When you are a new mom, you have no idea what items are actually needed for your new baby. Trying to start a registry can be overwhelming. Now with COVID, most of the registries have moved from being in store with a scanner to online. This means instead of visually seeing the items by section in a store, you get to scour pages and pages of baby items hoping to find what you need.
I know when I was registering for my baby, I found myself putting on crazy items that I should have known would never be used. Below I have 15 items that I found to be the most used and helpful to me for my newborn. Each item will have a link to where it was purchased, so you know it is the correct model.
Nuna Pipa and Nuna Mixx (Newborn +)
There are so many options when it comes to car seats and strollers, and it can truly be overwhelming. When I was researching car seats, I looked mainly at crash safety, overall safety, sturdiness, and comfort. I spent hours on the internet researching only to find that the Nuna Pipa met all of my criteria. I did learn that good car seats can be expensive, but it is an expense that I feel is worth it. I would rather my baby be as safe as possible, then save $50 on a less safe car seat. The Nuna’s base comes with 2 hooks that connect directly to the metal bars in the seat, then has a metal leg that extends to the ground for extra stability. This car seat is so sturdy, that I knew my baby would not be moving at all. Now, along with the Nuna, we decided to get the Nuna Mixx travel system.
The Nuna Pipa alone costs around $319.95 and comes with 1 base. You can purchase additional bases for $159.95 each.
We test drove many different strollers, but found that the Nuna Mixx felt the sturdiest. My son was born in the Spring, so I wanted something of good quality that I would be able to use for walks. The Mixx has attachments for you to hook the Pipa car seat directly into the base of the stroller. This made transitioning from the car to the stroller very easy, especially when my baby was sleeping. The Nuna Mixx has such a smooth ride and was able to go over bumps without waking my sleeping baby. We used this stroller daily when I was on maternity leave, and it was a nice way to get some exercise, and for my baby to nap. Truly, it was a win-win for both of us. It now has many miles on it, and it still looks brand new.
The Nuna Mixx typically costs $749.95, but Nordstrom will run a sale of them throughout the year. I was able to get over $100 off of the price with one of the Nordstrom sales.
Charleston Glider (Newborn +)
Our rocking chair has been used almost daily since my son was born. I knew this was something we would spend a lot of time in, so I decided to go to Pottery Barn Kids and try out all of rockers. I actually went from chair to chair, testing to see which one was the most comfortable. We knew the Charleston was the winner as soon as we sat in it. It is very plush, had the ability to rock and recline, and was the most comfortable of them all. We were able to customize the fabric and color, and luckily we got it a great time during a sale, so we were able to save hundreds of dollars. If you sign up for Pottery Barn Kids emails, you will receive coupons and the deals. We waited until there was a sale on furniture, and jumped on it. Most babies are comforted by the rocking motion, so I highly recommend that if you plan on spending many hours in a rocking chair, that you invest in something comfortable that you will enjoy sitting in.
The Charleston Glider comes in around $1,000, but if you watch for sales, you can get up to 25% off.
Dockatot (Newborn — 6 months)
This was an absolute life saver! My baby hated to be swaddled from the time he was born, so if made night time a nightmare. On the first night home, we tried the bassinet and the second we put him in it, he would scream. I have that first night burned into my memory because my husband and I did not get to go to sleep until 4am. We did not get our baby to fall asleep until we caved and put him in the Dockatot. I was exhausted and did not know what else to do. I was not one that wanted to co-sleep, but the Dockatot gave my son the snugness he wanted, but without the swaddle. He slept in the Dockatot for the first 6 months, which at that time, he moved to the crib in our room. Some parents may not be comfortable with the baby sleeping in the Dockatot at night, but I found that it was also very useful for naps.
The Dockatot Deluxe+ can be purchased right from their website or at places like Target or Amazon. If you buy directly from the site, they will run deals, so you have the opportunity to get a good discount. They typically sell for around $175, but sometimes you can score 20% off.
Owlet (Newborn +)
I absolutely love the Owlet 2. There is a new version out that is slightly different, but overall does the same thing. While I know that it is not fool proof, it gives me such a peace of mind. The Owlet monitors your baby’s sleep, oxygen levels, and heart rate. It will notify you if something is out of the normal range. Luckily, to date, I have only had a notification for sock placement, but have had friends who have had it go off for oxygen or heart rate. I have now developed a habit to check the app on my phone right before I go to bed to make sure my son’s readings are normal. The Owlet links to a base, which then the base links to the App on your phone. You are able to open the App and see the stats in real time, or look in the morning to see an overall picture of the night. If you have an anxiety of your child’s health or safety at nighttime, the Owlet will help you find that relief.
