This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission from any sales leading from this article. Click here to read the privacy policy.
What do you actually need for your baby? That’s always been a highly Googled question. I searched for all the baby essentials and items a million times when I was pregnant with my first baby.
After two of them, my youngest is now 2 years old, so I’m past the baby struggle and mid-toddler chaos. I feel like I know at least a little about the most needed baby items and the real baby essentials to focus on.
Why Less is More When It Comes to Baby Essentials
When I had my first baby, I was convinced I needed every baby product on the market. Our house was overrun with baby gear, most of which we barely touched! It took me a while to realize that fewer, well-chosen baby essentials would make life so much easier. Trust me, a minimalist approach will save you space, stress, and money.
What You Really Don’t Need
One thing I learned after having two kids is that not everything labeled as a baby essential is actually essential. For example, we had way too many baby shoes, and honestly, they’re more for show than function in the first year. Same with baby swings – you really don’t need three different types of swings or seats!
Tips on How to Choose Baby Essentials
When picking out your baby essentials, think about what will last and what can be used in multiple ways. For example, the BabyBjörn Bouncer we had wasn’t just great for giving me a moment of peace—it was also portable enough to move around the house, and we could use it from newborn stage to toddlerhood. Look for items that offer flexibility and longevity.
Baby essentials I loved
What you need are the bare baby essentials, here are some of my favorites.
The Stokke chair (I’m Norwegian, so duh) baby set and harness. Listen, I got the whole deal because of a special price, and I’ve actually used the harness… My kids like to try and out themselves by standing up in the chair. The harness saves me a couple of heart attacks a week.
For the baby era, I combined the chair with the newborn seat. Golden to have your baby with you at the table, especially with number two. Big brother ate more with little sister at the table, he snuggled her in it and helped me with the bottle. We used it several times a day (within reason, she didn’t live in it)
While we’re on the topic of bottles – the MAM easy start anti-colic bottles are THE best. I only bottle-fed our last couple of weeks while my milk came in, but these guys we’re a game changer! We used Dr. Brown with big bro and OMG all the parts. There’s part with the MAM bottle as well, but what I LOVE LOVE is that they can sterilize in the microwave. So I just needed a few bottles because it was so easy to clean them between feedings.
AND as she got older we just got new tops and handles so she could hold it.
Another super convenient baby essential.
The next baby essential is the BabyBjörn Bouncer – the best gift we ever got. Our first one loved it. We tried the fancy electric ones but they never enjoyed them. Both of them would throw up so we lived for the BabyBjörn so I could take a shower, go to the bathroom, or just take 5. My kids loved it.
I’ve also carried babies a lot, and an all-time favorite baby essential is the Baby K’tan Easy pre-wrap 5 in 1 baby sling. And I tried a lot of different ones.
It’s a hybrid carrier and sling, easy to put on, get the baby in and they are so so close to your body. It’s also easy to breastfeed. Could not recommend this baby essential more.
Navigating the world of baby essentials can feel overwhelming, but trust me, you don’t need every gadget and gimmick out there. Focus on the basics and find what works best for you and your little one. These essential items made my life easier and helped me focus more on enjoying the precious moments with my babies. What about you? I’d love to hear about your must-have baby essentials and the items that helped you through those early days!