Newborn To 6-month Baby Essentials
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Babies…they need a lot of stuff!!
I’d done so much research before my little one was born as to what you did need and what you didn’t and what just made life with a baby that bit easier. Some things we love, some things we don’t and some things we discovered along the way as we learnt more about his personality and what he likes/dislikes.
So, here is my ultimate list of baby essentials to take you from newborn to 6 months. You may not need all of these things, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to go out and buy every single baby related thing you see recommended. These are just the things that worked for us and that we’ll be keeping for future children. They’re also in no particular order and lots of things were gifted to us by family and friends which we are very appreciative of.
Clothing
Zip Babygrows
Zip babygrows truly are a game changer for quick nappy changes (particularly the ones with a two-way zip. We used these a lot during the night as they caused less disruption during changes which kept the little one calmer.H&M Vest & Leggings Set
H&M is probably my favourite place to get baby clothes anyway, but I particularly loved these little vest and leggings sets. They look cute and a little more dressed up than a babygrow, but we also found them great for when he had his vaccinations as you could easily get a leg out without having to strip him off.Babygrows With Off-Centre Buttons
This may be a little odd as when I first saw them I thought they’d be impractical. But with so many babygrows that don’t have enough buttons down the centre (so many have basically a gaping hole in the crotch area), we found that the off-centre ones always meant that he was covered. They were also great when he would grumpily thrash about when he didn’t want his nappy changing. By having one leg already in, it was easier to do the rest of the babygrow up. So, if you can’t get just babygrows with zips, these are another good option.
Play
Rocker
Ours has a little activity bar over it and he loved to sit and reach for them. We’d also lay a sensory book over it and he would stare at it for ages! A rocker is also a great place if you just need to put your baby somewhere to have your hands free - our rocker has spent many a time in the bathroom with me while I use the loo! We were thinking of getting a moving one, but couldn’t decide which one to get. For future children we will definitely look into it more as we do think he would have enjoyed it.Activity Mat/Sensory Books/Musical Toys
I grouped these together as they’re interchangable and there are soo many different ones! My little one absolutely loves anything that makes noise, so crinkly books, keyboards, shakers etc have been some of his favourites. This Lamaze one is a particular favourite!
Sleep
SnuzPod
Having a bedside cot makes life so much easier with a little one. Any next-to-me will do, we just had a SnuzPod and really liked it! It’s stylish, cosy and fit great next to our bed. The mattress is breathable and it has mesh sides which also gave us peace of mind. He quickly grew out of his moses basket, but we still needed somewhere for him to have his daytime naps while still being with us. The bassinet of the SnuzPod lifts off super easy, so we could transport it around the house whenever needed,Ewan/White Noise Machine
A white noise machine is something that I knew I wanted to have and Ewan The Dream Sheep came highly recommended (plus he matches the nursery theme), but we also have this one that we sometimes use when we’re out and about.
My little one is always super interested in what is going on around him, so any sound that he hears when we are trying to get him to nap keeps him awake as he wants to find out what it is. We found that the sound of the white noise machine kept him focussed on the one sound and helped him fall asleep better.Spotify
When the white noise machine had run out of battery one day and we just needed something, we turned to Spotify and there are soooo many playlist options!! This cafe sounds one and this forest one are our two favourites!!Dummies/Comforter
Dummies aren’t for everyone, but for us we’ve found them a great help for sleep. My little one, like me, just loves to be comforted and cosy, so we tried a dummy and it’s worked. One thing that we have found specifically game-changing with dummies is glow-in-the dark ones for night time - makes them soo much easier to find!!
I have also included comforter in this section as my little one also has a little rabbit toy that he loves to snuggle up to when he’s asleep or he’s just finding the world a little bit much and it’s the sweetest thing!Soft Night Light
Having some form of night light for the night feeds was essential for us. When he was super little I just fed him in my bed as it was easier, so I used my salt lamp (with the occasional use of my phone torch if neither of us could find my nipple). As he got a little older, I decided to take him into his nursery to feed as it was so easy to just fall asleep feeding him from bed; and I was getting increasingly worried about falling asleep with him still on me. This also meant that he was feeding better as he would wake a little more while walking to his room.Sleeping Bags
Although my baby loves being held and cuddled up, he did not like being swaddled. We tried blankets when he was super little, but we quickly switched to sleeping bags and he loves them! He still gets the cosy feeling, but without feeling restricted. They’re also super easy to buy - ours are all second-hand or supermarket finds.Cellular Blankets
Cellular blankets are often recommended on hospital bag packing lists as they’ve got little holes in which is safer than a regular blanket. We used these when we realised that he didn’t like being swaddled. But they’re also great for layering in the car and pram for when the weather is all over the place (pretty much everyday in the UK).
