The Minimalist Baby Essentials List

As a mom of four, I’ve really figured out the items we NEED and just WANT! I thought this would be a good time to share some baby essential products and must have items for the minimalist family.

These are my recommend essential items to get for your baby registry! I think there are a lot of products that are just NOT needed for baby, but it’s hard to know what will be useful before baby arrives.

Most baby items on your wish list or registry have multiple uses. Knowing how to maximize multi-use keeps the list minimal and keeps costs down when you are on a budget. Babies are expensive! No joke!

If you are a savvy shopper, you can minimize the items you need so you don’t clutter your home and you save money! I provide a couple of different products for several items.

We have either personally used these items or my mom friends swear by it! Hopefully, this baby essentials list will help you pair down your baby registry but still be comprehensive to meet your needs.

This list contains affiliate links. This means if you click on a link, I might receive a commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog!

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Furniture

Crib and Mattress

The crib will not only work for baby’s first year, but if used long enough can be transformed into a toddler bed for your little one as well. You can also use a crib for multiple baby’s which makes this a must have item for your baby registry. If you are feeling bold, you can also take one side of the crib and put it next to your bed as a make-shift co-sleeper for the first few weeks that baby is in your room.

Products we love: Babyletto Hudson 3-in-1 Convertible Crib with Toddler Bed Conversion Kit, White, Sealy Baby Firm Rest Infant/Toddler Crib Mattress

Dresser

The dresser is perfect for storing clothes, diaper essentials, blankets, and more for your baby. But it can also double as a changing station. I wouldn’t recommend buying a changing station because it doesn’t have multiple uses. Instead, find a dresser that is at a comfortable height for changing diapers. This is all relevant to how tall you are, and if you have any other places you can change the baby (like on the pack and play).

Products we love: Ikea 8-drawer dresser

Baby swing or bouncers

Whether you want to invest in a swing or bouncer, you will want something to lay baby down in while you are making dinner or doing other activities around the house.

Both of my kids loved our swing, but we did love our bouncer because it was easy to move around the house. You definitely don’t need both!

Products we love: Fisher-Price Sweet Snugapuppy Dreams Cradle ‘n Swing, White, Fisher-Price My Little SnugaMonkey Deluxe Bouncer, 4moms mamaRoo 4 infant seat

Travel

Infant Car Seat with Base

I recommend comparing car seats. There are a lot of car seat websites out there, but the Carseat Blog is my favorite one to reference. We used Chicco and loved the safety ratings, cute color, and that it wasn’t too heavy. I also didn’t mind the handle on this car seat.

If you have the space in your vehicle and don’t want to upgrade later to a toddler car seat, you could also invest in the Diono Radian RXT, which is heavy duty but also super thin so it fits everywhere. You can easily fit three across in most vehicles. Try it out if your’e not sure! You will have to use it backwards as an infant though, so if you don’t have a deep car, this option might not work for you. Once baby can fit forward, I highly recommend this car seat!

Products we love: Chicco Keyfit Infant Car Seat and Base with Car Seat, Lilla, Diono Radian RXT All-In-One Convertible Car Seat, Shadow

Jogging Stroller and Infant Car seat Attachment

So this one is definitely personal preference, but if you think you will want a jogging stroller for ANY reason, then I recommend only investing in a quality jogging stroller as your ONLY stroller. Don’t get any other strollers if you invest in this one.

For both babies we used our jogging stroller to go for walks, go to the grocery store, or travel in the airport. The stroller while bulky, still folds up small enough to fit in the back of most cars. They are also much easier to push and navigate. I can push the stroller with two fingers, when my hands are full! When you buy the infant attachment for the jogging stroller then it also serves as an infant car seat carrier. You then take out the infant attachment to convert to a toddler stroller when your baby gets older.

Products we love: BOB Revolution SE Single Jogging Stroller, Black, BOB 2017 Single Infant Car Seat Adapter, Chicco

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Stroller

If you do not want to get a jogging stroller, then I recommend a stroller like this one that is easy to throw in the car and isn’t much of an investment. A friend of ours gave us this stroller with Little Two, and it was so nice to have when she was little.

Products we love: Chicco Keyfit Caddy Stroller Frame

Car Seat Cover

There are some great car seat covers out there that protect your baby from the elements. My favorite kind are the 5-in-1s that stretch around the car seat, act as a nursing cover, fit on a shopping cart, and on a highchair. They are very versatile and helpful! Not to mention cute.

