1 - Stroller and Car seat

This is essential to really just even leaving the hospital. Make sure you have a stroller and car seat you like because it will really be your most used item. I would recommend choosing a stroller that is compatible with the car seat. If the car seat can be clipped on to the frame of the stroller it will make your life a lot easier and ensure that you’re not lugging additional cargo around.

We got the Graco Modes system and loved it. My main concern was weight because a car seat can look very stylish but if it weighs a ton without a baby, just imagine how difficult it’ll be once you add a human being in there.

2 - Playpen

This might be a less traditional option but a playpen with a bassinet and changing table is a must for me. We had a bassinet in our room, and our little guy did not enjoy it one bit. However, he would fall right asleep in the playpen bassinet. Additionally, the extra changing station was super useful for an exhausted mama like myself. I just didn’t have the energy to go all the way to his room every time he needed a diaper change so having this station was super helpful. Our baby has now outgrown the bassinet so we have just lowered it and now he uses it as a play area.

3 - Snot Sucker

My son was born with a very stuffed nose. I don’t know if it’s because of all the fluid inside or if it was from the hospitals air conditioner, but he just had a stuffy nose from day one. So much so that the nurses put a few Saline drops on his first night so that he could sleep better. As soon as we got home, George ran to the store to get us a snot sucker. These things are great because they get the snot right out of their noses with minimal effort.

4 - Bouncer

This was actually an item I didn’t put on my registry, however, a good friend of mine saw the errors in my ways and gifted it to me. To this day, baby boy loves his bouncer. It was the only way that I could get anything done around the house during those early days. I never actually put the batteries in it, but our son quickly figured out how to rock it on his own. That little accomplishment made him extremely happy and it quickly became his favourite toy.

5 - Waterproof Change Pads

One thing that no one tells you is how much babies pee. It makes sense since they’re on a liquid diet, but it is a lot. Especially boys. Our son would pee just about everywhere. Waterproof changing pads became my best friend. I had multiple pairs so that I could put them down wherever Luka would lay down. This ensured that I wouldn’t have to change the sheets every single time he peed. Even if he was just on the nursing pillow, I covered it with a pad so that he wouldn’t pee on it too. Stock up on these. Seriously, you will not regret it.