Must Have Items for a Newborn

(Updated 3/18/25)

Have you ever searched “baby registry ideas” and been beyond overwhelmed with everything on those lists?
*raises hand*

Over the past (almost) seven years of raising four kiddos I have slowly discovered which items are my favorites for newborns. There are so many things out there that may sound amazing, but aren’t practical, or are way too pricey. So I decided to write this blog post to help new moms who are looking for the best items for their little babies!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you purchase an item using that link at no extra charge to you. This is to help keep the blog running, and giving me the ability to bring you amazing content! 
All opinions in this post are my own. I was not paid, nor did I receive any items in exchange for this review. I’m just sharing what I love because I love y’all! 

Must Have Items for a Newborn

Clothing

Copper Pearl  (Swaddles, Bibs, Burp Cloths and Three Layer Quilt)
I absolutely LOVE everything Copper Pearl related. First off, the fabrics and patterns are absolutely adorable. And the quality is so great! I have washed and dried all of their stuff many many times and it’s held up so well. I’ve bought a Copper Pearl swaddle for each of my kids for their newborn photos. And they love that they have their special blanket to use now that they’re older.
But my absolute favorite product of theirs? Their burp cloths. Y’all… Don’t sleep on them! Frances spit up a TON and these were so great at cleaning up the mess. Plus they are so so soft which I love for their fresh newborn skin.

Lou Lou & Company (Blankets/Swaddles, Knotted Gown, Top Knot Hats and Bonnets)
The quality and texture of these swaddles are just like the Copper Pearl ones, which is why I love them too! I got a matching swaddle, knotted gown and hat from here for James’s coming home/newborn pictures outfit. Also their stretchy bonnets are my FAVORITE for the girls. So so cute.

Burts Bees Footie PJs
We used a few different brands of footie pajamas, but the Burt’s Bees has by far been my favorite for all th ekids! I love how soft they are and the grippies on the bottom (which I know are pointless for newborns, but they’re still so cute!). They are tight fitting and oh so cute. 

Feeding

Spectra S1 Plus Pump
Through my insurance I could have gotten the S2 for free, but I opted to pay a little more for the S1 because I loved all the extra features it had! It’s lightweight, rechargeable, and super quiet! It has a built in light and has served me so well on wedding days and when working on increasing my supply. 

OXO Bottle Brush
Once I started pumping and giving James bottles when I was working, I quickly realized that we needed a good bottle brush. I love the OXO brand, and this brush is so nice. It has a small brush that is great for those small little crevices, and the stand has rubber on the bottom to help it stay put on the counter. Best of all it comes apart to clean and keep everything sanitary for baby! 

Dr. Brown Glass Bottles
I opted to go with glass bottles for James because I wanted to prevent any chemicals leaching into the milk from a plastic bottle. He was never picky about nipples (thankfully!) and took to these bottles so well. I liked that they are easy to clean, have the attachment to prevent the baby from sucking in air and the silicone sleeve to make holding the bottle a little easier. 

Milkmaid Nursing Poncho
My sister in law is the one who introduced me to these ponchos, and y’all… I love mine! It folds up nice and small, provides the privacy that I want and isn’t as tight or restrictive as other nursing covers can be. Especially in Texas, this cover provides a lot more airflow when it’s hot and humid outside.

Milk Snob 5-in-1 cover
I bought this adorable Rocky Mountains cover soon after James was born and it has gone literally everywhere with me. It’s so easy to throw in the diaper bag, and I love how stretchy and soft it is. It’s not too thick for it to be unbearably hot to use during the summer. And it can be used for so many other things, like a carseat cover, high chair cover, grocery cart cover and so much more. 

Haakaa
If you plan on breastfeeding and want a little stash of milk in the freezer, get. a. Haakaa. Or even two! I use them all throughout the early weeks of nursing, and they collect SO much milk. Essentially it’s a silicone suction pump that you attach to the breast you aren’t feeding on at the time to catch any letdown/milk that flows out.

Sleeping

Hatch Baby Rest
Yes, these sound machines/night lights are pricey but in my opinion they are 100% worth it. I love love love that you can control them from your phone, and by setting my “favorites” I can now just tap to turn on the light and tap to turn off, or really do whatever else I’d like because it has so many options! Once James moved into his own room I ended up getting a Hatch for our bedroom because I liked it so much haha. And best of all they are easy to pack and have helped us many a night while traveling. 
*Update* We now own THREE of these and they’re still the best. Now that the kids are older, we’ve implemented the “schedule” feature, so the sound machine will change colors when it’s time to come out of their room. 10/10 recommend.

Video Monitor
We have the Infant Optics DXR-8, and even though I wasn’t in love with it at first, it has served us very well over the past seven years. We have two cameras and I like that it rotates through the two rooms so we can always keep an eye (and an ear) on the kids while they sleep. I also like that it’s not connected to the monitor via wifi, because I’ve heard too many stories about monitors getting hacked.

Love to Dream Swaddle
All of my girls have really loved this swaddle. It gives them the compression that they want to be able to sleep and relax, but also allows for their hands to be up by their face to help them self soothe. If you have a baby that constantly breaks out of the Halo swaddle you get at the hospital, you should give this one a try!

Nested Bean Sleep Sack
When we transitioned out of the swaddle, I wish we had gone with the Nested Bean sooner rather than later! It has a weighted section at the baby’s chest that mimic’s mom’s hand, which helps soothe and comfort babies when they wake up in the middle of the night. I feel like it definitely helped during James’s 4 month regression. 