General Care
Standing Baby Changing Station
This could be included in my postpartum essentials (blog post to come), but I decided to include it in this one. We had full intentions of just getting out the changing mat and changing baby on the floor/coffee table/wherever. But I ended up having an emergency cesarean so bending over like that was too painful. We ended up dedicating half of our dining table to changing as my partner found it helpful not bending down too. It made life so much easier and everything just stays there ready for any nappy changing need (particularly good for explosions where you just need to put them down without getting poo everywhere).Nappy Caddy
Having a basket with everything you need for a nappy change that can be taken around the house and to family’s houses has been game-changing for us.
We were gifted our nappy caddy from a family friend and she had filled it to the brim with wipes, tissues, and chocolate and it was an absolutely amazing present!!Nappy Cream/Sudocrem
This is probably another obvious one, but I still wanted to include it. We used Bepanthen as we were given a few tubes, but find one that works for you. We also liked using Sudocrem if his nappy rash was looking particularly sore (which thankfully rarely happens).Nappies & Wipes
Nappies and wipes are an obvious one. But there are so many options, how do you choose? We ended up getting a few from each brand that we could access to decide our favourites. For nappies, when he was super little Morrisons-own and Tesco-own were 100% our favourite and they never let us down! As he got a little older, we still love Tesco, but also now enjoy using Lidl-own and Aldi-own. We did get a chance to try Pampers and, as amazing as they were, we couldn’t justify the price when we like supermarkets own just as much. But if you’d prefer to buy branded, look out for the deals and stock up!Water Thermometer
They say that the best way to test the temperature of the water is to put your elbow in. However, I like to have super hot baths/showers and my partner prefers cool. So, neither of us felt confident in our temperature checks and preferred to get a thermometer.Baby Bath
Having somewhere where he can sit safely while we bathe him was super helpful. There are a range of different ones, but we had ours secondhand and have liked using it.Hooded Towels
Any towels definitely work, but the baby towels with the hoods seemed to make him more comfortable and were easier to wrap him up in. He’s gone through all of the emotions with a bath from loving it, to hating it, to loving it again, but the towels have stayed consistent. I did think about getting these Cuddledry ones as they look fab, I just never got round to buying them.Huckleberry
We absolutely love this app! When your brain is so consumed with trying to do and remember all the things, having somewhere to note feeds and sleep was beyond helpful! It’s important to follow your baby’s cues as every baby is different, but Huckleberry is great at giving you the confidence to remember and support you in your journey. It’s accuracy in predicting when little one needs a nap is amazing and we would be lost without it!Teethers/Milk Lollies
My poor little one was teething for what felt like forever! But around the 6-month mark, they finally started sprouting. To help ease his poorly gums we mainly used these teethers (they can be put in the fridge and he liked the cool) and put expressed breast milk into these for him to suck on and he loved it!Muslin Cloths
Muslin cloths are probably featured in every single “newborn must-haves” list you’ve ever read - they’re just so handy!! Sick, dribble, spills, sweat, everything! We have a few in his changing bag, I’ll often put one in my handbag and they’re dotted all around the house. Saves using up loads of wipes for any little spillage too.
Travel
360 car seat
We have this car seat with the matching ISOFIX base from Maxi-Cosi (one of our favourite brands) and it is probably in our top 3 baby products that we’ve bought!
