As a mother of infant twins, I have thought a lot lately about what baby items are most useful for twins. However, having had both a single baby and a set of twins, I want to talk about what baby supplies are most essential for all newborns – whether or not they are multiples. What baby essentials do you need for a newborn that you might not have thought of? What items do you need to prepare for a new baby that will be the most helpful?
I will skip the obvious items and instead focus on the must haves you might not think of for newborns. These are the baby products that I didn’t know I needed until after my babies were born. I never thought to put these newborn baby essentials on my baby registry. They turned out to be the baby supplies I needed most!
While this list of baby supplies is certainly not all inclusive, these are the top ten items that I find most essential for newborns.
Disclosure – some of the links in this post are affiliate links – if you click on those links and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission, at no cost to you. I only link to products I actually own and recommend.
#10 Newborn Baby Essential – Sleep Sacks
No matter what time of year your baby is born, most newborns will need to sleep with some sort of blanket. The problem is, blankets and sleeping babies don’t really mix. The risks of suffocation and SIDS are increased with loose blankets, so they are not something you want to let your newborn baby sleep with.
Of course you can use swaddle blankets, and you probably will. Learning to swaddle a newborn baby for the first time is fun, and it can be very soothing for your baby. Done right it is perfectly safe. But sleep sacks are so easy to use, I think they are pretty essential for newborns.
If your newborn loves to be swaddled, you can’t go wrong with a Halo sleep sack. There are many sleep sacks that allow you to swaddle your baby. Carters also makes a nice sleep sack for newborns that don’t like or need to be swaddled.
We have several different types of sleep sacks for our twins. After the first couple of weeks home, we ditched swaddling with blankets entirely. Sleep sacks are just easier. Throw a few different types of these on your baby registry and see what works best. Just don’t skip these baby essentials entirely! You won’t regret it.
#9 Newborn Must Haves – Flat Cloth Diapers
You might have heard this one before, but it bears repeating. Cutesy little burp cloths are fine to put on your baby registry, but when your newborn spits up all over you, you will be reaching for this simple cloth diaper.
Not to be confused with prefold cloth diapers, which are best used for actual diapering. Flat cloth diapers are just big squares of absorbent fabric. I keep them all over the house. Even though I have a bunch of those cute little burp cloths, the ones I use most are the simple white flat cloth diapers. As an added bonus, they can be used for all sorts of other cleaning around the house once you don’t need them for burp cloths anymore. At such a low cost, flat cloth diapers are one of the newborn baby essentials that you can’t go wrong with.
In fact, if I were doing it all over again, I wouldn’t even put those cute little burp cloths on my baby registry at all. What you really need for a newborn are a few packs of these cloth diapers.
Planning a baby registry? Check out my post – Baby Registry Must Haves – What You Really Need.
#8 Baby Essentials – Newborn Lounger
This is something I didn’t know about before I had twins, and boy do I wish I had it with my first born! When you need to put your baby down in a safe spot, this is the baby product you want to have. No strapping in required, just sit them down next to you on the floor or the couch (just make sure they can’t fall off) and they have a safe cozy spot to hang out with you.
My babies really love it, and it’s really great for taking pictures. Even though it’s called a “newborn” lounger, my twins are four months old now and we still use it several times a day. When it needs a wash you just throw the whole thing in the machine. It couldn’t be easier. I really think it’s one of the best newborn baby essentials you can get. It’s also really affordable, especially compared to other popular (and much pricier) options.
Related – https://eschooled.com/best-baby-carriers-for-your-baby-2022/
If I was going to buy a gift for a new mom, one that I know would actually get used, this would be the one. It can’t hurt to put one on your baby registry (or two if you are having twins). I promise it won’t be one of the many baby supplies that go unused!
#7 Newborn Baby Essential – Swaddling Blankets
Did I say before that we didn’t really swaddle our twins after the first couple of weeks? Well that was true. I didn’t say the swaddling blankets weren’t useful though. The type of blankets used for swaddling newborns can be used for a whole bunch of other things. Use them as a nursing cover, as a spot on the floor for tummy time, or to cover your stroller and provide your baby with some shade. They also work great for a light blanket when your baby is in an infant seat, swing, car seat, etc.
As a special treat for baby, throw one of these in the dryer for a few minutes while giving your baby a bath, then wrap them up in the warm blanket after instead of a traditional towel.
Don’t confuse these with the typical baby registry must have – receiving blankets. Those types of blankets are not the same, and in my opinion offer much less use for a newborn baby, if any at all. I definitely wouldn’t call them a newborn baby essential. Swaddling blankets like the ones pictured here are much bigger and more useful.
#6 Newborn Baby Item – Zip-up One Piece Clothing
We can all admit it – baby clothes are irresistible, especially newborn baby clothes. Chances are you have indulged and bought more than you need, and friends and relatives have probably done so too. But if you’re like me, you will soon find that most of these clothes are nothing more than a hassle when it comes to newborns.
When the clothes are all clean, my husband and I both reach for these one piece zip up pajamas over and over again. No snaps to fumble with, no pants to try to wriggle on a tiny delicate baby, nothing to pull over their little heads. Just lay them down inside and zip it up. My five year old daughter can even get the babies dressed in these. I wouldn’t have a list of newborn essentials that didn’t include these.
