Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

Baby essentials checklist: Do you have everything you need?

Prepare for your little one's arrival with this handy checklist

By
Blue nursery with baby essentials
virtua73 / Shutterstock

Getting ready for baby’s arrival is super exciting and overwhelming. Heading down the aisles of a baby store is exhilarating. It seems like everything you see is something your baby is going to need. Of course, those impulse buys can put a massive dent in your budget. So, instead of shopping online or in person without a guide, prepare a list of baby essentials. You don’t want to overwhelm your nursery space or your home with baby stuff you don’t need or might not need.

Making a checklist of baby essentials is also important when it comes to putting together a baby registry. Now, don’t add any more stress to your plate. We’ve got the go-to list of baby essentials you’re going to need for bath time, bedtime, baby gear, and beyond.

Recommended Videos

Baby essentials

Baby nursery
Photographee.eu / Shutterstock

Whether this is your first baby or not, there are always must-have items you definitely need. Oftentimes, the list of baby essentials gets blurred with all the other cool gear you see when shopping for baby. It’s a good idea to stay focused to keep the cost down and also ensure you will have everything you need when baby arrives. So, here are the baby necessities you will want to have on hand before your little one comes home for the first time.

Related

Baby clothes

Okay, so it’s hard not to stock up on tons of baby clothes because they are super cute. Babies grow and change a lot in those first few months, which means there isn’t any need to buy too much. Have the essentials and shop for those cute seasonal outfits as needed. Friends and family love to gift baby clothes, which means the drawers and closet will fill up quickly. Baby clothes and blankets need to be washed. So, be sure to have a gentle laundry detergent that’s recommended for babies.

  • 5 to 10 onesies
  • 1 to 3 newborn hats
  • 2 sets of mittens for the hands
  • 4 to 5 booties or socks
  • 1 sweater
  • 1 jacket or coat, depending on the season (and where you live)
  • 5 to 8 one-piece pajamas
  • 5 to 8 daytime outfits

Baby blankets

You may feel as though you never have enough of these because they get dirty easily. It’s always prudent to have extras on hand, but don’t overdo it, especially if space is an issue.

  • 5 receiving blankets
  • 2 heavy stroller blankets
  • 2 lightweight stroller blankets
  • 2 to 3 swaddling blankets

Nursery

Setting up baby’s nursery is so exciting. Don’t feel as though you have to go crazy stocking it with everything you see on the baby aisles. One optional item you may want to consider for the nursery is a rocking chair or a glider. Having a rocker can be wonderful when you’re experiencing those middle-of-the-night feedings.

  • Bassinet
  • Crib
  • Crib mattress (make sure it fits without any gaps)
  • 2 or 3 fitted crib sheets (sheets should be snug)
  • Baby monitor
  • Dresser for clothing
  • Humidifier
  • Changing table (can also use a dresser with a changing pad)
  • Diapers
  • Baby wipes
  • Garbage can or diaper pail
  • Diaper cream
  • Crib mobile

Bath

Tub time is so much fun, and you’ll want to have all the bath essentials you’ll need to give baby a bath.

  • Baby tub
  • 2 hooded towels
  • 3 to 4 washcloths
  • Baby shampoo
  • Dove soap or baby body wash
  • Rubber ducky or bath toy

Feeding

Whether you’re bottle or breastfeeding, feeding times are amazing because you and your little one get to bond and cuddle. Bottle and breastfeeding parents may want to consider a bottle warmer, bottler sterilizer, and a feeding pillow.

If bottle feeding

  • 8 to 10 4- and 8-ounce baby bottles and nipples
  • 10 bibs
  • Bottle brush
  • 10 burping cloths
  • Highchair (you won’t need it right away, but it’s best to get it ahead of time)

If breastfeeding

  • 8 to 10 4- and 8-ounce baby bottles and nipples
  • 10 bibs
  • Bottle brush
  • 10 burping cloths
  • Breast pump
  • Breastmilk storage bags
  • Nursing pads
  • Nipple cream

Health

You don’t need to go crazy in the first-aid department, but it’s a great idea to have these items at your disposal before baby comes home.

  • Baby thermometer
  • Infant Tylenol
  • Baby nasal aspirator
  • Soft baby brush
  • Baby nail file
  • Baby clippers
  • Silicone teethers to keep in the freezer

Baby gear

Now, there are tons of baby things out there that look like must-haves. Give yourself an impulse buy or two, but make sure to have these baby gear essentials.

