Top 10 must-haves for 0-3 months old...

…and other practical advise that will save you money

Did I buy too many things? Yes! As a first time mom, I was really nervous, so I read so many reviews and watched so many mommas youtubers that I ended up so confused and bought way too much stuff!

I have made notes in real time in the hope that this will help other new mommas filter what they may need and also hoping this will come in handy for us if we decide to grow our family. So, in no particular order, these are the products that we really used and were worth the money:

1. Starting off with clothes. Do not go crazy, no need for jackets, jeans, sweatshirts or anything like that. You want to make it super easy to get your baby dressed and undressed, especially as they can’t hold their head yet. And you want to make sure they are comfortable. What I also guarantee: no socks will be needed! Also, unless offered to you at the baby shower, no baby towels needed either, they will do perfectly fine with a normal soft one.

Look for these 3 items below and you are set for the first 3 months (depending on the weather where you live, you may also need a hat and a snowsuit):

• Footed pajamas with zippers. These are the best for quickly and easily changing nappies in the dark. I am linking a few options here that will be perfect:

• Bodysuits (depending on the weather, short or long sleeves or a mixture of both). I got on really well with the side snapped ones as again, no need to pull it over the baby’s head.

• Footed pants

How many of each? As you don’t know what size your baby will be, I recommend getting 2 of each for newborns and 8 of each for 0-3 month old. Once size is confirmed, top-up to 8 for newborn if this fits your baby.

If you are in need of a snowsuit, invest in a one piece with zippers and make sure it’s hooded (you’ll still need a hat), footed and has gloves. Buying these separately will cost more and you’re more likely to lose them.

2. Cotton cloths - all sizes, all needed! I used them for laying the baby on my bed or the couch, for bath time, for burping, for holding the baby on my shoulder, wiping his mouth, literally everything!

3. Baby bjorn - this is the second most expensive thing we’ve invested in after the stroller, but it was worth it! It’s not just me saying this, all my friends that tried it also swear by it. It is safe to use from day 1 and it’s what made it possible to take a shower, make a coffee or use the bathroom.

4. Co-sleeper. There are some pretty fancy ones out there, they rock the baby, include white noise machines, recline, adjust height, etc. We went for a basic one that attaches to your bed so I can be sure the baby is safe in his own space, but I can see him, quickly get him if needed and still be in my bed. We transitioned our baby to his room and into a crib at 4 months old. We’ve chosen an Ikea crib and are still so happy with the decision.

5. Pacifiers. It’s a love and hate relationship. While we did use them and overall they had a positive effect on our baby, they are props that may delay the baby’s ability to fall asleep independently - there will be a separate dedicated blog to sleep. We were lucky and have what you would call a unicorn baby that slept quite well.

6. Newborn baby nest. We bought one and we were also given one and it ended up being great for us as we kept them in separate rooms to have somewhere to place the baby safely. These and the baby bjorn were our options for placing the baby down when not in the co-sleeper

7. Stroller. We loved, loved our chosen one, it is a rather small and very light one, so easy to maneuver and after heavy usage, it looks great and can definitely be used again and again.

8. The Ikea baby monitor. It cancels out the white noise, has different volumes and also it vibrates when it picks up higher noise such as baby crying.

9. A sterilizer (for the pump and/or the baby bottles)

10. A dimmable night lamp

Some hacks we did, maybe they will work for you as well:

An old smartphone, no SIM card needed as long as you have Wi-Fi. This is a great cheap replacement for a white noise machine and a great way to repurpose an old electronic. We found great sounds on YouTube and Spotify (you will need a subscription to make sure you don’t get any ads that will disrupt the baby’s sleep)

A camera that is not marketed for babies (as it will definitely save you money). Ours came with an app that we’ve installed on both our phones and tablets and always had close by at least a device that is charged.

Other honorary mentions:

Our sink for bathing

Milestones cards. I strongly recommend these and please, please remember to use them as they will make such great memories. I honestly started using them when baby was 4 months old (and ended up photoshopping months 1 to 3 to add the cards in the best photos I had on my phone; not bad, but I wish I had used them properly from month 1)

A mammas’ Facebook group/blog/IG/TikTok - something online, easy to access where you can feel safe, ask questions, read other people’s testimonials, find support to help settle into the new role.

I feel it’s my duty to mention the items that have helped a lot of my friends and they swear by these, but for us it just didn’t work. Every baby is different

Swaddles. Our boy absolutely hated being swaddled. It is a great way to transition from the womb and helps with sleep during the startle reflex babies have for the first months of life.

A baby carrier. Amazing if the baby adjusts well to it as it gives you back both hands to do other things too while the baby is well looked after.

A baby carousel - for the co-sleeper or the crib. Little interest shown by our baby, while friends have said it kept the baby entertained and even helped them go to sleep. If you are looking to buy one, make sure it’s a battery operated one that you turn on and will sing for as long as needed (rather than a twist wind one like ours)

Some good advice I’ve either been given as well or have learned myself:

• Not everything has to be bought new. Things like the stroller, a crib or a co-sleeper can be passed on from baby to baby and will cost you way less (or you may upgrade to a more premium product that you would typically buy/afford, if new). Some even hold on to their value for when sold back
• You don’t need to have everything bought before the baby arrives
• When unsure, ask for advice, but, unless it’s a doctor or another medical professional, don’t feel pressured to follow through as you know your baby best
• Whenever you feel it’s too hard, remember it is just a phase and it will pass. You got this, mamma!

What would you add/take out form this list? Share in the comments box below.

Much love,

Anna