This post shares all of my top baby must have items of 2024 that will get you through the first year with your new baby as a first time mom!
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Our third and last baby just turned ONE! I don’t know how that happened or where the last year has gone but here we are! This past year with baby number 3 has taught me a lot about going with the flow and not sweating the small stuff. With two older kids, it’s nearly impossible to get baby on the perfect sleep schedule or worry about which age appropriate baby toys to buy. I remember running to Buy Buy Baby multiple times a week when we had our first baby (back before we even had an Amazon Prime subscription!!) to grab a new toy that I thought would keep him happy and entertained or a product that I thought he needed.
This time around with baby number three I’ve been so much more relaxed and definitely only bought the baby essentials that we really needed, knowing that they grow so fast and while these items are so helpful to have, you really only use most of these must-have baby items for a short period of time! We actually gave away most of our baby items after baby number 2 outgrew them because we thought we were done…but things change and we found ourselves needing these baby essentials again! However, I was so much more mindful about what I bought this time, truly focusing on the top baby must-haves!!
Below I’m sharing the best baby must-haves that every mom needs (whether you’re a first time mom or it’s just been a while since you needed these baby items) in 2024! I promise these items are helpful, useful, and necessary for baby’s first year!
Also a little note – don’t sleep on Facebook Marketplace or other second-hand baby retailers, like Good Buy Gear!! I bought so many of these items used, and am also planning to now sell most of our baby items once we’re finished with them! Most baby gear is only used for such a short amount of time so you can find second-hand items that are still in like-new condition to save you money!
Best Baby Must-Haves of 2024
Below you’ll find the top baby must-haves that will get you through the first year and beyond with your new baby! Make sure to add these baby essentials to your baby registry checklist!
Baby Must-Haves Overview:
- Baby Travel Essentials
- Baby Feeding Essentials
- Baby Sleeping Essentials
- Baby Safety Essentials
- Baby Learning & Playing Essentials
- Other Baby Essentials
Check out these other posts for more Baby Essentials:
- Top Newborn Baby Must-Haves
- Top Nursery Must-Haves
- How to Choose the Best Stroller Type for Your Family
Baby Travel Essentials
Car Seat
If you have a car and plan on traveling with your baby in that car, you need a carseat, making it a pretty obvious baby must-have! I raved about the Doona Car Seat / Stroller System in my Newborn Baby Must-Haves post, and now with a 12 month old it is still one of my most loved and used baby items!! I’m dreading the day that he grows out of it because it has made my life so much easier! No one wants to carry around a heavy, awkward carseat, especially if you have other kids to look after. It’s pricey but 100% worth it in my opinion!
Stroller
We go on a lot of walks as a family, so a stroller is high on my list of baby-must haves! I shared a super detailed review of all of my favorite strollers a few months ago that can be helpful if you are debating between which type to get! We have collected a few different types of strollers over the years, and my most used one right now (besides the Doona) is our BOB Jogging Stroller. I love taking it on walks around the neighborhood, but it also folds up easily if you need to put it in your trunk to go somewhere. It’s a nice size, comfortable for baby’s through kids (my 5 year old son can still comfortable ride in it), and is smooth and easy to push.
Baby Carrier
I’ve used our baby carrier a ton this past year! They give you some freedom back if you have a baby that you can’t put down, plus there are lots of other benefits to baby wearing that help both baby and mom. If you aren’t sure if you need a stroller yet, a baby carrier is a great budget friendly compromise – you can wear the baby on walks, while out shopping, while you’re making dinner at home, and it’s really helpful to have if traveling too (you can wear baby straight through security at the airport!). I even used our baby carrier while I was raking leaves last Fall and he loved it! I’m down for anything that can help me be more efficient and productive while still focusing on baby’s needs!
This baby carrier from Ergobaby is a great option – it is comfortable, you can wear it in four different positions (front facing in, front facing out, hip carry and back carry), and it’s adjustable so it grows with your baby from 0-48 months!
I also love this Solly Baby wrap for a soft and comfortable option to use while your baby is smaller. I wore this one inside all the time and it’s great for skin to skin time as well.
