Let’s start with the cold, hard facts: Mom’s brain is a real thing. While we’re growing our wee ones, and even after they emerge into the great wide world, our brains go on a bit of a hiatus, especially when it comes to remembering all the things. Which is rather unfortunate, because as mothers we are kind of meant to do just that: remember. So, while it might seem like some of these must-have items you shouldn’t forget could hardly be forgotten, I’m here to tell you that it just might happen, so you may want to print this article out and stick it on the fridge for reference before the big day. Oh, and don’t forget about packing your hospital bag, too!

This is also a great list to refer to when you’re putting together a gift registry for
your baby shower (we’re all about multi-purpose posts!).

Travel System

This might be one of the most important must-have items to think about when
you’re expecting baby soon since this is rather pertinent when it comes to getting
baby home from the hospital.

One of my personal favourites is the Britax travel system, like the B-Agile 35 Elite
Travel System Domino. They’re light and easy to steer, and their bucket seat
installation is one of the easiest currently on the market.

Here are some super important things to remember when it comes
time to find the perfect travel system for your new baby:

– Fitment of the bucket seat in your car’s back seat
– Weight of the stroller (to lift into the trunk)
– Ease of maneuverability
– Overall size once the bucket is placed on the stroller
– Longevity

While I was shopping for my baby’s travel system, I actually made it a point to ask the employees of the store I was shopping at to allow me to bring out each bucket seat on display to see how they would fit in my vehicle. I knew my back seat was limited thanks to the car model (of note, if you have a Subaru WRX or STI or really any vehicle that has larger Recaro racing seats in front, the rear room will be limited). I was very grateful to the store for allowing me to dry test each seat, because it quickly proved we were limited in our options. And it was much better to find out then rather than when we had to get baby home from the hospital for the
first time.

As I mentioned in How To: Choose the Right Stroller for Your Baby, the weight of the stroller in question is very important. So, take the time to fold and unfold each one and also to lift it up.

Nursery Furniture

Again, this might seem like an obvious item to remember when you’re expecting a baby, but sometimes those nine months pass a lot more quickly than we realize.

Choose a style that you think you (and baby) could live with for many years to come.

This is especially true when you consider that cribs like the one offered in the
absolutely gorgeous Dutailer Nursery Room Pomelo Collection is a 3-in-1 that goes from crib to day bed to single bed. That means your decoration could stay the same for at least 8-9 years until the wee one has outgrown the length of the bed!

Having a proper bed that’s both comfortable and safe for your new baby, as well as a place to sit and nurse, and a changing table are really the essential must-have items you need to remember when you’re expecting. 

Must-Have Items: Safety Items

Safeguarding a house against a baby might seem simple enough, but sometimes it takes some planning and figuring out. After all, there are a myriad of home designs out there. Not everyone has a standard stairway entrance to gate or cupboards with lockable handles. So, take the time to do your research and consider that gates aren’t just to stop the baby from walking up or downstairs. They can also be used to block off rooms or even section of parts of rooms, especially with a system like the Kidco Safety Gate G3000, also ideal for non-standard staircase entrances.

No matter the size of your home, another must-have item to make sure you have
when you’re expecting a baby soon is a good-quality baby monitor. The latest in
baby monitor technology is amazing, especially when I think of what I had
(essentially a one-way Walkie-Talkie!). With a monitor like the Motorola-Smart
Nursery Wifi Video Monitor, you’ll be able to check in with baby any time via
your smartphone even when you’re not home, and when you are, the large 7” touchscreen can be used to play lullabies or you can even talk to the baby through the camera to lull them to sleep without even leaving the comfort of your couch.

Playard

Again, this was something I didn’t really think was important – until we wanted to
go to a friend’s house for dinner. A friend who didn’t have a baby, and had big dogs. I spent the entire night with the baby in my arms, and as wonderful as that sounds it wasn’t exactly a relaxing evening for either of us.

Investing in a playard that’s easy to travel with and to set up could mean the
difference between a pleasant outing for you and baby and a complete meltdown by one or both.

A good playard, like the Breeze from 4MOMS, is worth the investment because not only is a breathable spot for your baby to take a nap, it’s also a safe place to leave baby should you need to leave the room. And finding one (like the Breeze from 4MOMS) that comes with a change table attachment is also a great idea.

Must-Have Items: Diaper Bag

This is a big one to remember when you’re expecting a baby, and is also a product that will simplify motherhood. You’re going to want to get out and about with your wee one, and that means bringing stuff. Lots of stuff. In fact, more stuff than you might realize. Everything from a change of clothes for you both (trust me) to diapers, bottles, measured formula or breast milk, snacks, creams, pacifiers, toys, blankets … short of the kitchen sink, you’re going to want to bring it all. Just in case.

Choosing a good diaper bag is actually harder than choosing a purse. Because you’ll be living with this bag for a good year – or until your wee one is potty trained, at the very least.

I personally loved my diaper bag. It was a large shoulder bag that was plastic lined and featured its own changing pad, as well as specific pockets for bottles, diapers, and snacks. It wasn’t the Babymoov bag, but it was almost exactly like that, and well worth the investment. 

Baby Bath

Giving your newborn their first bath at home is both amazing and terrifying, but it’s made so much easier if you have a great baby bath that’s comfortable for you and baby.

One of my absolute favourite must-have items was my Summer Right Height Bath Center. The seat was super comfortable for my newborn baby boy, and the height was perfect when placed in our bathtub, so I wasn’t all hunched over every time I bathed him. And as he grew, the seat was removable, and then once he was able to sit in the big bath solo, I used the bottom pedestal as a stool beside the bath, and then he used it as a step-stool to reach the sink and step into the bath. Honestly, one of the best investments we made in baby products.

There are lots of other seemingly essential items to get your little one when you
know you’re expecting, and you’re bound to forget a few of them along the way, and that’s OK. As long as the baby has you, sustenance and a safe place to lay his/her head at night, you’re already headed in the right direction and giving him/her everything they need to thrive.