1. Boppy Pillow
A Boppy can be a little on the expensive side ($40 or so) but in my opinion it is well worth it. It makes breastfeeding so much easier as it brings baby closer to you and the breast and you won’t get as many sore muscles from holding baby in place. You can also use the Boppy to prop baby up during playtime or tummy time (supervised, of course). Abe also has taken a few naps in his Boppy (with me in the same room) when he was stuffed up and needed to be elevated.

2. SwaddleMe Infant Wrap
I cannot say enough good things about these wraps. We used them from day one of bringing him home, and I attribute his good sleeping habits to them (at least partially). Most, if not all, newborns have the Startle Reflex which can wake them up out of a deep sleep. Abe also liked his hands by his face, but would wake up when he brought them up – so swaddling him made it easier for him to sleep longer. I know there are other wraps out there, but these are the cheapest, and work so great. We’ve upgraded to the SwaddleMe WrapSack now, and it’s awesome as well.

3. Aden and Anais swaddle blankets
Oh heavens, please buy these. Yes, they are on the expensive side. But yes, they are worth it. At least put them on your registry so people will buy them for you! They are lightweight, so they are great for outdoors during the summer when you need to shade your babe from the sun or wind, but they are also pretty warm to be used indoors as a regular blanket. And they are big! If you have any receiving blankets on your registry, take them off now. They are worthless and would hardly wrap around my 6 pound newborn. I have hardly used any receiving blankets I received, but I use my Aden and Anais ones all the time. They are just the best. Ever.

4. Swing and/or Bouncer
There are a lot of swings out there, and I know a lot of people love the Rock N Plays (I didn’t really see the use for one of those, though), but I received a Fisher Price Cradle N Swing (as a hand-me-down) and we love it. The only downside is that it’s battery powered and batteries can be expensive, but to me, it’s worth it. Before Abe was really old enough to entertain himself I had a hard time getting things done – but I could put him in the swing and he would be comforted and usually fall asleep. And we still use it – he loves watching the little mobile go around.
We also have this bouncer and while it’s not Abe’s favorite, he can sit in there for a while and be ok. We used this when he was first born to put him in while we ate dinner (before he was old enough to really love the swing) and now he loves to bat at the little things that hang down.
Babies have different preferences when it comes to these types of things, but I would recommend getting some sort of swing or bouncer (even one on the cheaper end) so you have a place to put your baby down for a while 🙂

5. Pack N Play
Some parents get the more fancy Pack N Plays, that come with the changing station and napper. If you’re in a small apartment I think that would be a great idea! However, we didn’t need those things, so we just got the standard Pack N Play. We knew we would use it for camping and traveling, so it was a need for us. We’ve already used it loads of times. If you’re not going to be traveling much, you can pass this product by, but if you’re a traveler, definitely invest in one!

6. Diapers and Wipes
This is a “duh” post, but I wanted to share with you what diapers and wipes we use. We use Parent’s Choice wipes from Walmart and Luvs diapers. They are cost-effective and still work great. Why pay more for “brand name” items when these work just as well? (Also, since this is a budget friendly post, this is where I tell you that cloth diapers are actually super cost-effective and not that hard to use, yadda, yadda. I totally agree and know these things. But we are not cloth diaper-ers. At all. But I thought I’d through it out there for you.)

7. Cloth diaper burp cloths
Have I mentioned that Abe is a spitter? Oh heavens, he is. My friend Kimbre made me some amazing burp cloths out of cloth diapers (similar on Etsy here) and I am obsessed with them. I want to get a sewing machine just so I can make them for all my friends having babies. Have you seen those little dinky burp cloths they sell at the store? So.Not.Helpful. But even if you don’t get the cutesy ones, you can buy the regular ones and they work great, too.

8. Bibs
Going along with number 7 – having big bibs has done wonders for us, and keeps us from going thorugh 4+ outfits a day. My sister-in-law made us some great ones, but we also have ones from H&M and Cotton On that we really like as well (although out of the store bought ones the Cotton On ones are my fave).

9. Rocking Chair
I didn’t think a rocking chair was a need going into this whole mothering thing, but I quickly learned that I loved having one. It helped support my back while being able to snuggle with my babe. I just have as standard glider (it was my grandmas, Kyle has since painted it white, and a wonderful friend recovered it for me!) (similar here) but there are a lot of options out there – so choose which one is best for you and your budget.

10. Travel System
Of course you need a car seat, but we got one of the Graco travel systems with a carseat and a stroller and we love it. We go out on walks constantly so it’s been worth it to us! There are a lot of more expensive carseats and travel systems out there, but again, we didn’t feel like we needed all the fancy bells and whistles. So we got this basic one and have no qualms about it.

Honorable Mentions:
1. Bassinet and Crib – depending on what you have decided to do sleep-wise with your baby, you’ll need one of these. We kept Abe in his bassinet next to our bed until he was about 3 months old, and then we transitioned him to the crib in his room.
2. Changing table – we decided to get a dresser instead of a changing table, and I sort of regret it. The dresser we chose ended up being to tall for me to use as a changing station. But whatever you choose, make sure you have some sort of designated changing area.
3. Binky – some kids love them, some don’t. We have never forced Abe to take a binky, and he wouldn’t at all his first couple of months, but as he’s gotten older it has helped him calm down more quickly if we offer it to him. So that’s a win in my book 🙂
4. Baby Carrier – we have both a Moby and a Snugli. Both were handmedowns, and I am unsure if I would actually spend the money on them. I would, however, love to invest in an Ergo.
5. Diaper Bag – get one you love. And one that has a lot of pockets! Moms deserve to splurge a little on what will be their purse for the next couple of years. I have one from Pottery Barn, but I still have my eye on a Timi and Leslie one…  {Someone buy it for me please?} 🙂
6. Bottles – if you’re bottle feeding there are a lot of different bottles out here. We use the Medela bottles (since they came with my breast pump and we also received some hand-me-downs) and Parent’s Choice bottles. I’ve heard that some babies are picky when it comes to bottles, but Abe hasn’t had a problem with either of these.

And PS, here are things you don’t need:
Wipes warmer: kids can deal with cold baby wipes.
Bumbo: there are conflicting articles about whether or not the Bumbo is safe for baby’s development. But that aside, it’s just not necessary. If you get one, great! But we didn’t get one, and haven’t missed it.
Diaper Pail: just throw out your trash daily.
High Chair: we were given a portable booster seat, and I am so happy about it! It doesn’t take up room like a high chair would, it’s small and portable, and will last until Abe is big enough to sit on a regular seat. Granted, he hasn’t started eating solids yet, but in theory, I love that we have a booster and not a high chair.
Baby Monitor: I did buy one, just the cheapest one at Walmart, but honestly, I hardly use it. Abe’s room is just down the hall from our room and I can hear him so it doesn’t really matter to me to have one. I definitely don’t think it’s worth spending $30+ (or $100+!) on a monitor. But that’s just me 🙂

And double PS, a jumper and an exersaucer are things we think we will love when Abe gets just a litlte bigger. He is still a bit too small for those things right now, but we’re excited to try them out! (We got a jumper as a hand-me-down, and we’ll search for an exersaucer at a consignment store… Too cheap to buy either at full price!)