The Owlet comes in around $299. It is on the more expensive side of the items on this list, but we use this every night and feel it is worth every penny.
Noise Machine (Newborn +)
The noise machine does not need to be this specific brand, but I found this is one that my son sleeps well with. Being a first time Mom, I assumed that the baby needed a quiet room to sleep in. After reading a ton of articles, I found out that babies prefer the white noise because it mimics the noises from the womb. I learned that the womb is a loud as a vacuum, so the louder noises actually make them feel more comfortable. So we tried using white noise on Apps on our phones and on our Amazon Alexa, but he did not really like them. I then researched sound machines and came across this reasonably priced one. Since using it, he is not waking up as often and looks much more comfortable when sleeping.
We purchased this Dreamegg white noise machine from Amazon for $35.99 with a $5.00 off coupon.
Nested Bean Weighted Sleep Sack (Newborn +)
My son hated being swaddled from the day he was born. He was born with increased muscle tone, so he was able to break out of swaddles from day 1. I looked for a solution to give my baby the pressure and snugness from a swaddle, without actually being a swaddle. First, we started with regular sleep sacks. While he did not mind wearing them, he was still waking up so often and did not seem comfortable. Then we tried the Nested Bean weighted sleep sack. This small amount of weight on his chest made all the difference. The size small Nested Bean only has weigh in the small bean, and it is made for a baby of that specific size. With each size, the sleep sack gets larger, and so does the amount of weight.. These sleep sacks were a savior to us and helped us get longer stretches in the night. We continued to use the Nested Beans until my baby was 7 months old. At this point, he was in his crib and mainly sleeping on his stomach. We found that he was not as comfortable with the weighted sleep sacks. Once they are able to roll, you are able to put the weighted part on their backs, but since he switches from back to stomach throughout the night, we decided to go back to a regular sleep sack. Overall, we got so much use out of these, and I believe they do truly work.
A Nested Bean can be purchased from BuyBuyBaby, Amazon, or even their website and usually cost $34.99. The benefit from purchasing from BuyBuyBaby is that you are able to use a 20% off coupon.
Blooming Bath (Newborn +)
I loved the Blooming Bath and probably used it a little longer then I should have. The Blooming Bath is almost like a cushion that is in the shape of a flower, that goes into your sink. I was using the Blooming Bath from my baby’s first bath to about 6 months. It do not think it is recommended for that long of use, but it just made bathing my baby much easier than putting him in the bathtub. When he was a newborn, I could lay him on one of the petals and I knew we was safe. As he got bigger and was able to sit up, if he tipped over, it was falling onto a cushion. If he was not too big for the sink, I would still be using this!
The Blooming Bath can be purchased at Target and I have also seen it at BuyBuyBaby. It comes in a variety of colors and costs $39.99.
Diaper Genie (Newborn +)
The Diaper Genie has been a controversial topic among my friends. Many feel it is not worth it, while others have multiple in their home. I feel like this is a worthwhile investment, so much so, that we actually have 1 on each floor of our home. I know that I do not want to walk outside to the garbage for every poopy diaper. The Diaper Genie keeps all the dirty diapers in one place, keeps the smell in, and is very easy to change. Once a week, we will change each Diaper Genie, so it is fresh for the new week. I found that if you keep up with it and change it regularly, then you will have no issues with smell.
I purchased the Diaper Genie from Target for $24.99 and the replacement rings go for $5.00 for 1, but you can also buy in multipacks. Target even makes their own brand of refill rings that work just as well in the Diaper Genie.
Diaper Caddy (Newborn +)
We bought these diaper caddies from Amazon to keep in our bedroom and also the living room. I knew I would not want to travel to the nursery every time I needed diapers, wipes, or even a change of clothes. So we stocked these caddies with everything we would need for the baby if we were in that room. This was especially handy when I was on maternity leave because I knew everything I would need was right with me. The separators and the pockets made it very easy for organizing all of the items I needed.
These run for $19.95 on Amazon, but they also have different types for different price points.
I am hoping you are able to find these items as helpful as I have and that your registry making has become a little easier. Stick to the basics and you and your baby will be just fine!
