10 Essential Products to Have When Baby Arrives Home

Ten essential products to help with your newborn baby, recommended by a fertility nurse and mom.

Which products do you need for your newborn baby aside from the nurture, love, and attention that you’ll provide?

It is a common question asked by many expecting mothers, and the answers can vary to the extreme.

Working as a nurse in reproductive medicine for over a decade, there are often lots of uncertainties and natural anticipation once pregnancy is achieved. We often discuss how to manage fears along with excitement, while maintaining some level of sanity.

I recommend focusing on what can be controlled and channel fears in a productive manner. Shopping for baby products and prepping a nursery can be an excellent way to redirect worries, but it can also be quite overwhelming.

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It wasn’t until I became pregnant with my first child that I fully understood how challenging it could be to make decisions along with my hormonally driven emotions. (Let’s just say that I may or may not have created a spreadsheet for baby wearing options while I was on bed rest).

Fully recognizing that individual preferences vary, I offer these ten essential products for your consideration.

ERGO Baby Carrier – I lived in Manhattan, and this baby carrier saved my back while lasting many years. There are many baby wearing options, and it’s a personal decision to find what feels right for you.

Muslin Swaddling Blankets – I can’t tell you how many swaddle blankets you’ll need, but I needed a lot of them. When the laundry is piled up, and you’re trying to find a clean swaddle blanket that doesn’t have the spit up scent at 1 am, you’ll understand what I mean. Don’t judge, we’ve all been there.

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Cosleeper Crib – I borrowed this from a friend after I got home from the hospital after the birth of my daughter and it saved me. This is not something I would have thought I needed, but after four blood transfusions and a complicated delivery, this was a product that helped me so much in the early days and nights.

Organic Crib Mattress Coverlet – If you’re getting a full-size crib, this coverlet is magical. The zipper around the outside edge of the drop seam makes it so easy to change, and I’m all about whatever makes it easier.

Inflatable Safety Tub – You don’t think you need an inflatable safety tub, I get it. Neither did I until I saw how happy it made my son at bath time. He was able to lean up against it comfortably, and it was a lifesaver when we traveled.

Infant Car Seat – There are so many choices, and this is one product that I recommend doing a lot of research based on the car that you own. Lots of resources online to check and see what would fit best and feels comfortable carrying.

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Baby Proof Products  - There are so many baby-proofing products as well, but it will depend on your living arrangements to determine what you need. Please, safe proof your living environment before you arrive home with your baby. Once you are home, it will be so busy and tiring and often can be overlooked. It’s critical to provide a safe and healthy environment for you and your baby to feel secure.

On Becoming Babywise Book – I used this book with my son and adapted it to our needs.

3-in-1-Thermometer – An oral, rectal, axillary (underarm) thermometer so you can be prepared when baby isn’t feeling well.

Sound Machine – Soothing sound can help promote sleep. We lived with a sound machine for many years. We took it with us when we traveled. Everywhere.

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The needs of your baby change rapidly, but there is one more essential product that we need to talk about, and it’s something that is for the parents: A diaper bag.

I admittedly splurged on diaper bags and it is a personal choice, but I have a deep love for this particular Diaper Bag. Once I found it, I used it well beyond the diaper years as a travel bag. Let your personal preferences guide you to finding the right diaper bag.

Are there baby products that you consider essential? Here are a few more of our favorite essentials:


Linda Scruggs

Linda Scruggs

Linda Scruggs RN, BSN serves as a resource for parents in the digital space, creating helpful health and wellness content. She has specialized for over 12 years in reproductive medicine, and family and women's health as a nurse. A mom of two young children, her work can be seen on her own blog via her site, lindascruggs.com, as a contributor to The Huffington Post, and created the patient education program in one of the top fertility centers in the country. Linda is all about empowerment in motherhood and would love to connect.

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