For some, this list is going to seem ridiculously small. I’m aware, and make no excuses. Rather, here’s a brief explanation of Mitch’s and my buying philosophy when it comes to baby gear:
- Less is more.
- Buy baby-specific ONLY when NECESSARY.
- We can always get it later.
- Organic is better.
- Natural is preferable.
- Less is more.
- Did we mention? Less. Is. More.
With that in mind, these are the items we wanted to buy for our man cub before he arrives:
We will be sharing our one bedroom with our little guy, so a crib or even bassinet seemed too large and cumbersome right away. Remembering that my younger brother slept in a Moses basket as an infant, I did a little research and found this Tadpole basket. After reading a little Wellness Mama, I was persuaded that an organic mattress without chemicals was the direction we wanted to go. So, we found this one that would fit the basket, and then ordered an organic cotton fitted sheet for it. We ordered everything straight from Amazon.
I’m lucky because my mama invested in a collection of cloth diapers, covers, and wipes for my sister’s kiddos back in 2012. Since her kids are potty-trained, I get to inherit the collection for our dude. I know this isn’t a solution for everyone, and if I was looking at making the investment myself, I’m not sure where I would land. But as they are a very generous gift, and I am used to them, I’m thrilled to cloth diaper! We did buy a pack of eco-friendly disposables for the first week or two and for convenience if we’re out and about, but we plan to cloth diaper 90% of the time.
We also inherited an infant car seat from my niece and nephew. We are holding off on buying a stroller since we are headed into the cooler months, but I really like this one, and we plan to invest in the spring. As for the diaper bag, we knew we wanted something gender neutral, comfortable, responsibly made, and attractive. We’re both HUGE Everlane fans. Mitch has been carrying this backpack for a couple years now. We looked into some others. This one was super tempting, but in the end, we selected THIS ONE, and I’m super giddy to start using it!
This is the pacifier we purchased, and I’ve bought a couple onesies locally, and thrifted some others. I’m also obsessed with these swaddle blankets and cannot wait to use them!
I plan to nurse, so eventually I will be buying some gear for that: pads, bras, and potentially a pump with some bottles. But again, we’re holding off till he gets here and we really feel the needs. We will buy a wipe warmer (for the wash-cloth style wipes), some infant nail-clippers, and potentially more clothing. For now, we feel more than prepared for the first few weeks.
I few words of encouragement for the space-savers out there, who may be prone to getting overwhelmed like me: I decided not to have a baby shower. I did not register. And we purchased everything for our dude after my 35th week of pregnancy.
I have found so much pleasure in receiving hand-me-downs from my sister, and also inheriting a beautiful box of keepsakes from Mitch’s mom, which included clothing he wore as a baby. I also raided a thrift shop for infant socks, receiving blankets (for the birth), and some little hats to keep our man cub cozy when he first arrives. I don’t feel stressed or anxious at all that we don’t have what we need, and am so grateful that I don’t feel overwhelmed by a ton of intimidating gadgets and gizmos. I’m also pleasantly surprised that so many baby items come in neutral colors, made with natural elements. If you are feeling at all intimidated by the baby aisles at Target or those muted neon letters that spell out Babies R Us, you’re not alone. If that’s your cup of tea, more power to you! If not, don’t feel weird. I’m right there with you.
Hope our small list helps you with yours!