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Just like my hospital bag was packed and ready to go super early with more than I would ever need, I was the same way when it came to baby products. I ordered SO much stuff and had it all neatly put away in her nursery weeks before she ever made her appearance. 

There are definitely items that we did not need, but there are also items that we used EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. And we continue to use most of them! But the baby industry is soooo expensive (something I didn’t realize) so when people tell you that all you need is diapers, onesies, and a food source, they’re right. The other stuff is just nice to have. 

That being said, I have compiled a list of things we loved and used and also some things we wish we had and will be getting for future babies! This also depends on your parenting preference! You might parent differently and choose not to use some of these things – that’s okay! I’m just giving my two cents and you can take it or leave it! 🙂 

Owlet Dream Sock – I have seen some controversial discussions over this product, but it eased so much anxiety in our family and we absolutely love it. There is so much information spewed at first time parents – sleep being the biggest one. The owlet gave us such peace of mind during those first worrisome, sleep-deprived weeks, and she still uses it every night. It is a steep price tag, but it’s priceless to us!

Hatch Sound Machine – We are raising a generation of babies who are addicted to their sound machines, and that it totally okay with me! It helps Callie associate sleep, and our house isn’t very large so it definitely helps drown out noise! I remember getting ours on a deal during the winter – we bought the large sound machine and got the mini for free! This was super nice because we had one in our room and one in the nursery!
A tip I have is to get a sound machine early in your pregnancy if you are planning to use one so that you get used to it before baby comes. I’m very particular about noises in my sleep so this really helped. I started it super low, and gradually increased it every couple of days until it was loud enough for Callie. Now I still sleep with it even though she has moved to her nursery! 

Kyte Baby Rompers – Chances are, you’ve heard of the infamous bamboo clothing, and I am 100% sold. They are pricey so if they’re out of your budget, cotton pajamas serve the exact same purpose and are plenty sufficient. I just LOVE the feel of these, and they truly do grow with baby. Callie is five months old, almost 17 pounds and is still able to fit into her 0-3 month sleepers. She outgrew her cotton sleepers before she even hit three months! Also, I suggest getting the rompers over the footies because they will last you even longer! 

Velcro Swaddles – We used the Swaddle Me Swaddles from day one and they were awesome. The hospital did teach us how to use an actual blanket to swaddle but these are so much quicker in the middle of the night and the velcro is so much stronger at keeping her arms in!

Love to Dream Swaddles – Transition Swaddle – We started using these around six weeks old when Callie started breaking out of the Velcro swaddles. We used the regular ones until about 10 weeks and then used the transition swaddle for about 2 weeks. These are great for letting baby have their hands up by their face (very natural position for them) while also having tight fabric around the torso to stimulate the swaddled feeling.
We used the transition style when we wanted her to start using a sleep sack. It did help her get used to having her arms out, but in all honesty, we probably could’ve done without it since she really only used it for about two weeks. It was nice to have though!

Kyte Baby Sleep Sack – If you get anything from Kyte Baby, their sleep sacks are the product to get. They are so soft and cuddly, and keep baby nice and warm. Callie uses this for every nap, and every night at bedtime, and she LOVES them! This was eventually what we wanted her to be sleeping in after the Velcro and arms up swaddle. She started using this consistently around three months, and has been wearing it ever since!

Blackout Curtains – Every baby is different, but Callie is definitely a baby that needs absolute darkness to sleep. When transferring sleep cycles, light is super stimulating for her and would sometimes cause a nap to end early.

VTech Baby Monitor – I wouldn’t say that I am in love with this baby monitor, but it has worked very well for us. I like how big the screen is (might be one of the biggest on the market) and the video and audio quality is great! We occasionally have connectivity issues and our house isn’t even that big, so I’m not sure how well it would do in a larger house. I will recommend that whatever monitor you choose, make sure that it has an actual screen and not just an app on your phone. It would drive me absolutely crazy to always have to check an app to make sure she was still sleeping!

Baby Nail Trimmer – A friend of mine told me to bring these to the hospital because her nails would be so long, and I’m so glad I did! They do such a good job filing those razor sharp nails down, but they don’t hurt baby’s skin. I can’t imagine trying to use actual clippers – those little hands move so much that there’s no way I wouldn’t nick her skin!

Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream – Yes, I know it seems odd to have beauty a beauty product for women in this list, but trust me. One of my best friends told me about this little gem when I was desperate for something to relieve Callie’s diaper rash. It got so bad that she would screeaam at every diaper change and none of the diaper creams were working. After one day of using this, it was so much better and any time she has diaper rash it clears it right up!

SkipHop Bathtub – This bathtub is AMAZING. It’s converts three different ways and grows with baby, and I’m all about extending the life of a product. What I really love about this tub, is how much water it saves! You don’t have to fill up your entire tub to give baby a bath and that’s a huge win. 

Yookidoo Showerhead – We use this every single night. Literally every night for 5+ months. Yes you can use a cup to rinse baby, but this thing is so convenient and Callie loves it. 

