This post is not sponsored, but does contain affiliate links which just means I may make a small commission off any purchases you make, but it will not cost you any extra.
Three years ago I probably wouldn’t have believed this list of baby “must-haves” could be enough. I fell hard into the first-time parent trap of gimmicks and unnecessary baby products, but after having my second sweet babe and becoming much more minimalistic, I can confidently say that you really don’t need allll the things you think you do. Every baby and living situation is, of course, very different so that makes it difficult to know for sure what you truly need, what you think you need, or what will be a waste. Just know the basics are really all that’s necessary and everything else would just be nice to have. Both my kids are very different, so even though I feel I’ve become somewhat knowledgeable on this topic, keep in mind that every child is unique. I am just sharing what worked best for us through trial and error, so with that being said, let’s jump right in!
Clothing
- Zipper/Magnetic Sleepers- you definitely don’t want to mess with snaps in the middle of the night when you’re half asleep, the baby is crying, and it’s too dark to see anything, so the easier the better. At first I thought the magnetic sleepers were a little gimmicky, but we were given one as a hand-me-down and after using it I totally get it. I would have to say I don’t really see them working for older babies once they can figure out how to open them up, but we’ll see. So far so good. The best zipper jammies, in my opinion, are the 3-pack Cloud Island set from Target. They’re cute, inexpensive and have all the features I look for; mitts, feet, & a two-way zipper.
- Baby Booties- I very quickly learned that socks are useless and never stay on so velcro booties are where it’s at.
- Nested Bean Weighted Sleep Sack- This one was a lifesaver for us! Our daughter took to swaddles immediately and always needed to be held, so she loved the secure feeling of the added weight. They are pricey, but we received one at our baby shower and have used it every single night since, so I feel like it’s worth it. Surprisingly, only having one has worked fine for us. We just wash it every few days or whenever it gets dirty.
Bedtime
- Co-Sleeper Bassinet- Again, the easier it is to get to your baby in the middle of the night, the happier you will be. So bassinets that can be placed right next to the bed and zipped down for easy access, are necessary. I love how aesthetically pleasing ours is!
- Sound Machine- With us living in a very small house and having a destructive toddler, the added noise of a sound machine is really helpful at naptime. Also, once babies get accustomed to the sounds, they associate it with sleep. Now, as soon as our little ones hear it, they know it is time for bed. Any sound machine I’m sure would work great, but we loved that this one is also an air purifier!
- Video Baby Monitor- Being able to keep an eye on your baby while they’re sleeping is a game-changer! We are in the process of testing out other baby monitors, but this is the one we’ve been using and really do love all of its features. I chose it mainly because the camera can pan, tilt and rotate 360 degrees. I do feel like the picture quality could be clearer, but that would be my only complaint. It is an affordable option and has worked great for us the past couple of years.
Feeding
- Vitamin D Drops- Super important for bone growth if exclusively breastfeeding, since breastmilk doesn’t provide baby with enough. I don’t usually like to suggest health-related products to people since I’m not a doctor, but I do think it’s important to mention because I wasn’t told this at first by our pediatrician. When I later asked, they filled me in, but they didn’t volunteer the information. So mentioning here in case you’re unaware like I was. This is what we use.
- Pacifiers- This one is tricky because Lucca didn’t like pacifiers at all and Elyssia only liked them for a short period of time. For us I wouldn’t say they were a necessity, but I figured I would share the ones that we really loved in case you are looking for a good recommendation. We tried every type under the sun with Lucca, but all he wanted were his fingers. Because of that- we are familiar with pretty much all of them and the ones we found to work best are the Bibs brand. They are lightweight and didn’t fall out of Ely’s mouth every 2 seconds like the others and I loved that the base of it is curved so it doesn’t bump their noses. They seem to be the most comfortable and our girl loved them until she realized I was a better pacifier. Ha!
Diapering
- Millie Moon diapers- I have never cared about the type of diapers my children wore until Millie Moon sent us a PR package and we were able to try them out. We scored on a lot of diapers (all different brands and sizes) for around $400 at an auction right before Lucca was born. Super glad we did that since finances were tight, but because of that we were able to try many different brands- Target, Costco, Sam’s, Pampers, Huggies, Honest Co., Seventh Generation, Amazon brand- pretty much all of them! After trying out Millie Moon, I can honestly say, they are without a doubt the best- no competition! I will have to say they aren’t cheap, but are AMAZING quality and hold everything in! They’re super soft and really absorbent so they don’t cause any diaper rash and we can go longer between diaper changes. This ends up being cheaper in the long run. Their size 1 fits newborns too! This isn’t sponsored, I’m just a huge fan lol! My more affordable recommendation would have to be the Kirkland’s brand from Costco or the Mama Bear brand from Amazon- not as soft, but very inexpensive and we’ve never had any leaks with those. Plus, you can auto-ship the Amazon brand with a Prime membership and you can’t beat convenience.
Bath
- Tub- We’ve really been loving our inflatable one. It’s soft and comfy, but also supportive and since you just air it up, it is also travel-friendly and compact!
- Bamboo Washcloths- I am a big fan of anything bamboo for kids; tableware, toys, bedding, clothing, etc. It’s a super soft material that holds up really well, but also has antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria, making it an obvious choice for all things baby. If there is a bamboo option I will most likely go that route.
Toys
- Rattle- Only listing this because from 0-3 months babies really aren’t too interested in playing just yet. However, it is important to add in some sort of stimulation. I actually forgot to bring out Lucca’s baby toys for Ely until Clayton pulled one out. Definitely a case of mom brain, but I realized I should have done that at the beginning and I felt really bad- poor Elyssia! Also, a rattle is a really great distraction when they get fussy.
Car
- Headrest Mirror- It’s one of those things you don’t really think about until you need it. We had one when Lucca was a baby, but misplaced it and forgot it was even a thing until we took our first trip and remembered how nice it was for checking in on baby when they’re sleeping. So we purchased a second one and are so glad we did!
- Car Seat Toy- Any toy could work, but it’s nice to have one always connected to the car seat for when they get fussy. You don’t have to dig through the diaper bag to find one or worry about it getting lost or falling on the floor. It’s just really convenient to have a toy already attached and ready to go.
- Car Seat Cover- This is probably my favorite baby item on the list because it’s so functionable. If you are nursing it makes the BEST cover because it never falls off. I’ve used it as a blanket, car seat cover (obviously), but also a high chair/shopping cart cover and it works great! You could even use it as a scarf if you wanted to lol!
So there you have it- my most-used, most-loved baby products for 0-3 months! There are more since I didn’t touch on anything specific to bottle/breastfeeding essentials, but I can make a separate post since I do have experience with both if you’re interested in that as well! I really hope you found this list and my recommendations to be helpful! Have the best day!
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