Hey mamas.
Let’s talk about saving money as a first-time mom. It could seem nearly impossible when there are so many mom and baby products being thrown at you as soon as you sign up to register. The thing is… newborns need very little. Contrary to what all these marketing companies are saying, you don’t need to spend hundreds and hundreds. When I was thrown into motherhood and my first born arrived, I found out very quickly what worked and what didn’t, what was useful and what was useless. Products that I thought for SURE I needed and couldn’t wait to use were left sitting there to take up space.
I know that every single mom/situation is unique… so you may or may not agree with this list. You’ll find what works best for you. But from my own personal experience, these are items that I wouldn’t think twice about knowing what I do now and seeing what my family functions best with. And maybe this will help you to cut down on your own list if you are on the fence about certain products. And if you use some of these… no shame, no judgement! You know your family best.
1. Shoes. Newborns don’t walk, so there is really no need for shoes. Cozy socks, yes!
2. Nose Frida. I have the good ‘ol nose suction bulb that the hospital gave me for free and it worked fine for what it does. I was gifted this, so I use it more as she gets older, but definitely not necessary for a newborn.
3. Crib blanket/comforter. It’s not safe to put blankets/comforters in their crib, so this one is a no-brainer.
4. Changing table / changing pad. We have one and it wasn’t bad, but definitely not necessary. As soon as Willow started turning over, we resorted to the floor. It’s easy and free. Just use a towel underneath. With my second, we skip completely and use blankets/towels.
5. Tummy time mat. They have mats with all bells and whistles but you honestly just need a soft blanket.
6. Boppy. Use a comfortable pillow from your bed.
7. Wipe warmer. Why get your baby used to warm wipes? I don’t understand this? Maybe if you live in a frigid climate… but wasn’t necessary for us.
8. Bottle warmer. Again, I don’t understand. It is just as quick to boil some water on the stove and let the bottle sit for 5 minutes. It just takes up space on the counter.
9. Changing pad liners. Use a towel.
10. Velcro swaddles. Personally, my daughter hated these. We just used a regular swaddle blanket and then moved to sleep sacks.
11. Diaper bag. Just find a really cute, large bag. I love my non-diaper bag. Here are a few others, too.
12. Baby care kits. The ones that have all random things for “safety and care” like clippers, snot sucker, etc. Half of the things were poor quality or unnecessary. Just get what you need separately.
13. Mittens. They honestly just fall off. Instead, find long-sleeve onesies with the fold-over mittens.
14. Nursing cover. Use one of your swaddle blankets (swaddle blankets are so versatile and worth every penny).
15. Diaper pail. Why have a separate trash for diapers, right? They are going to stink no matter what, trust me. I just take dirty diapers directly out into the main trash or outdoor can.
16. Any clothing but comfortable onesies/footed pajamas. Dresses, ties, tutus, whatever the case. It is just not practical to dress a newborn up in anything fancy. Onesies and footed-pajamas are the way to go. Especially zip-ups!
17. Bath toys. They are just in the way and the ones with the holes can grow mold. I stay clear. Instead, I’ll toss a plastic cup or bowl in… maybe one of her rings or stacking cups.
18. Baby lotion. No need for product on a baby’s perfect skin. If anything, use coconut oil.
19. Baby food bullet/blender. Just use a regular blender…
20. Sophie the giraffe. Shocking, right? My kids weren’t too crazy about her. Maybe your baby will be? Not sure! But she sure is an expensive teething toy.
21. Parenting books. Unless you have your heart dead set on a book by an author you really love, the baby books are not going to tell you anything you can’t find for free on the internet.
22. Bumbo seat. Your babe will eventually sit up, don’t worry. We used pillows to prop her up if necessary.
23. Bowls/forks/spoons. We didn’t start using these until waaaay later in the first year. Skip for now.
24. Bottle sterilizer. Boil bottles and parts instead.
25. Rocking/nursing chair. You don’t need a designated chair to nurse or put to sleep. I always found myself on the living room couch.
26. Spout cover. The one we have (it’s a whale) always falls off, anyways. It is very annoying! Cover the spot with a small towel.
27. Hair rinser. We also have the whale hair rinser which is just a glorified cup. Just use a cup!
28. Baby wash cloths. Soft regular wash cloths also do the trick.
29. Baby towels. Hooded towels are cute but not really practical. They are thin and are grown out of quickly.
30. Stroller organizer. Most strollers have a spot on the bottom for your things… just place underneath.
31. Stroller hooks. Again, use the bottom portion of the stroller to place your belongings.
32. Gripe water/gas relief. I honestly could never tell if this stuff worked. Babies are just fussy in the beginning… especially at night… period.
33. Bath robe. I never used the bath robe we were gifted because there just isn’t time. It’s straight to towel and then pajamas!
34. Drying rack. The racks or the grass drying areas… they just take up counter space. Dry on a clean dish towel.
35. Diaper rash cream applicator. Who has time or money for a diaper cream wand? Just use your finger.
36. Baby-specific laundry detergent. Any gentle and natural laundry detergent will do.
37. Baby-specific dish soap. Again, use a gentle and natural soap and you’ll be fine.
38. Crib mobile. It looked cute, but that was about it. We used the white noise machine for naps and sleep.
39. Baby oil. Coconut oil works just fine if necessary, but we used nothing most of the time. And her skin is soft and beautiful.
What do I recommend? I’ve shared my list of newborn essentials for a minimalist mama. These are the items we truly did use in the first few months and/or still use. If you are currently registering for the necessities, I highly recommend Amazon Baby Registry (for these reasons). I truly do believe we saved a ton of money just by registering with them.
Motherhood on a a budget is not impossible.
If you are interested in seeing what else we DO use for our babes, check out my Amazon storefront. Lots of great newborn items, toddler toys, mealtime essentials, etc.
Good luck, mama. xx bianca
I completely agree with ALL of the above except maybe one ….. The lotion/oil piece … my son has had extremely dry skin since birth and in order for his skin not to dry out and by uncomfortable we need to moisturize him a few times a day. That being said we started using coconut oil when we ran out of “baby lotion” and haven’t turned back; except in the summer where we just keep a natural sunscreen on him during the day. He is a little over a year old and this is what has worked best for us. Thank you for sharing!
I hear you on the lotion! That is definitely one that goes either way. I do love coconut oil, too :)
And yes, sunscreen is always a must!! Glad you enjoyed the post. xo