The New Baby Checklist
The full list. The ultimate catalog of essentials, must-haves, and things you won't realize you need until a 3am wake up from baby. Organized the way you'll actually use it. Check things off as you go, close the tab, come back where you left off.
On-The-Go
First things first: safety. If you take nothing else from this list, make sure you have a suitable car seat.
- Car seat
- Stroller
- Diaper bag (with changing pad)
- Wrap/carrier (optional)
- Portable crib/playpen (optional)
Bath
- 2–3x hooded/apron towels
- Sponge
- Shampoo / body wash / lotion
- Baby tub
- Grooming kit (nail clippers, comb, emery board, toothbrush)
Breastfeeding/Pumping
If you're planning to breastfeed, buy the pillow and the nipple cream now — not at 3am on day two. The pump can wait until you know you need it.
- Breast pump
- Freezer storage bags
- Breastfeeding pillow (with extra cover)
- Breast pads
- Nursing / pumping bra
- Nipple cream
Bottle Feeding
Start with fewer bottles than you think. Babies are particular, and you'd rather discover the one they like before you've bought eight of the one they don't.
- Sterilizer
- 6–8x small bottles
- 6–8x large bottles
- Bottle brush
- Formula stacker
- Bibs
- Burp cloths / muslins
- Pacifiers
- Formula
- Bottle warmer
Changing
Don't stock up on diapers- buy small packs in different sizes. A brand might not work for your baby, so pick at least two. You don't want to be stuck with a stack of diapers you'll never use
- Diapers
- Wipes
- Diaper pail
- Cotton balls
- Diaper cream
- Diaper caddy
- Changing mat / table
Clothing
Newborns grow out of newborn size fast — some skip it entirely. Buy a few in newborn, more in 0–3 months, and resist the tiny outfits until baby's actually here. People tend to gift clothing more than anything else- take that into account before filling the drawers with clothes baby will outgrow before they've been worn.
- 6–8x pajamas
- 3–4x gowns
- 6–8x vests
- 3–4x day outfits
- 2x cardigans
- 4–5x scratch mittens
- 4–5x hats / bonnets
Sleep
Whatever they sleep in, it needs a firm flat mattress and nothing else in it — no bumpers, no pillows, no loose blankets. The lovey is for later, when they're older.
- Bassinet, co-sleeper or Moses basket
- Crib
- 2–3x crib sheets
- 2x mattress protectors
- 3–5x swaddles
- 2–3x sleep sacks
- Lovey / comforter
- Swing / bouncy chair
- Rocking chair
- White / pink noise machine
Apothecary
The things you won't know you need until baby has a stuffy nose in the middle of the night. Have the thermometer and the nasal aspirator in the house before you need them — and a humidifier earns its keep in a dry air-conditioned nursery.
- Digital thermometer
- Nasal aspirator
- Cool mist humidifier
- Medicine dropper
Your ticks are saved to this device. Print the list any time, or download the PDF to keep a copy with you. The New Baby Checklist is here whenever you need it.
Back to the Journal