Products we love: AS SEEN ON SHARK TANK The Original Milk Snob Infant Car Seat Cover and Nursing Cover Multi-Use 360° Coverage Breathable Stretchy “Hampton Rose”

Baby carriers

For this category I would actually recommend getting two items if it fits in your budget. I really like the wraps for the newborn stage. These are the ones like the Moby. But, I really like the more structured carriers for the toddler stage. They are better for the baby’s hips and provide a more ergonomic fit for long term wear for the parent. The Ergo I recommend works for me (5′ 5″) and my husband (6′ 3″). It does have an infant adapter, or you can use a hack by folding up some towels.

Products we love: Moby Wrap Baby Carrier for Newborns, Adapt Baby Carrier, Ergobaby

Diaper Bag

At least for the first few months with baby, you won’t want to leave the house with the baby essentials. Diapers, a change of clothes, wipes, a changing pad, and your wallet (because let’s be honest, it’s also your backpack). Having a diaper bag with a lot of pockets that are useful, can keep you organized when you are on the go! I also took into consideration my husband. If I was going to expect him to carry around and tote the diaper bag, I tried to pick one that was somewhat friendly for him. Getting a backpack diaper bag also frees up your hands and is great for baby wearing.

Products we love: Eddie Bauer Back Pack Diaper Bag, Grey Heather

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Breastfeeding Essentials

Breast Pump

Even if you’re not returning to work after baby arrives, investing in a good breast pump can make a huge difference. Thankfully, in today’s insurance environment you can get a good breast pump through your insurance company. I used the Medela Pump In Style Advanced for each of my first babies, while working full time. I nursed a full year with both Little One and Little Two, and that pumped worked great.

For my second two kids, I ordered the Spectra S2, and this is my recommendation for all my working moms!

Benefits of the Spectra S2:

quieter
there’s a night light!!!!
easy carry handle
great battery life
insurance covers it

If you get the Spectra S2, make sure you get a pumping bra to go with it though because it’s hard to hold the cups on and also skim Facebook with your other hand 😉

Products we love: Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with On the Go Tote, Spectra Baby USA – S2 Hospital Grade Double/Single Electric Breast Pump

The Haakaa Manual Pump

While I’m talking breast pumps, I need to mention this little baby. If you’re not going back to work full time or you don’t really want to invest in a big pump that you’ll rarely use, this manual pump is AMAZING.

I only had it with my 4th, and I wish I’d gotten it sooner. I bought it when my littlest baby was about 2 months old.

I am certain if I’d had the Haakaa BEFORE I gave birth, I would have saved SO MUCH milk during the engorgement period and first 6 weeks with absolutely no work.

For reference, my baby is 4 months old (and change) and yesterday I was slightly engorged because she took an extra long nap (woohoo!). I popped the Haakaa on the other breast while she was nursing and caught 2 oz of milk!

All you do is pop it on and you’re good to go. I did have to watch this video because I was a little confused at first… hahaha.

Products we love: Haakaa Manual Breastpump

Bottles (6-8)

Since I breastfed my babies, we loved the Tommee Tippee bottles because of their wide nipples that helped minimize nipple confusion. Plus I think they are super cute, is that weird? I also have had several moms recommend Dr. Brown bottles for babies with gas and Comotomo bottles are another alternative that many mom friends recommended. I only recommend getting enough bottles for one day’s worth of feeding. If you get more than that, you will find your sink full of baby bottles. Occasionally, I would wash my bottles on the top rack of the dishwasher.

What we love: Tommee Tippee, Dr. Brown’s Original Baby Bottles, Comotomo Baby Bottle

Flexible Ice Cube Trays

For storing your breast milk, I recommend something different than most moms. I recommend that you use ice cube trays to freeze your breast milk. Storing breast milk in ice cube trays helped you be able to decide how many ounces you want to defrost at a time. I would freeze the milk cubes then transfer them to freezer bags to be stored in our deep freezer in the garage. Each ice cube is about equivalent to one ounce, so it makes for easy milk defrosting.

Products we love: Elbee 15-Cube Silicone Ice Tray

Bibs (5-7) & Burp Cloths (6-8)

I would be reminisce if I didn’t include the fact that you need bibs and burp cloths for baby. Not only do babies spit-up often, you will also find they drool, A LOT. Whatever you do, don’t get the small, thin, cute ones. There are itty bitty and don’t do much (I don’t recommend those).

