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Having a baby on the way is such an exciting time! And there is so much to learn and prepare for.

Some of the items listed below are things that I found out we needed over time and some of them are no-brainers.

One big fear about buying things for a baby is that he or she won’t use it long enough to make it worth the price, especially if it’s expensive. Alan and I worried about that, too!

But, don’t fret, this list is of the things that were used enough to be more than worth the cost.

A lot of these items ended up having multiple uses from little parenting hacks we learned along the way that I will share, as well.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something from this page, I will get a small commission, with no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Pregnancy Pillow

This is a definite must-have! Pregnancy is so beautiful…BUT it’s also super uncomfortable!

This pregnancy pillow was a serious life-saver for me. With needing to get up to use the bathroom multiple times a night and being super hot ALL THE TIME, falling asleep and staying asleep was tough business! Being comfortable when you’re laying down will help you get that sleep.

I like the “U” shape of it, so that it could prop me up to lay on my side easily. It supported my back and also my belly, which is very much needed since it’s so hard to balance yourself when you’re heavier on one side.

Alan even liked to lay on it, but I’d never let him sleep with it, it was MINE!

Pregnancy Planner

This is not something that I got, but I will definitely be getting it for my next pregnancy.

This is the Oh Baby Pregnancy Planner. It is not only a journal but also has:

• Trimester To-Do Lists
• “Must Have” Checklists
• Provider Questionnaires
• Pre-Baby Checklists
• Labor and Delivery Prep Sheets
• Newborn Care Sheets
• And pages upon pages of information!

I know that I felt all over the place and lost when I was pregnant. This pregnancy planner has everything you need all in one place to make everything neat and organized during your pregnancy and also into your baby’s first few months.

Baby Journal

One thing that I really wanted was a special journal that I could write in to give to my daughter when she grows up. Maybe I’ll give it to her when she turns 18, or as a graduation present, or even when she’s about to have her own baby.

I bought it when Madison was six months old, but wish I had found it sooner. I’ve been writing in it at least once a month about Madison’s growth and development, the silly things she does, and the special moments we have. I’m excited for her to read it one day.

This was the one that I got, and I liked that it was so simple. I know that I’ll be getting many more journals over the years to come, and I plan to get different ones every time, just to change things up a bit.

Nursing Pillow

If you don’t get anything else at all, get a nursing pillow.

Madison was a cluster-feeder for the first couple of months, so this was where she laid a lot of the time, and I used it up until she was about 10 months old, for when I’d nurse her before naps and bedtime.

I loved that I could nurse her while having my hands free. I was able to crochet and read on my phone or kindle, while she nursed and napped.

It was a great multi-use item. When she got a little older, we’d lean her up against it so that she could look around at what was going on and strengthen her neck and back.

It was also good for picture posing!

Baby Bathtub

I loved this bathtub so much. It comes with a sling for newborns, has a pad on the angled side for babies who can’t sit up, yet, and then the opposite side has back support for when your baby can sit up.

I would bathe her in it in the kitchen sink and had a little jingle I’d do as I carried her, wrapped in her towel, to her changing pad (on her playmat area, mentioned below) to get lotioned up and in her jammies.

Once she was sitting up well on her own, we transitioned to a bath chair.

The one Madison used is not on Amazon, but I like this one looks better. The one we had wasn’t open on the sides, but was a full ring around her, so it was challenging at times to get her little chubby legs out when I picked her up. But this one is open, so it’s easier to put your baby in and out. It also has suction cups to keep it from moving around. And there are foldable options, too, which is neat!

Baby Swing

This is a super common thing that pretty much everyone knows you should get, but I really liked this Graco swing, because you can take the seat part out of the stand and it becomes a bouncer/rocker.

So, when I had to shower or wanted to put the laundry away in my room, I didn’t have to bring the whole swing upstairs, if she was asleep in it, I could just carefully take the seat part out and carry it easily by the handle.

It has the option for side-to-side swinging, and also front-to-back swinging, which we mostly had her in the side-to-side.

It also plugs in, so we didn’t have to use up a bunch of batteries!