The only problem with these is babies tend to outgrow them more quickly than other clothing items. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t stock up on these newborn baby essentials in the 0 to 3 month and 3 to 6 month range!
If your newborn is due during a really warm season (or somewhere that it’s warm year round) and you don’t have the air conditioning up high, then I suggest getting some side snap t-shirts. Even though onesies are super popular, I really find it inconvenient to pull them over a tiny delicate baby’s head.
Don’t forget baby proofing items! Read my post on Baby Proofing Must Haves!
#5 Newborn Baby Must Have – Bath That Fits in the Sink
The first few baths we give our newborn babies when they come home are sponge baths on the counter. However, once we are ready to graduate to the next level of bathing, being able to do it in the kitchen sink makes life much easier. No bending over a bathtub (at least not yet) and the baby is kept safe and secure in the sink.
The newborn bather we have is by Summer Infant. We used it for our older daughter and now are using the same exact one for our twins (one baby at a time of course). It is super simple and very affordable. Under $20 on amazon depending on the pattern, and it can be used from birth until your baby can sit up on their own. It can be used in the actual bathtub too, in case it doesn’t fit in your sink.
At such a good price, you really can’t go wrong with this newborn baby supply. There’s really nothing not to like about it.
Even if you choose a different option, your back will thank you if you choose one that fits in your kitchen sink.
If you want to know more on how to bathe a baby – read my article here!
#4 Newborn Essential – Diaper Breathing Monitor
This baby item is something I didn’t know about until after I had my first baby. I was a nervous first time mom and found that I just could not sleep worrying about SIDS. While there is no guarantee that this little device will prevent SIDS – it makes sense to me that it could. It attaches to your baby’s diaper and detects breathing by monitoring the movement of your baby’s tummy. If no movement is detected after a certain amount of time, a pretty loud alarm goes off. Once I found out this baby item existed, I ordered it right away. It gave me peace of mind and better sleep knowing it was there monitoring my baby’s breathing.
When we had our twins we bought a second one. We use them every night. Once you get used to where to place it on the diaper, there are very few false alarms. It becomes second nature when getting the babies ready for bed. I think it has fallen off maybe once or twice in the last four months. It is one of my most favorite baby essentials – one that I recommend to every new parent as an addition to their baby registries.
There are other options, such as the owlet sock, that I would probably have tried if I didn’t already own the Snuza. Whichever device you choose, I’m sure as a new parent you will get better sleep knowing there is an extra level of protection for your baby.
#3 Newborn Essential – Wrap Style Baby Carrier
Even if you aren’t into babywearing, there will be times that your newborn just does not want to be put down and you have things to do or your back is just killing you. This is the time that you will be grateful for a baby carrier like this!
For newborns, you can’t go wrong with a wrap style carrier made of stretchy fabric. This will be the easiest on your back and the coziest for your newborn. You really can’t even tell you’re carrying a baby it’s so comfortable.
My favorite is the Moby Wrap – but I have this from when my daughter was a baby. She is almost 6 years old now. If I was going to buy a new one, I probably would try the Boba Wrap. I have heard really great things about it, even from moms of twins. Whichever style you choose, a wrap carrier is one of the newborn baby essentials that every new mom should have.
My babies just love to be wrapped close to my chest. They go right to sleep and I can get a few things done without breaking my back. I definitely recommend adding this to your list of newborn must haves.
#2 Newborn Baby Essential – Clothes That Work for Nursing
If you are nursing your newborn, you will soon get tired of having to wear a nightgown or your husband’s shirt all day long. The thing is, most basic tops for women aren’t conducive for nursing. You are going to need clothes that are either low cut enough to pull down, or blouses that button. That’s why, even though it’s actually something for you, it’s one of the top newborn baby essentials on the list.
I am not suggesting that you go out and spend money on special nursing tops – I never have. I have a couple of nursing bras, but the bra has never really been the issue. It’s always the top that I want to wear OVER the bra that becomes a problem. I end up either pulling up my top and holding it under my chin to avoid smothering my baby, or I pull it back over my head and end up stretching it out.
If I had it to do over again, I would invest in some cute tops that doubled as nursing tops, so that I would want to still wear them even after my babies were weaned. Although it’s not exactly a suitable baby registry item, it’s a good idea to get some clothes for yourself as you prepare for your new baby.
#1 Newborn Essential – Co Sleeper
This is by far my most favorite baby item! Your newborn is going to need somewhere to sleep, and I can’t think of anywhere better than right next to your bed.
The co sleeper we use (pictured above) is by Arms Reach. What’s great about the arms reach co sleeper is that it can be attached to your bed with the side folded down, or used as a standalone bassinet. I use it attached to the bed because it makes nursing at night such a breeze. Just reach over and get your baby, then put them back when you’re done, all while staying in bed. Safer then bed sharing and more useful than a traditional bassinet, the arm’s reach is my favorite product for newborns.
If you plan on having your baby in your room for the first six months to a year (as recommended by pediatricians) you will be grateful to have something like this rather than moving a crib into your bedroom. In my experience, the crib didn’t even get that much use. To prepare for your new baby, a co sleeper is a newborn essential you shouldn’t skip.
Hopefully you found some or all of these ideas helpful for your newborn! What did I miss? I would love to hear about it!
