The Newborn Checklist

Published in Parenting on Feb 8, 2025

Before we begin, a crucial note about parenting advice: All suggestions are context-specific—what worked for us at a particular time may not apply to your situation. Take everything with a grain of salt and go easy on yourself.

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After five kids, we've learned how little you actually need and how much stuff just collects dust. Each of our children has been unique - some loved swings, others clung to stuffed animals, and a few never took to pacifiers. The key lesson? Start with the basics and buy the rest as needed. If you think you might need something, you probably can wait until you know for sure.

You won't know their size, if they'll need formula, or if they'll have a sensitive stomach requiring special formula. Trust me - you'll make plenty of store runs in those first few days, so you can easily pick up extra items as you figure out what works.

I'll link to products we've used and can vouch for, but choose what makes sense for your situation. These worked for us, but your mileage may vary.

...and if you think I'm exaggerating about how little you need: our third through fifth kids only had what's listed below.

What Hospitals Usually Provide

(Based on our experience at two different hospitals)

  • Pacifier
  • Cap
  • Pack of diapers
  • Pack of wipes
  • Nose sucker
  • Comb

Essential Pre-Birth Shopping List

For Bottle-Fed Babies

Get only a few bottles and formula... some babies like certain bottles and different formula. For what it's worth: All of our five kids did great with the Avent bottles.

Family Picture

Specific notes and tips

Diapers

Only prep with a few. Our middle kid didn't hardly use newborn diapers. Our fifth was in preemie diapers for a bit. Have a few but get the right size after they get home. Pro tip: Target lets you exchange un-opened boxes for different sizes so it's safe to stock up from there

Crib

Whenever I'm buying furniture these days I do lead checks. I don't want to invoke fear or imply malice but we have found lead paint in items imported from overseas so when I know the babies are going to be chewing on it I do a quick lead test to be safe.

We have adjusted our cribs from newborn to losing the side-rail making it great for toddlers but we haven't ever done the conversion to a twin bed. Each of our kids have elected to get different bed frames but they do say they can convert.

Changing Mat

We've never had a changing mat that wasn't on the floor. For the over 15,000 diapers that we've changed (and the youngest aren't even a year...oi! That's a lot of diapers!) we've changed them on the floor using the Peanut Changer. Plus this one you can just wipe off vs having to wash it. You already have too much laundry with newborns,

Carseats and Stroller

We went with Uppababy for one reason. Here's the story: we knew we needed a stroller that supported twins so while at BuyBuyBaby standing in front of the Vista thinking about it someone whispers in my ear "get it". I turn and see a dad smirking with twins in the exact Vista stroller I was looking at. He nodded, and that was it. We love it and have used the Piggyback as well to get three kids on the stroller.

Diaper bag

We have little bags that have diapers + wipes in them, and a portable changing pad. These can go in any bag. If I'm taking the kids sometimes I'll just throw the diapers and mat in my laptop bag.

Video monitors

I wrote about this in a specific post: Secure Video Baby Monitor