Baby Feeding Essentials
Highchair
Once your baby is around 6 months old and starts eating solid foods, you’ll definitely need a highchair! We’ve gone through a few different highchairs between all 3 kids and I’m loving the Ergobaby Evolve Highchair System we have now! The Dark Wood finish looks so nice in our Kitchen, it is easy to clean and wipe down, and comfortable for our baby to sit in. I love that his feet already reach the adjustable footrest platform (which wasn’t the case for other highchairs). It is also easy to buckle him in. The Ergobaby Evolve Highchair System is also a 3-step system that grows with your child! The highchair can easily turn into a chair for toddlers through older kids, and a Kitchen Tower for little helpers to use as a step stool!
If you’re looking to save space, I also love this affordable Inglesina Fast Table Chair that can be attached to tabletops or countertops. It is travel friendly and easy to use on the go! It’s not as convenient to wipe down if you have a messy eater, but you can easily throw the whole cover in the washing machine.
Silicone Tableware
This Ergobaby Baby Feeding Set comes with everything you need for baby’s mealtimes – a bib, a divided plate with suction base to help prevent messes and spills, a snacker Cup with integrated flaps to keep snacks contained, a small silicone fork and spoon (I love silicone over metal to protect their little baby teeth!), and a 3-in-1 cup that transforms from straw cup, to sippy cup, to open cup. All of these items are Dishwasher Safe, Microwave safe, BPA/PVC/Phthalate-Free.
This company, Mushie, also makes the cutest products and you can easily order everything on Amazon! I love their Silicone Suction Plates, Silicone Snack Cups, and check out how cute their long sleeve bibs are (perfect if you’re serving something super messy like pasta with tomato sauce)!
Baby Fruit Food Feeder
If your baby isn’t quit ready for solids yet but you want to slowly introduce some foods to them, this silicone Fruit Food Feeder from Haaka is perfect! I love that it comes with a popsicle mold tray that you can use with fruit or breastmilk (so great when your baby is teething and wants something to chew on).
Nursing Pillow
If you’re breastfeeding it is helpful to keep one of these nursing pillows near the chair to prop your baby up while feeding. It really helps prevent neck and back pain by bringing the baby closer to you instead of hunching over all the time.
Baby Sleeping Essentials
Baby Video Monitor
We have the Owlet Dream Duo 2 bundle and I love the peace of mind it offers! The Dream Sock monitors baby’s sleep habits, heart rate, and average oxygen levels, and will alert you of any issues. It also learns their sleep patterns to help you know how they are sleeping and when they might be ready for bed.
The video monitor connects to the Owlet app on your phone so you can keep an eye (or ear) on your baby while they sleep. The picture quality is great and it also monitors the room temperature and humidity.
Crib
There are a ton of cute crib options out there for your baby’s nursery, and while some can be super expensive, there are actually a lot of budget friendly options that look just as good! We’ve boughten a really affordable crib for each of my boy’s nurseries and I don’t regret it at all. I really wanted a vintage looking metal crib for our newest baby boy’s nursery and love this crib from Wayfair! It’s simple and classic, and gender neutral. It comes in a few different finishes too. The gold finish is also so pretty!
Crib Mattress
This is my favorite crib mattress, and the one we bought for our nursery, because it is 100% breathable (lowering the risk of SIDS), and also 100% washable! I also love that it is non-toxic. The Newton Mattress comes in a few different options and sizes, and they also offer bassinets and travel cribs/play yards!
Bassinet
There has been a lot of research done that it is important for your baby to sleep in the same room as you for at least the first few months (preferably 6-12 months). If you are not co-sleeping, a bassinet is a must for the first 3 months.
The Newton Bassinet features their 100% breathable and washable mattress! We have a Newton mattress in our baby’s crib because it is the safest option, especially if you have a baby that likes to roll over and sleep on their stomach. The Newton Bassinet is a great option to use in your bedroom to keep baby close to your bed.
It’s also so helpful to have a safe sleeping space for baby near you during the day and a bassinet is small and portable enough that you can bring it down to the Kitchen or Living Room with you.
Travel Crib / Play Yard
We’ve gotten a ton of use out of our Travel Crib over the last 7 years! Whether we needed a portable crib while traveling or to bring over to grandma’s house, or a place for baby to play outside, these definitely come in handy! We also used it in our room as a bedside mini crib for a while with our first baby as well. We have a Pack N’Play, but if I was going to buy a new one today I would buy the Newton Travel Crib & Play Yard because of the breathable and non-toxic mattress. A bassinet insert is also available. I’ve also heard that this play yard makes a great floor mattress if you are trying to transition from co-sleeping!
