Prepping For Baby: My List of Newborn Essentials

My Favorite Newborn Essentials — As we’re prepping for baby number two, I’ve learned a few things about newborn essentials and what you don’t really need! Here’s a rundown of my must-have newborn baby items…

I’ve been getting a ton of questions about whether we plan to have baby number two share a room with Gwen, or if we’re doing a separate nursery, etc.

Gwen actually didn’t even sleep in her own room until she was WELL past the newborn stage. Rather than walking back and forth from a nursery or having the baby wake up Gwen (who’s already a rough sleeper) we’re just making a newborn corner in our room.

We don’t have a ton of extra space in our bedroom so we’re keeping it to the absolute necessities, which is what we learned we couldn’t live without the first time around.

I’m sharing my must-haves and keeping most of them budget-friendly (the Snoo is a REAL expense!) and easily accessible by sharing items from Walmart Baby.

Plus you get a peek into our master bedroom that I still haven’t finished designing yet. Really this is a win for all, even if you don’t have kids yet!…

Before I jump right into my shopping list for my fave newborn essentials, I’ll give you a little walkthrough of how we have things set up so far.

We were lucky enough to be gifted the Snoo smart sleeper by a friend when we had Gwen. We have that as the bassinet near my side of the bed and the Owlet smart sock for easy use at night.

One thing we LOVED with Gwen was the Hatch nightlight and sound machine and their wipeable changing pad.

A wipeable changing pad is so much easier than dealing with washing a changing pad cover all the time. Highly recommend!

I’m also shameless and can’t resist a cute diaper print! I almost died from cuteness when I saw this cute clementine diaper pattern!

I also only bought one small package of newborn diapers because they definitely didn’t last long for us the first time around.

Since our other rocker is still in Gwen’s room, we snagged this soft Babyletto glider and ottoman for our room.

We’re using the existing credenza in our bedroom (DIY tutorial for that coming soon!) to store all of the baby goodies, too.

We even bought a little step stool for Gwen to be able to peek into the bassinet to “help” out!

My Favorite Newborn Essentials to Shop For

Hatch rest sound machine and nightlight – It’s so convenient having one item for multiple uses! This nightlight makes midnight diaper changes easier and the sound machine is always soothing.
Owlet smart sock and baby monitor – I don’t think I could sleep without this! We used it every single night with Gwen and it’s such a relief to know that baby is okay while you snooze!
FridaBaby health set – You’ll get SO much use out of this newborn set!
Diapers in sweet prints – Diapers are an obvious one, so they might as well be cute, too!
Organic coconut oil – We used this for cradle cap, body lotion, and just general barrier cream for diapers
Toddler step stool – This is the one we snagged for Gwen to feel like she’s involved and helping out.
Fragrance-free baby wipes – Our kids didn’t stand a chance on having sensitive skin, so fragrance-free is a must.
Diaper Genie – Never underestimate the power of disguises gross diaper smells
Babyletto swivel glider – For late night rocking that matches most decor
Marni metal base ottoman – Making Mom and Dad comfortable while rocking one stool at a time
Snoo smart sleeper – An automated bassinet that rocks baby to sleep
Pacifier and pacifier clip – We clipped pacifiers to EVERYTHING because they get lost so quickly otherwise!
Zipper bodysuits – Since you change a newborn so often, I loved having a quick zipper for outfits.
Burp cloths – Basically the universal newborn baby power tool
Wipeable changing pad – So much easier than a changing pad that you have to wash the cover for
Boon Nursh Bottles – We loved this style of bottle that reduces gas but is still easy to clean.
Baby wrap carrier – For having a set of free hands while you do household things or errands with baby

And for those asking about the decorative throw pillow, it’s so soft! Love it with this uber soft baby blanket, too.

I’m feeling much more prepared now that we’ve busted out some of our favorite newborn essentials from storage! It’s crazy how nesting most just hits you like a brick wall, haha.

Almost 31 weeks and feeling good so far! Be sure to follow along on Instagram for more family life behind the scenes!