  • Infant car seat or a car seat that converts as baby grows
  • Stroller
  • Baby carrier
  • Baby bouncy seat
  • Portable pack-and-play
  • Play mat and/or baby gym

Toys and books

You will surely get lots of baby toys from family and friends, but new parents will still want to pick out a few things on their own.

  • 5 or 6 baby board books for bedtime stories
  • 2 or 3 bathtub books
  • 5 or 6 baby toys for tummy time
  • Basket or soft bin to store toys and books

It can be hard to know exactly what you need to prepare for baby’s arrival. When you look at what’s available at baby stores and online, it can be really tempting to snap up what you see. Unfortunately, that isn’t practical. You will put an unnecessary dent in the family budget and run out of space to store most of it. Instead, use our baby essentials checklist to ensure you get the items you absolutely need. Using a baby essentials checklist is also the perfect practice for setting up your registry for your shower.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Dawn Miller
Dawn Miller
Contributor
Dawn Miller began her professional life as an elementary school teacher before returning to her first love, writing. In…
Authoritative parenting: What you need to know
Is authoritative parenting the right style for your family?
Teenage girl fighting with parents

While everything may look like sunshine and rainbows when families post happy pictures on social media, parents know that image isn't always true life. Parenting is probably the most difficult and often thankless job you will ever have. It is the most important, though. If you're on TikTok, you've probably seen videos touting different parenting styles, like almond moms or scrunchy moms, as well as elephant parents. All the discussion about parenting styles can make new and veteran moms and dads wonder what the ideal approach to raising kids is.

In the 1960s, three main parenting types were identified and studied by developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind. These parenting styles included authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. The 1980s brought uninvolved parenting into the mix. This style was introduced by psychologists Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin. Authoritative parenting is often confused with authoritarian, but the two are actually different. The authoritative parenting style finds a constructive medium between authoritarian and permissive parents. This balance is why many parenting experts feel it's the ideal way to raise confident and well-adjusted kiddos. So, what exactly is authoritative parenting, and is it the right style for your family?
Four main parenting styles

Read more
Your third trimester of pregnancy: What to expect before baby’s arrival
How to prepare for those last few months of pregnancy
Pregnant woman cradling baby bump

Pregnancy is an exciting time, but many women begin to feel an array of emotions as they approach the third trimester. The third trimester brings everyone one step closer to having a new baby in the house. Not only does the body continue to go through a lot of changes in the third trimester, but the baby will also experience significant development at this time.
While this is an exciting time it can also be a bit stressful for any expectant mother, leading to feelings of anxiousness and nervousness. Pregnancy can take a toll on a woman's mental and physical health so it's important she continues to prioritize her care throughout her pregnancy. Here's some of what mothers-to-be can expect during the final weeks of pregnancy and how to prepare for labor and delivery.

When is the third trimester?

Read more
Do pregnancy tests expire? What you should know
Find out if you should use one past the expiration date
Woman excited at pregnancy test

From over-the-counter medicines to things in your fridge, we worry about the expiration dates of items that go into our bodies. Some things you could get away with trying past the expiration date, but with others, you don't want to compromise on the quality. One of those items you don't want to play around with is a pregnancy test. Whether you want a positive or a negative result, you don't want that to fail you. Do pregnancy tests expire? Can you use a pregnancy past the expiration date? Here's what to know about how good the pregnancy test you have in the cabinet is.
When a pregnancy test expires

Have you noticed one on your bottled water? Everything has an expiration date. Yes, even a pregnancy test has an expiration date. Most pregnancy tests will last one to three years after the manufacturing date, some two to three years. That is a huge spread, sure, and an expired pregnancy test isn't something you want to hope is still good. To keep it safe, don't buy any tests that are a few months away from the expiration date. You can't take a test until you are a week late (with most), so there has to be some wriggle room.
Digital vs. non-digital tests
Are digital and non-digital tests the same when it comes to the expiration date? Yes. They both have a shelf life of the same time frame. There might be a difference in how you read the various tests, but both non-digital and digital pregnancy tests have expiration dates. Look at the bottom of the box and on the individual package to find it.
Get the most out of your pregnancy test

Read more