As first-time parents, you will be excited about the arrival of your first child. The doctors have a check on your pregnancy and are optimistic that everything will go smoothly. We also expect that by now, you know the gender of your child and cannot wait to pamper them all you want. The feeling of parenthood for the first time is unlike any other and will definitely excite you with the responsibility and the bundle of joy that is about to land in your home.

Babies need stuff – lots of it, to be particular. First-time parents can often get confused about what to get for their child, as it is maybe their first time shopping for baby stuff. While you can expect a lot of free advice from people near you, they might miss several key details related to the quality and quantity of the things you should buy for your child.

When it comes to newborn kids, every little detail matters; you have to be prepared for them with all the necessary clothing, equipment, and other details.

In this article, we list some of the must-have baby essentials first-time moms need to prepare for their child. These essentials are absolutely necessary, and there is no way around them.

Baby Clothes

Baby clothes are sold and manufactured based on age rather than size. There are clothes available for newborn children, children aged 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. Not every kid would be of the same size or weight by the time they reach every monthly milestone in the sizing chart, which is why brands offer customized sizing as well.

Some babies are born healthy and require clothing for 3 months old children rather than newborns. This can, however, be hard to predict beforehand. Babies tend to grow quickly, which is why you should have a few outfits available in the next sizing bracket. Buying second-hand clothes or hand-me-downs from other parents in your social circle, including friends and family, can be a good way to improve and add to your options without actually killing your finances.

When it comes to shopping for baby clothes, you should generally be looking for roomy, soft, and long-lasting clothing items. The items you choose should last through frequent washes because children can be messy and need to have their clothes washed on a daily basis.

You should also preferably avoid clothing that comes with dangling ribbons, tassels, and strings. These clothes present a choking hazard, which you wouldn’t want to be present around your little one. Just make sure that you buy simple clothing that will help keep your kid warm and cozy.

You need to buy the following items for your kid as they start growing:

Sleepers; Sleepers are basically baby jammies or rompers that can hold up for both playing and sleeping sessions. These sleepers happen to be extremely convenient and allow the kid to nap immediately after they’re done with their gurgling and blabbering session. This saves you from unnecessarily changing their clothes and also allows you to change them only when it is required.
Leggings and Stretchy Pants: Leggings and stretch pants can help mothers change just one piece of clothing in the case of a leaking diaper or any other natural mess. You won’t have to change their entire outfit if your child is wearing leggings or stretchy pants underneath.
Bodysuits: Bodysuits are basically known as long-sleeved baby shirts, which can be pulled on from over the baby’s head and can then be snuggled under their diaper. Bodysuits come with a nice neckline, which comes in handy for giving comfort in hot weather. Parents in generally hot and tropical weather conditions should go for bodysuits as the preferred clothing option. Try to buy at least half a dozen bodysuits before your child is born.
Outer Layers: If your kid will be born in the winters or if you live in a state that is generally cold, you would need plenty of outer layers to keep your child warm and cozy. Start looking for fleece jackets, sweatshirts, and zip-up sweaters to take care of the child. Fleece jumpsuits tend to be warm and cozy and can slip over almost everything. Look to buy larger sizes so that the baby is warm and comfortable and does not feel stuck.
Socks or Booties: Socks and booties are also necessary to buy before your kid is born. Don’t go for expensive options, and try to keep the cost on the inexpensive side.
Pajamas and Nightgowns: Pajamas and nightgowns are necessary as a nightwear and will help keep your child warm and cozy at night. Regardless of how cute they look, you should avoid sleepwear that comes with multiple snaps on it or maybe difficult to put on and take off. Pajamas should be flexible and should be easy to take off and put on.

Diapering

Your kid will probably need a few diapers the very moment they are born, which is why you should keep some with you at all times. The must-have items to buy here include:

Diapers: Regardless of the kind of diapers you use, make sure to know that your kid will need at least 4 to 5 diapers on a daily basis during their first few days. While some parents use cloth diapers, others use disposable diapers. If you are using disposable diapers, make sure that you have a few different packs available with you so that you can find the best fit, in case one fit disturbs your child’s body.
Diaper Pail: Diaper pails are absolutely necessary as well and will help keep your house smelling nice and sweet, even with a child in the home.
Diaper Rash Cream and Wipes: Unscented wipes tend to be perfect for your baby’s skin. These wipes allow you to clear away rashes and can run well with a decent diaper rash cream.
Changing pad and table: Since you would be changing a number of diapers, a changing table can be handy to use and make things comfortable. A changing pad or dresser can work wonders here.
Diaper bag; You need a decent bag to store all the diapers, which is why a diaper bag is an absolute necessity. Buy something cute, but nothing that comes at a compromise of space.

