The Ultimate Baby Product List

Becoming a mother is overwhelming in more ways than one, that’s for sure. From the very beginning, you are bombarded with things you need to buy, and your Instagram feed has changed to baby toys, accessories, trending items, and more. Your friend might tell you that you definitely need a wipe warmer, and your mom thinks it’s a waste of time. With all of these opinions out there, it can be hard to know what items will actually fit into your life and which ones are a waste of space. That’s where I come in.

Hi, I’m Amanda, a Paediatric Sleep Consultant and Nanny with a background in Early Childhood Education. I’ve worked with hundreds of families up close in their homes, and I’ve gotten to know the ins and outs of baby products you need and which ones are a pass. When I’m looking for the best baby products, I know from years of experience, frustration and a few tears they need to be:

1) Affordable, or at least worth the splurge.
1) Easy to clean. No little cracks and crevices.
2) Items that I will use for many years.
4) Items that keep my home clutter-free.
5) Make my life easier.

I’ve compiled a list of the best baby items, organization systems, travel systems, and sleep products I’ve used over the years. They have been tested personally by me and come with a glowing recommendation.

How To Use This Guide

In each section of this guide I will list the baby item and why I think it’s worth purchasing. I will include links to each item (that are not affiliated with me in any way, I truly believe these are amazing items). Some items that are splurge items will be highlighted. I do think these items are worth it but if they aren’t in the budget there are cheaper alternatives. If applicable I will include some of my preferred ultra budget hacks for specific items. These items are designed for the infant age group (Newborn- 14 months) but some can be used well into toddlerhood and the preschool years.

All these items are dependent on your personal budget, lifestyle and what methods of feeding and sleeping you use. I’m personally a fan of spending money where it matters and cutting costs where it doesn’t matter. Save money and look for a lot of these items on Kijiji, Craigslist, your local Buy Nothing Group or FB marketplace.

Baby Sleep

Crib that converts to a toddler bed. Any brand is fine, the Ikea crib works just as well as any other fancy brands.
Sleep sacks for 0-3 months, 6-12months, 12-18months and 18-24 months. Insure the TOG is appropriate for the season and age group. I prefer the Loulou Lollipop brand as they stay super soft and cozy after hundreds of washes.
2-3 crib sheets that fit your crib.
Wyze cam pan V3. This is a household security cam but it has the best picture and night vision, isn’t expensive and lasts longer than traditional baby cameras.
2 Portable sound/white noise machines, one for home and one for travel. I like this one for home and this for on the go
Muslin swaddle blankets
Swaddelini. This is a fancy Tiktok discovery that has really proven to help calm infants, especially the ones who hate the traditional swaddle.
Snoo baby bassinet. This is a huge splurge, its almost hard to justify the price but I think it might be worth it. Ive worked with many families where the Snoo helped maintain sanity during the newborn and early infant months. They can be resold easily as well. Alternatively if your on a budget a baby bassinet works for the early months.

Baby Outings

Trust me on this when I tell you to just buy a kid backpack to use for a diaper bag (small fjällräven kånken, or skip hop animal bag). I like these over a traditional diaper bag for the longevity. They can be used through toddlerhood for outings all the way up to kindergarten. Pick a bag that has a water bottle pocket and some inner/outer pockets and you’re good to go.
Stroller. If you’re planning on walking a lot around the city and you have the space to store it, get the Uppa Baby Cruz V3 (or V2 for cheaper option). This is the best city stroller (I often describe it as the Rolls Royce of strollers) and it holds a ton of groceries/shopping. The back wheels are a bit wide but fit in 90% of store isles.
Summer Infant 3D lite stroller for traveling.
Baby carrier. I like the Omni Breeze from Ergo Baby
Car seat. Choose the one you like best.
Ziplock bags. Keep spare outfit in here and have one extra for soiled clothes
Skip hop portable changing pad. This is great but you can also carry an extra muslin blanket to change baby.
Car seat mirror
Water bottle that doesn’t leak for older babies. I suggest the camelbak brand. Don’t put milk or juice in it you WILL find mold.
Pack and play crib for travel. I suggest the Baby Bjorn one, it’s expensive but it’s easy to put up and down.

