10 Newborn Essentials as a Third Time Mum

Despite Lilah being my third baby, I still found myself constantly googling and searching for the 'essential' newborn products. Things really do change so quickly - especially in the baby world it seems - so there were so many products around this time, that we didn't even know about when Parker was a baby, let alone Indie.

So I thought I'd put together a list of the products we've absolutely loved using this time around. Items that we think really are newborn essentials! This list includes a few brand new products to us, and a some trusted oldies too...

The Sleepyhead Deluxe

I've written a whole separate review of the Sleepyhead. But my goodness what a product! The Sleepyhead is a sleep pod/nest, and has been designed to create a 'womb like' environment for baby to rest in. Lilah has slept in hers from day one, and it the best sleeper out of all three of the Littles - whether this was the reason or not we can't be sure, but I like to think it's definitely helped!

A Co-Sleeper

Another brand new product to us, but one I would recommend 1000%, is a co-sleeper crib. We have the Knuma Huddle, although there are a few different ones available. It fits right next to our bed, and means Lilah is right by our side during the night. Not only does this give her comfort, but made night feeds and wakings soo much easier too. A co-sleeper is much bigger than a traditional moses basket too (and fits the Sleepyhead perfectly!), so it will last a lot longer too. The older two outgrew the moses basket at 4 months, whereas I know there's still plenty of room left in the Huddle.

White Noise (Whisbear)

We've used white noise to help settle all three of the Littles at night. It's worked like magic with all three (and I actually find it pretty soothing myself now!), but the Whisbear that we're using with Lilah now, is definitely the best white noise toy we've had. The automatic cry sensor turns on if Lilah stirs, so she settles back to sleep by herself before waking up completely. It's really easy to attach to things too, as it's legs are magnetic - especially compared to Ewan the Dreamsheep which we found difficult to put anywhere.

WaterWipes

When your baby is first born, they recommend you use cotton wool and water when changing their nappies. We've never found the need to though, as we've always used WaterWipes. Made with 99.9% water and 0.1% fruit extract, they really are as gentle on babies skin - without the faff of cotton wool! Not only does this make cleaning those first meconium nappies easier, but they're much easier to use out and about too. On the subject of nappies, we love Aldi and Asda Little Angels ones the best!

Shnuggle Bath

This is also another new product this third time around, but one that we'd now couldn't be without. With two older ones to bath, there's no way we could put Lilah in at the same time with her so little. The Shnuggle bath means she is safe in her own little space, but without taking up the room of a huuuge baby bath. The bath also has an inbuilt seat, so that baby can sit upright. This is great if your baby is sicky, or just doesn't like laying down like Lilah!

Sleepsuits

We really learnt our lesson with Lilah, and she was in sleepsuits day and night for the first few months. When they're newborn they are just so tiny, that grown up outfits just look silly on them (and are a nightmare to put on!). The poop explosions and sick makes for frequent outfits changes too, so you might as well just stick to buying lots of sleepsuits instead! Our favourite place to buy them is Next, as they're great quality, lovely and soft, wash well, and the in-built scratch mitts are really handy.

Muslins

You seriously can't have enough of these, especially if you have a sicky or refluxy baby. Muslins are perfect for laying over items such as the Sleepyhead or moses basket to protect them, and of course over your shoulder for burping too. I'd definitely suggest getting a few more 'expensive' ones, rather than the cheap ones from somewhere like Primark. You can really notice the difference in quality, and the the cheap ones are usually thinner so don't do a very good job.

Perfect Prep Machine, Dr Brown's Bottles and a Cold Water Steriliser

If you're bottle feeding like we are or even expressing, then these three products are definitely essentials. We have used our Perfect Prep Machine with all three children now, and it's not only a time saver, but a sanity saver! It makes the bottle to the perfect temperature within just a few minutes, so baby isn't having to wait for a bottle to cool.

The best bottles we've used are the Dr Brown's ones too. They contain a few more pieces, but they have been designed to help reduce wind and colic - something we've definitely seen improve!

And to keep them clean, you can't go wrong with a basic cold water steriliser. With our first we thought you needed an electric one, as it seemed 'better'. But after using this Milton one, I can't believe we didn't get one from day one. You simply fill with water and add a steriliser tablet, and the water is good to use for 24 hours. Muuuuch easier than waiting for an electric or microwave steriliser to finish and cool, and you can add items such as teether and dummies too.

Baby Wrap / Sling

Newborns loved to be held and cuddled, but things such as washing and cooking still need to get done. So a baby wrap or sling is perfect for them! We have a few (here are my reviews of the Aura Wrap, Wuti Wrap and Izmi Baby Carrier), but my favourite for a newborn is probably the Close Caboo Carrier.

Bouncer (Joie Dreamer)

We've used a bouncy chair with all three littles as well, as none of them have liked a swing. It's a comfortable and safe place to put baby while you do other things, or just to give them a different environment from laying flat - they're also great if your little ones prefers to be raised slightly. We have the Joie Dreamer this time around which is brilliant and I would really recommend it - just like everyone else did to me!

What would your newborn essentials be?

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