There are the fashionable bandannas that are great for on-the-go. I would also recommend investing in a couple of water-proof bibs for when baby starts eating solid foods. I recommend mostly sticking with burp cloths when your baby is little, but if you invest in the bandanna ones, they will also serve as burp cloths. For bibs once your baby is big enough for solid foods, if you get the washable/rinsable ones, it’s easy to rinse them off in the sink, so you don’t need too many of them. Also, they help catch the food!

Products we love: Matimati Baby Bandana Bib Set, 8-Pack Super Absorbent, Soft, & Chic Organic Drool Bibs for Boys & Girls (Arrows & Triangles), Waterproof Silicone Bib

Nursing bras

I talked about nursing bras a little bit in my Postpartum Series: Tips for Physical Recovery but here are a list of my favorite affordable nursing and maternity bras!

My favorite go to nursing bras for the first few weeks or when I was relaxing around the house were: the Medela sleeping bra and the Leading Lady Sports Bra.

I also had one or two “nicer” nursing bras when I was wearing a shirt that just needed a little more “lift” and “definition.” More commonly called a “t-shirt” bra. Haha.

I would buy a couple of more relaxed bras prior to baby’s arrival. But if you plan on breastfeeding, wait until baby comes to see how big your breasts get when your milk finally comes in. You can normally plan on buying about 2 cup sizes bigger than your pregnancy size for once your milk comes in.

Products we love: Medela Nursing Sleep Bra, Leading Lady Cotton Nursing Sports Bra

Nursing Pads

Nursing pads are a must have items for new moms. Nursing pads prevent leakage when you are breastfeeding. They stop milk from soaking through your shirt. These nursing pads I’m suggesting come in white or cute colors as well as have a free laundry bag. Although you have to wash cloth nursing pads, they are way more comfortable than the disposable kind. I definitely recommend you invest in some cloth nursing pads!

Products we love: M&Y Organic Bamboo Nursing Pads

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Sleeping

Pack and Play

You might be wondering if this is really a necessary item, especially if you have a small house or lean towards minimalism. It’s a fair question! While I wouldn’t recommend getting a bassinet, which you won’t use for very long, we love our pack and play. It’s easy to move from room to room.

If we wanted our babies to nap in a different room for some reason, we could easily move it! It didn’t take up too much space in our room. It folds up nicely so you can store it in a closet when not in use. You can throw it in the car if you are traveling. If you have friends or family that come over, you have an extra sleeping space for a baby.

Some ‘pack’n’plays’ come with a changing station so you can have a changing station in your room, instead of changing the baby on the end of the bed. An extra changing station is also helpful if you have multiple floors in your home. You probably won’t want to be going up and down the stairs for the first few weeks.

Products we love: Graco Pack ‘n Play Portable Napper & Changer Playard, Amari

Read Best White Noise Machine for Baby to Sleep Through the Night

Crib/Pack & Play Sheets (2 – 3)

It goes without saying that you will need sheets for your crib. But don’t forget to grab some for your pack and play as well!

Products we love: Luvable Friends Fitted Knit Cotton Crib Sheet

Mattress Cover

Since you will likely have spit-up, pee, poop, throw-up, and every other type of human liquid in the crib, you definitely want to get a waterproof mattress cover to protect your mattress. You might even consider getting a second flat flannel protector pad for double protection. Then you have a layer you can quickly throw in the wash because let’s be real, crib sheets are a pain to put on!

Products we love: Sealy Stain Protection Waterproof Fitted Crib/Toddler Mattress Pad Cover, Carter’s Keep Me Dry Cotton Flannel Protector Pad, White

Swaddle Wraps

I am a full supporter of swaddling little babies during sleep. When they are in the womb, they are curled up, which means when they are out of the womb, they will want to sleep that way for a while to feel safe and comfortable. If you can conquer the swaddle, you will get longer sleep sooner. But thankfully, they are several options for making baby feel safe and comfortable other than the traditional swaddle.

We loved the Aden and Anais muslin swaddle wraps, and the kids still love these as their “blankets” and carry them everywhere.

We have also used the infant swaddle wraps with velcro, which took less time to put on the babies. The downside to the velcro is that there aren’t as many “options” to wrap baby. Or at least not in my opinion! I will have to do a blog post about this.

Finally, for a transition away from the swaddle once baby starts rolling, here are a few options. We used the baby sleep sacks for our swaddling transition after each of our babies learned how to roll over.

They gave our babies freedom but kept a blanket on them at night so they weren’t cold! I’ve had a couple of friends recommend the Zipadee-Zip for swaddle transition.