Baby Furniture

A dresser for baby clothes (low ones can act as a change table surface)
A Diaper Genie or dog poo bags. You don’t really need a diaper genie if you want to save money. Put the poopy diapers in a dog poo bag and the wet ones in the garbage. You’ll save hundreds in genie refills.
A pack and play crib for traveling. I prefer the Baby Bjorn brand because its easy to disassemble, stores really small and is easy to wash.
A baby bouncer chair. I like this one from Baby Bjorn, but any will do. Personally I find most babies hate the swing, so I wouldn’t bother. Save space and money.
A waterproof diaper changing mat for home (Munchkin or skip hop, depending on your price point. Both are good).
A laundry basket for baby.

Baby Clothes

Baby sizes are: Newborn, 0-3mo, 3-6mo, 6-12mo, 12-18mo. After that you may see 18-24 month sizing but it would be worth it to move into toddler sizing for the longevity of the clothes. Toddler sizes are 2T, 3T & 4T (sometimes 5T, but you can move into a child’s small size by then).

Choose whatever brands of clothes you like, but keep in mind how easy it is to put on and take off a wiggle protesting baby. Items with lots of tiny snaps or buttons might want to be avoided to save your sanity.

5-7 sleepers in the appropriate size and season.
5-7 onesies in the appropriate size and season (long or short sleeve
5-7 pants and shorts (depending on season).
Snow suit if your area gets cold (look for one with attached booties and mittens for younger babies).
Shoes or boots, depending on the season (Your baby probably won’t use shoes until they are walking age, around 10-12 months). Babies need shoes with a wide toe box as their feet develop and they learn to walk. I personally like these brands: Stride Rite and See Kai Run. Don’t get Nike, Crocs, or Robeez (the kind that have no grip on the bottom), they’re awful for your baby’s foot and walking development.
Sun hat for the appropriate age (look for a wide-brimmed bucket hat).
Winter hat.
Baby socks.
Baby mittens.

Baby Safety

Baby safety should be implemented as soon as your baby is mobile. Anything potentially dangerous like cords, strings, vents etc need to be lifted out of reach or covered. Most baby stores sell baby proofing items and they are all just as good, so pick the ones that best suit your home.

Baby gates for hallways and doors
Baby locks for doors
Baby locks for stove knobs
Outlet covers

Baby Books

Early reading is so important for infants’ language and speech development. You should be reading to your baby right from birth, but don’t expect them to engage with the book just yet. See my toddler article for the best storybooks.

Black and white high contrast image books for babies’ eye development

Baby Toys

Baby play is all about sensory experiences and mastering the palmer and pincer grasp (in their hands) as well as developmental milestones like talking, crawling, standing, and walking. Once a baby is 12 months old, you can introduce some toddler toys, assuming there’s no choking risk. See the toddler toy section of my toddler article to see how play develops further in those years.

Skip Hop Baby Activity Center. You don’t really need this if you don’t have the space, but it’s kinda cool and it converts into a toddler table. It’s great for longevity.
Rattles.
Xylophone.
Unique instruments like a rain stick or steel drum.
Stacking cups.
Circle and peg stacking toy.
Floor mirror for tummy time.
Bead maze.
Floor mat play space.
Foot rattles or funny socks.
Big wooden blocks. These are good for infants, size-wise. Alternatively, you can get soft plastic or silicone ones.
Plastic chain links (to link toys to the stroller handle, etc (to avoid dropped toys).

Baby feeding

Feeding your baby is a unique and special way to bond with your baby. Whether you choose boob or bottle, breast milk or formula i’ve used and tested all methods (and combinations! These are my recommendations for all kinds of feeding, no matter which method you choose.

