New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom

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I just had my fourth little peanut in October of last year. I can remember with my first how many ridiculous things I thought I needed for her. By the fourth, you just know what you need and what is not very useful. I have compiled my list of must-haves and a list of things we can do without.

New Baby Must-Haves:

New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom | Des Moines Moms BlogNightgowns. Not for you, for the baby. You know the ones I’m talking about… with the elastic bottom that make it easy for middle-of-the-night diaper changes and the little fold over mittens so their hands stay warm and cozy and they don’t scratch themselves in their sleep. We have at least 10 of these.

Swaddle blankets. All newborn babies like to be swaddled. At least all of mine did. This time around, my sister got me some amazing muslin ones. I LOVE them! They are huge and you have to get used to all the extra fabric when swaddling a tiny one, but I love how soft and breathable they are. And! I have discovered that they are great nursing covers when you leave yours at home.New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom | Des Moines Moms Blog

Variety of pacifiers. All of my babies always took Nuk binkies, so I bought the same for Sophia. This girl has her own ideas about what she likes and it’s not Nuk! She prefers the Soothie brand. Pacifiers are generally pretty cheap, so this is something that I would consider buying different styles to see what your babe likes. Or, at least, not buying a ton of one type.

Diapers and wipes. No brainer! Whether you are a cloth-diapering mama or a disposable diaper lover, you’ll need plenty of these before your baby arrives! I would recommend not buying too many of the newborn size. Your baby could come out and weigh over nine pounds like mine! And once the shock wears off, you’ll wonder what to do with the packages of newborn diapers.

Foam bath mat. We have tried more expensive and snazzy looking ones, and the cheap yellow foam mat is my go-to. It lays in the bottom of the tub and lets them feel the water under them which keeps them warmer, I think.

A stroller. I love that I can unfold that thing and click her car seat into it and go! My favorite bonus perk: a place to put the coats.

New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom | Des Moines Moms BlogSwing. Looooove my rock-a-roo! Dear sweet friends of mine purchased one for Sophia and she absolutely loves it. Even when it isn’t moving, she will sit in it and watch her brother be a nut ball all over the living room.

And a couple just for winter babies…

A hat that juuust fits over their ears. Otherwise, they will squirm in their seat and it will fall over their eyes.

Cozy car seat cover. Perfect for those below zero temps!

 

Unnecessary Baby Items (in my humble opinion):

Hair bows or bow ties. Buy a few different colored headbands for your little girl. I love buying hair bows at Once New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom | Des Moines Moms BlogUpon A Child. Cheap, cute, perfect. Which justifies the fact that I break this rule, regularly. Don’t ask how many bows my baby girl has. As far as ties go, if you’re like me, you’ll buy it with the intention of having a handsome fella for family pictures or holidays, forget you own it, and then one day your son will come downstairs looking all dapper with his necktie, dinosaur t-shirt and shorts. Exactly what you envisioned, right?

Boppy/Nursing pillow. I have used a regular pillow to help position for nursing. Maybe it’s a fourth kid thing, maybe I just don’t want to cart the Boppy all over the house….

More than four cozy blankets. One in use, one in the wash, maybe one in the car and one back up. Boom.

New Baby Must-Haves from a Fourth Time Mom | Des Moines Moms BlogBaby shoes. While they may be adorable, they are not necessary or practical. You’ll likely end up losing one when you’re out and about anyway. Their tiny feet can’t keep shoes on very well. Except Freshly Picked — those babies stay on!

Baby snowsuit. It’s likely that your baby will not care to play in the snow. Save your money.

These are a few that are true for me. What about you? What would you add to each list?

1 COMMENT

  1. Third time mom here. I found that a bottle warmer was not necessary. Coffee mug and warm water from the tap work just as good. If summer baby hat isn’t necessary until they’re older, stroller and carseat tend to provide enough shade or just find a shady spot. Agreed with evening else you mentioned. 😘

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