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the baby stuff list ✿

things i'd actually recommend to a friend.

18 months of trial, error and product research, distilled. honest notes — what's actually worked for us with aru. tap a category to open it.

some links below are amazon affiliate links — if you buy through them i earn a tiny commission, at no extra cost to you. it never changes what i recommend. (as an amazon associate i earn from qualifying purchases.)

💧 diapers, wipes & little bums
  • Honest diapers

    what we use now — cleaner ingredients than most. not 100% clean, but better than the rest.

  • Attitude diapers

    hands down the cleanest of all diapers i've tried. thinking of moving to their home line too.

  • Water Wipes

    tried huggies, rascals — nothing comes close. these are the best.

  • Earth Mama diaper balm

    amazing.

  • Diaper Genie

    this is what works for us. double-insulated, no smell — even in a small space.

  • Diaper changing pad

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Disposable changing sheets

    ↳ add your take ✿

🛁 bath, body & feeling better
  • Attitude (detergent + dish soap + creams)

    love their whole range — clean and gentle.

  • Frida Baby nasal aspirator + saline spray

    if baby's due in nov, heating dries the nose out — you'll thank me.

  • Frida Baby cradle cap kit

    did the job.

  • Mamaearth hing roll-on (India)

    for colic. must-have. first 12 weeks especially.

  • Levoit humidifier

    ours, no complaints.

  • Skip Hop bathtub

    really good.

  • Tiny nail scissors

    better than the fancy nail filer — filer is only good for the first month.

  • Baby shower gel + shampoo

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Baby moisturiser

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Grooming kit (nail cutter, tweezers, brush, comb)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Thermometer

    ↳ add your take ✿

🍼 feeding (bottles, pumps, formula)
  • Dr. Brown's bottles — full size set

    get the pack with all sizes. babies switch nipple sizes overnight (size-1 flow that worked yesterday is suddenly too slow today 😂). having size-3 nipples handy is gold.

  • Glass bottles for home, plastic for travel

    mix and match by setting.

  • Philips Avent bottle warmer

    Dr. Brown's warmer is weird — skip it.

  • Momcozy bottle washer & dryer

    time-saving godsend.

  • Spectra breast pump

    the best. powerful, handy.

  • Momcozy wearable pump

    only good for travel. never emptied my left side properly.

  • Kendamil formula

    cleanest formula i've found. first 3 months docs suggest ready-to-feed for safety — ready-to-feed kendamil is now available, costco carries it.

  • Feeding pillow

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Burp cloths

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Bibs

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Flange inserts (for breast pump)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Milk storage packets

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Momcozy breast milk carrying bottle

    the bottle i grab for storing + carrying pumped milk on outings.

  • Momcozy portable milk warmer

    warms milk on the go — saves us in cafes, planes, anywhere outside the kitchen.

🌙 sleep & soothing
  • Auto-rocking bassinet

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Vibrating bassinet

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Swaddle cloth

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Velcro swaddle

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • White noise machine

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Night light / motion-sensor light

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Pacifier

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Sheets / blankets

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Small support pillows

    ↳ add your take ✿

🌸 postpartum (mama things)
  • Frida Mom ice pads

    for vaginal delivery recovery — lifesaver.

  • Frida Mom cooling foam

    really helped.

  • Frida Mom postpartum belt

    good.

  • Old Navy maternity gown

    hands down my favorite. so comfortable.

  • Momcozy nursing bras

    good — didn't fit me perfectly but solid.

  • Breast pads

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Nipple shield

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Nipple butter

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Nipple milk collector (for leaks at night)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Colostrum collector

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Disposable underwear

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Maxi pads

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Bathrobe (skin-to-skin friendly)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Feeding-friendly clothes (open in front)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Unscented skin essentials

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Mama-safe pain killers

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Psyllium husk

    ↳ add your take ✿

🍫 mama survival kit
  • Snacks (for the midnight hunger)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Electrolytes / coconut water

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Two big water bottles

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Good headphones or ear pods

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Reading light

    ↳ add your take ✿

🚼 gear (stroller, car seat, carrying)
  • UPPAbaby stroller

    ours.

  • UPPAbaby car seat

    ours. also look at the cybex with a rotating base — will save your back.

  • Ergobaby carrier

    ours.

  • Enya Mond diaper bag

    did a lot of research — this won.

  • Longchamp tote

    extra travel bag, makes life easier on trips.

  • Storkraft crib

    ours. ikea's is also a good shout.

👶 clothes (the honest take)
  • Walmart — Carter's onesies

    same carter's onesies, cheaper at walmart.

  • Costco onesie sets

    amazing. got 10 recently — perfect for travel and cold nights.

  • H&M, Old Navy, Gap & Zara

    my everyday mix once they're out of onesies. fits well, washes well, won't break the bank.

  • Organic cotton socks

    soft on tiny feet. aru lives in these.

  • Toddler shoes — velcro everything

    no laces. easy on, easy off. mornings get a LOT shorter.

  • Cotton towels only

    polyester ones come in a lot of gift sets — given away so many.

  • Mittens & caps (cold nights)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • ✿ pro tip

    babies live in onesies the first 3 months. don't buy fancy. buy the ones you love in every size — newborn, 0-3, 3-6 — it's fun watching them grow into the same one.

  • ✿ skip: Shein

    a no from me. too many open labor and legal concerns — and plenty of better options above.

🎒 school surprises
  • Indoor shoes

    the surprise — daycare wanted a separate pair to wear ONLY inside (so outdoor dirt doesn't come onto the play floor). you keep a pair at school full-time. velcro again.

  • Outdoor shoes

    the pair he arrives in. swapped at the door for the indoor pair.

🎈 play & development
  • Lovevery subscription

    got it on black friday — best purchase. aru hardly needs other toys. dev-focused things arrive at the right age.

  • Tummy time pillow

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Black & white flash cards

    ↳ add your take ✿

🏠 home & little extras
  • Recliner

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Mini fridge (for the room, if pumping)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Baby monitor

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Coasters (for bottles + wet things)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Storage containers (sterilized bottles, pacifiers)

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Multi-extension cord

    ↳ add your take ✿

  • Laundry bags (for tiny clothes)

    ↳ add your take ✿

✿ no brand has paid me to say any of this. opinions are mine, rooted in 18 months of real, sleepless use.

made on slow afternoons · ©︎ 2026