What you ACTUALLY need for your baby’s first year of life
The best baby finds on Amazon Canada
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I take a “wait and see” approach to buying anything, but especially when it comes to buying baby items. I hate wasting money on things I never use. Just a few years ago, I was trying to figure out how to make a baby registry, and I asked every mom I knew which items I ACTUALLY need for a baby and which purchases they regretted. There are so many crazy gadgets marketed towards tired, desperate moms or anxious moms-to-be, and I was skeptical. It turns out, most first-time moms need a lot less than they think.
After having two-under-two, I feel well equipped to share what you do and don’t need for your baby’s first year of life. I recommend taking the same approach I did and putting off any purchases you feel unsure of. If you really want that bum spatula or booger stick a few weeks into your child’s life, (both items I happily lived without) you can have it Amazon primed to you overnight!
I’ll be sharing links to all the best baby items on Amazon Canada. I always find it frustrating trying to shop through American links, so if you’re a Canadian mama like me, you’re in for a treat! (Or view the whole list here)
Click here for the full list on Amazon.ca
*** Please note, these are affiliate links and I will make a small commission if you purchase through a link.
DISCLAIMER: none of this is intended as advice for baby-feeding, baby-sleep or how you care for your baby. I am simply sharing my personal decisions and preferences.
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Things I never bought (and didn't miss)
Baby swing - this is a pricey investment. I wanted to wait and meet my babies to find out if this was something they would actually need.
Change table - Even if I had one, we wouldn't have used it. We changed diapers on the couch, floor, bed, or whatever was closest.
Newborn clothes - We were given a few items, and both my babies grew out of them in a week. Depending on the size of your baby, you may want to jump straight to 0-3 month clothes.
Bathtub - A baby bathtub was given to us, but we never used it. Even once we moved to an apartment without a bathtub, it was more simple to bring the baby in the shower.
Diaper pail - I had no interest in maintaining another trash can and found our regular kitchen garbage was emptied often enough.
Things I wouldn’t buy again
Nursing pillow - honestly, nursing pillows can be a little bit awkward. I found my throw pillows more moldable to prop my baby up in those early days of breastfeeding
Toys for a baby under 3 months old - chances are people will give you more toys than you need. My babies didn't start playing with toys until they were at least 3 months old, and I only started purchasing toys when my daughter was about 8 months old.
Bassinet - The only reason I own a bassinet is because it was $20 on Kijiji. Both my kids grew out of it so quickly we ended up using a pack-and-play or crib in our bedroom for them anyway.
Baby pillow/lounger/nest like Snuggle Me or Dock-a-tot - The weeks your baby is young enough to fit in this go by so quickly. I didn’t buy one and found I didn't miss it. I was happy to put my babies down safely in their bed, on a blanket on the floor, or in a crack on the couch when they were young enough not to roll.
Pacifier clips - I found some awkward and unnecessary since we mainly used a paci in the car or bed.
My Recommendations
Photo by Erin Caitlin erincaitlin.com
Breastfeeding
DON'T buy an expensive breast pump right away. You have no clue what your breastfeeding journey will look like. A $500 pump is often SO unnecessary, especially here in Canada where we get to spend the first year at home with our babies. I ended up purchasing this one as I was able to get it covered through insurance, but I only used it a few times.
DO get a Haakaa! This will likely fulfil any pumping needs in the first few weeks. It will relieve engorgement and collect extra milk on the opposite side while you nurse.
If you encounter an issue in your breastfeeding journey that calls for a pump, you can have one delivered by the next day. I had this hand pump for a while and appreciated the simplicity.
You likely won't need a large stash of expensive bottles or bottle accessories like a warmer and bottle brush. Wait and see.
I found disposable lactation pads to be wasteful and inconvenient when they got flipped around and stuck on my boobs.
I liked having reusable pads. I tried both Bamboobies and EcoNursing Pads. Bamboobies are much softer, but in my opinion, not worth the extra money. Both sets function the same and feel the same when in use. I recommend starting out with two packs of this brand.
Starting Solids
I find it unnecessary to add a bunch of baby-feeding items to your registry especially if you are looking to take a minimal approach like me. You have six months to wait and decide what you would like to purchase!