Bottles. Its always good to have a few on hand just incase, no bottles will mimmic the nipple 100% but ive had really good experiences using Philips Avent bottles and Dr Brown’s glass bottles. Both are easy to clean and leak free. Dr Brown’s has more parts to put in the bottle, which can make it a little more complicated to clean and maintain.
Bottle nipples (appropriate sizes 1,2 & 3).
Bottle brush.
Bottle sanitizer (you don’t really need it, you could boil the Nipples on the stove to sanitize).
Boon sprig drying rack. This works wonders for bottles, you’ll probably use this all the way into toddlerhood, honestly. It’s great for drying cups and plates, and it’s easy to wash.
IKEA high chair. I swear by this high chair. It’s the easiest thing to clean, and you’ll want the easiest thing to clean with baby/toddler feeding. Babies and toddlers have a knack for smushing food into any crack or crevice so its best to avoid those altogether. With the IKEA highchair you can look on Etsy or Amazon for inserts to use for younger babies and footrests for toddlers. It beats out any fancy high chair any day.
Tripp Trapp high chair. This highchair is so expensive, but it’s easy to clean (an absolute must), stylish, and will be used by your child from 6 months to 6 years. You get alot so use out of it so in my opinion it’s worth it.
For a middle ground chair that’s great for travel, the Ingenuity chair is great and pretty easy to travel with. It also has a lot of longevity, from 6 months to 3 years old.
Glass baby food jars. These will come in handy for purées, toddler food and snacks and meal prepping oatmeal or other easy baby foods.
Silicone ice cube tray (large ice cubes, maybe like 2-3oz) for making and freezing purées or other meals when baby is older.
Baby Brezza for formula-fed babies. It takes the math out of preparing bottles and milk is always the right temperature for quick and easy feeding.
Boob pump. Should always have one in hand just in case.
Breast milk freezer bags for boob fed babies.
Bottle warmer.
Baby cutlery. These are good for first feeding and purées. I hate silicone because it absorbs smells, so try not to use them long term. When baby is ready, upgrade to these ones.
Baby plates and bowls. I personally just use small ceramic adult bowls for baby food. Buy a bunch of affordable dishes from IKEA in case they get broken. If your adverse to using ceramic with no rubber or silicone underneath, these plates and bowls are gorgeous, easy to wash and have the silicone sleeve, making it harder to push the green beans off the table.
Silicone baby bib. You’ll only need one or two of these, it’s easy to wash and reuse. This shape bib is good for 6-16 months old. This shape is better for older or bigger babies
Blender for baby purees, soups etc. Smoothie size is good but any size works.

Baby Grooming and diapering

Grooming and diapering your baby is an essential part of every day life. I have included specifics that ive used and really enjoyed but really any brand that you prefer will do. Specific items that are a must-have i’ve explained in detail throughout the list

Nail clipper set and nail file.
Baby hair brush.
Angel care baby bath seat.
Washcloths and towels with the corner hood.
Whatever baby soap you happen to like.
Diapers and wipes. Costco has the best deals on Kirkland brand of both.
If you are planning to cloth diaper your child there is tons of information that comes your way, and i’ve read it all. Ive used cloth diapers for many babies and i’ve come to learn that the all in two pocket diaper is the most convenient and easiest to wash and keep stink free. I love using the Planet Baby brand but ive also heard great things about Lil Helper. Their diapers come with a double pad insert for moisture wicking and absorbency.
If you choose to cloth diaper you will also need a waterproof storage bag. I recommend one for at home and one for on the go.
If you choose to cloth diaper I also recommend getting disposable bamboo inserts to catch the solids and make clean up easier! These liners are from Lil Helper but any will do.
Diaper rash cream (full and travel size). The only kind I’ve known to actually work are Sudocream or Desitin.
Baby thermometer.
Nasal aspirator. Most folks think that these are the grossest baby product on the market but when your baby is down with their 1st, 2nd or 10th cold of the year and you’re in the trenches with no sleep, your threshold for what is gross drastically decrease. I highly suggest getting one, even itf its just incase. They are a life saver.

This brings us to the end of the list when it comes to baby products. Let me know what worked and didnt work for your family in the comments!

The Ultimate Baby Product List – What you need and what to leave off your baby registry.

How To Use This Guide