New Parent Useful Items and Hospital Pack List

It's been 5 months since I had my baby (induced then emergency c-section).

I found out my good friend may be pregnant and I wanted to write down my learnings to pass along to the next new parent.

This is not a perfect list but hope it helps! I'll update as I remember more. (Reposting in this subreddit as it might be helpful for pregnant parents more!)

EAT (For combo fed babies)

  • My Breast Friend Pillow (Insert cushion is water proof. Genius! Get 1 more cover for diaper blowouts and washes)
  • Silverette Nipple Cups (Breast feeding could be pretty hard for the first month or so.)
  • Bottle Sterilizer 
  • Phillips Bottle Warmer (I also had Baby Brezza brand but Phillips is SO MUCH easier to use)
  • Stokke High Chair (+Newborn Set) : Might be worth it to get it from early on because you can keep the baby on your eye level while you're in the kitchen, living room. Also makes the bottle feeding easier on mommy wrist.
  • Burp Cloths
  • Alpremio Feeding Chair (Keeping baby back straight in your arms for bottle feedings. Makes it easy to burp the baby.) 
  • Nursing Pads (Lansinoh)
  • Nursing Cami (Skims! Recommend going up 1 size.)

SLEEP

  • Nanit Camera (w/ Stand)
  • Swaddles with zippers
  • Hatch Sound Machine (Also use as soft night light) 
  • Humidifier (Get one that's easy to wash)
  • Snoo (Rental because baby will only need it before showing signs of flipping - 2-3m months) 
  • Wearable Blanket (After 2-3 months when baby shows sign of flipping. After transferring to crib)
  • Pretty Little Sleep (Book)
  • 12 Hours of Sleep by 12 Weeks (Book)

POOP / PEE

  • Wet Wipe dispenser (Warmer is not necessary after 3rd month. But good to have. I liked Munchkin touch free one.) 
  • Small Portable LED Light (For changing at night time)
  • Diaper Change Station
  • Coterie for night time diaper (May not be necessary but I found the surface feels drier than others after pees)
  • Baby Mobile with Arm on Changing Table
  • Aquaphor
  • Sanitizer wipes to clean up after some unfortunate spills
  • Disposable baby changing pads (Baby poops and pees while you're changing them. Lay down a couple sheets when you change them. You can throw away the layers and won't have to clean up the changing table after every time)
  • Hand sanitizer

PLAY (Buy as baby grows)

  • Baby Bouncer (Baby Bjorn) - Also known as the poop chair. Poops every time! 
  • Baby Gym (Lovevery) 
  • Soft Books (Manhattan Toys. Washable!) 
  • Baby Books (Any books that is special for you) 

BATH

  • Baby Neck Tube (For swim/bath time. It must have reminded my baby of swimming inside the womb. Loved bath time right away)
  • Bath Insert (For sink or bathtub use. We liked Angelcare) 
  • Baby Muslin Hand Towel (for sponge baths)
  • Light Weight Muslin (Or light weight traditional swaddle to use with bath) 
  • Baby body wash, shampoo, face - eye cream, Aquaphor
  • Baby Hairbrush (Frida Baby Cradle Cap Set)

CARE

  • Huckleberry App
    • For tracking feed, poop & sleep - new parent memory is pretty useless.. It's also helpful for sharing baby stats when you're taking shifts with partner/ helpers.
    • Sleep : It basically lets you know when the wake window ends to put your baby down for a nap. You have to log every sleep for this to work.
    • Feed :
      • Can track bottle feed & breastfeeding.
      • Not helpful when it comes to solid feeds. So if you're thinking of subscribing, may not need it as much past 7 month mark.
  • Nasal Aspirator (Baby eats better when nasal passage is clear. I use it to get the boogers out as I'm not very good with tweezers..)
  • BioGaia Baby Probiotics + Vitamin D (Helps with digestion. Plus baby will have to take vitamin D. Only will need it until 5-6 months)
  • Frida Baby Nail Filer (File a little bit every day) 
  • Baby Tylenol (Just in case. Good to bring it to your vaccination appointments just in case) 
  • Rectal Thermometer (Most accurate)
  • Ear Thermometer (Pretty accurate and easy to use)

WEAR (Buy as baby grows. Because they do so fast!)

  • Uniqlo onesies for everyday (Love color coded plastic snap buttons for night time changes)
  • Hanna Anderson for easy to change but cute outfits (Shop when they're on sale - Currently 25% off on some items)
  • Gap Organic Cotton Onesies (best material)
  • H&M sweats for fun but comfortable outfits (Onesies are not very good.. scratchy cotton fabric)
  • 2 Way Zip Footie Pajama
    • Carter’s (They all have 2 way zippers)

Bring to Hospital! 

  • My Breast Friend Pillow (Would have made the first time latching so much easier!)
  • Zippy Swaddles!!! (Halo or Snoo was good) - Pack extra in case of diaper blowout
    • Swaddling newborn was so so so hard
  • Newborn Size Diapers (Hospital only had size 1 and had so many diaper blowouts and leaks)
  • Socks (Fuzzy socks for mommy. Hospital might be cold)
  • Baby going home outfit
  • Mommy going home outfit
  • Phone(camera) stand
  • Bathroom Shoes (Go a couple size larger because your feet will swell even more!)
  • Nice Travel Size Shower Set (Make the first shower after delivery special! Shampoo, conditioner, long shower towel because you won’t be able to reach a lot of parts of your body) 
  • Cute Hairband or hair tie
  • Comfortable pants
    • Uniqlo Washable Knit Rib Pants (Have the softest waistband!) 
  • Coconut Water (For hydration and to help your first #2. Has some sugar so can fuel you during your labor as well.)
  • Post Partum Pads and Peri Bottle (Hospital will also have these)
  • Pillow and Light but warm blanket for Daddy (or whoever will stay with you)

Get from the Hospital (For combo feed babies)

  • For Combo Feed Babies
    • 2oz Formula bottles
    • Single Use Nipples (These are pretty hard to get. Frequently backordered on Amazon. But makes trip outside home very easy. Newborn parents, live easy not hard!)
  • Binkies for the car ride home. (Even if you don’t want to start using binkies, makes the trip back home easier.)
  • Hospital Nursery Use : We felt like the most horrible parents when we gave in and did this. I'd say do it. Let the nurses take your baby in their care for a night. It may be the last good-ish sleep for a couple weeks. Muster all your energy for recovery!
  • Ask nurses all the questions before you leave the hospital! I took a video of how the nurses burp and change the baby.

Good to Know Before Going to the Hospital (We didn't know any of this. I wish we did!)

  • How to burp! (Baby eats more --> Sleeps better, Baby has less gas -> Sleeps better)
  • How to change diaper
  • How to swaddle (Use swaddles with zippers)
  • How to latch baby to nipple
  • Torticollis (In case if baby prefers one side of their body)

Good to Know/Prep Before the Delivery

  • Tummy time techniques
  • How to bathe baby (Baby won’t need a bath for about 2 weeks but helpful to know)
  • Read about sleep training (You won't need it for a while but good to know in advance / when you actually have time to read. Sleep training will be emotionally hard. But will help your baby and the family to sleep better.)