Feeling nervous and clueless could be an apt way to describe the anxiety one feels before the arrival of a baby. As first-time parents, you are not entirely sure of every baby essentials that you might need. While there are the more obvious things, there are also less obvious things that you’ll only learn once you start caring for your baby.

To curb this cluelessness, below is a list of some must-have items that every parent will need after the baby comes.

A Month’s Supply of Diaper

Rather than just mentioning diapers, we decided to be a bit more precise by adding that you should buy lots of diapers to last you for at least a month. You should look for diapers that have an amazing absorption facility and are devoid of any harsh ingredients that may irritate the fragile skin of your incident. These may include parabens, latex, fragrance, chlorine, alcohol, dye, and VOCs.

You should always, always buy diapers that are created by companies that have goodwill in the market. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to established names, after all.

6-8 Packets of Baby Wipes

It is advised to not bathe your baby until the umbilical cord comes off. But, as your baby will still dirty himself or herself, you should have an arsenal of baby wipes ready at your disposal. Just like diapers, these wipes should be free of any potential irritants. Make sure that the wipes that you purchase have a gentle formula and comes from a reputable brand.

A High-quality High Chair

A high chair can be extremely useful to feed the baby without any added fuss and minimum spillage. As most of the models have sturdy safety belts, your baby will be assuredly protected. You have to be cognizant of what the height is, as even something that seems as simple as that has its own list of dos and don’ts,safety-wise.

When you go to a family restaurant, you can ask the waiter to bring you a high chair to feed your baby. Most of them are very accommodating in such cases.

3 to 4 Milk Bottles

Feeding mothers have two options when it comes to feeding their tiny humans: breastfeeding and bottle feeding. Buying a milk bottle is, of course, obvious if you want to bottle feed the baby. Yet, even in the case of breastfeeding, having milk bottles with you can be quite handy. Once you’ve pumped the milk, you can use the milk bottle as storage containers, and using it as and when required.

Carefully survey the market to look for milk bottles that are BPA-free and have good-quality nipples.

The other thing that you would like to highlight is the importance of investing in a bottle warmer along with the milk bottles. You can use the bottle warmer to bring the milk to a lukewarm consistency as even doctors advise to feed warm milk to babies. When the baby suddenly starts to feel hungry, this appliance can be useful to heat the milk just enough to make it drinkable. The other option would be to microwave the milk, which since you don’t have any control over the temperate, makes it unsafe.

A First-Rate Car Seat

A car seat is almost as important as a high chair. You need this whenever you travel along with your child in a car.

When you start researching your options, you may wish to read this article from Joie Baby to start, but don’t forget to also check out the recall list. The government also issues new safety standards periodically which is again a great guide to determine the quality and safety of the car seat.

Baby Bath Tub and Bath Towel

When is your baby is ready to be given birth, you should always have a baby bathtub ready. These are easy to store and have a convenient design that will make the task at hand easier. Along with the bathtub, you also need a soft towel to dry the baby once he or she is clean. You can also look for bath towels that are hooded as it can act as a protective layer to keep your baby’s head and ears warm.

Baby Toys

While baby walkers and baby carriers are great purchases, you need to stock up with a sufficient number of baby toys to keep your child occupied. These may include rattles, clutching toys, and teethers. You should also remember to clean these toys to reduce the risks of any bacteria buildup.

You can also have toys that have sounds or music to keep your baby distracted. Having said this, please be careful to select more soothing sounds. Otherwise, you will end up regretting it later.

Baby Clothing Basics

Onesies, hand mittens, leg mittens, caps, frocks, pants, or tee –they are just so many cute clothes that you can dress your baby in. Hence, we have only decided to categorize them all together under the ‘baby clothing basics’. You can add baby clothes that you feel would look amazing on your baby. If you want your baby to be the most stylish on the block, you could get a minion onesie for your little one to rock that ‘be despicable‘ theme. E-shops like Kigurumi could provide you the perfect onesie to turn your baby into a fashionista!

But in addition to how trendy the clothes look; you should also check the material and maintenance instructions. Go for organic cotton onesies along with soft outwear to keep your baby warm.

Thermometer

Babies suffering from fever is quite common. But it can be dangerous if it remains undetected for longer periods. This is exactly why it’s important that you own a forehead and ear thermometer to detect your baby’s temperature. If needed, you can also buy an entire set.

2 Strollers

Yes, you read that right. You should have at least two strollers with you–one that is lightweight and the other which is more heavy-duty. Generally, people tend to go for the latter option only but, having a lightweight stroller can also be a lifesaver when the other breaks down.

There are different types of rollers also show available for purchase. Hence, you can select a model that would be more suited to your needs.

Resources – The Bump, The Tot