As a first time mom, I really had no clue what I needed for my baby. I watched endless YouTube baby registry videos, read hours on end of blogs, and asked friends and family what I needed. But the truth is, for the first 6 weeks babies don’t need much. So if I can give you one word of advice: DO NOT STRESS MAMA! You already have enough on your plate!
When I was pregnant, I was so stressed with wanting ALL the stuff. I mean seriously, I convinced myself Blakely needed the cutest nursery, a $500 bassinet and a $200 diaper bag. Poor Casey had to negotiate with a hormonal pregnant lady about why the baby does not need all of that. If you’re like I was and ballin’ on a budget, I’m here to tell you: expensive does not mean better.
Now that my little one is here, I understand that. Planning for your baby can be very overwhelming! So to hopefully make your life easier, I created a list of 10 things I actually used and swear by for the first 6 weeks. Hope this helps!!!
- TWO WAY ZIP FOOTIES
- If you want to make your life easier (& who doesn’t??), add these to your registry! In the first 6 weeks you’re pretty much getting up every 2-4 hours in the middle of the night to feed your baby. I promise you during that 3 a.m. diaper change you’re going to regret putting her in that footie with a million buttons. Or maybe not, but I found that the footie pajamas that zip from the bottom make the middle of the night changes quick & painless.
- My favorite brands that carry these: Carters, KYTE Baby (so soft), and Target Cloud Island Zip. The Carters and the Target brands have the mitten cuff (so your baby won’t scratch their face). Kyte Baby sells mittens separately!
- A GOOD BASSINET
- What you need when it comes to a bassinet is a safe space for your baby. We got ours from Amazon for a little over $100 and we have loved it. It has great features like a glide motion, a light and a huge storage space in the bottom where we keep extra diapers and wipes. Here’s the bassinet sheets we use for it as well. You’re only using the bassinet for a few months, so if you are on a budget like we were this is a good place to save some money.
- BOUNCY SEAT
- Blakely is in her bouncy seat a lot of the time and she LOVES the one I linked. And it’s less than $50! Bouncy seats are soooo convenient so you can have your hands free and actually get that load of laundry done! It is an automatic bouncer that has music and nature sounds. It even shuts off after 3o minutes which saves the battery!
- LOUNGER
- While we’re on the topic of places to put your baby other than your hands: A LOUNGER. After lots of research and going back and forth between the Snuggle Me Organic lounger and the DocATot, I went with the Snuggle Me. I read reviews that the Snuggle Me is better for newborns and small babies because it helps to cradle or “snuggle” them in. Blakely was born at 5lbs so she loves the feeling of this lounger after being snuggled in the womb for 9+ months! I can’t say much about the DocATot because I’ve never used it, but do your research and choose what you feel is best for your baby!
- HATCH SOUND MACHINE & NIGHT LIGHT
- This is something that we have used every single night since we brought Blakely home. She is now 10 weeks and we still haven’t gone a night without it! We position it right beside her bassinet so she can fall asleep to the white noise ( it also comes with many other noises like birds chirping, music, etc). You’re going to want a night light for those middle of the night changes because turning on a brighter light may stimulate the baby. The fact that it is a night light and sound machine all in one just makes life easier!
- BABY BATH
- In the early weeks, babies only need to bathe one to two times a week. I found that having a little tub that can fit right in our farmhouse sink worked best for bathing Blakely. Having a smaller baby bath makes bath time easier with a newborn because it is super supportive and not slippery. It’s lightweight, super easy to clean and doesn’t take forever to dry!
- DIAPER BAG
- This is another one of those items that could break your budget if you have expensive taste like me. But like I said earlier, expensive doesn’t always mean better. What I’ve found you want for your diaper bag is storage space and pockets. I was gifted this $40 bag and it is the perfect size… and it’s cute! Since Casey and I are doing long distance, I have traveled to and from Atlanta a few times and this has come in handy for those quick road trip changes (and this one comes with a portable changing pad)!
- BOPPY
- This is an item that many moms swear by, and now I see the hype. Every time I have used my boppy while breastfeeding it is much more comfortable for my back and arms. The only downside is I don’t always have the time to grab it and get it situated. With a screaming baby in my ear, it’s sometimes easier and quicker to just use my arms to hold her up rather than have to search for boppy and get it positioned. It is worth it every time I do though and I’d say it is still a registry must have.
- BABY CAR MIRROR
- For the first time mom like myself, this ones for you. Whenever I’m in the car with Blakely I always want to make sure she’s okay in her car seat, so having that reassurance to see what she’s doing (which is 90% of the time sleeping) calms my anxious mama mind. My mom always says “well I didn’t have a mirror for any of my 4 children.” But now that I was gifted one I can’t imagine not having one. The one I linked is kind of fancy, but totally worth it in my opinion.
- DIAPER PAIL
- This is something that wasn’t on my registry, but I was gifted anyways (and I’m so thankful!!!). It’s no secret that newborns go through A LOTTTT of diapers… and dirty diapers don’t smell good. The diaper pail is amazing at keeping the scent out and I usually change the bag once a week. It really is a registry must have!
- PLAY MAT
- Okay actually there is 11 things you actually need for the first 6 weeks. We have two play mats for Blakely and use them ALL the time! As she’s grown she uses them way more, but it’s still a registry must have in my opinion. We have this kick and play, this play gym and a similar play mat to this.
Stay Well,
Courtney
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