Take it from someone who knew nothing - getting stuff for a new baby is complicated. There are so many options for every little thing, and the research is endless. As a first time mother who grew up without nieces and nephews, it was all completely foreign to me. I did the research so you don't have to - and as my son grows up I'm ready to share it all.

 

Quick disclaimer: what worked wonders for us might not be the perfect fit for everyone. I'm just sharing what worked for us so no one should ever be as clueless as I was. And hey, if you've got gems of your own or burning questions, shoot me an email at tova@pzdeals.com.

 

So, let's kick things off with a roundup of products that became lifelines from when we brought baby boy home until hit the 6 month mark that you'll want to have handy as soon as you get discharged from the hospital:

 

1. Travel by car, foot, plane, and everything in between with ease with the Evenflo Gold Shyft DualRide Infant Car Seat and Stroller Combo with Carryall Storage

 

Many (like me) might not realize it, but hospitals won't discharge you with your baby unless you have a car seat, making it absolutely essential. The Doona is all the rage for convenient retractable wheels that mean you never have to transfer a sleeping baby, but I was going to skip that trend since it meant carrying an additional 10lbs up the steep stairs to my second floor apartment. Everything changed when I discovered the Evenflo Shyft DualRide, which has all the features of the Doona with the added benefit of removable wheels, so I wouldn't break my back every time I carried in my 9lb+ baby. I chose the Gold model for the extendable rain canopy; because I had a September baby, I knew bad weather was imminent and wanted to be prepared. If you live in a mild climate or always park close to your destination, this feature might be less important to you. For those curious about the differences between the Shyft DualRide and the Doona, check out our full comparison here.

 

2. Sleep soundly with the Halo BassiNest, Luxe Series

 

Because it was one of my first purchases, our bassinet was one of the things I did the most research on. I broke it down to a few of the most important features to me: safety, size (so it would fit in my room), and a side that lowers down so I could easily reach my baby in bed. The Halo BassiNests immediately stood out to me based on overall ratings online (it's the #2 Amazon bestseller in bedside cribs after a portable bassinet, among others). I specifically picked the Luxe version because of the flat legs that fit under my bed (my bed has storage drawers underneath so there's not much space), but one of the less pricey models might work better for you. I almost never used any of the other features that come with the Luxe model, including vibrations and sounds, but those might work for a baby other than mine.

3. Make bottle-feeding smoother with the Pigeon PP Nursing Bottle

I was discharged from the hospital the day before Erev Rosh Hashana and we have the minhag not to buy anything for the baby until he's actually born. I scrambled to Instacart anything I thought I might need before Yom Tov and just got any bottle available. I never ended up using those bottles, and instead later opted for this fantastic option for nursing babies once I actually started using bottles. For those mothers that intend to give bottles, this is a great essential to have on hand. I've heard from more than one friend that their baby wouldn't take any bottle other than these. 

 

4. Manage diaper changes (as much as possible) with the Keekaroo Peanut Changer

 

I have a slightly different changing pad than this one which is now out of stock, but the concept is the same. I loved the ability to pull the changing pad onto my bed for those dreaded middle of the night diaper changes. The pad is firm and easy to position the baby on, and wipes clean easily if it gets dirty. In the first few weeks with my baby, this product moved with me; whatever room I was in with baby, this came with me. When diaper changes were so frequent, the portability was the most helpful part. Now that my baby is 8 months old and diaper changes are a lot less frequent, this changing pad pretty much stays on his dresser where he's changed and looks nice in the nursery.

 

5. Contain unwanted smells with the Diaper Genie

 

Speaking of diaper changes, my Diaper Genie was a gift I didn't even know I needed. It never occurred to me that it's important to have a good place to throw away dirty diapers that wouldn't stink up the whole house. The Diaper Genie is a classic for a reason; as they get older, the diapers only get stinkier. It's a must-have in every nursery or wherever your baby is in my opinion.

 

Bugaboo Fox 5

Whether you need a full carriage right away (or ever) depends on many factors such as lifestyle, where you live, time of year the baby is born, and how strongly you feel about leaving the baby in the car seat for extended periods of time. I walk a lot, hold by the eiruv in my area, and prefer not to leave my baby in the car seat whenever he can be out, so I get a lot of use out of my full carriage. Since, as I mentioned, my baby was born right before Yom Tov, it was important to me to have it right away. Even if I didn't use it much to go outside too often immediately postpartum, I used it often to have the baby near me when I was outside my room at meals etc. I also had a boy and wanted the bassinet for the bris so I wouldn't have to strap him in to anything right after. My Bugaboo Fox 5 takes a beating regularly; I bump it up and down stairs, have travelled with it in the car, dump a million bags in the basket underneath, and push it around the very bumpy uneven streets of Brooklyn, and it has held up incredibly. It has the smoothest, easiest push, and is the cliche choice for very good reason. I cannot recommend it enough for anyone that lives in a city and intends to use their carriage a lot. 

 

Bugaboo Changing Bag

There are many diaper bags out there, and to be perfectly honest, by the time I got to this specific baby product, I was all researched out. I simply checked out the options that Bugaboo had since I knew those would work well with my carriage and chose the larger version to ensure I could always have clothing changes on hand (best decision I made since my baby has regular blowouts no matter which diapers we use). This bag is also incredibly sturdy, water resistant, comes with a soft, wipeable changing pad for diaper changes on the go, and has many different sections for easy organizing. I actually had an issue with the zipper on my bag, but through Bugaboo's incredible warranty, with very small effort I received a brand new bag in days. To this day, it's packed with everything I might need: a lighter outfit, warmer outfit, bottles, food, a sweater, diapers, wipes, and so much more, and it all really fits.

 

Boba Wrap Baby Carrier

It honestly never occurred to me how useful a baby carrier would be, especially in the newborn stage when babies just want to be warm and cozy and held close. My baby is my first, but I'm sure that mothers who are busy with other children need their hands free even more than I did. This soft baby carrier was a huge help for me when my baby wanted to be held, even when he slept, because I was really able to cuddle him while getting other thins done. I got a sturdier version for travel and other things later on (but more on that later ;), but I really like this soft one for when baby is small.