Must Have Baby Essentials

Are you deep in nesting mode or maybe browsing for baby items, either for yourself or a friend? I’m currently five months postpartum, and let me tell you, baby stuff is all around me. During the third trimester, I thoughtfully put together a list of what I needed for our second baby, and I also dug out those items that I adored from when we had our first child. But you know how it goes – even with all that planning, I still found myself dashing to Target the day after bringing our son home because we needed more onesies. Can you relate to that last-minute scramble? But don’t worry mama, I got you! I jotted down my families must have baby essentials for you here, so that you can spend your precious time bonding with your baby and less time on those unexpected store runs!

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1. Honest Company 2-in-1 shampoo and body wash – I love a good multi-purpose product, and this cleanser is the only one I’ve used on my babies since they were born . The ingredients are clean, it’s gentle and it’s tear free! Picky mom approved!

2. Water Wipes – when I discovered these baby wipes I never looked back! Two ingredients only (water and fruit extract) making it the cleanest wipes for our precious little babies.

3. Panda Bamboo Hooded Towel – this towel is so soft, quick absorbing and made from bamboo, we just love this for our baby.

4. Munchkin Formula Dispenser – we used to be the parents who would take the entire formula container out with us but that’s a thing of the past now, thankfully! These formula dispensers are super clutch when it comes to traveling, day trips, or even for keeping pre-measured formula ready to go during night feeds.

5. Baby Bandana Drools Bibs – I love these bibs for our baby, it absorbs the spit ups and it’s good as new wash after wash.

6. Soft Silicone One Piece Pacifier – I love that this pacifier is one piece and made of high quality silicone, it’s perfect for newborns and babies.

7. Munchkin High Capacity Drying Rack – after using a few bottle drying racks, this one is my favorite because it’s compact and holds so many bottles and accessories.

8. Dr. Brown’s Glass Baby Bottles 8oz – I prefer to use only glass baby bottles on both my littles and these have been great. 4 oz bottles are here.

9. Baby Formula Water Warmer – game changing! I can’t tell you how much time we’ve saved warming up bottles since we got this digital water warmer. It’s so easy to setup the exact temperature you want and it warms the water perfectly for every feed. Simply pour the water into the bottle, mix with formula and it’s ready for the baby.

10. Breastmilk Storage Bags – these are perfect for storing breast milk in the fridge and or freezer.

11. Nursery Night Light – we love how gentle this light is for feeding and changing baby at night.

12. Baby Diaper Cady Organizer – this organizer is so helpful to have at hand, filled with diapers and baby essentials by your side or around the house.

13. Silicone Pacifier Case – how I wish I had this with my first born, it’s way more hygienic to keep pacifiers in it’s own case in my opinion so I love this!

14. Baby Stacking Toy – great for tummy time and when babies start interacting with toys, I love that this one wobbles.

15. Baby Bottle Cleaner Brush – this baby bottle brush goes perfectly with the Dr. Brown baby glass bottles.

16. Portable Sound Machine – this sound machine has helped us so much, we use it in our room near the babies crib, it’s loud and clear and works great for a portable.

17. Diaper Balm + Nipple Butter Gift Set – makes a perfect gift for a new mom and baby. Great set and gentle clean ingredients, which I love.

18. Contours Oasis 2-Stage Comfort Cushion Bathtub – after trying a few baby bathtubs we fell in love with this one because it has a small foot print but spacious and comfortable for baby to sit in. Also, the cushion is machine washable which is a big plus. The best part, it grows with baby from newborn to toddler. Not to mention that it’s easy to clean. Just love it and can’t recommend this tub enough!

19. Baby Monitor – this monitor works great, we’ve had it through two babies and it’s still reliable.

20. Quiet Small Humidifier – perfect for little ones rooms especially through the cold dry months.

21. Graco Infant to Baby Car Seat – both our little ones have this car seat and we love that it grows with baby and we’ll have it for years.

22. Super Soft Baby Hair Brush – the softest hair brush for baby that I’ve ever found. I’ve used it for both my babies and I love it.

23. Baby Nail File – if you know you know that babies nails are so close to the skin so it’s safer to use a nail filer when they are very young. We love this one for our baby.

24. Sound Machine – we’ve had ours for four years and it’s still going strong. Our favorite sound machine is this one.

25. Gum Friendly Baby Spoons – perfectly gentle baby spoons for babies first bites.

26. Lovevery Play Gym – we love everything Lovevery! From tummy time to play fort, this play gym is great for newborns all the way through young toddler. The toys are developmentally appropriate and this set is high quality.

27. Skip Hop Baby Activity Center – we had this for our first born and it kept her busy while I worked in the kitchen. We got a ton of use out of this activity center its the right amount of distraction when you could use an extra hand!

28. Baby Bouncer Animal Activity Jumperoo – we love this jumperoo for those in between feed and nap moments as baby starts to have more awake time. We have this for our second baby and we just love watching him bounce and giggle. It will surely keep your little one entertained!

29. Baby Stacking Toy – such a cute roly poly toy that’s great for babies fine motor skills.

30. Pink Plush Bunny – where do I start with this bunny?! My daughters favorite toy. She clings onto her bunny all day long. So I love that its washable! Grows with baby.

31. Baby Playmat Kick & Play – cute playmat with musical piano that you can setup by babies feet.

32. Wooden Clutching Toy – rainbow colored pieces move freely to create different shapes.

33. Baby Bjorn Toy for Bouncer – we love this addition for our bouncer, keeps the baby entertained.

34. Baby Wipe Warmer – babies love a warm wipe on their bum versus a cold one. Our first newborn let us know real quick what her preference was and we never looked back. I also love that this product is backed by lifetime warranty!

35. Baby Carrier – we tried the fancy expensive carriers but ultimately love this one for a growing babies comfort. It comes in an organic material too.

36. Flower Baby Bath Pad – for infants I love this extra padding that goes right on top of a baby bathtub or sink. Both my babies loved this cushiony flower that cradled them in a bath, which is comfier than laying them directly on the hard plastic tubs or the thin slings.

Two pregnancies and babies later I’m happy to share with you my must have baby essentials that we love and can’t live without. I’ll continue to update this list so come back soon!

Love this Baby Essentials List? Check out my Kids Gift Guide and Kitchen Essentials while you’re here.