Sharing our baby registry essentials and newborn favorites we use with both kids!

I’m giggling as I type this blog post because full disclosure: we didn’t really register for much. I didn’t have a baby shower of sorts like many do for either bubba. Not something I personally wanted and I’m Jewish so it isn’t really within the tradition to have one. We didn’t really have to register for things with the intention of receiving gifts before the babe was born. We did though have an epic list of baby items we wanted to stock up on before Ez arrived to make sure we have everything needed and the nursery and apartment was ready for his arrival. And for Brody – we bought a few new things but nothing crazy. Perks of having a second kid – it requires less stuff since you have most of what you need already.

One of the most common questions I receive on Instagram is “what are your newborn must-have’s? what do I register for?!”. And I totally get it! It is really overwhelming and confusing to know what to get, what brand to buy and what do we actually need and what is a waste of money. When I first started making a list on what we were going to need, my head was spinning. I was calling all of my mom friends and my mom asking a million questions on what to get and what we likely don’t need. Especially since we live in an apartment, I try to keep the amount of “stuff” at a minimum. I know that is challenging with a baby but we really streamlined the number of items we brought in and wanted to use.

I’m going to walk you guys through a list of our favorite items that we have so far for Ez and are using/plan on using for Brody. Of course, everyone is different and every baby is different but these are our personal favorites. If I had done a larger registry and shower, these are the types of items I 100% would have asked for. They are great gifts and baby stuff adds up so it is great to try to register for as much as you can! Or just go crazy stocking up like we did 🙂

The newborn + baby essentials list:

  1. Bassinet + stand – when Ez first came home he slept in a bassinet with the cushion linked below. We have a stand like this one.
  2. Baby lounger/cushion – this is what we have inside the bassinet. It is great to also have him snuggle in this all over the house and it’s nice and tight and cozy for the him. Get a few extra sheets/covers for it too incase there is any spit out. I also put this in the bassinet of the stroller to snuggle him up more.
  3. Organic crib sheets – we have these ones! Same as our bedding and this set is great.
  4. Cozy blanket – this one is so incredibly soft!! We use it outside a lot.
  5. Stroller – I dreamed of having this stroller we are obsessed. We have a grey one and used this daily when it was only Ezra We also have the snack tray, umbrella attachment and mosquito net. Now we have their double stroller and love it.
  6. Stroller jacket + gloves – if you live where climate drops, this stroller jacket and we love it. Also have this color.
  7. High chair – we have this high chair and we LOVE it. Super easy to clean!
  8. Pacifier + clips – so the pacifiers you use totally depend on the bubba! Brody loves this one and Ezra used this one. And Brody is using a clip like this one.
  9. Car seat – we have this one then we got the adapters for the Bugaboo so it can be attached to stroller when needed.
  10. Crib + crib mattress – we got this crib for Brody and I love the look of it! Then we got the same mattress (code RACHL) that we have for Ezra for Brody because we love it SO much.
  11. Little Ellie Lovey – my friend from college makes these! They are SO soft and not cheesy like most loveys. I highly recommend!
  12. Baby carriers – I have been using this one most often during the newborn stage and I love this one for outside.
  13. Diaper pale – this diaper pale is a must. No one wants the stink from diapers all over the house!
  14. Play-mat – SO many of you asked about the play mat ! We love love it and then this one we love and use all the time for travel.
  15. Baby skincare – anything from here we love! (code RACHL)
  16. Stuffed animal – OK so not a necessity but these ones are so cute!!!
  17. Diaper bag + travel changing pad – I love this bag, backpack and this changing pad for when we are out and about. Plus they’re machine washable.
  18. Travel crib – we have this one right now for when we travel on weekends, to my parent’s, etc. Haven’t used it yet!
  19. Bottles, bottle warmer + sterilizer – we keep this bottle warmer and the sterilizer in the kitchen. I have these bottles for when Brody starts taking them and Ezra used them too.
  20. Nursing pillow – I got this one but I don’t use it all too much anymore. Just the first couple of weeks when I was getting the hang of it. I plan to use it when Ezra starts more tummy time too.
  21. Bath supplies – we used this infant bath and also have this knee pad and arm rest when he takes an actual bath one day. We love this animal towel too!
  22. Burp cloths – there is no such thing as too many burp cloths. I love these ones because they are soft and comfy. We have about a dozen (excess yes, but saves laundry time)
  23. Onesies – I do have fun putting Ezra in cute clothes but he is snuggled up on a onesie 95% of the time. We have these ones in a handful of colors and they are organic and super warm. Also have many of these and a lot of clothes from that brand. Loving these beanies for newborn phase too.
  24. Night light + sound machine – one of my favorites in the nursery is this sound machine and night light. I haven’t used the sound feature yet but the light is amazing for nighttime feedings so you don’t trip and fall over everything. Plus it is the perfect amount of brightness and has many different settings.
  25. Changing pad + scale – I was not going to get a changing pad that has a sheet on it. The amount of times Ezra poops, that would lead to many poop stains all over the changing pad sheets! I stubbled on this changing pad and it is genius. It doubles as a scale too, which has been great to keep track of Ezra’s growth being that he was preemie. Plus it’s easy to wipe and clean if you get anything on it.

I will keep adding anything else too as we start to use and love other things. Here is my list of what we brought to the hospital with us too.

For even more favorites head on over to my amazon shop page too!

xx, Rach