5 Items You’d Never Know You’d Need to Prepare for Baby
When preparing for your first baby, it’s easy to focus on the obvious must-haves like a crib, diapers, and baby clothes—but what about the unexpected baby essentials you don’t even realize you’ll need? As a first-time mom, you might be searching for things no one tells you to buy for a newborn, unexpected baby must-haves, or surprising items that make life easier with a newborn — and that’s exactly what this list covers. From game-changing postpartum necessities to everyday items that make those first few weeks smoother, these are the products you’ll be so glad you had once your baby arrives.
If you are in the process of building your baby registry, make sure to grab a copy of my FREE Ultimate Baby Registry Checklist. This guide for first time moms will fully prepare you with everything you need for your newborn, including nursery essentials (like the Keekaroo changing pad), feeding supplies, postpartum care essential, and more. No need to stress in the chaos and overwhelm of baby product land - I got you!
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Items you need as a first time mom to prepare for a new baby
Extension cords - Whenever you have a baby you all of the sudden have a lot of things to plug in. A sound machine, baby monitor, breast pump, and phone charger are just a few to be named, We needed two extension cords, one in our bedroom and one in the nursery, to accommodate all of our baby items.
Night lights - Night time wake ups and feeds mean you will be stumbling around the house in the dark multiple times at night. I love using night lights because they allow enough light that you can see where you’re going but not too much light that they blind you and your baby, or wake you up more than you need to be. I put a night light in our bathroom, in our kitchen (for when I went to store the milk I caught in my Haaka or Elvie Curve), and downstairs in the hallway and bathroom for our family who came to stay with us after the baby was born.
Large cup with a straw - Breastfeeding makes you SO thirsty! Like I’m talking I could finish an entire 40 oz. cup of water while I was feeding the baby… and then get up and drink some more water. It’s wild. Treat yourself with a new cup in a lively print or your favorite color! It doesn’t need to be a straw cup, but let’s face it, straw cups are just more fun to drink out of. I love this Simple Modern 40oz Tumbler.
Individually packaged snacks - Breastfeeding also makes you super hungry. It’s way more intense than pregnancy hunger! Individually packaged snacks are easy to grab and go. I really like nuts and granola bars because they are healthy and filling. You could even make your own trail mix and package it in little baggies. I recommend stocking up on snacks before the baby arrives and placing them in various places around your house so that they are accessible wherever you are feeding baby. I kept a container of snacks in my nursing cart, which would move around with me from the nursery to our bedroom to the living room. I also keep snacks for both me and my now toddler daughter in the diaper bag and car.
Storage totes - I put storage totes on my baby registry and was thankful to have them prior to the baby being born so that I could store larger sized clothing and extra baby items I wasn’t quite ready to use yet. I find that 30 quart storage totes work well for shoes and 64 to 70 quart totes work well for storing baby clothes and other items.
Were you surprised by any of these? I know for me, I had no idea how much these five items would come in handy as a new mom!
P.S. If you have friends or family expecting a baby too, these items can make a thoughtful unexpected gift for a baby shower or for dropping off at the house along with a cute baby outfit after the baby comes.
