Miscellany

You’ve got all your essentials — you’re ready to meet your new bundle! Now let’s go over some of the miscellaneous items that don’t quite fall under other categories but are still a must.

Diaper Bags

First up, a diaper bag — trust us, it will be your BFF in your parenting journey. Your sidekick, if you will. A good diaper bag holds all of your baby essentials: diapers, wipes, extra clothes, bottles, ointment, and so on. Diaper bags — whether you opt for a regular bag or a diaper backpack — are designed specifically with the needs of moms and babes in mind. Every pocket is intentional and very useful. We rounded up our very favorite diaper bags here (by type):

• Best Diaper Bags
• Best Diaper Backpacks
• Best Unisex/Masculine Diaper Bags for Dads/Partners

Pacifiers

“The best pacifiers are the ones your baby will take.”

Natasha Burgert, MD.

We couldn’t agree more!

Passies (pacies? pacis…?) are very much a matter of personal taste. Get a couple/few different brands and let your baby choose his favorite.

Then buy lots of those. And a pacifier clip so you don’t loose them.

Soothie by Philips AVENT, ~ $3.19

The overwhelming favorite pacifier. It makes baby’s mouth look like a suckerfish on the side of an aquarium – very entertaining! It’s also good for breastfed babies due to the rounded nipple shape.

MAM Pacifiers, $9.99

Also very popular, especially their glow in the dark “Night Glow” pacifiers. No more fishing around the crib at night — these puppies stand out in the dark.

WubbaNubs, $13.95

Now I must tell you about my friend Wubs. WubbaNubs, that is. WubbaNubs are soft plush toys with a passie (Soothie brand) attached, so your babe can actually hang onto it and keep it in for more than 5 minutes at a time. These are must-haves for any pacie addict.

After baby’s teeth start coming in (anywhere from 6-12 months), you should switch to an “orthodontic nipple.” “Ortho” passies are specifically shaped to prevent teeth from going out of position and are more durable to withstand the inevitable gnawing. We recommend the NUK Airflow Orthodontic Pacifier.

Doddle & Co Pop Pacifiers, $18.99

You know that time when your baby dropped his pacifier on the floor, and you had to clean it? Yeah, we know, that happens, like, every 5 minutes. Well, guess what? you no longer have to worry about that anymore. When your baby is not sucking on it, the Doddle & Co pacifier retracts and tucks away into its built-in case. Genius. It’s made of pure silicone.

Honorable Mentions

There are some other great passies you can try if all else fails:

• The First Years
• Tommee Tippee
• Dr. Brown’s

Baby’s Medicine Cabinet Essentials for Everyday Care

You know those baby first aid and grooming kits, that come with, like, 50 items? You don’t need all that stuff. Seriously. What do you really need? Nail clippers, a snot remover, a thermometer and a couple more things. We cover this separately here: Medicine Cabinet Essentials for Baby

Newborn Scale (*Optional)

Hatch Baby Grow ~ $129

Hatch Baby Grow, the smart changing pad, is an integrated baby scale and changing pad. With Hatch Baby, you can track your baby’s daily activity (growth, feedings, weight gain, sleep, diaper changes) and developmental milestones.

Wait – what just happened?

We reached the end of Baby Registry Essentials. Hollerrrrr!!!

Now seriously, are you subscribed to Crib Notes? Click here to join the club.

If you still have any brain power left, read about what you’ll need for 6+ months (what?). Yeah, sorry, there’s mooooore stuff (high chairs, feeding supplies, umbrella strollers, and convertible car seats). Endless, really.

— P.S. See I told you it wasn’t so bad….