Halo Bassinet
If you are looking for a bassinet for your baby, I high recommend the Halo bassinet. I love that the side can lower a little to help get baby out when it’s time for one of the never ending midnight feedings, and how it swings easily so you can move it to get in and out of the bed without waking up the baby. It’s SUPER heavy, though, so once it finds a home it stays there!

Design Dua Moses Bassinet
If you’re wanting something a little more aesthetically pleasing, then you should look into this Bassinet. I have used it with my last two babies, and absolutely LOVE it. You can move it around easily, it has different stands you can get (either a rocker or stationary one) and it’s artisan made which I think is so cool. Plus it’s great for pictures!

Snuggle Me
I bought our Snuggle Me when I was pregnant with June and it’s served us very well over the years. We used it for co sleeping in the early newborn days when I couldn’t get out of bed easily, and when we were hanging out around the house and I needed somewhere safe to place the baby. Plus it also fits perfectly in our Moses bassinet, which I love!
*These are marketed as a baby lounger, and a non-sleep product. Please use at your own discretion*

Bathroom

Blooming Bath Lotus
Instead of getting any kind of tub for James, we opted for this bath lotus. I wanted something easy that could be used for more than just the newborn stage. We started James out in the tub with the flower, and now we put it down in the tub so it’s a little softer for him. It’s awesome and I highly recommend it!
*Update* We have now owned three of these because we keep getting new ones with our kids. While we don’t use it as much as we did with James, I still really love them

Dr. Bronner’s Baby Sugar Soap
When looking for a cleaner, non toxic soap to use on James, I ended up with Dr. Bronner. I liked all the ingredients, and the baby soap is unscented, so it’s even gentler on sensitive newborn skin.

NoseFrida
Sooooo I have mixed feelings about the NoseFrida. I recommend it because I do think it works and so many moms I know love and swear by it. But man do my kids hate it when they see it coming.

Nursery

Ubbi Diaper Pail
I knew I didn’t want to get a Diaper Genie because of how expensive the bags are, so when I found the Ubbi pail, I was immediately intrigued. And y’all… This is probably one of my favorite purchases ever. It’s stainless steal, holds in the stinky stinky smells perfectly, holds a ton of diapers and (best of all) I can just use regular 13 gallon trash bags, which saves a LOT of money. This diaper pail is worth every single penny plus some. 

Changing Pad
Instead of spending money on a changing table in the nursery, I decided to buy a changing pad and put it on top of James’s dresser. This way I’m not spending money on something that’s only useful for a few years! 

Design Dua Changing Basket
If you’re looking for something a little more aesthetically pleasing, you should look into these baskets! I got one when I was pregnant with Ellie and it’s held up perfectly through two babies. And I love how it coordinates with the Moses basket!

OXO Tot Perfect Pull Wipes Dispenser
This is another one of those things that I am so thankful for! I love the weight that sits on top of the wipes, and the easy push open top. It’s so simple but makes changing diapers and grabbing the wipes so much easier. 

Skip Hop Changing Mat
I love this little changing station for when I’m out and about. It holds diapers and wipes, and has a little changing pad that unfolds. It’s so easy to stuff in James’s diaper bag and makes changing his diaper when we’re out so much easier. I don’t have to worry about nasty surfaces since I can just use the changing pad that is attached. 

Other

Thule Urban Glide 2 Stroller
I did a lot of research when it came to strollers, because I knew I wanted a jogging stroller but I also wanted something that would last and be perfect for running roads. I decided on the Thule Urban Glide 2 and I have been so so happy with it! It is so smooth, easy to run with, and folds up to fit easily in our Honda Fit. I’ve pushed other strollers since getting this one, and every time I think to myself “man… I love my stroller so much!” haha. 
*Update* I love my Thule so much that I just bought a double one. It’s seriously worth every penny! Make sure to look around on Facebook marketplace to find one at a more affordable price!

BIBS Pacifiers
I originally bought these pacis because I thought they were cute. And then it ended up being James’s preferred pacifier, so they stuck around for good! 

Mam Pacifier
Frances is my only other kid to take a pacifier, and she preferred the MAM. I like that they have the option to get matte, solid color ones so they don’t feel too gaudy.

*I recommend getting a bunch of different pacifiers to try out with your baby. That way to can find one they like and then buy more of that one.*

Graco Pack n’ Play
I was almost swayed by social media that these pack n’ plays are *too hard* to put together. But frugality won, and I am glad I didn’t buy the super expensive one. These are super easy to assemble, and we’ve used ours a LOT with all the kids.

Pack n’ Play Mattress Topper
If you end up with a little sleeping princess like we have, then you may want to add on this mattress for your pack n’ play. We just got it for Fran and I wish we had bought one sooner. The “mattress” that comes with the pack n’ play is paper thin and so hard. After getting this topper, Frances went from screaming bloody murder every night to sleeping the night through. 100% worth it.

Skip Hop Activity Gym
This little cloud got us through the first six months of James’s life and is so special to us! I love how cute it is, and James loved playing on it as he got older. 

Baby Carrier
If you’ve been reading here at all, you know how much I LOVE babywearing. I am a huge fan of my Wildbird ring slings, and also have a Happy Baby Carrier for when I need to back carry James during sessions. Read more about babywearing here. :) 

What are some items YOU would add to the list? Let me know in the comments!