Baby Essentials for the First 3 Months

Last updated on October 19th, 2023 at 09:58 pm

Now that Baby is almost a year old, I want to share our most used baby essentials for the first 3 months. I’ve held off on sharing for a bit because I really wanted to use everything we had for Baby and figure out what really worked and what didn’t.

If you’re a soon to be first time parent, figuring out what to put on your baby registry can be really overwhelming. There are so many different brands and options to pick from, if you’ve never done it before you may not even know where to start.

These are our most used baby items for months 1-3 and some things you can skip!

When is a good time to start a baby registry?

I started looking at baby items before I was even pregnant. I even created my registries online really early too BUT that’s just the planner in me. While I absolutely do not think it’s necessary to create a registry as soon as you see that positive test, I felt like it gave me plenty of time to plan out what I needed and wanted for baby without feeling rushed. I just kept my registry private until I was ready to share. Honestly though, you can wait until the end of your first trimester/beginning of your second trimester to start it.

Should you create a baby registry online or in person?

This is a totally personal choice. If you like to see things in person, touch, and feel everything before deciding then absolutely go in person. If online shopping is your preference, then creating one online may be easier for you and less stressful. Or you can do both, start your registry in store and then make changes online at home.

What store should you register at?

I’m personally a fan of Target and BuyBuy Baby registries. Both have really great customer service and they make returns and exchanges super simple. Amazon is always an easy choice and almost everything I’m sharing below is on my Amazon Storefront too.

Babylist is another popular one but depending on the demographics of your friends & family, it isn’t very user friendly on the buyers end.

Diaper Changing

I chose Babyganics diapers & wipes since they’re a cleaner brand, easily available in stores and budget friendly. They are fragrance, latex, and petroleum based lotion free, and totally chlorine free (TCF). While there are other cleaner diaper brands out there most of them are not easily accessible and can get pretty pricey.

Earth Mama Organic Diaper Balm, diaper caddy to easily take all the diaper things with you from room to room, a wipes holder NOT a wipe warmer, Ubbi diaper pail – trust me on this one it completely covers up the poop smell, diaper pail disposable bags, on the go changing pad.

Skip the big diaper changing tables or ones that go on top of a dresser. A baby can safely lay on those for such a short period of time. A portable changing pad is easier and you’ll get more use out of it. You can lay it on your bed, the floor, the couch.

Sleeping

HALO Innovations BassiNest Swivel Sleeper Premiere. This one has some extra bells and whistles that your baby may or may not love. If you want to skip the extras, the HALO Innovations Bassinest Glide Sleeper doesn’t have the extras like night light, vibration or sleep sounds. If you plan on room sharing with your newborn, a compact bassinet is a must. I love that the side of the Halo bassinet pushes down easily which makes those late night feedings easier especially during those early recovery days. You don’t have to get out of bed to pick your baby up or lay them back down.

Hatch Rest Plus Sound Machine. Newborns are used to constant noise. They’ve been hearing the sounds of blood rushing, hearts pumping and all the outside noise so that can make sleeping in silence pretty difficult. The Hatch has different sound options plus a night light option. The battery can hold a charge making it easy to unplug and take from room to room. With the clock option, it can grow with your baby into the toddler years too.

Zippered Footie PJs. Zippered is the most important thing here!! Avoid any with buttons or velcro. Zippers make late night in the dark diaper changes quick. Target always has some cute affordable options!

What did we skip? The swaddles. We tried a couple different kinds but Baby just wasn’t having it. She likes her hands free and by her face. It actually upset her more and kept her awake if she was swaddled. My advice only register for one or two. If your baby likes being swaddled you can always get more.

Travel/On the Go

Ergobaby Embrace Cozy Knit Newborn Carrier. Oh those sweet newborn days when all your baby wants is to be close and snuggle 🥰 A good carrier is hands down a must. You can move about your home freely or go for walks while your baby is happy and safe snuggled against you. I like the Ergo because it’s more structured than a wrap carrier which made me feel more comfortable knowing baby was safely in place. As I write this, Baby is 11 months and we still use the carrier daily.

Nuna Pipa RX Infant Car Seat. I liked that this car seat is flame retardant free, can be installed without the base using the European seatbelt method, is light weight compared to most infant car seats and with adapters can click into most strollers from any brand.

BabyZen Yoyo Stroller. I debated about stroller options for a while. This one is so compact and folds up easily. It’s so compact, it fits in an airplane overhead bin! While the regular seat can’t be used until baby is at least six months, there are two bassinet attachment options. We chose the more structured bassinet that can clip on and off and is safe for baby to sleep in. We used it all the time for walks. The zippered top kept baby cozy for our chilly Fall adventures.

Backpack Diaper Bag. Trust me on this one, a backpack diaper bag is the way to go! It’s so much easier to carry around and keeps your hands free. The one we have is no longer available but here is a similar one.

Awake Time/Play Activities

Infant Swing. I tried to keep Baby out of any containers (swings, bouncers, seats) as much as possible so she could have free movement but sometimes you need somewhere safe to place babies. She loved the Ingenuity Soothe ‘n Delight 6-Speed Compact Portable Baby Swing. The little hanging mobile kept her entertained while I showered or washed dishes. It’s compact, folds easily and fit easily inside our tiny bathroom.

Skip Hop Activity Gym. Baby used this every single day. She loved the hanging toys. It gave her something to look at and eventually start reaching for. She spent lots of time practicing her tummy time on this mat and rolled over for the first time laying on this mat.

Lovevery Play Kit. Lovevery is a subscription toy box that delivers curated age appropriate toys straight to your door. The toys support your baby’s brain development at each age. They use sustainability sources wood and organic fabrics for all their items. We try to be minimal and thoughtful about the toys we bring into our home for Baby and Lovevery makes it really easy for us. At 11 months and we’re still using them! I’ll keep our subscription going for as long as possible.

Feeding

Bottles. Even is you plan on exclusively breastfeeding having a couple bottles on hand is important just in case. My lactation consultant recommended these Dr. Brown bottles with the transition nipples since I’d also be breastfeeding. The flow is slower which mimics breastfeeding.

Bottle brush, dishwasher basket for all the small parts, countertop drying rack, bibs, burp cloths, bottle tote, formula dispenser cups for on the go. The bottle tote bag can easily transition to a lunch/snack bag when baby is a little older.

We skipped the sterilizers since most dishwashers and microwaves can sterilize. The old fashioned way by boiling water on the stove works too.

Skip the Baby Brezza formula dispenser. I discovered it’s too glitchy and can dispense too much or too little formula to water ratio which can harm your baby. Thankfully I tested it after using it for a short period and discovered it was dispensing too much water AND too little formula.

I hope this list of our most used baby items for 1-3 month olds helps you, whether you’re creating a registry or shopping for a gift.