifted a bib and burp cloth by "Three Marthas" and they're my absolute favorite. I found them to be the most absorbent rags & bibs I tried.
Link: $10 bibs/rags or $20 sets: https://www.3marthas.com/drooler-bib-burp-sets-2-70
We have the Munchkin Bottle Drying Rack and I love it. It's not too big and it's not too small. It doesn't take up a lot of counter space.
We got our Changing Pad off Amazon. I place it on the kitchen countertop so that I can lay her down and dry her off after bath time. I love how convenient it's been. It has barrier's on the side too so I don't have to worry about her rolling off if I turn my back.
Link: $20 Changing pad + $20: 3-Pack Changing Pad Sheets
While we loved the "3 Martha" burp cloths, these Gerber burp cloths were less expensive and worked just as well. They're plain white and come in a 10-pack. They're thick and absorbent and will last through multiple feedings.
Link: $10 for a 10-pack Gerber Cloth Diapers (Burp Rags)
Who knew I'd have an opinion on Newborn Socks, but I do! I received socks with a "turn cuff" and socks without. I preferred the ones that folded over because they wouldn't come off as quickly or easily as the ankle socks.
Link: $18.99 for 9 pairs: Turn cuff ankle socks on Amazon
Viv slept in a bassinet for the first three months. Personal preference here but we only spent $30 and it ended up being the best lightweight bassinet to move towards & away from the bed. I heard the HALO bassinets were really heavy.
Link: $45 Amazon Bedside Bassinet
We bathed Viv in the infant tub above the kitchen sink for the first three months. Once she started splashing everywhere, we moved it to the bathroom. *Edit* At 6 months, I felt like the plastic tub was growing uncomfortable so we transitioned her to a small blow-up tub and it's the cutest thing.
Link: $19.99 Newborn Tub
Link: $14.99 Inflatable Tub
Personally, I thought I would love zipper onesies with a newborn, but I didn't. I preferred nightgowns. That was all she wore for the first few weeks of life. So much easier to deal with than buttons or zippers!
Link: $14.99 Unisex Cotton Gowns
Baby's nails grow so fast! I never knew. My friend recommended these scissors and they've been great.
Link: $6.29 Safety Nail Scissors
Bulb/Nose Frida came in handy for baby's first cold. Sometimes the Nose Frida wasn't as successful as the nose bulb though, so I thought it was good to have both. Boogie Mist was another great product I used with her first cold. She was so stuffy so I used this several times a day to flush her nasal passages and provide some relief. I would also recommend a dehumidifier which provided us both so much relief during her first cold.
Link:$15 Nose Frida
Link: $5 Boogie Mist
Link: $30 Vicks Dehumdifer + Lavender Vapo Pads
Medela bottles + 8oz. Mason Jars. I use a Medela breast pump, so extra bottles are always great for traveling and being on the go. I found a bundle of bottles on eBay for a lot less than what they were selling for in-store. Initially, I was freezing my breastmilk in plastic storage bags but a friend suggested storing my milk in mason jars instead. I haven't used a plastic storage bag since. I purchased 3 cases of 8 oz. mason jars from Walmart and stacked them in our deep freeze. Planning ahead, I would pull a couple of mason jars from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight so it would be ready to use the next day. Easy peasy and you don't have to worry about the toxins in plastic breaking down in your milk.
That wraps up my list of favorite essentials for a newborn. If you're expecting a new arrival soon, congratulations and welcome to the club! If you find yourself in need of more recommendations, don't hesitate to ask!
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