New baby? Here is what you DON'T need!

I vividly remember the excitement and anticipation I felt when preparing for my first and second babies. If you're anything like me, you want the very best of everything for your precious newborn. You might also go crazy googling the safest car seat and the chicest stroller, etc. Once you start down this slippery consumer trap, ahem, I mean once you start researching, you'll be inundated with images of expensive baby items that no baby really needs. If you'd like to save some coins, here are some tips from my experiences.

Babies are simple. This is what mine needed:

1. Long and short-sleeved onesies and lots of them

2. Warm footed sleepers, socks, bibs and day wear

3. Bath toiletries and towels

4. First aid/grooming kit

5. Bassinet or Moses basket for first few months

6. Crib 

7. Car seat 

8. Stroller

9. Dr. Brown's bottles (my preference), Soothies pacifier from the hospital and a nursing pillow! (this will save you some back strain when nursing in bed) 

10. Diapers, of course. (You can have a diaper raffle at your shower or reveal party). Pick up a few nice prizes and/or giftcards and your friends and family will happily bring a pack of diapers. I'd specify the brand and anything but newborn sizes. They outgrow those so quickly so you don't need too many. 

11. Baby moccasins. (Not to be confused with baby shoes).Ok, your baby doesn't NEED baby moccasins but they are irresistibly cute so I added them to the list. They can be purchased on Amazon for as little as $3 and change. They are soft so they're not good for walkers. They come in many colors and styles and look similar to suede or leather. They are ADORABLE with most babys outfit. Again they're $3 on Amazon and are made by Voberry. 

Here's a list of stuff I actually didn't need:

1. More than one baby wearing contraption. I use the black Baby Bjorn. I have a couple of the stretchy fabric baby wearers in a black and a neutral and haven't used them once.  I can't be bothered to learn to wrap, pull, twist it over my shoulders and across my back then loop it twice and tie it or whatever the directions call for. Maybe it's because I have big babies but they always seem to sag or feel like I'm going to drop my baby if I don't hold the baby up while wearing it. Pretty much defeats the purpose. The Baby Bjorn feels more secure, I can use both hands to do other stuff and it goes on more easily in a snap. This is just my experience and I also know moms who swear by soft fabric baby wearers. 

2. You don't need many newborn clothes aside from some white onesies. My babies outgrew them so fast that they didn't give et to wear them more than once, if at all. They were in 3-6 month clothes after 3-4 weeks. If your baby is on the small side, you can always buy more or go on Amazon and get them delivered. Amazon Prime is truly a new momma's bestie. If you have Prime, you probably know about Amazon Now. If you have Prime they deliver stuff (some groceries too) in less than 2 hours! FOR FREE!

3. You don't have to have a diaper genie. I was so happy to receive this item since I feared diaper odors. I have two kids in diapers. It's still sitting in the corner. I can't even explain why.

4. Bottle warmer. I hate cabinet clutter and between bottle holders, sippy cups and all the stuff already on the counter, I decided to keep my $35 and use warm water in a bowl instead. Works for us. You can also use a crock pot for the same purpose. It's probably already cluttering your counter anyway so you may as well make it a multi-use item!

5. Baby detergent. Some brands (I won't say any names) are so expensive. My second baby has eczema and his doctor said any detergent that's "free and clear" is perfect for baby clothes. If your baby has eczema you might consider washing your own clothes in "free and clear" detergent as well. 

6. You don't need a bunch of baby shoes. Babies don't need shoes until they start walking around 9-13months. Baby moccasins are another story. Revisit number 11 above.

Moms, share what your family did and didn't need in the comments so we can help out all the soon-to-be mamas!