Pregnancy and motherhood are so, so expensive. There are a thousand lists out there about what you will need. My tactic was to wait until I had a problem and then buy the solution. The things on this list were purchased as solutions to very real problems.
Pro tip: buy everything you can used. Some of this stuff needs to be new, but Facebook Marketplace has EVERYTHING else for cheaper than it’s listed here. I do not care about making money from this list. I genuinely just wanna help a mama out.
Essentials
SwaddleMe Bassinet … This was incredibly inexpensive and incredibly convenient. Our babies lived in this for the first 6 weeks of their lives: right next to my side of the bed, on the dining room table, on the coffee table, and on the kitchen counter. Couldn’t have lived without it.
Video baby monitor … This thing is a beast. It doesn’t use your internet, you can add cameras as you need and it’s survived a lot over the past 3.5 years. Cannot recommend enough.
Snot sucker … You read that right! Did you know that babies can’t blow their own nose for like, the first TWO YEARS of their life? So you have to remove it. The Nose Frida is great. This electronic one is better. Buy it before you need it because when they get sick, you’ll want to help them and this is the only way to do it.
MAM Brand Pacifier … The only kind my kids would take. I tried 8 different brands. These were the ones.
Cerave Moisturizing Cream … We buy this over and over. It’s literally the only body lotion that didn’t make our daughter’s skin freak out. And we tried EVERYTHING. (This is the fancy version that we use when her skin gets super dry. It’s a miracle cream but $$.)
Forehead Thermometer … You’re gonna be taking temperatures … A LOT. Get the rectal one too because it’s more accurate, but this gets a ton of use in our house.
Kirkland Diapers … The Costco brand diapers are made by Huggies. They work exactly the same and cost way less. God bless Costco.
Kitchen
Inglesina Fast Table Chair … So much more convenient than a high chair. Smaller, washable, cuter. One of my best purchases for our kids.
Healthy Sprouts Silicone Lids … Hard for them to chew through, easy to clean. We put them on these:
Stainless Steel Cups … Not plastic, not glass. They are perfect and very light.
Kiddobloom Montessori Steel Utensils … These come with a random spatula thing that I don’t quite understand, but we still love the set.
Reusable Pouches … Our son screams from the second he wakes up until the second he has food in his mouth. I fill these pouches ahead of time with applesauce and yogurt so I can shove one in his face to make him stop screaming.
Cordless Vacuum … We use this every single day in the kitchen. Children are animals when it comes to eating and making a mess.
Toys
Skip Hop Activity Center … I splurged on this because it had to live in the middle of everything. I wanted one that wasn’t hideous. It’s cute and they loved it.
Bannor Toys Wooden Keys … These are great teethers.
Wee Gallery Animal Alphabet Cards … These are the gift that keeps on giving. They both still love them and there’s no end in sight.
Duplo Legos … Literal hours of entertainment, even for younger babes. I had no idea how handy these would be after someone gave it to us as a gift. We use them every single day.
Dot stickers … Literally 1,000 stickers for $6. Hand them a sheet and go take a shower.
books
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
Tiny T. Rex And The Impossible Hug by Jonathan Stutzman
Little Feminist Board Book Set by Emily Kleinman
Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin
Tap The Magic Tree by Christie Matheson
THINGS I DIDN’T WANT TO BUY BUT ENDED UP REALLY NEEDING
Gorilla Grip Bath Mat … This was clutch. Just pull it up every night and let it air dry otherwise it will get moldy. This happens with every brand. Annoying but necessary.
Wonderkid Safety Locks … I’m weirdly obsessed with these. Easy to install, easy to remove. Super kid-proof.
Oxiclean Baby Stain Remover … A soak in this stuff gets EVERYTHING out. You pay so much for baby clothes, might as well keep them lookin’ nice.
Summer Infant Baby Gate … Another necessary safety evil. They are ugly and annoying, but this one was less ugly and less annoying than all the others.
White Noise Machine … I never thought I would be a mom who used a white noise machine. Alas, here we are, and it’s the best decision I ever made.
Blackout Paper Shades … Cheap, effective, and easy to remove. Also, they really do make a room pitch black.
Animal Silicone Nightlight … One day, your kids will be afraid of the pitch black room you paid to make pitch black. Enter this nightlight, which our daughter has lovingly named “Trumpet Jinglebell.” She changes color, has a time, and is so soft and cute. They come in like 20 different animals.
just for moms
Epsoak Epsom Salts … Yep, in bulk. I lived in the bathtub when I was pregnant and right after I had my kids. We actually use them in our daughter’s baths too because it helps with eczema.
Body Pillow … Don’t buy the $90 pregnancy pillow that takes up your whole bed. Buy this $8 pillow from Target and a super soft cover. Or do what you want. (That’s kinda my advice for all moms. Just do what you want.)
Prenatal Vitamins … These are the best ones I could find. I wanted gummies, but these are healthier. (They taste healthier too, unfortunately.)
Haakaa “Pump” … I used quotation marks because you literally just suction it to the boob the baby isn’t eating from and it catches all the milk that normally leaks out onto a towel. I saved more than 100 oz fo’ freeeee using this the first few weeks of breastfeeding.
Magnesium Supplement … Not pooping enough? Getting leg cramps? Need help sleeping? This powder will change yo’ life. It’s an absolute game-changer for pregnancy problems. And it tastes delicious.
Earth Mama Perineal Balm … I should be embarrassed about how many times I’ve bought this. During and after pregnancy. I’ve given it as a gift no less than 7 times to new moms. It’s ESSENTIAL and it’s THE BEST.
Guest Room Mattress … This isn’t a joke. If you have a guest room, you’ll probably be sleeping in it more often after the baby comes. You’ll want a better mattress. We have two of these because they are cheap and honestly the best mattress I’ve ever slept on.
Iced Coffee Maker … Also not a joke. I never drank more iced coffee than in the months following my daughter’s birth. If you, too, love iced coffee, this is the cheapest way to always have it.
Oh haaaaai. I have to legally tell you that some of these are affiliate links and I get a lil kickback from Amazon if you buy them. Most of the products on this list actually don’t make me any money, but a few do. This is more about me giving you my favorite things than it is about me making money. Promise. Love you, mean it.