Baby Registry Items I Forgot as a First-Time Mom

The first week you bring your baby home from the hospital is a wild ride of emotion, exhaustion, and wonder. I was mostly prepared, but there were a few things I didn’t account for – that you can! Here are all of the things I panic-bought in the first week of my baby’s life. 

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Larger Depends-Style Underwear 

I discovered Amazon Prime had same-day shipping in my area in the hospital while in labour. Don’t wait like I did! I delayed purchasing the depends-style disposable underwear until I absolutely had to because I was dreading it. (After birth, you won’t mind them, I promise.) I just grabbed a pack and went on my way without really thinking about the size… and I got the wrong size. If you’re between sizes or just unsure, err on the larger side. You want to be as comfortable as possible. These are the ones I recommend. 

Baby Wipes 

I didn’t want to go all in on a brand of wipes or diapers because I wasn’t sure what would fit my baby best or how sensitive H’s skin would turn out to be... Because of that, I had three small packs of wipes… that lasted all of two days. Just get the big pack of wipes. You can always return them. These are the ones I use. 

Electric Nail File 

I had no idea this even existed or that baby’s nails would take up so much headspace... But guess what: babies can be born with really sharp nails and using nail clippers is terrifying. In the first week, my husband clipped our son’s nails (I refused because I knew it would be scary) and accidentally clipped his little finger… It was awful… Which meant he also refused to cut our son’s nails. We were at an impasse. Save yourself the emotional damage and get this electric nail file instead. 

Stool Softener 

I was in denial about postpartum so didn’t have everything I needed on hand. I had heard I needed stool softener but hadn’t purchased it yet (H was too weeks early). Right after birth, I ordered stool softener because let me tell you: Your first poop postpartum is terrifying. Just get the stool softener, take it regularly and you’ll be fine. But the lead up is stressful. 

Burp Cloths 

I see burp cloths missing from so many registries - including my own! Babies spit up, often - it’s just a fact of life. These burp cloths are the best - they’re big, soft, and they will actually stay on your shoulder. We ended up getting two packs because we used them so often. 

Pack N Play Sheets 

Newborn sleep is wild. I wish I’d known that babies don’t like to be put down. H was only really happy sleeping on us (which is totally normal but totally exhausting!) We tried sleeping in shifts so H could sleep on us (not sustainable) then we tried the bassinet, but landed on the pack n play. I had a pack n play all ready but for some reason I hadn’t thought of sheets! Make sure you get sheets for the pack n play. Tip for free: mini crib sheets fit the pack n play.

Water Bottle

A little known fact about postpartum: you will be so thirsty. I bought a big thermal water bottle and took it everywhere with me - and I still use it today! It’s worth the investment and so easy to overlook something for you when you’re preparing for your baby.

Snuggle Me Organic

That first week of baby sleep (or lack thereof) can make you pretty desperate. We mentioned to our midwife that H would only sleep in our arms and she recommended the Snuggle Me Organic. We purchased it with the fastest shipping we could get and tried it the next day. For weeks, it was the only way H would sleep (with our supervision) that wasn’t in our arms. When I was pregnant, I hadn’t planned on places to put the baby down and this turned out to be a wonderful addition to our home. 

Sleep Help

I will never forget sitting on my couch at 2am holding my baby and taking turns with my husband sleeping — because our baby would only sleep being held. We were completely unprepared for the reality of newborn sleep and we needed help. This was the start of my journey to becoming a holistic baby sleep coach.

My Newborn Sleep Guide is designed for expecting parents and parents of newborns — it’s your comprehensive guide to sleep from 0-16 weeks. I’ll walk you through:

• attachment in the fourth trimester

• safe sleep

• newborn sleep norms

• optimizing your baby’s sleep

• troubleshooting newborn sleep challenges

• optimizing your own sleep

It’s the guide I wish I had as a first time mom — and unlike some other sleep advice, it’s designed to take the pressure off and help you build your confidence as a parent.

Do you have everything ready for your baby? Download your Essentials Checklist now!

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