Baby Gear

With clothing and diapers almost covered, we head over to the necessities required in baby gear. These necessities are important as well and should be with you at all times for an appropriate experience.

Baby Carrier: The very first piece of baby gear you need is a baby carrier. Carrying your baby around with you or wearing them on a sling at all times can be a bit taxing. Wearing your baby in a convenient baby carrier allows you to keep your kid with you at all times without compromising on the function of both your hands.
Stroller: You need an easy and convenient technique to take your baby around with you, and a stroller can function perfectly here. Obviously, buying a stroller is no mean feat, and you should look to buy something that meets your preferences and your desired traits. Do you want an everyday stroller or a premium one? Do you want a lightweight stroller that can fold up conveniently or one that has premium features? You can also get double strollers if you have two kids.
Car Seat: A safe car seat is absolutely mandatory. Safety regulations keep changing over time, and it is necessary that you have an up-to-date car baby seat with you when traveling with a kid. Second-hand car seats aren’t recommended here as they could be used beyond repair and may even be involved in a few accidents.

Sleeping Equipment

During the first few months of their time with you, your baby is going to spend a lot of time sleeping. You would hence need some good quality sleeping equipment to take care of their sleeping requirements and to make sure that they get their natural time for some much-needed shut-eye.

Crib and Mattress: A crib and an appropriate mattress inside of it are necessary for good comfort.
Bassinet: A bassinet is a decent sleeping spot for newborn infants. A bassinet can easily be placed on your own bed as you feed and soothe your child during the night, whenever it is needed.
Bedding: If you go baby shopping for your child, you are bound to see a number of fancy and premium bedding sets at every store. However, you will soon find out that you need only some crib sheets and a pad for your crib mattress. You will see a number of quilts, bumpers, and pillows inside your bedding set, but don’t stuff them inside the crib, as they increase the risk of suffocation and SIDS.
Swaddling Blankets: Kids just love being swaddled. If you study the anatomy of a pregnant woman, you will find that kids spend much of their time in the womb swaddled up inside. Hence, it is natural for them to like the swaddling position and enjoy the blankets made for just this purpose. You can use swaddling blankets to even cover up your baby when they are breastfeeding or are playing around.
Baby Monitor: A baby monitor allows you to keep a check on your child if they are in another room. The monitor comes with audio and visual output and can help you keep a stringent check on your child.

Feeding Accessories

Kids need feeding on a regular basis, and you would hence have to buy the appropriate accessories to kick start the feeding process from the word go. Some of these accessories include:

Nursing Pillow: Nursing pillows are appropriately designed to help keep your baby up and to support their neck while you are bottle-feeding or nursing them. These pillows help babies avoid straining their necks and shoulders.
Burp cloths: Burp clothes are used to catch and wipe baby fluids and other spit-ups from your child’s clothes.
Bibs: Bibs can help keep their clothes dry and clean, especially if your kid is a spitter or a drooler.
Bottles: You will need extra nipples and bottles to help feed your child. Newborns usually start their feeding journey with 4-ounce sizes, but you will have to increase the size as your kid starts drinking more. You will need as many nipples as the bottles you have for appropriate impact.
Formula: Make sure you are in touch with your pediatric to buy the best formula for your child. You have a number of infant formula options to pick and choose from. Monitor how your kid responds to different formulas.

Bathing

We finally move to bathing and the essentials first-time moms require here:

Baby bathtub: A good baby bathtub will make bathing a lot easier for your little one.
Soap and Shampoo: You need infant soaps and shampoos to help clean your kid. Try going for no-tears formulas that are easy to clean and don’t hurt your baby’s eyes and skin. Also, choose ingredients without artificial fragrances.
Washcloths and towels: Washcloths and towels are necessary to wrap up and dry your baby after a bath or a cleaning session.

Buying essentials for your first kid is no mean feat. You need to make sure that the products you buy are recommended for use and aren’t too overwhelming for your finances.