Popping out a little one soon? Oh! what a beautiful feeling it is & Congratulations on your soon to arrive bundle of joy ❤ ! But yes, we have all been there and we know when it’s the first baby, the anxiety to be prepared kicks in too. We have twins and the research and ‘family & friends interviews’ we did to figure out what we need for our new borns was a long, tiring, stressful process. There is no limit to the cute little things out there for babies, after all it is a $200B+ industry.

It’s good to prepare in advance while you are expecting because once you have a baby, with all the sleepless nights, you may not be in the best of senses to order or shop and then the panic would kick in. To save you from all the anxiety and overspending, here’s what we recommend are must haves for your new born, the rest of the things can wait.

We have put in the links for some of our favorite products, just our and our baby’s personal favorites (its not a paid promotion).

Jump right into:

1. Baby Clothes – NB size
2. Bathing Essentials
3. Going around with your baby
4. Diaper Needs
5. Feeding Needs
6. Sleeping Needs

1.Baby Clothes – NB size

To buy : onesies, overalls, vests (in case you want to put on fancy clothes, babies will be more comfortable with a layer of soft cotton inside), cap, mittens and socks(very important irrespective of weather – but do get new born size, as they keep falling off if bigger in size)

You got to have new born size clothes, it’s a no brainer. Only reason we mentioned it is so that you remember, babies outgrow clothes vey fast, so we suggest hold your horses and buy less. Keep a few in your hospital bag, just in case. Yes yes, we know, every other onesie looks cute, but don’t worry you do have time to buy more once they grow bigger. It’s good to buy less but good quality breathable clothes.

2.Bathing Essentials

To buy : Baby Wash and Shampoo, Baby lotion, Bath Tub or Chair, Towel, cotton buds, cotton balls, nasal aspirator

For the baby wash and shampoo and baby lotion, we highly recommend Cetaphil. We got the one for sensitive skin and it worked well for both our babies. DO NOT buy in bulk, as sometimes some products may not suit your baby and first few weeks could be a hit and try with different brands. We have never really heard a bad review for Cetaphil though.

Once you buy that cute bathing towel, wash it to ensure there are no fibers that are sticking out as you pat your skin dry, before its ready to be used for your baby. Our hospital nurses gave showers to the baby in a bath tub, but we got a bath chair so it was much easier for us to keep the baby on the chair and give shower. You may try both tub & chair to see what you are most comfortable with. Leaving a link for the chair here. If the link doesn’t work, here’s a sample pic.

Get baby cotton buds and cotton balls as sometimes you need to clean some rashes or dirt with cotton soaked in water. Buy a manual nasal aspirator, you will definitely need it once in a while. There are automatic ones, we prefer the manual ones for safety reasons! Don’t worry your doctor will direct you as to when and how to do it.

Baby powder is optional. We have never used it as our doctor recommended to just use the baby lotion instead.

3.Going around with your baby

To buy : carrier, infant seat for carrier if needed, car seat, stroller

For the baby carrier, there are many brands available based on your budget and comfort level. We have tried three brands and swear by Lillebaby Serenity All seasons. It’s amazing for the parents (as in, your back won’t break carrying them) and our babies seem the most comfortable in it. If you plan to use it when your baby is 0+ months, get the infant seat with it.

While buying the stroller, we would suggest look around and get the brand that fits your comfort and budget. For the twins, we had limited options in front and back. We bought Joie Evaluate Duo which was light and cheaper but not as sturdy when folded. We eventually changed to Baby Jogger City Select (for twins you can add additional seat) – which is sturdy and comfortable but bulky and more expensive. Both the strollers have its pros and cons, so go for what suits you best. We would recommend Baby Jogger though.

We have tried multiple car seats and feel that Britax One4Life is a good buy. Even though it may seem pricey but it’s a one time buy and looks super comfy.

4. Diaper needs

To buy : NB size diapers, diaper rash cream, baby wipes

Again some brands may not suit your babies or babies may outgrow the size sooner than you think. For stock calculation purposes 😀 , you may need to change the diapers of the new born babies 6-7 times a day, so buy accordingly. The brand we swear by is Rascal & Friends. It is literally leak proof, unless your babies outgrow the size. If that’s not available where you live, then Huggies has worked well for us too. Baby wipes is a no brainer as well.

Diaper Rash cream is a must buy. New born’s skin is fresh and sensitive, hence you will need it once it a while. Apply the rash cream immediately you notice redness. We did use the one our hospital gave in the free pack. You may not need much but in case you are looking to buy, Burtbees or Desitin are good brands.

5. Feeding needs

To buy : Baby bottle, Burp clothes, Breast pump, Bottle brush

Yes, we know you do plan to breastfeed your baby. But breast pump and baby bottle just gives you that flexibility as a mom to take a step back and let your partner do the feeding once in a while. There may be scenarios when you have to be at work or away from the baby for some reason, then a good pump will come in handy.

There are lots in the market, so we suggest you choose based on budget and need. Personal experience : I used the Phillips Avent Double Electric breast pump, but wasn’t so happy with it somehow. For the baby bottle, both our kids got adapted to the brand MAM very quickly. They do have anti-colic bottles that you should get, just in case. Remember to buy a bottle brush.

Sterilizer is optional, we bought it for convenience though.

6. Sleeping needs

To buy : Baby swaddle, Crib (optional)

Swaddles are the best. They give the babies the same warmth as they get in mother’s womb, keeping them cozy and comfortable. Plus, babies can’t control their motor senses until they are around 3 months old, hence they get startled and wake themselves up, which can ruin your sleep as well. Do check the material of the swaddles you get, some are slippery and won’t stay but the muslin or cotton ones are the best.

Most parents love to keep their babies in bed with them. We kept our tiny ones in crib from day 1, because it was not possible to keep both the babies with us :). But, we love the fact that they are sleeping independently and do not need to be fed in the middle of the night to be put back to sleep. It’s a blessing in disguise! If you do plan to get a crib, we recommend to go for a used one if it’s in a good condition.

Flat head pillow, Baby monitor and rocker are optional, we bought them for convenience though.

This may seem to be a lot of information, but trust me, go by this list and you do not need to put your head into any research. We had two babies to handle at the same time and this was enough for us 😛 .Reach out to us if you have any questions or need a handy checklist for what to buy 🙂 !