As I’ve started preparing for another baby, I’ve realized that there are a handful of specific items that are super helpful to have around for newborns. Today I’m sharing them with you in the hope that these resources will be helpful for you too! These are things that I genuinely love (not sponsored) and look forward to using with this next baby.

Newborn Gowns

These newborn gowns are so sweet and soft for newborns – they also make diaper changes so easy! I love the neutral color options as well (we haven’t found out gender beforehand with any of our babies, so having a more neutral color palette for newborn clothing is a must in our home!).

Solly Baby Wrap

I used a wrap with all three of my babies, and after some experience, I’ve learned that this is one of those situations where brand matters. For my first baby, I used a knock-off wrap from Target and never really got it to work well. The fabric was too stretchy, and baby would always slide down in the wrap.

After I had my second baby, a friend gifted me a Solly Baby Wrap, and I’ve been using it ever since. The Solly Wrap provides the perfect amount of stretch without allowing baby to slide down. I particularly love to use my Solly Wrap in the early Newborn stage – it easily supports baby’s head and gives me the freedom to use both hands for other tasks (while still having baby close!).

Moses Basket

A Moses basket is both beautiful and functional. I bought our Moses Basket secondhand off of Craigslist and then purchased a wooden rocking stand to set it for those first few months of baby sharing a room with us. The home we lived in previously was quite small, so I loved this option in order to have a bed for baby that was both small and beautiful.

Baby Rocker

We’ve found a simple rocker to be so helpful (particularly with multiple kiddos to care for!). I love the small footprint and minimalist style of this rocker. We’ve had a secondhand, 90s-style rocker that I’m planning to replace with something like this before baby comes!

Promptly Journals

I’ve used Promptly Journals for all of my kiddos and love how they transition so seamlessly into childhood. These journals use simple prompts to help you capture and remember whatever stage your child is in.

Wildbird Ring Sling

I purchased my first Wildbird sling when my oldest was almost 1 year old. At that time, I was pregnant with our second and (after reading some reviews) was hopeful that that I could still use a Wildbird to carry my daughter even with a growing bump. It didn’t disappoint! My Wildbird sling is hands-down my favorite baby-wearing device. It comes with me whenever I leave the house with the kids and is easily rolled up for compact storage in a diaper bag. It doesn’t offer as much natural head support for newborns as the Solly Wrap does (although there are techniques you can learn to provide more head support with the Wildbird), but I love how easy it is to put on or take off while out in public.

Elise Schmitter is a maternity, newborn, family & motherhood photographer in the Minneapolis & Edina, Minnesota areas – including Bloomington, Burnsville, Lakeville, Eden Prairie, and Minnetonka. To book your session, contact Elise.