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