I’m super clumsy, so before I had a baby I was already worried about getting them in and out of the car without smacking their heads (or mine!) so when I discovered this car seat that spins 360 and moves forward & backwards in & out of the car, I just knew it was the car seat for us! I’ll probably say this a few times throughout this blog post, but this car seat has truly changed the game for us and is definitely an essential baby product.Ickle Bubba Pram/Buggy
I’d chosen this pram waay before I was even pregnant. The one we chose is the Stomp Luxe 2 In 1 Travel System as it meant that it was a pram and buggy in one set and came with a bunch of accessories. You also have the option to choose a system that comes with a car seat, but as we had decided on the Maxi-Cosi one above, we didn’t need to.
Prams & buggies etc can be super expensive, but buying a travel system brings the cost down and you still get amazing products. We tested this pram out during a baby show and knew it was definitely the one that we wanted. Ickle Bubba do a wide range of different systems depending on your needs and they come in so many different colours too!
I’m also pretty sure that I read somewhere that they originated in Wales, so obviously that was a bonus for me (feel free to let me know if I have completely made that up!)Carrier
We have a carrier for around the house and while out and about. I definitely didn’t get the use out of the soft carrier as much as I’d like, but I definitely still recommend it as it was great when I did use it and will have it ready for future children. This Freerider sling is the one we have. It can be used until they’re a year old, but he stopped wanting to be in it while in the house as he just wants to be on the go constantly, but maybe I’ll try him again.
For out and about we have the Ergobaby Omni 360 Baby Carrier and we have no complaints! It’s super easy to adjust, meaning both my partner and I can wear it with minimal faff. We got the one that comes with a little pouch which is super handy to put a dummy, card holder etc for quick trips.Car Mirror
If you or your partner can drive, you’ll probably spend a great deal of time driving around to the shops, on adventures and just for a general spin. As baby’s need to be rear-facing, you can’t see them and check how they’re doing. By having a mirror the driver can see them in their rear view mirror and the passenger can see by turning around and looking into it. It’s just great for that peace of mind.Baby Bag
You don’t need a specific baby bag as any bag will do. But I find having a dedicated bag that was made for all the stuff that babies need with multiple different pockets makes trips so much easier! I also have little pouches inside to help keep me more organised (nothing special, just resealable bags that clothes have previously come in). Not having to rummage for a clean vest or a nappy while holding an upset baby definitely helps!
Feeding
Highchair
Although you don’t really need a highchair until your little one starts weaning (which I will talk more about in my 6 months+ blog post), our one can be used from birth and we liked having him with us while we ate. It’s also been used a lot for when the dishes need doing. We just pop him in it, put some of his toys on the tray and he’ll happily sit there for 20-30 minutes - lifesaver!Nuby Rapid Cool
We combi-feed and this has looked different throughout the last 6 months as we tried to find our rhythm with it. We knew that we didn’t need to make too many bottles, usually just 1 a day, so didn’t feel the need to buy a prep machine. So, when we discovered the Nuby Rapid Cool we loved it instantly! It’s super simple to use and makes the formula bottle to the perfect temperature. Whether you’re combi or full-time formula this is a fantastic product, particularly if you need to make bottles on the go.MAM bottles
We’ve used a couple of different bottles for formula & expressed milk, but MAM have definitely been our favourite. They’re anti-colic, easy to sterilise, easy to know when you need to change size and they look cute! What more can you ask for?Gripe Water
Gripe water has saved my little one's belly on so many occasions! He goes through phases of being really good at burping and others where, no matter what you do, he will not burp. On these occasions he ends up with a bad belly and gets so uncomfortable that he is just upset until he can poo. Give him a teaspoon of gripe water and within the hour he has had a poo and is a much happier baby!
Am I really finishing this blog post talking about poo? I guess I am ha!!
Everything on this list has worked wonders for us and we’re super glad that we had them. Some we had from the start and others we purchased along the way. There aren’t many things that are “truly essential” when it comes to babies; but on this list are the things that kept us sane and we will likely use for future children if we are lucky enough to have more.
What’s some of your newborn-6 month essentials? Comment them down below as I’d love to know! Especially if they’re things that aren’t on this list!
I will also be doing a separate blog post about things that saved me postpartum, so keep an eye out for that!
All my love,
Cerys x
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Babies…they need a lot of stuff!!
I’d done so much research before my little one was born as to what you did need and what you didn’t and what just made life with a baby that bit easier. Some things we love, some things we don’t and some things we discovered along the way as we learnt more about his personality and what he likes/dislikes.