Noise Machine
I love this sound machine / night light for the nursery! The “time-to-rise” feature is really helpful when you are trying to train your toddler to know when it is ok to come out of their room in the morning. My kids also love being able to pick their own sounds and light color.
SlumberPod Sleep Tent
I’ve heard so many great things about these SlumberPod portable sleep tents! If you’re traveling or just need your baby to nap somewhere other than their dark nursery, this breathable blackout sleep tent helps make room sharing with little ones less stressful and more restful.
Baby Safety Essentials
Baby Gate
Traditional baby gates can be super annoying to install and use, but I love these Retractable Baby Gates! They are available in different widths so even if you have a wide hallway you want to block off you can use these. I love how they roll up when open so when you are not using them you barely notice they are there.
Baby-Proof Cabinet Locks
We just recently had to install baby-proof locks on our Kitchen Cabinets and I’m really happy with this set of Magnetic Baby-Proof Cabinet Locks! The whole set was very affordable and so easy and fast to install. They attach to the inside of the cabinets so you can’t see them at all and don’t have to worry about them damaging your cabinets.
Baby Learning and Playing Essentials
Baby Play Gym
This awesome Play Gym from Lovevery is a hit for a reason! It’s designed by child development experts and packs five Montessori-inspired zones to supercharge brain and motor skill development. Plus, it’s got optional add-ons for even more learning fun as your kiddo grows. It’s made with eco-friendly materials, so you can feel good about it too. Best part? Setting it up and taking it down is a breeze.
Baby Play Mat
If you have hardwood or tile floors and want a safe space for your baby to sit and play, a soft play mat can be really helpful. I prefer this non-toxic foam play mat with interlocking tiles because it’s easy to set up and wipe down.
We went with a different washable cloth play mat this time and it’s ok…I love that it is made out of organic cotton, but it’s harder to wash and doesn’t lay totally flat. It would be better for a low-traffic area where it doesn’t get very dirty.
Wooden Activity Cube
I’m trying to keep the toys around our main living spaces to a minimum so love toys that have multiple uses / ways to play, are well made, and aren’t an eye sore. This Wooden Activity Cube keeps the baby entertained and looks cute in the corner of our Living Room.
Baby Jumper Activity Center
Once baby is old enough to sit up they will love jumping in one of these Jumper Activity Centers! Again it can be helpful to have multiple options around the house to safely put your baby down so you can get something done!
Baby Outdoor Swing
If you have space for an outdoor swing, they can be so much fun! We’ve installed these affordable outdoor baby swings before at our Pergola, under a deck, under a covered patio…they are easy to hang and a fun way to enjoy nice weather with your baby.
Baby Walker
Once baby can stand they will love pushing around a Baby Walker! We have this Skip Hop 4-in-1 Walker Toy that can transform into an activity board with music, a walker, a “shopping cart”, and a “stroller.
Other Baby Essentials
Baby Bouncer
It’s really nice to have one of these bouncers around the house so you have a safe spot to set the baby when you need it. I use mine in the Living Room while I’m folding laundry, in the bathroom while I’m taking a shower, in the Kitchen while I’m making dinner…a baby bouncer is really helpful to have! And once your baby gets a little older and more alert, they love to look around and watch you, so it is nice to have something that props them up a bit so they can see.
This Baby Bjorn bouncer is so popular right now! It’s comfortable and fun for your baby, and has a simple aesthetic design that looks great in any room. You can also attach a toy bar for your baby to look at and play with.
Baby Bath
Until your baby can confidentially sit up unassisted, you will need a smaller baby tub to bath them. This Skip Hop Baby Bath is nice because it comes with a sling for those first few months, and can transition as your baby grows.
Baby Lounger
I used a baby lounger for the first time with my second son and it was such a game changer! Babies love the feeling of being snuggled and secure while sleeping. Follow safe sleep practices and always use supervised. There are two different baby loungers that I love to use –
I really love the Snuggle Me Organic Baby Lounger for the first few months with a newborn because it really hugs and cushions them.
Once the baby is a few months older, I prefer the Dock A Tot lounger because it is a little roomier so they can look around.
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