Postpartum Must-Haves for Baby
The postpartum period is all things beautiful, confusing, exhausting, rewarding, exciting, full of intense emotions, and a time of overwhelming love for the beautiful being(s) you created(!!). We’ve been through this a number of times (six to be exact here at KB!) and have found that, for us, less is often more. Every family is different, but generally speaking, a baby doesn’t really need that much! Honestly. We’ve put together our favorite postpartum items to have on the ready for baby, besides all of the “big gear” (car seat, stroller, etc). And p.s. don’t worry moms, your post-partum list is on its way, too, ‘cause the postpartum period for moms is just as important!
Essentials
Diapers + Wipes
It’s a guarantee that you’ll need good diapers for your LO. We’ve used all kinds, both cloth & disposable. If you’re headed in the disposable direction, we’re Dyper lovers! They’re better for your baby, the planet, our wallets, and for us parents! They’re a free subscription-based service with just the right amount shipped directly to your door. (We’re all for avoiding that stressful, unplanned late-night diaper run!) You can change the amount of diapers and size of diapers you need, as your baby grows, at any time. And to add, why we truly love them...is that they’re free of chlorine, latex, alcohol, lotions, TBT or Phthalates. They’re unprinted, unscented, soft to the touch, yet extremely durable and absorbent. We also love that they have extra-wide for those chubby babes and extra-absorbent for nighttime slumber. You can even send your soiled diapers back to them and they’ll compost for you!!! Now that’s service! We know you’ll love them, too!
Swaddle
Mushie swaddles are not only perfect for snuggling your baby, but we’ve used them as nursing covers, blankets for our toddlers, as a cover over the car seat carrier + stroller...and have stolen them for ourselves to keep cozy—tie it around your neck for a quick go-to scarf! We also love gifting this brand and hear great reviews from a variety of their other products, too.
Soft Sleepers
Burt’s Bees organic footed sleepers: we love these soft sleepers; they’re 100% cotton, with a zipper (convenient for those 2AM diaper changes…), are easy on the wallet, and come in the cutest patterns. They’ve held up well for us after many washings and have been passed down to younger siblings, cousins, and friends.
Baby Hat
Kyte Bamboo Beanie: these soft little hats will keep baby’s head warm without being too heavy. We love all of the beautiful neutral colors, too!
Baby Nasal Aspirator
Yes, a snotsucker - gross, right?! But promise the NoseFrida will come in handy for those unfortunate times your babe has congestion + a gunky nose. If you’ve talked to your mama friends at all about what you need for baby, this is has got to be at the top of the list.
Gentle Baby Wash
We like to delay that first baby bath for a few days (more on that later). Eventually they’ll need a good under-the-chin, behind-the-ear, between-the-toes cleaning (who here remembers that baby-cheese smell?!), or for the diaper blow-out, or pureed avocado stuck in all cracks + crevices, wherein plain old water just won’t do. The majority of store-bought products contain numerous chemicals that can irritate and strip the skin of natural protective oils + good bacteria.
We trust this EWG-verified fragrance free baby wash. It is very gentle and find that even the most sensitive babies do well with this. Just a little goes a long way!
Feeding
Breastmilk Storage
Generally, we like to avoid toxic plastics in our lives wherever possible, both for health + environmental reasons. When considering breast milk storage, the same holds true. Plastics leach into the milk/food that we store, especially when heated. Plastics have been linked to many health concerns, including cancers & endocrine/hormone disruption, so we choose other ways to store the milk to protect our baby’s health. You do not need the fancy storage systems out there; simple storage solutions work, too! And they’re reusable!
Remember milk will expand when freezing, so leave a little extra room!
Glass Jars: We like to use 4 or 6 oz mason jars + writable silicone jar lids. (Did you know: mason jar tops contain BPA! No thanks!)
The benefit of using glass jars is that it is safe + convenient to warm the milk in the glass jar (heating plastic causes the chemicals to leach further) and/or use the compatible glass bottle!
Having a storage tray can be helpful to keep them standing in place.
Freeze milk/food into the measured portions, pop into storage bags and repeat!
Safe, Eco-Friendly Glass Baby Bottles
We love these reusable bottles and appreciate the convenience of glass when warming the milk! They also come in a variety of sizes to grow with baby.
Other Bottle Options:
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