There are all kinds of “Must Have Lists” for items to put on your baby registry…diapers, wipes, baby genie (really a must have?), onesies, etc.  However, after having 4 babies of my own, in addition to getting to know thousands of new moms as a newborn photographer, I have found that there are a few items that will make “New Mom Life” just plain better. So without further ado, here are my Must Have Newborns Items:

First – Swaddles (not your average swaddle blanket)

Swaddling babies is an artform.  And a swaddled newborn is a happy little burrito.  Most babies love to be swaddled.  It can be scary at night swaddling your baby in a blanket and not knowing if the blanket is getting loose and covering your baby’s face.  I lost a lot of much needed sleep with my kids worrying about swaddles coming loose! 

Luckily, there are several different options these days that go beyond a basic “swaddle blanket”.  Here are a few I love:

• The Ollie
  • Ollie may just be my favorite.  For starters, it’s super easy to use!  It gets wrapped near your baby’s shoulders, keeping it far away from his/her mouth and nose.  There are lots of velcro points for the perfect fit and an elastic tie at the bottom to keep everything together.  The Ollie is made from moisture wicking material to prevent overheating.  Yay!  The best part is you don’t need to buy lots of sizes as it grows with your baby.  And no, I don’t work with The Ollie, I just know it’s awesome. 
• Love To Dream Swaddle UP
  • This one cracks me up but it’s perfect for the babies that sleep with their arms up and by their heads.  My niece loved to suck on her fist, even as a newborn.  This swaddle kept her hands up, by her face, but gently covered in a safe swaddle.  And oh man, these babies look crazy adorable in this swaddle!  
• Halo Sleepsack
  • Halo is an oldy but a goody (am I aging myself with that expression?).  They have  sizes ranging from newborn and up.  Basically, if your baby can fit in a crib, your baby (or toddler) can wear a Halo Sleepsack.  No blankets needed

Second Must Have Newborn Item – Baby Wraps / Slings 

Babies love to be snuggled up and kept tight.  Snuggling a newborn is like therapy…they are so warm and delicious, you may not want to put them down.  However, we have needs.  Sometimes we need coffee . . . sometimes we need a Diet Cherry Coke . . . sometimes we just need the use of our arms.  Enter, baby wraps!  They may seem intimidating at first, but watch some videos and you’ll become an old pro.  I like wraps and slings better than hard carriers as they can fit in your purse for toting anywhere.

• Solly Baby 
  • For the first few months, my favorite baby wrap is Solly Baby.  This wrap is soft and stretchy, and once you practice a few times, it’s like second nature.  Their website has lots of tutorials to get you comfortable using the wrap before you ever put your baby in it.  You can wear your newborn on a walk, shopping at Target, or just while you’re in the house.  If you have older children, this wrap is the best.  You can still take your toddler to the park while your baby is wrapped up safely against you.
• Ring Slings
  • When your baby is approaching the 1 year mark, I love Ring Slings.  They are much faster to get on than baby wraps due to the ring already being in place.  You just pop the baby in and tighten her up!  You can use this sling for newborns too, making it a great option if you want to buy only 1.  Your hands are free and the baby is in a safe position.  One that I loved was Wild Bird.  They have great online tutorials, too, so you can feel comfortable using the sling.

I’ll be honest here, none of these are cheap, but they are game changers.  Having your hands free to do what you need, or want, is life saving.  The more you use the sling/wrap, the more comfortable it will be to use.

Third Must Have Newborn Item – Sleep Training

Did you know that babies don’t inherently know how to sleep through the night?  I’m sure you’ve heard that babies will sleep through the night around 12 weeks.  But did you know you have to help them learn how to do it?  I didn’t!  My first born, my son Jackson, was about 18 months old and still waking up at night to nurse.  I assumed he was hungry so I fed him.  Every.  Single. Night.  That’s 18 months of not sleeping through the night.  That’s a year and a half of interrupted sleep.  Oh yeah, and I was 6 months pregnant with baby #2!  I was panicking.  I was exhausted with 1, how was I going to wake up at night with 2?  Enter, sleep training!

My go to book is Good Night Sleep Tight by Kim West. 

After reading the book and following what she says, I had Jackson sleeping 12 hours at night – – 7 pm to 7 am.  All 3 babies that followed slept 11 -12 hours at night and napped until they were 4.  

This book is not the “shut the door and let your baby scream” kind of book.  I couldn’t do that and I’d never suggest it.  Good Night Sleep Tight helps you to shape their sleep from the beginning.  It’s truly a game changer.  A life saver.  I give it as gifts to new moms and recommend it to everyone I know.  If your baby isn’t sleeping, get this book!  If you’re pregnant, get this book!  Read this book!

I hope that something on this list helps you out.  There are lots of ideas for what baby’s need.  I know these 3 items have helped thousands of new moms, they helped me, and I hope they can help you too.  If you know a mom who may benefit from swaddles, wraps or sleep training, please share this information with her.  A sleeping baby makes for a happy mom!

And if you haven’t had your baby yet – check out this recent post on what you really need to bring to the hospital!