Bringing a new baby home is an absolute whirlwind. You are experiencing all kinds of emotions ranging from shouting your excitement from the rooftops to wondering where your old life went. That being said, every single "bringing home baby" situation is different, but the one thing that stays the same is there are certain things you need to have on hand to make caring for baby as seamless as caring for a newborn can possibly be.
I am currently 29 weeks pregnant with my second son. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, hindsight is a wonderful tool. By nature I am a very organized person. I like to get things done waaaay in advance otherwise I drive myself crazy. My first son, Axel, solidified the importance of that. When I was pregnant with Axe, I went in for my 32 week appointment a day early because I started having what I thought were contractions while I was at work. Unfortunelty, I was correct. When my doctor examined me I was 100% effaced and 1cm dilated at 31 weeks and 6 days gestation. The rest of his birth story will be a post for another time, but if you're a control freak like me, I am sure you can imagine that this very off plan situation shot my anxiety through the roof. In terms of being ready with all the necessary items, we were about 85% there at this point...while 85% is perfectly fine for an exam, it is not perfectly fine for bringing home baby. You want to be as close to that 100% as you possibly can be in regards to items needed to make the transition smooth. This time around I am not waiting. I am almost at that 100% nursery readiness mark and have given myself a February 1st deadline to cross the finish line.
If you have kept up with my previous posts, you already know I have a list of things I wish I knew before bringing home baby; focusing on the items you don't really need...the ones that are cute and trendy, but end up being impractical and just take up space. This list here is of the things you absolutely need. The less glamorous, but highly necessary items that I can vouch for from previous experience. I provided some links for the more basic items...left out links for the things people usually want to pick out for themselves. Here we go:
After birth for mama
...Mesh undies [these are actually amazing and I wore them for a long time after haha...they're basically like comfortable Spanx]
...Pads [needed for both vaginal and c section births]
...Stool softener [for vaginal birth]
...Peri wash bottle [for vaginal birth]
...Ice packs [you will need this for either vaginal or c section]
...Comfy lose fitting pants to wear leaving the hospital. Especially for mamas having c sections, you do not want to bring anything with a tight low waistband
Leaving the Hospital [baby stuff]
...Carseat [we have the Uppababy Mesa, which we have been very happy with and will be using for baby no.2]
...Baby backseat mirror
...Comfortable onesie to go home in
...Newborn hat
...Socks if onesie does not have footies
...Blanket
Sleeping
...Bassinet, crib or co-sleeper
...Velcro swaddles or sleep sacks [Nested Bean and Ollie have some good options]
...Zip up or magnetic onesies [as mentioned in previous posts, avoid button ups]
...Pacifiers
...Sound machine or fan [we have the Hatch sound machine and love it. All kinds of white noise settings as well as dim lights of varying colors]
Feeding supplies
...Baby bottles [buy 2 bottles from 2-3 different brands before committing to a whole set. Make sure baby likes the style before investing in a whole crate of them]
...Baby bottle washing solution [we use Castille soap]
...Baby bottle dishwasher basket [we have one by Munchkin]
...Bottle and nipple brush [we have one by Munchkin]
...Bottle drying rack or sterilizer with drying feature [the sterilizer is not a necessarily...just a handy luxury]
...Bibs [lots]
...Burp cloths [lots]
...Formula if you are introducing it right away. Do not stock up on several containers of one brand in case your baby has an issue with it
...Bottle warmer [we have an Avent Phillips one, but you can also just heat up some hot water in a mug and do it that way. I have done it like that a million times]
If you are breastfeeding
...Either rent a pump from the hospital [this is my strong recommendation] or purchase your own
...Extra pump parts so you aren't constantly washing the same set [you can order on Amazon]
...Container to store all the pump parts so they're not all over the place. Honestly, I used a giant mixing bowl, but container store has some cuter options
...Nipple balm [I know...gross..but you will thank me]. Do not wait to be in pain to start using this. Use it right away as prevention!
...Nursing pads so you don't spring a leak in that heather gray top you boldly chose to wear :)
...Nursing cover for when you're in public. Milk Snob has some really cute ones that wash well and are easy to use. It also doubles as a carseat cover.
...If you are nursing you will need a nursing bra
...If you are pumping you will need a pumping bra so you can pump hands free
...Freezer bags for milk storage
Diapering
...Ubbi diaper pale and EXTRA bags
...Changing table topper and pad
...Newborn sized diapers [we use Honest Company subscription]
...LOTS of wipes. You will never end up wasting wipes. They will always get used
...Desitin cream
...Hand sanitizer [for if you don't get a chance to wash your hands right away after changing diaper]
...Wipe warmer [not a necessary item, but wouldn't you want a warm wipe greeting you in the middle of the night rather than a cold one? probably]
Illness...
...Infant Tylenol and Motrin [have these things on hand. Do not wait until you need them]
...Nose Frida
...Little Remedies pure saline spray
...Humidifier
...Rectal thermometer [Vicks has a good one]
Bath and Body...
...Infant safe bath insert [we have the Stokke and it's fantastic...Axel still uses it]
...Infant safe bath soap
...Infant safe lotion
...Nail clippers
...Hooded baby towel
...Baby safety cotton swab
...Soft bristled baby brush
Miscellaneous...
...Stroller [We have the UppaBaby Vista, which I highly recommend. It is functional and easy with fantastic storage underneath. Also expands with your family because it can stack 2 babies]
...Soft carrier that is EASY to put on. You will absolutely want this so you can do things hands free around the house while holding baby
...Diaper BACKPACK. I have mentioned in previous posts that the cute shoulder bags are super trendy and adorable...they are NOT functional. You need one with a backpack feature. You will thank me
PREGNANT MAMAS [and supportive dads] READING THIS...Take a deep breath. I know this sounds like a crap ton of stuff. It is. Newborns require a lot of sh**. This is why I have made this list for you. To reduce the level of anxiety! You will need these things [unless I labeled them luxury items]. Get them before the baby is born. WELL BEFORE the baby is born. You do not want to have to complete these orders and make these decisions when your 8cm dilated and having contractions 2 minutes apart. Do it now. You will need them no matter what so the earlier the better. That way you're locked and loaded for bringing baby home and you can start worrying about something else...newborns tend to give you plenty to worry about so I trust you can find another topic to fixate on:)
I love this list! I second MANY burp cloths. Also, a few soft nursing bras (I got ones meant for sleeping in) have been amazing. They're so much easier than the ones you have to unclip and they're super comfy, especially while you're still learning to nurse and your body is recovering ❤️