We loved this booster seat for our babies’ first few months of eating. It supports them very well and can grow with them. I would obviously never recommend using a floor seat on a tabletop, but with my babies, I put it right in the centre of the table for the first few weeks. This approach made cleaning up around them very simple. As they got older, I used the straps to fasten it to a chair.
This set by PandaEar includes all the essential dishes for a really great price! I liked teaching my kids to drink from an open cup and letting them self-feed chunky purees with this easy-to-hold cutlery.
I liked having several cup options as they were learning to use cups, so I like having Munchkin 360 cups and these straw cups on hand as well. My daughter still uses all of these options as a toddler.
When I have the time, I love making my kids’ food from scratch. Sometimes we buy food pouches, but when I have the chance to make applesauce or other purees, we love these reusable pouches.
I also liked having these silicone ice cube trays on hand to freeze homemade purees in portion sizes.
And of course, you will want a good stash of bibs. These long-sleeved bibs have lots of coverage for the first few months, and these silicone bibs work well for less messy snacks or once they get a bit older.
Photo by Erin Caitlin erincaitlin.com
Baby Sleep
A bassinet may not be necessary for your family depending on your sleep preferences. I got one very cheap on kijiji, but I find I only use it for the first few weeks before my babies outgrow it. We’ve also used a pack-and-play and a crib in our room.
We typically swaddle for the first few nights, and then switch to a small sleep sack.
Once they are a little bigger, this woolino sleepsack is our very favourite. Each of my children have two and they started wearing it at about 6 weeks old. My two-year-old daughter still wears hers. I love that it lasts through so many sizes, and since it is merino wool, it can be worn year-round without wondering if my babies are too hot or too cold.
After trying a few crib sheets and wearing holes in some, these crib sheets are my favourite.
My babies also sleep with a sound machine. I like this one by Dreamegg because it is portable and we bring it along in the car or if I’m napping them elsewhere.
Baby Toys
The toys marketed for babies astound me! My babies were both happy with very minimal toys. My babies didn’t really start “playing” until about three months, and even at a year old I find they are most fascinated by random household objects. If I hand my baby a cup from the kitchen or a (tightly closed) jar with dried beans inside they happily explore it for a few minutes. I’ve never stressed about purchasing all the right educational toys or “entertaining” my babies. We were gifted more toys than my babies needed for the first few months, and other than that, I tried to keep my purchases very simple.
In the first few months, I did make use of some high-contrast cards during tummy time or while on my lap, and we received this teething toy as a gift. It was one of my son’s favourites!
While pregnant with my first, it felt very important to find a used Loveevery Play Gym and mat. While it is nicely designed and very sturdy, I found it wasn’t as necessary as I thought and was difficult to store in between uses. If I could go back, I would get a simple, collapsable play gym like this and use any receiving blanket or quilt underneath.
I know baby containers are controversial, but we made use of a jolly jumper and this excersauser. It is especially sweet with my second because he uses his time propped up the excersaucer to watch his older sister or eat snacks with her if she pulls up a chair.
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Baby Health and Hygiene
I was sceptical of most baby hygiene items. I didn’t purchase any of these items until first was born. We received this snot-sucking set as a gift and ended up being thankful to have it on hand. We purchased this electric nail file to avoid using clippers on tiny baby fingers, and since my babies were all born with hair, we got much use out of this beautiful wooden brush set. I also always keep these herbal teething meds on hand because I like to delay use of Advil or other pain medicine as long as possible.
Picture Books
Although I strive to keep my home minimal, I can never have enough books! I am always grateful when we receive a thoughtful book with positive messaging as a gift. I like to fill our home with books that point my kids back to God even from a very young age.
Here are some of my favourites:
(click here to see the full list on Amazon)
Writing it out, this list feels long! But like I said, to start minimal and go from there. You will likely need less than you think.
But above all else, I want to remind you of this: you already have everything you need. You are the very best mom for your baby, and God chose you on purpose. Some of these items may make your life easier, but you already have what you need to love and nurture your baby well. These decisions, though they are important, won’t feel so heavy in just a couple years. You are not depriving your sweet child if you don’t buy the latest recommended Montessori-style learning toys or you totally forget to brush their hair some days.
May God bless you as you care for your sweet little one.