Products we love: aden + anais silky soft swaddle 3 pack, Swaddle Blanket, Adjustable Infant Baby Wrap Set by Ziggy Baby, 3 Pack Soft Cotton in Black + White, Set Sail Zipadee-Zip, Carter’s Baby 2-Pack Cotton Sleepbag

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Minimalist Baby Clothes Wardrobe

Onesies and Pants (10-12 outfits)

Whether or not your little one is born in winter or summer doesn’t matter too much for the standard newborn. Most newborns have very little fat and need to be kept warm. It’s okay to have long-sleeve onesies when they are very little. Overall, I recommend having about 10-12 onesies/pants outfits for your baby. This will allow you to stay ahead of laundry (sort of). You might have days that you go through 3-4 outfits, so be prepared for that.

A tip for onesies, some of them are meant to be able to fold down in the case of a blow-out! This prevents poop from going near your baby’s head if there is an accident!

Outerwear (1-2)

You might want a heavier sweater or jacket for your baby if you baby wear a lot and live in a cold climate. However, remember that it is not recommend to put your baby in the car seat wearing a heavy winter jacket. Not only does it prohibit the car seat from working correctly, but your baby could overheat once in a heated building. Instead, invest in a solid car seat cover or warm blanket to put in the car seat when carrying around outside.

Socks (7-9)

Babies feet will likely get cold in winter! While I do not recommend needing shoes early on, you will definitely want socks. Once baby starts to walk around, you might want soft soled shoes to protect his or her feet, but that’s a long time from now!

Hats and mittens (3-4)

I recommend at least a few sets of hats and mittens for newborns. The hat helps your baby keep in warmth when they are super little. The mittens help prevent your baby from scratching their face. I wouldn’t get more than 3-4 sets because you won’t put them on nearly as much as you think you will.

Pajamas (6-8)

Adorable footie pajamas are a staple for babies. I recommend getting the ones with the footies for sure, so you don’t have to deal with tiny baby socks getting lost. Also, I definitely recommend finding the ones with zippers. You may think that pattern is cute, until you are trying to button jammies on a squirming, screaming baby.

Diapers

Changing pad and covers

There are a couple of options for changing pads. If you bought a pack and play with a changing area, then you might not even need a changing pad for the baby’s room. We liked having an official diaper station though, especially since we used cloth diapers. As mentioned above we put the changing pad on top of a dresser to save money on getting a changing table. Don’t forget a couple of changing pad covers because the mess will inevitably happen!

Products we love: Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad, Summer Infant TuTu Cute Nursery Change Pad Cover

Cloth & Disposable Diapers

Okay, so I have a couple of diaper recommendations, bear with me! For the first month, I HIGHLY recommend disposable diapers because you will use A LOT of them. Like 8-10 diapers a day a lot. Talk about throwing away money. But, it’s needed at that stage of life. We loved the Pampers diapers when the kids were little.

Once the kids were about a month old, we used BumGenius Freetime diapers for both kids. They were more economical for us in the long-run, and they are friendlier on the environment. We had about 30 diapers in rotation. They have super, easy snaps to put on and take-off and they are one-size which means they fit for the entirety of diaper wearing. They are a big up-front cost, but we used the same diapers for Little One and Little Two so we saved money in the long run. We were able to send our kids to in-home day care even with the cloth diapers which was a plus!

But, for those who don’t have time time (or inclination) to use cloth diapers, we love Honest brand. Mostly because of their cute designs but also because of their company mission.

Products we love: Pampers Swaddlers Disposable Diapers Newborn Size 1 (8-14 lb), BumGenius Freetime All in One Cloth Diaper, and Honest Diapers, Multi Colored Giraffe

Diaper Liners

If you decide you want to try out the cloth diapering option, I highly recommend the below diaper liners once your baby starts solid food. They make dealing with the #2 much more manageable. These are also the reason why I don’t recommend a sprayer attachment for your bathroom. These diaper liners are flushable and easy to catch everything and throw in the toilet before dropping your cloth diaper in the wet bag.

Products we love: Bumkins Flushable Diaper Liner

Wipes

We personally love the Kirkland brand of wipes because we feel we get the most bang for our buck. I’m not a huge fan of the Huggies wipes because of their packaging as well as their smell. Wipes are totally a personal preference, but I recommend going cheaper since you will go through a lot of them.

