Minimalist Baby Must-Haves
My little bear is now nearly one year old. Where does the time go?? It feels like just yesterday I pulled him up to my chest for the first time and saw those sweet little eyes stare back. Now he’s a rough-and-tumble tot who is climbing stairs and playing with the puppy. So sweet, but the time really does fly. While he has gotten older and much more active, I’ve actually discovered we don’t need nearly as much for him as when he was a newborn. So, whether you’re shopping for a friend, a family member, or you’re a mama trying to put together the last bits and bobs before your little one arrives, stay tuned for my minimalist baby must-haves from birth through year one!
Mama must-haves
- Breast pads (reusable, bamboo)
A lifesaver for every mama so you don’t have to change your bra every 30 minutes… those first few weeks can be quite the experience!
So I didn’t actually have these, but for the next baby, I am absolutely getting some!! I have heard these do wonders for healing a new mama’s nipples when they’re experiencing pain during breastfeeding.
This is the best thing I purchased for Baby. I never used an electric pump, just the Hakka to relieve pressure while my supply regulated and to build up a small freezer stash for an emergency.
Newborn must-haves
Alright, full disclosure, we rarely used these when our child was a newborn. However, we use them now and I know that many parents use them all the time if they have a baby who spits up a lot! Definitely a good thing to have on hand.
- Sleepers (zip-up) (Burt’s Bees is my favorite for all things baby)
These organic cotton ones are my favorite. Oh-so cozy and cute! Baby was always either doing skin-to-skin or in one of these!
We rarely used onesies until around 6 months, but we had a winter baby. Many mamas love onesies and if you’re having a summer baby I’m sure you’d use them every day!
Wipe-up spit-up, snuggle skin-to-skin, or use as a nursing cover, these blankets are multi-purpose and I love to always have one on hand even now!
0-3 month must-haves
Baby-wearing is a life-saver. Without my wraps and carriers, I would never be able to get anything done. My baby loooves contact naps and carriers allow them while still letting me get chores done around the house. The Moby is my favorite wrap for up to 6 months or 20 pounds.
3-6 month must-haves
Our kiddo popped a tooth at 5 months, so while your baby might not get teeth until a bit later, teethers are fun for them to gum and provide mental stimulation!
Babies grow, fast! We found the feet of sleepers to be too small for our little one, so we started buying the ones without feet, and we found that baby fit into them for soo much longer!
We cloth-diaper, and while I don’t love onesies, I love having some t-shirts to toss on baby during the spring/summer so we don’t have to wrestle to get a sleeper on!
- Socks (6-12 month size)
Pretty self-explanatory, useful to have a couple on hand if you are using footless sleepers.
6-9 month must-haves
I just purchased this wrap from Oscha Slings, based in Scotland. I have used it maybe 3 days and I am in love. Having practiced with a stretchy wrap really set me up for success, and next baby I will be using a woven wrap from day 1! There is a bit of a learning curve to every wrap, but I can’t recommend this one enough!
9-12 month must-haves
- A safe place to climb
This could be a bunch of couch cushions, some boxes, or a spare mattress. We have our eyes on these options:
Definitely investments, but so fun and can often be found cheaper secondhand (I’ve been keeping an eye out on Facebook Marketplace!). Personally, I wouldn’t purchase these new, and if I did, I would look for more economical companies/better quality components (organic, etc.).
