New Parent Must Buy List

I have now been a parent for 3.5 months and that pretty much makes me an expert right? Sadly no, but I have found that some items we bought have been used everyday while others have hardly been touched. Here's my must buy list for any new parent.

Cloth Nappies x 20



We don't actually use these as nappies. We tried for one nappy but it was just too much hassle. But we use them for everything else. They go under Mojo when he's sleeping to catch any spit and milk. I use them to wipe his face, they go on the change matt to catch any accidents (as it's easier to just throw a cloth nappy in the wash than to wipe down stuff)

Cheeky Wipes
We saw this wipe system at a Baby Show and have never looked back. We still use disposable wipes when traveling on longer trips but trust me when I saw that Cheeky Wipes make cleaning up a DEFCON 5 (all over the legs and feet) baby poop a breeze.

Woombie

 

This is the easiest swaddle you'll find. When it's 3am and you're still half asleep the Woombie makes getting your little guy swaddled a breeze. In fact you'll start to appreciate zippers more than ever. Also the baby looks funny. It's like a caterpillar or baby body bag

Nose Frida

How do you unblock a baby's nose?! You suck it out! If the idea of giving CPR to a snotty nose freaks you out like it does me then grab one of these Nose Frida snot suckers for $10.

Nappy Bin System

This is a recent purchase but has stopped Mojo's room smelling like a urinal. The Angelcare system we got was just $50. So far has stopped me from building up a massive bag of nappy's which ends up like a Santa sack of smells.

Microwave Sterilise

2 minutes and you're bottles are ready to go. Waiting for something to boil is for chump parents. We use this Avent one (Who new Philips also made baby products!?) but the basic idea of simple microwaveable device vs something more expensive is the way to go.

Thermos

I had no idea a Thermos could keep water so hot for so long. 12-16 hrs later and it's still just as hot yet the bottle is cool to touch. A must have if you formula feed and are traveling. And make sure you get a real Thermos brand not some cheap knock off.

Jumbo Play Matt

Grab one of these jumbo rubber mats for each main room and you'll never have to worry about poop or vomit getting on the carpet again. These mats are quite soft too so kneeling down to play is actually easier too. Compare this to the mats that have puzzle pieces. You spill a drink on that and the liquid goes into the puzzle piece gaps.

Brain Rules for Baby

This baby book made me rethink a lot of things about how to raise a happy and smart baby. No TV, video games or computer screens for Mojo until he's at least 5 now. And trying to keep up 2100 words a day is tough but gives me a goal to make sure I speak to Mojo as much as possible. It's a very interesting read about the science on how baby's brains work and learn.

Be Prepared: A Book for Dads

This book was given to me by the guys at work and they swear by it too. Some great tips for dads.

Night Light

Our's is a Sponge Bob Square Pants lamp but you can mix it up. A portable night light is great for the feeds between 11pm and 5am when you need to see your way around but don't want to wake the baby. You can then carry it to the change area once feeding is done.

Onesies

 

The coolest piece of clothing. I've spent a small fortune on funny prints from Threadless, funny nerd baby "creeper" items from Think Geek (my fav) or the zippable Wondersuit from Bonds. Three simple clips (or one zipper) and you're ready to change a nappy. The clothes that require you to clip several times or take off completely to change are a waste of time.

Baby Carrier

 

We call it the Super Suit and it's how mum can walk around the markets and go shopping without the major hassle of a pram in the way. Mojo also prefers to look outwards than be stuck lying down all day. We have the Stokke Baby Carrier which is a lot more complicated than it needs to be but will allow us to put Mojo on our back. The latest Baby Bjorn looks much simpler and softer material too so I suggest you test them both out.

Foldable / Flexi Bath

 

This is an awesome bath that lets us bathe Mojo where ever we want and it folds up to fit in the car for travel or cupboard for storage. Also it's green (it comes in haps of colours) which is awesome.

Duck Thermometer

 

Rather than trust my elbow I let the Rubber Duck decide if the water is too hot for Mojo. It lights up green when it's OK. Mojo likes to play with it too.

The Basics
You'll also need the basics (Cot, pram, change table, bassinet, nappy bag, toys) and there's literally hundreds of options for each. I just thought the items above were a little more obscure and might be missed on most "baby buy" lists.