Although it is pretty big, it was very much worth it.

Play Mat

This was a great find. This play mat activity gym doubled as a changing station for the living room, along with a diaper caddy organizer, to make the area look neat, while still having everything I need. I had her diapers, wipes, ointment, extra socks and a couple of onesies in her caddy.

We have a sectional couch and I put her diaper caddy organizer and play mat on the chaise lounge portion (until she was rolling over). It was so easy to have her laying there close by, where I didn’t have to worry about the dogs accidentally stepping on her or getting her play area dirty.

She also loved looking at the hanging toys and it was so cute to watch her try to reach out for them and smile at her monkey toy (bought separately).

Bumbo

Madison sat up at six months. She loved sitting in her bumbo and being able to look upright at everything around her It also helped her to strengthen her core, while not being strained.

I used her bumbo as a seat for her in the mornings when I’d feed her breakfast up until she was around 11 months old (by then she figured out how to get out of it and wouldn’t sit still to eat if she wasn’t in her high chair).

I honestly didn’t want a bumbo, but it proved to be a great little seat for her when she started eating solid foods. It was also easy to take with us to family functions, instead of me having to hold her on my lap while we ate, she sat in her bumbo in front of me on the table.

The Bumbo brand is a little more pricey, but there are cheaper ones on Amazon, too.

Jumper

Madison absolutely LOVED her jumper. She would sit in it for a long time, playing with the little activities and toys on it, nonchalantly jumping. Then when me or Alan would walk close to her, she’d smile and jump around like crazy, while we chanted, “JUMP, JUMP, JUMP!” Seriously, good times haha.

She started walking at 10 months and 3 weeks and stood much sooner than that. We truly believe it had a lot to do with the jumper strengthening her little legs.

When she stopped being so interested in it, we moved it to the garage to be her play area if we worked out or if Alan was grilling or watching T.V. out there. It was great because she didn’t see it all the time inside anymore, so she was interested in it again, and it kept her from crawling around on the dirty garage floor. She would even like to hang out in it for a short time after she was walking.

Jogger Stroller and Car Seat

This was an amazing duo right here.

First off, being able to unhook the car seat from the base in the car was a lifesaver. If Madison was sleeping, we didn’t have to wake her up by getting her out of her car seat, but would just unhook it and carry her in so she could snooze a little more (we never left her alone when she slept in it; there are so many scary stories of babies suffocating while sleeping in their car seats, so be careful!) and it was also just easier to just carry her in it for the first few months.

The jogger was so easy to maneuver! I loved that the car seat fit nicely onto it, as well. And I still use the stroller for her when we go to the zoo or aquarium (although we are going to get a foldable wagon for her soon).

Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Fold N’ Trike

This is another thing we’ve been using for a long time.

I think Madison was about 4 months old when we started taking her for walks in this. The straps are great because they held her upright before she could sit up well, and they are good support for when the road gets a little bumpy. I did, however, have to crochet little covers for the straps, because they would leave a red mark on the sides of her neck. She didn’t seem too uncomfortable, but I was uncomfortable (lol!).

She’s 15 months old now and still uses it every day when we go on our morning walk.

The footrest is honestly a little weird on this one, but I’ve seen another one that has the rest on either side, covering up the petals, which seemed to make more sense. It’s also foldable, whereas the one we have is not.

With this one, she has to have her legs bent at the knee to rest on it, or she puts them forward and her feet hand over the edge of the rest, which is okay, but just a little awkward.

A couple of weeks ago, I was pushing her in her trike, and a neighbor was driving by and stopped to ask where I got it and said he wants to get one for his granddaughter. Gotta figure out how to charge Amazon for being a walking ad haha!

So, there you go! The top 11 things you need for a new baby.

Which item from this list did you end up getting? Comment below what item you think is necessary to get by and be sure and share this with an expecting mom!

Other related posts:
10 Things I Learned In My First Year of Motherhood
I Really Do Know What’s Best
Why It’s Important To Take Time For Yourself As A Mom
How To Love Your “Mom Body”
How To Go From Mom Doubt To Mom Confidence

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