Products we love: Kirkland Signature Baby Wipes

Wet Bag

If you are doing cloth diapers then you will want a couple of wet bags for your cloth diapers. It’s not actually “wet” inside of the bag. You just deposit the cloth diapers into the bag, and then when you are ready to wash, you can throw your wet bag into the washing machine with your dirty diapers. We had a big size to put in a pail as a liner. And we had a couple that rotated through the diaper bag when we were out and about! Just don’t forget to pull the dirty diapers out of the diaper bag when you get home! (#gross)

Products we love: Teamoy Reusable Pail Liner for Cloth Diapers, UMLIFE Baby Wet and Dry Cloth Diaper Bags

Diaper Cream

You will need diaper cream inevitably for baby. Making sure you have one that works for you is a must. Every baby is different. If you are using cloth diapers, make sure you have a liner so the diaper cream doesn’t ruin your cloth diapers. There are some diaper creams that are cloth diaper friendly.

Products we love: Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Diaper Rash Ointment – Maximum Strength – Contains 40% Zinc Oxide – Pediatrican Recommended – Paraben and Preservative-Free – 4 Ounce

Health and Bath

Nose Frida

If you haven’t heard of the Nose Frida yet, you will definitely hear about it soon. This little baby sucks boogers 10 times better than those little bulbs you get at the hospital. While it is definitely gross (like my husband can’t do it), you and baby will feel better when they can breathe better through their nose. Combine it with some saline spray for baby’s first cold!

Products we love: Nose Frida Booger Remover – Babies and Toddlers, Little Remedies Noses Saline Spray/Drops

Shampoo / Body Wash

I recommend a gentle shampoo / body wash combo for your baby. Preferably something that doesn’t have added scents. I love California Baby because a little bit seriously goes a long way. Like I think we bottle lasted us a whole year.

You’ll notice I didn’t mention a baby bath tub. While they are certainly very helpful, I think you could get away with the kitchen sick as your bath tub if you had to! If you would like a recommendation on the baby bathtub, there is a link below.

Products we love: California Baby Calming Shampoo & Bodywash, The First Years Sure Comfort Deluxe Newborn To Toddler Tub

Baby Lotion

Giving your baby an after bath massage is soothing, and there are supposed health benefits as well. Picking a baby friendly moisturizer that works for baby massages is a must-have. I loved how easily the Aveeno lotion rubbed in. My babies had super smooth skin and it moisturized well. This lotion is great for sensitive skin as well.

Products we love: Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion

Nice to Have Products that You Probably Don’t Need as a New Mom

Owlet Smart Sock

The owlet is a newer device that we didn’t have with the littles, but I thought I should talk about it here. It’s an innovative piece of technology designed to monitor baby’s vitals and give parents a better peace of mind at night, which means better sleep.

You wrap it around the baby’s foot, and it monitors heart rate and oxygen levels so you can identify the earliest signs of SIDS. Great safety piece for baby. Warning, that some parents do complain it falls off and then interrupts their sleep even more.

Products we want: Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor

A Baby Tracker Book

While I think this is absolutely the prettiest baby tracker out there, I would not call it an essential item. Even though it tracks everything baby related and puts it all in one book, I still don’t think it would make it to the top of this list.

Is it useful? Absolutely.

Did I appreciate it when someone gifted it to me? Yes!

Would I call it essential? Probably not.

But I also know some parents will find it sanity saving and for THEM it is essential. Everyone is different.

Video baby monitor

I know this is a minimalist list, but we seriously LOVE our video baby monitor. If you are going frugal, then I would recommend an audio baby monitor only. But if you have a little money to splurge, I would recommend getting a video baby monitor.

Preferably one that eventually can set-up multiple monitors. The Infant Optics is the first one we got because #budget! We loved that it turned off completely when our babies weren’t moving.

If they started moving or crying, the screen would turn back on. The range worked well in our 2,400 square foot house. Plus, you can always catch your baby doing silly things or hear them talking to themselves when they get older. It’s all in the name of safety, right?

Products we love: Infant Optics DXR-5 Portable Video Baby Monitor

Pillow for nursing

When I started nursing Little One, there was really only one option on the market. I made good use as of the Boppy pillow.

I have several friends that recommend My Best Friend Nursing Pillow instead. Either way, this pillow made it easier to nurse on the go. I didn’t really like using the Boppy in my nursing chair because it was a little too wide to be comfortable.

But I got PLENTY of use out of it. It also can be used to prop baby-up to when learning to sit and as a tummy time tool when your baby is learning head control.

If you don’t want to get a nursing pillow, you can definitely just use a normal pillow (but you might be leaking milk on it!) Also, you can learn different breastfeeding holds to help as well.

Products we love: Boppy Nursing Pillow and Positioner, My Brest Friend Deluxe Nursing Pillow, Flower Key, Grey