Fisher Price Baby Gym – My biggest regret is that I didn’t have this play gym because I know that Callie would have loved it. I got the typical aesthetic gym and while it worked fine, I have heard nothing but good things about this one and will 100% be buying it for next time! Take it from someone who tried to do the whole “neutral colors” toys… get the colorful ones. 

Green Sprouts Burp Cloths – If you think you have enough burp clothes, double them. I was so proud of myself because I had plenty of clothes for her and never needed to do laundry… because we were out of clothes. I was, however, doing laundry every other day because we were going through burp cloths like crazy. I also really like these muslin ones – I find them to be super absorbent! 

Car Camera – We originally got a standard mirror for the car and it worked fine, but then I saw someone share this car camera for less than $40 and wanted to try it. The quality is great for the price and I LOVE that I can see her at night! Definitely worth it for us! 

Diaper Caddy – Have a diaper caddy in every living area and your master bedroom. It was so nice to have all supplies right there. We did get a changing table topper for the dresser in the nursery and actually use it quite a bit, but it’s still so nice to have diapers and wipes in rooms we spend lots of time in! 

Let me know if you had some of these items for your babe or if you have other “must haves” that I might need for next time! 🙂 

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If you know me, then you know that I am a compulsive organizer and excessive over planner, and these character traits only amplified when I got pregnant. (We ordered our crib and dresser when I was only ten weeks pregnant because “what if it was back ordered because of Covid.”) Needless to say, my hospital bag was packed and by the door before I even hit my third trimester. 

Not only did I have my bag packed super early, I spent lots of time researching what to put in it. I hadn’t ever done this before so I had no idea what I needed. I looked all over instagram and Tik Tok to see what other moms recommended. There were definitely items in my bag that I would consider a “necessity” and others that I didn’t touch. I’m going to compile a list below of everything I brought and also items I wish I would have had. 

Portable Fan – I didn’t have one with me, and honestly didn’t miss it. However, the hospital that I delivered at lets every patient have control of the temperature in their room so I was able to get it as cold as I needed during labor. (Poor Colin was freezing and was so thankful I made him pack a sweatshirt in the middle of August.) If you’re unsure about the temperature and are worried you’ll be hot, definitely bring one.

Nonslip Socks – Brought these and loved them! Especially when I was doing laps around the L&D floor. Funny story – When my OB came to break my water she told me to take them off if I wanted to keep them and wow was she right!

Tripod/Phone Stand – I was adamant that I did not want to record my birth and I stand firm that I do not want to record the actual birth. However, I do really regret not having one of our phones recording just our heads or even just the sound. It was so amazing and I wish I could go back and listen. If you hate the video, you can always delete it, but you can’t redo the moment over!

Stars Above Nightgown – I did not have these and desperately wish I did. I only had one set of pajamas with buttons and I wish I would have had more and in the form of a nightgown. Buttons are a necessity when trying to figure out breastfeeding. I got some after a few weeks at home and LOVED them for nighttime feeds. 

Auden Nursing Bras – I did have these and they are AMAZING. Trust me when I say you want these nursing bras in the hospital and not the ones with the clips. There’s no wire in them, no hooks, and they are so comfortable. 

Medela Soothing Pads – Thankfully the hospital had some of these and they were a MUST. I mean a MUST. Breastfeeding was so painful after about 10-12 hours and these were such a relief. I put them in the fridge while Callie was nursing and then put them on when she finished. 

Silverette Nursing Cups – I wouldn’t say these were a need in the hospital but I swear by them for when you come home. They’re very beneficial when your milk has come in because the breast milk works to heal. 

Nursing pads – not necessary in the hospital for me because my milk hadn’t come in.

Nipple Butters – mine hurt so bad that these really didn’t do much for me. The soothing gel pads were much more effective for me.

Always Discreet Underwear – yes, these are diapers and yes they are amazing. I used one of the hospital pads/mesh undies and HATED them. I lived in diapers for the first week and it was the best decision ever. I never tried the frida mom boy shorts, but liked these so much that I will definitely be using them for next time.

Frida Mom Peri Bottle – I’m sure if you are expecting, you’ve seen this and heard only great things, and I’m here to tell you the same thing. It was absolutely amazing.

Sound Machine – I am a very high maintenance sleeper and knew the sounds throughout the hospital would interrupt my sleep (what little I got) and a sound machine was so nice to have to drown some of the noise out!

Toiletries – a full blown shower was the most amazing feeling ever after giving birth. Shampoo, conditioner, face wash and body wash are a must as well as deodorant, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. I was the girl that brought makeup, but honestly don’t know if I will next time. 

Long phone charger – outlets are not close to the bed so this is very helpful.

Water bottle – I’m picky about water bottles so I wanted to bring my own.

Pillow and Blanket – Like I said above, I am a high maintenance sleeper so anything to make it feel more familiar/like home helped me and made me feel better! 

Roku – We brought ours and actually did use it, but I wouldn’t say it’s a necessity. 

Let me hear some of your “must haves” or “could’ve done without.”