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Everyone spends so much time getting ready for their baby, it’s easy to forget that new moms need a few supplies too! Giving birth to a baby is hard work for your body, and while you’re recovering, you’ll be taking care of a brand new human. It’s a lot.

Make sure you take the time to get a few of these postpartum essentials to help take care of YOU, mom, while you’re learning to take care of your baby.

1. Heating and Cooling Pads

No matter your birth story, you’re likely going to have some aches, pains, and soreness to deal with. Find some that can be hot or cold so you’ll have the option to go with whatever feels best. We love the TendHer Reusable Ice Packs.

2. Nipple Cream

If you’re planning on breastfeeding your baby, make sure you have some on hand along with breast pads. Even if everything goes perfectly, you might have some soreness and chapping for a while. Earth Mama has wonderful, organic products that smell great and are safe for baby. While you’re there, grab some New Mama Bottom Spray as well, or the Skin and Scar balm if you’re anticipating a C-section. 

3. Nursing Bra or Tank that Makes You Feel Good. 

We think you deserve to splurge a little on these postpartum essentials. You’re about to be living in these tops for the next several months! We love the options at Kindred Bravely – soft, comfy, and cute enough to wear in public. Make sure you have 5-7 options on hand.

4. A Really Delicious Tea.

The days are long, the nights are late, and the caffeine might be limited. Find a tea that’s delicious and makes you feel cared for. Raspberry Leaf tea is thought to be helpful with postpartum hormones, and Lemon Balm Tea can soothe anxiety and nausea. Birds and Bees Teas Our Lady of La Leche tea is not only delicious, but helps to establish and maintain milk supply. 

5. Nursing Pads. 

You’ll be bleeding for a while after giving birth, and using tampons in a postpartum no. Have lots of heavy maxi pads on hand, or period panties if they’re more your style. Thinx makes some stylish AND comfortable options – we love the sleep shorts for serious comfort. While on this topic, you will probably also want to invest in some stool softener as well.

6. Sitz  Bath or Herbal Bath Soak.

Lots of new moms say taking one or two baths a day with a sitz soak helped them heal faster and feel better. Try this gorgeously scented option from Thena Natural Wellness.

7. A Water Bottle You Love Enough to Keep with You at ALL Times.

Staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do for your postpartum body, and having a water bottle that’s big enough to help you meet your goals is helpful. We recommend finding one with a straw for times when your hands are full – like this giant dishwasher safe option by Reduce.

8. Baby Carrier.

A baby carrier will come in handy during the times when your baby only wants to be held, but you are busy and need to use your hands. Some babies may prefer a wrap style, while others prefer a buckle style baby carrier. Both types are great to add to your baby registry!

9. Breastfeeding Kit.

We know breastfeeding can be tough and we completely empathize with you. One thing to make the process easier is by having an entire breastfeeding kit. This can consist of a nipple cream, a burp cloth, a nursing pillow, tylenol, a nursing cover, and so on. Throw this all into a nursing bag and you will always be ready to go.

10. Breast Pump.

Breast pumps are major breastfeeding essentials for a nursing mom. They are great for when you just need a break. When you are exhausted or busy doing something, if you have a breast pump and bottle, your significant other, family member, or friend can help you out and feed your baby. Conveniently carry it in a breast pump bag for controlling temperature in style!

11. Swaddle Blanket. 

Not only is a swaddle one of the best baby essentials, but it is great for you too, mom. Swaddles are must haves for new moms, and are so popular because they keep your baby wrapped up as if they are back inside your womb, while also allowing you to sleep well. Swaddles are a win win!

12. Peri Bottle.

These are true postpartum essentials and will be life savers for you due to soreness down there. All you need to do is fill the bottle with warm water and spray it on your bottom to clean it after going to the bathroom.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in taking care of your new baby, but taking care of YOU is just as important. We hope this list of new mom essentials helps you assemble the tools for a comfortable, safe, and rest-filled recovery time bonding with your little one. 

As soon as you find out you’re going to be a new mom, everybody has advice to share. The mail carrier, random strangers at the grocery story, hundreds of moms in your social media feed – everyone has a right way of doing things, and their own list of things you can’t live without. It’s hard to know what advice to keep and what to throw away.

Here’s what we know for sure: A lot of motherhood advice is just opinions, and every family is unique. Your baby will be the first of their kind, and once you give birth you’ll be exactly the new mom your newborn baby will need. 

And just so you know you aren’t in it alone, here’s our list of mom tips to remember as you welcome your first baby into the world.

1. You Will Have Good Days and Bad Days

You’ll have good days and not-so-good days, great moments and hard ones with your baby. You’re going to feel like you have no idea what you’re doing one minute with your newborn and like you were born to do only this the next. When it feels impossible, hang in there – a better minute, or day, or week is on the way.

2. Postpartum

Postpartum bodies and postpartum recovery are super weird. If you carried your little one yourself, it will take a while to feel like yourself again. There is a human being where there didn’t used to be one – your body made a human - and that takes a minute to recover from. We know postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety is a real thing, but please try and be gentle with yourself. Even if there was some weight gain, which is completely normal, please try and remember this body just brought you the most incredible new baby. It deserves to be treated with incredible love.

3. Take a Break

You deserve to take a break. You deserve some time totally alone, and not just when you’re using the bathroom. We know you are likely dealing with sleep deprivation. You deserve to ask someone else to hold the baby for a while, or to wake up to soothe them, or to help around the house or bring a meal over or otherwise be useful. You deserve to reach out for care if you’re struggling, or sad, or unsure what to do next. Ask for these things without hesitation. Let your village help.

