Newborn Baby Checklist - A unblemished List of Newborn Needs For the New Mom

The long awaited day is practically here! Soon you will hold a precious baby in your arms, and you want everything to be perfect!

Bringing home a newborn baby, especially when it is your first, can be daunting. Such big changes and unknowns can cause a new mom stress. "De-stressify" your making ready with this newborn baby checklist. It will help give you the reliance to know you are prepared!

The following newborn baby checklist can be used as a guideline in the quest to be prepared for your new arrival. While no checklist will have you prepared for everything (like finding out your mother-in-law will be coming to "help" for a few weeks), this one ought to come close!

Clothing - Newborn babies grow into the next size very quickly! Don't go crazy purchasing the tiny newborn clothing items, or you may find that your baby has outgrown them before he/she has even had a chance to try them on! By the time your baby is about 8-9 pounds, you will need the 3 month old clothing (these will last until your baby is about 12 pounds). Some larger babies even skip the newborn size altogether!

The quantities listed here are based on the assumption that you will be washing your laundry at least 2 times per week.
5-10 newborn sized outfits 2 sweaters 5-7 sleepwear 2-4 wearable blankets or sleep sacks 4-6 onsies dress clothes 2 pairs of mittens (for preventing scratches) hats - one for warmth and one for shade snowsuit - do Not use when your baby is in his/her car seat 6-10 pairs of socks (more is better because they are so tiny that they get lost or "eaten" by the washing machine) accessories - such as shoes, hair decor, jewelry mild laundry detergent Bathing and Grooming - When my first baby was born, we had very tiny in the way of baby supplies - and nothing for bathing. Do you know what we discovered? We didn't no ifs ands or buts need much. He got perfectly clean when I bathed him in the bathroom sink and washed his hair with the kitchen sink hose.

So why did I consist of most of the following items in this newborn baby checklist? Convenience. There is a Lot to be said for convenience when you have a newborn baby in the house!
baby tub or baby bathing sponge 4 baby washcloths 2 hooded towels baby lotion baby brush infant nail clippers baby shampoo/body wash bath thermometer Nursery Items - A beautifully decked-out nursery is a fun way to put in order for your new baby. Giving the baby's room personality and then putting away the items he/she will be using makes it start feeling like he will no ifs ands or buts be arriving soon! Consider:
dresser baby size hangers rocking chair cd player with soothing cds night light nursery decor - wall hangings, window coverings, bed skirt Diapering - "Changing a diaper is a lot like getting a present from your grandmother - you're not sure what you've got but you're pretty sure you're not going to like it." (Foxworthy) No baby checklist would be faultless without "covering" this.
wet wipes - either commercial or home-made changing table with a water-proof pad 3 washable changing pad covers hand sanitizer diaper rash remedy wipe warmer diaper disposal or diaper pail with liners basket or diaper possessor for keeping diapers orderly If using disposable diapers: 10-12 disposable diapers per day Or If using cloth diapers: 24-36 cloth diapers 8-10 diaper covers inserts and liners diaper pins if the chosen system calls for them diaper sprayer Feeding - After you have decided either you will be breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you will want to think which items you will need to sustain you in growing a salutary baby. Breastfeeding Needs: 3-5 nursing bras nursing pads - washable or disposable breast pump nipple cream breast milk storehouse containers breast feeing pillow nursing cover 10 burp rags Bottle Feeding Needs: bottles (Bpa free) - start with just a few until you know what your baby will prefer nipples (clear silicone) formula - don't stock up until you know it will "agree" with your baby 10 burp rags bottle brush bottle warmer drying rack sterilization bags Sleeping - Newborn babies spend about 18 out of every 24 hours sleeping. At least some of that time you will want to put him/her down to tend to your own needs. Your baby's protection while that time is paramount. Providing a safe, comfortable, well-known place to sleep will help your baby construct good sleeping habits which will in turn facilitate Your sleep. You will need:
sleeping place - crib with mattress, portable crib, bassinet, Moses basket, or co-sleeper 2 mattress pads 3 fitted sheets 6-8 receiving blankets baby monitor a small fan for air circulation and white noise Traveling - either it is across town or across the country - you will want to show off your baby (or at least re-stock on diapers). Traveling with a newborn is more complex than grabbing your keys and walking out the door, but you will be prepared for any trip if you have:
car seat diaper bag replacement car seat cover stroller baby sling or carrier blankets of varying thicknesses car seat tour bag for air travel portable crib Health - No one likes to think about their baby becoming ill, but sooner or later it is bound to happen. Be prepared by having the following items on hand:
nasal aspirator/bulb syringe petroleum jelly digital thermometer rubbing alcohol & q-tips (for umbilical cord care) infant acetaminophen - use with newborns only under advisement of your pediatrician saline nasal spray a great pediatrician Don't forget to add your baby to your health guarnatee policy! Safety - Your newborn won't be movable for a few months, but you will want to have protection items in place well before that occurs.
safety gates corner/edge bumpers safety locks outlet covers Development and Entertainment - Most of your newborn baby's early development will come from the cuddling, singing, talking, and interaction provided by the ones who love him/her the most. A few items that will stimulate and entertain him/her while you are busy will be useful to you both.
baby movable or a plastic mirror for the crib a few toys of differing textures baby swing and/or baby bouncer baby book for recording all of the milestones A coarse "rookie mom" mistake is caring for her baby to the exclusion of caring for herself. Don't forget to make "mommy care" a priority, too. Add your beloved bubble bath to your newborn baby checklist - and then use it!