I am so so so excited that a few of my girlfriends are on their way to joining me as new mommies. As the veteran mommy of the group, I have become the Baby Mamma Guru. Daily questions include: What stroller do you have? How many swaddles do I need to buy? Do you need a base to a car seat if you don’t have a car? What toys did your baby like to play with?

Many of these questions might seem over-whelming to new moms, but preparing, shopping, and browsing became my favorite thing todo during the late months of my pregnancy. My friends would go out drinking, and I would go home and buy bibs (I would tell my husband that this trade was actually economically in his favor!). But really what I learned through my research and then was reitterated in surviving my first 7 months of motherhood was that your baby doesn’t really need 50 toys, 10 blankets, and 2 strollers (1 for jogging and 1 for walking) in the beginning, and ESPECIALLY not in the first 3 months.

So, for you brand-spankin-new mommies, I put together a compact list of what I found ESSENTIAL. And what I love most is that you can get everything listed in the Nordstrom Baby Department!! (Yes, everything in this guide is from there!! And they offer FREE shipping and returns on every order.) So time to put those swollen feet up and get shopping!!

For Getting Around:

For getting around you need 3 things: a car seat, a stroller, and an Ergo Baby. A car seat is how you get the baby home from the hospital (in NY there is a law that requires your baby to leave in a car seat – NOT in your arms… not sure why, but that’s that). If you do not have a car, you do not need to buy a base separately (it’s about 100 dollars extra). You can simply buckle the car seat in with a seat belt. I recommend reading the manual prior to bringing your baby home… we could not figure out how to loosen the straps in the Hospital and ended up googling for tips. Translation= Stressful. We got a Chicco car seat because it holds the largest weight, so we can use the car seat until she is at least 1 year old. For my stroller I went with a Bugaboo Cameleon 3 because it is narrow, light weight, and just looks sleek. It has a basinet (that large bed looking thing) for when they are newborn, which then transforms into a seat when the baby is a few months (and lasts through several years). I would also get a converter so you can snap the car seat onto your stroller. And lastly, I am obsessed with my Ergo baby carrier. I mean, how cool is it to get to wear your baby like a forward back pack! And you are hands free to carry bags, talk on your phone, and hold your coffee.

Daily Messes:

Bibs – You need 1 a day. So if you do laundry once a week I would recommend you get 7. If you do laundry twice a week, then you only need 3-4. {Aden + Anais‘ are so sweet} My baby never really spit up so we always had more than enough, but you will learn quickly if your baby needs more. An Ubbi Diaper pail is a must. What’s great is you can use regular garbage bags so no need to buy “special” ones at the baby store. And most importantly is that it completely locks in the bad odor… and trust me those things can smell! A good diaper bag has three important components: an open or zip top (ones with a flap just get in the way), a handle or strap that fits securley over your stroller, and as many compartments/pockets as possible. I tried to go the “designer bag” route and what a mistake. I was constantly rummaging searching for things. With this Skip Hop bag, I have a place for everything and can have it out in seconds.

Bed Time Routines:

Swaddling is when you wrap your baby up in a tight cocoon so they feel confined (It’s like they are back in the womb). My baby nurse swaddled my baby like a tight burrito every night for the first month. Since your baby is pretty clean when he/she goes to bed, you probably need 3-4 swaddle blankets since you can repeat them 2 days in a row. {This is a great gender-neutral one/ makes for a great baby gift.} A baby monitor (if your baby has its own room) is important because you can relax in your bedroom or living room and rest assured your baby is sleeping soundly without constantly checking on them. I love this Motorola one because it has a video screen and a camera that can move up, down, side to side if your baby is moving around in the crib (which will come in handy as they move at 6 months). A fitted crib sheet is your one bedding essential. A lot of people warn against putting any sheets or blankets on the baby when they are newborn, for fear of having them suffocate, so I only used my blankets for stroller rides when I could see exactly how much of the blanket was covering the baby’s face.

Playtime:

And lastly, your baby is really just going to eat, sleep, and cry … maybe the occassional smile, but this is really a simple and quiet time… a chance for you (the mommy) to recover and rest and let the baby adapt to being in his or her new home. So that being said, they don’t really “play” with many toys. One thing that you do need todo is put the baby on their stomach for a few minutes each day so they can begin strengthening their neck. A play matt is great for this. And for times when the baby needs a change of scenery from the mobile in the crib, the hanging toys on it may seem amusing! {How adorable is this one from SkipHop}

Hopefully this was helpful. I would love to hear what worked for you (I love mommy-mommy advice!). So feel free to email me with suggestions and questions Amanda@FashionableHostess.com