Building Your Nursery/ Babyproofing

                      Stocking the Nursery – What Do You Need for Your Newborn?

Buying what you need for your new baby can be an overwhelming and expensive experience. What do you need, what should you buy? How expensive is it all? It can indeed be expensive, but savvy prospective parents know that second-hand shops and garage/yard sales are great places to find baby items. *Please keep in mind that it is not recommended that a car seat or crib be purchased "used" for safety reasons.* Babies only use these things for a little while and often you can find items you need at bargain prices. Also, a baby shower is a great party to have before baby is born so that people can gift you a lot of these items. Don’t forget to create a registry at your favorite store that sells baby necessities. 

But what do you need? And what exactly is a necessity (must haves) and what is a “luxury” (nice to have?) Here’s a list of things to help you figure out what you are going to want to get for your impending new family member.

For Sleeping

     Necessity: Crib, bassinet (or bedside bassinet), crib sheets, bassinet sheets, swaddle, sleep sack 

For Feedings

     Necessity: Burp cloths, bibs, bottles, bottle warmer (mini crockpot), bottle brush

     Luxury: Electric bottle warmer (portable), bottle sterilizer

For Diapering

     Necessity: Diapers (disposable and/or cloth*), butt cream, diaper pail

     Luxury: Wipe warmer, diaper pail that seals diaper in a bag

Furniture (equipment)

     Necessity: Crib, dresser, swing, car seat, stroller, high chair

     Luxury: Changing table, rocking chair

Play

     Necessity: Teethers, pacifier, small toys, stuffed animals, a crib mobile, activity mat, boppy, bouncy seat

*A note about the Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play..."It can’t be sold at all, whether it’s new, used, online, you selling it at a garage sale, or donating it, it’s illegal now,” says Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids In Danger (KID), a nonprofit organization that advocates for safer product design for children. “In addition, it has been illegal for over a decade to sell a recalled product, which these are now, because they are deadly. But they’re still everywhere.” https://www.romper.com/life/rock-n-plays-facebook-marketplace-recall

Safety

     Necessity: Outlet covers, cupboard locks, monitor, toilet seat lock, door knob locks

     Luxury: I hesitate to list any safety items as a luxury although there are many that some families don’t find necessary.

Clothing – recommended in sizes 0 – 3 months & 3 – 6 months. As a guide: newborn is 5-8 lbs., 0-3 mo. is 7-12 lbs., 3-6mo is 12-17 lbs. and preemie is up to 7 lbs. Please be aware this guide is for US sizing.

     Necessity: Hangers, receiving blankets, sleepers (footed pajamas) 5-8, onesies (snap in the crotch, come in short & long sleeved) 7-10, socks 7-10, pants 3-5, baby hats 2 (note: it is not recommended that baby wears a hat to sleep), gowns (great for sleeping in for quick night changes) 4-6. Coat and/or snowsuit in cold climates. Note: Keeping a baby in a coat or snowsuit while in their car seat is not recommended.

     Luxury: Any fancy outfit you love for your baby.

Breastfeeding

     Necessity: Pump, pads, bra, cup inserts, nipple shield, bags, bottles (see my blog post to see my recommendations for good bottles for breastfeeding babies), bottle warmer, boppy, breastmilk storage bags, cooler bag for transporting milk.

     Luxury: Breast pump (if not going back to work may not be a necessity), bottle sterilizer.

Bath

     Necessity: Tub, baby wash, lotion, washcloths, towels

Misc. 

 Changing Table Diaper Bag, Baby brush & comb, nail clippers or kit, nasal aspirator, thermometer 

     Luxury: Designer diaper bag

*Cloth diapers – A great way to reduce your carbon footprint with just a little bit of extra work. If you plan on washing once a week, you’ll need close to 96 diapers for a newborn and 64 for a 3 – 6-month-old. Keep in mind most cloth diaper makers will also sell diaper rash cream as commercial creams can damage the integrity of the diaper.1

This is by no means an exhaustive list and every family needs different things more or less. Hopefully, this gives you a jumping-off start. 

Source:

1 Mary Sweeney, BSN, RN, CEN. How Many Cloth Diapers Do You Need? Moms Love Best. Updated March 15, 2022. Available at: https://momlovesbest.com/how-many-cloth-diapersAccessed on April 7, 2023.

Here's an article about more "luxury items" although I do not recommend a "newborn baby nest" for safe sleeping practices. 

https://twentytwowords.com/37-baby-items-you-need-in-your-nursery/?utm_source=facebook-av14&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=av14-23853392483160517&utm_term=av14-azc-multi-test-reboot-fm85-toys-033023-20&azo=av14-azc-multi-test-reboot-fm85-toys-033023-20&utm_content=23853392484650517

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