Let's start at the beginning of the parenting experience. Your partner is (or you are) pregnant! Or your adoption came through! Shock. Denial, perhaps? Acceptance. Baby Registry. Joy.
I'll go ahead and cover some basics that should be on any registry, and then jump right into recommendations that could potentially remove common pain points for first-time parents. My aim is to cover non-perishable items that will make your lives easier at home for the first six months of your baby's life. Stay tuned for future posts on travel items and, potentially, items beyond the first six months.
The Essentials
I gotta give credit where it's due, so most of these items are from this Dad parenting book: We're Pregnant!: The First Time Dad's Pregnancy Handbook: Everything You Need to Know for Your Partner & Baby by Adrian Kulp. I'll include some additional obvious items, and link specific products if we recommend what we have.
- Infant car seat (the hospital won't let you leave without one that adjusts to the size of your little one; consider options that snap in and out of car adapters and strollers)
- Stroller (try to get hands-on experience if possible, there's a lot out there)
- Baby carrier (test these out as well, since style preference may depend on who is wearing it)
- Diaper bag (again, style may depend on who is wearing)
- Layette (aka a set of newborn clothing) that covers months 0–3, 3–6, and 6–9. Aim to get the following for each three-month stage:
- 7 to 8 one-piece baby sleep outfits with footsies and built-in hand covers (get ones that zip up in the front for easy access, especially for those middle-of-the-night changes)
- 5 long-sleeve onesies and 5 short-sleeve onesies
- 5 pull-up pants (leg warmers apparently work just as well, and you don’t even have to take them off when changing baby)
- 4 breathable swaddling blankets
- 2 hats
- 7 to 8 pairs of socks and booties
- 1 snowsuit (for the winter months)
- Laundry detergent for the above (preferably hypoallergenic to start)
- Crib, mattress, mattress cover, and crib sheets (consider a three-in-one that can convert into a toddler bed as baby grows)
- Bassinet (we chose one with a cover to keep out the cats 😺)
- Baby monitor (I like ones that don't actually connect to the Internet - I don't need hackers with too much time on their hands viewing the feed or talking through it)
- Bottles, a breast pump if breastfeeding (these can often be obtained through your insurance company for free or a low price), and formula if not breastfeeding
- Dish soap for the above
- High chair and eating utensils
- Bibs and burp cloths
- Newborn-size disposable or cloth diapers and wipes
- Diaper Genie (or some sort of system to contain all those diapers you’re about to change)
- Baby bathtub and toiletries, including towels
- Baby first aid kit, thermometer, healing ointment, and nail clippers
- Baby bouncer
- Pacifiers and teethers (sometimes these are the only things that soothe)
- Rattles (not a ton, but a few to keep the little one entertained)
- Books!! (our favorites will be covered in a separate blog post)
The Pain Point Relievers
The following items have (almost) all been hand-tested by my wife and I, and I can say that they successfully relieve very specific pain points that we either had, or would have had, without them. And as a bonus, each of these items will run you $50 or less!
- Voice assistant in room
Pain point: "I'm in the baby room, and I need a hands-free way to... play music / stop music on a timer / broadcast messages to my partner / lookup quick baby facts / control my smart devices / set a timer until the next feeding / check the weather before choosing clothing / etc.!"
Recommendation: Google Nest Mini. A hands-free assistant can be almost indispensable when you have a newborn, especially an assistant that plugs into whatever smart ecosystem you may already have. Stay tuned for a future post on custom commands you can try. - Temperature sensor
Pain point: "I'm in the baby room, and it feels so much hotter / colder than the rest of the house!"
Recommendation: Google Nest Temperature Sensor. If you have a smart thermostat, like a Nest, extra sensors can be the best way to regulate temperatures in certain rooms of your house that are far away from your main thermostat. - Changing pad
Pain point: "I'm downstairs and this baby just loaded up his/her diaper, but the changing table is upstairs and I am NOT gonna change a poop on this couch!"
Recommendation: Summer 4 Sided Contour Change Pad. This changing pad is big enough to be comfortable for the baby and protect your furniture, and light and portable enough to be brought and left in any room in your house. - Snot sucker
Pain point: "I'm with the baby and his/her nose is FULL of snot, and he/she won't listen to me no matter how nicely I ask to blow his/her nose!"
Recommendation: Baby Nasal Aspirator NoseFrida. I know, I know, it sounds gross to literally suck out your baby's snot, but luckily there are filters to prevent it from going into your mouth. 🤣 Baby may or may not love this experience, just know you don't have to suck at full force. - Splatter mat
Pain point: "I'm feeding the baby in a highchair, and the mess off the sides is a pure green bean mush bloodbath!"
Recommendation: Large ReignDrop Splat Mat. You'll thank me later for saving your floors, and your time cleaning them. - Stroller organizer
Pain point: "I'm out taking the baby for a walk, but I've got no place to put my drink / phone / mask / hand sanitizer / purse / bag / etc.!"
Recommendation: Skip Hop Stroller Organizer and stroller hooks. We had to try out different organizers until we found one that didn't keep falling down the sides of the stroller, and this one stays in place really well. We actually got different hooks but these look just as good at holding your bags while on the go. Just remember to balance with the weight of your baby, or that stroller will be falling backwards... - Bath kneeler
Pain point: "I'm in the bathroom giving the baby a bath, and this cold, hard, increasingly wet floor is killing my knees!"
Recommendation: Comfortable Bath Kneeler and Elbow Kneeling Rest Pad. Our original brand isn't on sale anymore, but this one will get the job done. If you're old like me now, do your knees a favor and get one of these. - Car seat protector
Pain point: "I'm in the car, and this car seat is scratching up the damn seats!"
Recommendation: Munchkin Auto Seat Protector. Enjoy that extra resell value on your vehicle. ;)
Remember though, the most important thing that you have during those early months, and really the only thing you ever have with you, is your mind and the quality of it. You won't be able to plan and stock for every contingency, and in the moment you won't be able to instantly order and obtain that thing you forgot off Amazon. So take a deep breath, accept the reality of the present moment, and recognize that you're free to act without anything holding you back. Enjoy your moment!
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