10 Newborn Essentials for the First Month

Congrats new mom! Soon you will be welcoming home a snuggling little newborn. With that, you are probably looking at those first few months with a little bit of trepidation and fear. Don’t worry mama I have got you covered with this newborn essentials list! I’ve included the 10 items that you will not want to be without and even some tips on how to get these things on a budget!

The first month with a newborn is literally the craziest, most exciting and yet scaring thing that you will ever experience! From sleepless nights and leaking nipples to the best snuggles you will ever get you are going to want to be set up from day one with all the essentials! Don’t worry I have you covered with the top 10 Newborn Essentials to survive your first month with a newborn. Believe me, you are not going to want to be without any of these products!

Important Note: This post contains tons of affiliate links. Everything I talk about in this post are items that I used literally every day with a newborn. I include them here only with my HIGHEST recommendation.

Don’t forget, if you are on a budget try to pick up some of these items 2nd hand or borrow them from a friend! Don’t feel like you need to buy new of everything. On the flip side, remember that you will be able to sell most of these things once you are done with them!

Newborn Essentials for First Month #1: DockATot

The DockATot is my #1 recommendation for new moms, and actually, any mom expecting a baby! The great thing about the DockATot during the newborn days is that you are able to safely and easily put the baby down just about anywhere. It will feel so cozy to your baby.  It was my favorite for night time anytime I wanted to relax and have her nearby. I think the DockATot was one of the biggest reasons my daughter was such a good sleeper in the early days and this really came in handy when sleep training! Yes, it is a bit pricey when it comes to baby products but I am sure you won’t regret the investment! Grab one with my affiliate link directly from DockATot here or with my Amazon link here.

Newborn Essentials for First Month #2: Ring sling or Soft Carrier

Having a soft carrier was the literal best thing during the first 3 months. (Actually, I still wear my daughter at almost a year as well) I loved this ring sling and this baby wrap. By placing your newborn in a wrap you can do most things that you need to do around the house. You can even relax with wearing them.

As my midwife put it to me, “a newborn baby’s natural environment is skin to skin on your chest.” I found that wearing my daughter skin to skin in a ring sling or soft baby wrap calmed and soothed her in a way that nothing else could. I highly recommend being fully prepared to wear baby a lot in the first few months!

Newborn Essentials for First Month #3: Rock and Play

The Rock and Play can easily be moved from room to room when you are getting things done around the house. You can also have the baby sleeping next to you when you are sitting on the couch at the dinner table. It’s really nice for small spaces as well because it folds up mostly flat when you are not using it.

I moved our Rock and Play from the kitchen to the living room all day long. It was nice because it was super easy and portable and my daughter took such good rests in it. One time I actually had it in our laundry room and my daughter fell asleep to the sound of the dryer. She took her longest newborn nap every 3 ½ hours! Hallelujah! That was a GREAT afternoon!

Newborn Essentials for First Month #4: Baby Swing

Having a Swing can be such a lifesaver when Baby is fussy or feeling a little bit moody. I would put my daughter in the swing if she started getting fussy and holding her wasn’t helping. The swing would usually calm her down within minutes if not seconds.

This was my go-to product for taking showers. I would carry it into the bathroom, set her swinging and enjoy a nice hot shower that wasn’t rushed at all! In my newborn schedule, I talk about how a daily hot shower was a non-negotiable for me.

Newborn Essentials for First Month #5: Bouncy Chair

This recommendation is similar to the Swing and Rock and Play. It is just another option for a place that baby can hang out while you are getting things done. I am a big fan of this chair because it is relatively small and folds flat for storage. I liked having a bouncy chair in addition to the Rock and Play and the Swing because I could put in on the table or counter while I was cooking and have the baby up off the floor away from our 3 rambunctious dogs.

Newborn Essentials for First Month #6: Silicone Breast Pump

I recommend this product in basically all of my posts on breastfeeding. When I say it is a must have I mean it is a MUST HAVE! Suctioning this puppy onto your breast will help drain your breast of extra breastmilk that you can store for a freezer stash as well as help prevent clogged ducts and mastitis because it helps drain extra milk.

Newborn Essentials for First Month #7: InstaCart Grocery Delivery

Grocery shopping is a huge pain in the butt, am I right? Having grocery delivery service will take that stress right off your plate. I absolutely love InstaCart because it allows me to shop at 10 different local grocery stores, pharmacies, and even Costco, all from home. This makes meal planning a breeze because I can look over recipes and my pantry and add needed items in 1 click. We signed up the InstaCart Express plan because it allows UNLIMITED grocery delivery for $99 a year. That is so worth it in my book! That’s less than 2 bucks a delivery if you only grocery shop once a week and let’s face it there will be weeks that you end up needed groceries twice.

The only thing I regret about InstaCart is that I didn’t sign up for it sooner! I’m obsessed

Newborn Essentials for First Month # 8: Music Playing Device

Setting up bedtime rituals is key for setting your baby up for sleep success. Playing quiet music from day 1 can be so helpful in getting your baby off on the right foot. Any kind of music playing device will work for this. We personally use the Sonos Play 1 because my husband is a tech nerd and we have Sonos in every room of the house basically. But any old music playing device will work! The one really nice thing I will say for the Sonos Play 1 is that you can control it using Alexa or with your smartphone. Being able to control the Sonos with your smartphone is super helpful If you need to turn on or adjust the music and you don’t want to walk into the room while the baby is falling asleep.

Newborn Essentials for First Month #9: Lounge Clothes for you and baby

The first month home with a baby is going to be filled with lots of snuggles and lots of naps. Do yourself a favor and get some snuggly clothes for yourself as well as the baby. I personally loved wearing leggings and oversized sweaters because I could go easily from a quick stolen nap to opening the door without feeling like a total slob. These compression leggings from Amazon were my absolute favorite because they held in my loose postpartum belly like a dream!

Newborn Essentials for First Month #10: A calm and peaceful demeanor

While having a newborn baby can be overwhelming and scaring it is so important that you stay calm and relaxed during your first weeks and months with a new baby. Your baby will be able to sense stress and emotional upheaval from you and it can affect his or her own emotional well being. Try your best to stay calm and relaxed during this time because that will transfer over to your baby. As someone who has anxiety, I know how hard that can be. I do have some Tips for Anxious and Worried Moms that helped me tremendously during my first few months with a newborn. As I struggle with anxiety as a mother I do use essential oils to support my body and my emotions. Essential oils might very well end up being a Newborn Essential for you too!