First-time Mom Must-Haves

Forget what you’ve read – I go beyond the basics and get straight to the good stuff: the must-haves for first-time moms!

Yes, I received a crib, diapers, stroller, and a car seat. No one told me about the smaller items I would need after Baby Woz came home. After all that unsolicited advice over the previous 9 months? Huh, who would’ve thought? Anyways, here is a list of Must-Haves for New Moms – and why you need it. 

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Sleep Swaddles

Sure, you bought those oh so adorable muslin swaddles. But wrapping a swaddle is an art form and if you don’t know how to do it properly, then you’re screwed. Countless times, Jared and I watched the nurses swaddle Baby Woz in the hospital. Every time we tried it, we failed. I still don’t know how they did it. When we got home, I ended up breaking down and buying the swaddles with the Velcro on the side. Complete lifesaver!!

Try this one: Aden + Anais Essentials Easy Wrap Swaddles, $30
Amazon.com

Baby Carrier

All I have to say is, try before you buy. There are so many baby wraps and carriers to choose from. I’d choose one that you find the most comfortable and that you’ll be able to use for a good while. They’re so useful when doing chores around the house or running errands. I mean, who wants to carry a car seat around everywhere? Or who wants to take the stroller out of the car trunk, set it up, make sure the car seat is secure in the stroller and have to put it all back? Just go with a baby carrier. It’s easier.

Try this one: Boba Wrap Baby Carrier, $40
Amazon.com

Postpartum Essentials

Your body just worked extremely hard to bring a baby into this world. It’s going to need time to recover. That means needing the right postpartum essentials. You can go for the good ole Tucks witch hazel pads and a peri rinse bottle. Or you can go for Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit. Either way, your body is going to need some TLC and these are the way to go. 

Try this one: Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit, $50
Amazon.com

Lactation Massager

After all of the unsolicited advice I got, no one told me about this until after I finished nursing my son. I frequently dealt with clogged milk ducts and they are not fun. They hurt. However, the first-ever lactation massager was made to loosen plugged ducts and get your milk flowing again. 

Try this one: LaVie Lactation Massager, $35
Amazon.com

Basic Bodysuits

During the nursing stage, your baby may have AT LEAST 3 outfit changes per day. And that’s on a good day. That’s not including all the spit-up stains, diaper blowouts, and baby food stains. So, investing in some basic white onesies is a lifesaver. And you won’t ruin all the cute clothes your baby has.

Try this one: Simple Joys by Carter’s, $20
Amazon.com

Pacifier (Specifically WubbaNub)

We had so many different types of pacifiers on hand but didn’t give them to Baby Woz right away. We introduced the pacifier when Baby Woz was 3 or 4 weeks old. And when we first introduced the pacifiers, he didn’t know how to keep it in his mouth when he was starting to doze off. So, whenever the pacifier came out, the crying started. We tried multiple ways to get the pacifier to stay. My father joked with me one day and said I should just tape it to his mouth. I laughed, but I’ll admit, I did think about it. Instead, I decided to try a WubbaNub. Oh my goodness, it was a complete lifesaver. The WubbaNub wouldn’t fall out every time Baby Woz started to doze off! And when he got a little older, he loved to grab it with his hands, pull it out, and out it back in his mouth without anyone having to hold onto it for him.

Try this one: WubbaNub, $18
Amazon.com