4. It’s OK to Be Selfish

You also deserve to be completely selfish with your baby. Mom hack: Don’t let anyone, even your new mom friend, shame your parenting style for setting boundaries around who can visit, who can hold them, and how soon. This time is precious, fleeting and magical. Soak up as many minutes as you want.

5. Being a First Time Mom is Not Easy

Some of the things you thought would be easy will wind up being incredibly difficult. That doesn’t mean you’re wrong, or your baby is wrong. Everyone comes into motherhood, post pregnancy as a unique person, raising another unique person. Keep trying new things with your baby care until you find the one that works for you.

6. You Deserve a Fashionable Diaper Bag

Remember how we said some mommy advice is really just opinions? Here’s ours: you deserve a diaper bag that makes you feel like your put-together self and makes things easier with your newborn. Our brand new Million Pockets Backpack is it’s a dream come true! A pocket for everything. You deserve and will need pockets for everything, even for that random ready to use (clean) diaper, as a first time mom. 

Read more about our Million Pockets Backpack

This journey you’re about to go on as a new mom is going to be a wild one. It will teach you more about yourself and parenting than you ever asked to learn, push you to the limits, and fill you with more joy than you can possibly imagine. As you continue to collect advice from every meddling human you meet, don’t forget to trust your instincts. Take what feels right for your family, and don’t stress about the rest.

The good news? You’re getting ready to welcome your very first newborn baby! The bad? An endless newborn baby checklist of must-haves, conflicting advice from well-meaning friends and family, and stacks of books you’ve haven’t found time to read have you feeling COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Take a breath, love. We’ve got you.

Sometimes, all you need is a newborn checklist of the essentials. Here are our must-haves to add to your baby registry for bringing home your newborn. Together with a solid trust in your instincts and the support of your village, you’ll be covered. You’ve got this.

Here’s what you’ll need to add to your baby registry newborn checklist:

On-the-Go Checklist

• A Car Seat.

   First things first! If you’re giving birth in a hospital or maternal care center, you’ll need a safely installed car seat to bring the baby home. We love the Britax B-Safe Gen2 for its SafeCell technology and easy-to-use LATCH system for stress-free installation. This is such an important baby product! Want even more assurance that you’ve got your seat installed correctly? Search the NHTSA’s list of certified technicians to find an inspection site near you!

• A Baby Carrier You Love.

  Skin-to-skin closeness is an essential part of the early bonding process. A baby carrier you love helps you bond with your baby while keeping your hands free to do other essential things, like feed yourself, take a gentle walk, or run an errand. There are dozens of styles to choose from – we love the flexibility and security of a stretchy wrap for the baby’s first month!

• A Great Diaper Bag.

   We admit it – we’re a little biased – but we think every new parent should have the JuJuBe B.F.F to hold all of the bits, pieces, and the endless supply of diapers you’ll suddenly need everywhere you go. Machine washable, with 12 unique pockets to help you stay organized and a memory foam changing pad so you never have to worry about changing your baby’s diaper when you’re out and about. 

• A Stroller.

  A good stroller can make you feel safe and free to take a baby for their first journeys outside. We love UPPAbaby’s Vista V2 stroller for its versatility, smooth steering, and impeccable style. And should you choose to have more children in the future, the Vista evolves to transport a second or even a THIRD child!

Nursery Checklist 

• A Place for Your New Baby To Sleep.

  Crib, bassinet, or co-sleeper –whatever works best for your family! Things to look for: excellent airflow, modern construction (be careful with a heirloom crib), and infant-safe finishes. 

• A Baby Monitor.

  Because you’ll never want to take your eyes off of your new true love. We love Owlet’s The Duo – the combination of the award-winning Smart Sock and Cam gives you a complete picture of baby’s health, even from another room, so you can rest easy. Baby monitors are truly baby essentials that you cannot live without!

• A Sleep Sack.

  Most infant babies like the feeling of being snuggled up securely to sleep to mirror the feeling of being inside their mom. Swaddling blankets are an accessible traditional way to achieve restful newborn sleep, and their cousins the sleep sack are an even simpler, safer way to help baby relax. With tons of options available, look for a sleep sack without too much extra fabric or padding for your newborn, that’s lightweight and breathable, with minimal hardware. This is another great item to add to your baby registry!

• A Collection of Onesies.

  Sure, you’ve got a closet full of adorable baby clothes, but trust us when we say a simple set of newborn onesies can be a lifesaver for those exhausting (and sometimes messy) first few weeks. Goumi Kid’s organic bamboo onesies are as beautiful as they are functional which helps make diaper changing easy, and luxuriously soft on baby’s brand new skin. While you’re on the Goumi Kid’s site, pick up a few pairs of mitts to protect the baby's skin until you can trim those tiny newborn nails.

• Diapers.

  Speaking of diapers, you’re going to need a LOT of them. If you’re choosing disposable diapers, make sure you stock up on a few different styles/brands of newborn diapers so you can find the ones that fit best and leak least on your baby. If a cloth diaper is the way to go, make sure you’ve got your laundry plan and detergent ready, and have all your diapers pre-washed and prepared! Other diaper related items that are major newborn essentials that can be added to your list are: diaper cream to avoid a diaper rash, a changing pad, and a diaper pail. These are perfect to add to your baby registry!

Other great miscellaneous baby things to add to your checklist can be: baby oil, a hooded towel, a burp cloth, a swaddle, baby soap, a boppy pillow, a changing table, and so on. The options are endless!

You’ll probably make a few wrong turns along the way. Maybe it’ll take awhile to find the products on your baby checklist that are the perfect fit for you and your little one, and maybe you’ll have to learn a few lessons through trial-and-error. You will definitely be pooped on or spit up on more than you ever wished for, and you will definitely wind up laughing or crying on the floor of the nursery at some point, completely at a loss as to what to do next. 

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