20+ Must-Have Baby Items For First-Time Parents
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Being a first-time parent is an exciting journey filled with new experiences and a whole lot of questions. One of the most common concerns for new moms is figuring out what baby items are truly essential and what might just end up being a waste of money. As Reddit parents, you have a wealth of knowledge and firsthand experience to share. So, to all the seasoned parents out there, we turn to you for advice. What baby stuff do I really need as a first-time mom, and what should I consider skipping to save both my sanity and my wallet?
Nursery Items
To start, a person recommended “A glider. I practically live in mine. They are expensive, but we got an amazing deal on a used one.”
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Diapering
One Redditor replied, “Investigate cloth diapers. They really save a ton of money and are pretty easy to use.“
A second Redditor said, “Start buying diapers now, they’re a major expense, and they’re non-perishable, so you can stock up.. helps spread the cost, which for the first few months will come as a shock.”
Feeding
One comment was, “Breastfeed as long as you can. Very healthy for the baby and economical. We learned to breast pump.”
Clothing
A user replied, “Oddly, clothes for when the kidling is about a year old. We got about a metric tonne of baby clothes from friends and relatives. Didn’t have to buy anything. Until he turned one, and suddenly we had not a single thing that fit him.”
Car Seats/Strollers
A most-liked comment said, “Stroller – You’ll probably want this, at least for a while. Most of the time, you’ll find yourself carrying him/her, but they definitely come in handy.”
Another comment was, ‘Not a parent, but I worked in the children/baby department at Sears, and the one thing you must buy new is a car seat. DO NOT buy used.”
Safety Gear
One surprising response was, “Baby Monitor – Our still sleeps in our room, and we keep a pretty close eye on him when he takes naps. We never once used our baby monitor.”
Health
One Redditor replied, “Get a bottle of Wellements Gripe Water (it’s organic) for hiccups, colic, and upset belly.”
A second Redditor said, “A hydra sense nasal aspirator. It has a soft nozzle and a handy tube that you put in your mouth to gently suck the mucus out of your baby’s nose. Plus, as a bonus, the clear collection chamber lets you easily see if there are signs of infection or if the nasal mucosa is a normal shade and consistency.”
Playtime
A user said, “You need ONE gizmo, so you have a place to put the baby down while she is awake (a swing, a bouncy seat, a baby gym that has those toys that hang overhead).”
Baby Carrier/Wrap
A user commented, “Some good swaddling blankets. Most newborns love a good swaddle. The miracle blanket is freaking awesome but kinda expensive. Maybe find a used one or register for one.”
A second user replied, “Some kind of carrier (a sling, moby wrap, baby Bjorn), but you may want to wait to get this until after the baby comes. Some babies love a sling, while others hate them. Try to borrow one from someone and do a few test runs before you buy.”
Nursing Supplies
A popular comment was, “My Breast Friend. Get it. Get it now.”
Another comment said, “NIPPLE CREAM. if you’re going to breastfeed, you WILL NEED THIS. My BFF only was able to breastfeed for about a week (her body just decided to stop producing milk at that point), and even in that short week, she was MISERABLE. Do some research — from what I understand from reading online, Lansinoh is the way to go (supposedly it’s a miracle worker for sore nipples AND dry feet :P).”
Sleep Aids
A popular comment was, “Sleep sacks are terrific for when the baby gets older – it’s a little pouch that zips up and essentially is a blanket they can’t kick off.”
Baby Toiletries
A user replied, “As a new mom to an 11-week-old little girl- Bourdeaux’s butt paste is way better than Desitin.”
Another user wrote, “A clip to hold the baby’s binkie. I can’t tell you how many times my daughter dropped her binkie in various places, and when I was LUCKY, I noticed and had to track down a bathroom to wash it….”
Travel Gear
One person said, “If you can afford it, get a decent-size pack-n-play (with a bassinet attachment). Our son slept in one on trips until he was about 3.5 years old. It was well worth it. You do not need a crib for the first 3-6 months.”
A second person suggested, “A good diaper bag, one your SO won’t feel emasculated carrying. An insulated pocket for bottles is a good feature. If you can get one with clips to attach to a stroller, it frees up space and makes it easier to get to stuff in the bag.”
Baby’s Future
One smart user said, “College savings. Please don’t be like my parents and not save a penny and put it all on the kid, even if you want to teach her a life lesson.”
Another user replied, “A college fund… you have to start working on it as soon as possible. The small step you take now on this will mean so much more 15~17 years from now.”
Feeding Supplies
A Redditor suggested, “Just skip baby food altogether. Caveman babies didn’t have pre-pureed peas ‘n carrots, and they grew up just fine.”
Another added, “You won’t need this now, but soon it’ll help you a lot. Buy a pizza wheel thing. When the baby starts eating regular food, you have to cut everything into small bites. My kids would have sandwiches often enough, and cutting them up into small squares got to be a serious pain in the ass until I thought to use the pizza wheel. I felt like a genius.”
Parenting Resources
Finally, one smart user commented, “Go buy batteries. For the bouncy seat. For the swing. For whatever “sleep aid” type toy you get, buy replacement batteries now. Because @ 3 am and Junior can’t or won’t go to sleep unless s/he’s in their favorite bouncy seat, and the batteries are dead, your night is gonna suck.”
Source: Reddit
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