14 Essentials for Newborn to 6 Months -

56 Shares

Here are what I am calling my absolute essentials for newborns that we used for our little lady right from when she was a newborn up to 6 months old. To be honest, a lot of stuff on this list will be used well after she is 6 months old! This is a very basic list and there is nothing too extravagant in there. I am sure some of what I have listed below is pretty obvious to many but I’m sharing it anyway!

Truth be told, those first couple of months, you really don’t need too much. Once your baby is feed, warm, has a clean bum and gets lots of cuddles then they have all they need.

You are probably wondering, ‘what exactly do I need for a newborn?’, and well, there is sooooo much stuff available out there it can all be a little overwhelming! Wipe warmers, special baby food blenders, these types of items are not necessary but I think we sometimes feel that we need to have these things. Think about it, when you are out and about you are not going to have a wipe warmer with you are you? Yes, a lot of newborns hate getting their nappy changed and hate the cold wipes even more, mine certainly hated it, but they get used to it! And what is wrong with using a regular blender?! Enough blabbering, read on to see what my newborn essentials are!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See our disclosure policy for more details.

1. Snot Sucker

Yep, sounds gross but does exactly what its named, a snot sucker! As your baby is, obviously, unable to clear their nose, this little gadget should be top of your newborn essentials list. It will ensure that your baby doesn’t get upset because they cant breath through their little nose properly. My daughter has just turned 6 months and I am still using this and imagine I will be using it for another while yet.

2. Saline Spray

Sticking with the stuffy nose situation (because it can cause your baby to wake in the middle of the night and NOBODY wants that!!). Saline spray is for loosening the mucus in the nose, so basically it will help clear the blockage. Another very handy item to have.

3. Baby Bath

This is definitely a must have. My sister in law loaned us their baby bath and it was great. There was an insert that you used when they are first born which was great because there was no way the baby could slip around in the bath. Then as they get bigger you just remove the insert. This bath lasted until our little lady was about 3 months.

4. Natural Sponge

A natural sponge is a much more sustainable option than synthetic sponges. They are far better for sensitive baby skin, softer, more absorbent and last longer. They are also biodegradable. Win win!

5. Hakka Pump

If you are breastfeeding, then this hakka pump is a MUST have. It is quite inexpensive and it can catch a lot of breast milk that may go to loss. While you are feeding baby on one side you attached the Hakka Pump to the other breast and it catches any let down that would otherwise end up been soaked into a breast pad or your bra and top if you have forgotten to out in a breast pad! I would just use it sometimes instead of pulling out the electric pump.

Related: The Best Sleep Training Book Available – How I Sleep Trained My Baby In Just One Week

6. Breastfeeding Pillow

I really had to think did this breastfeeding pillow deserve to be in the essential list as you can just use a regular pillow, but these are much sturdier and I definitely got use out of mine. The reason I think it deserves to be in my essentials list was during those cluster feeding hours, days, weeks…you will REALLY make use of it. To be honest, breastfeeding can bring with it some challenges – you can read about how I breastfed from one breast only here – so having some things that bring you a little comfort is worth it! I think that this is a newborn essential not only if you’re breastfeeding, but also formula feeding.

7. Nipple Shield

I wish I had bought these earlier. I ended up feeding our daughter on one side as it was too sore on the other, but I don’t know why I didn’t think to use a nipple shield then, and now I ended up all lobsided! I got the nipple shields to try and get her used to the texture so she would start taking a bottle instead of breastfeeding. I don’t think they were the reason, but she has started to take the bottle. Now that she has two teeth, nipple shields are a must!

8. Night Light

I honestly hadn’t even thought of buying a night light but I was given a couple (by my sister in law again!) It was really handy for the first few weeks so that I could peep into her Moses basket and check on her without turning on a bright light. Here is an inexpensive set of lights.

9. Large Play Mat

Not only do you want a large play mat, but you want a wipe clean one. This worked great when we left my daughters nappy off for a little bit, if she peed (or worse!) we could wipe the mat clean. I also love that we got a large one. She is really working her way around the mat these days!

10. Reusable Nappies

The best investment I made! I love using these. I will do a more detailed blog post about these nappies soon.

11. Natural Stain Remover

I love using this Nellies stain remover as it is natural and actually works for getting those poopy stains out of the baby clothes. I think a definite must have for the newborn stage!

12. Toys That Make Noise

Now I don’t mean a mini drum kit or anything horrendously noisy like that! I mean little toys for babies that make that crinkling sound or have a little rattle to them. This can keep them entertained for quite a while!

13. Bouncer

I have a Baby Bjorn bouncer, which is not cheap, but I got it for the simplicity of it, it folds flat and its ergonomically better for baby. Up to four months my daughter didn’t really pass that much heed of the bouncer and wouldn’t spend long in it, but now, well if you have seen my Insta stories, then you will see she LOVES it! She has figured out that she can bounce herself and goes absolutely crazy in it! She is very happy to sit in for a while and doesn’t fuss looking to get out. She likes to fall asleep in it sometimes too? I am so happy we got it!

14. Handheld Blender

If you are making homemade baby food, then a handheld blender is a must have. We picked up one for about $15 (CAD) from SuperStore. It is so handy and is great for blitzing homemade soup too! We chose a stainless steel one over a white plastic one as, well, we didn’t want a plastic one and secondly the plastic tends to stain with certain foods – carrots and tomatoes are prime examples!