Related content<\/p>
How to Budget for Your First Baby<\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\n\n\n We asked five experts what they thought were essential need-to-haves, and got to know their favourite or most-used items in year one as a new parent<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Possibly the most important and most costly category of newborn essentials is baby gear and transportation. Newborn essentials you cannot go without are a safe place for your baby to sleep, a stroller and car seat, a baby carrier and a baby bathtub. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Richardson says as far as sleep options go, it doesn’t matter if it’s a Moses basket or a next-to-you-crib; the bottom line is having somewhere that they can rest and be safe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it can be tempting to buy a designer stroller and car seat, many affordable options combine both items for a more reasonable price. Every car seat and stroller has to pass the same standardized safety test, meaning the brand is just another label at the end of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Erica Sandberg, consumer finance reporter<\/a> and author of Expecting Money: The Essential Financial Plan for New and Growing Families, also recommends a lightweight, inexpensive, easily packable stroller. “It will get banged up as you put it in and take it out of your car, so it shouldn’t be precious.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n As far as a baby carrier, Janine Rogan, founder of The Wealth Building Academy<\/a>, says this was her most-used product. She uses hers around the house and on walks throughout the neighbourhood. “He also loves napping in the carrier, so it’s a win-win for everyone as my hands are free when I’m wearing the baby,” says Rogan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, a baby bath is another newborn essential you should have on hand. Keisha Blair, the author of Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons To Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness, says she still has fond memories of bath times with her kids and how relaxing they can be for babies when done right. She also says they are a precursor to a good night’s sleep or daytime nap. The same goes for a good sound machine that can play white noise to calm a baby down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you need?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it’s good to plan ahead, a breast pump can be an expensive item to purchase before knowing whether or not you’ll need one. Instead, wait to see whether you\u2019ll feed your newborn formula, or breastfeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’d like to be prepared without going over budget and hope to breastfeed your baby, Rogan says an affordable item to have is the Haakaa. The Haakaa is a manual silicone breast pump that catches any let-downs while breastfeeding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from how you feed your child, another fantastic item to have that can help the experience of bottle or breastfeeding is a nursing pillow. A basic pillow can make holding your baby more comfortable for both you and them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Richardson also suggests buying some bottles and a sterilizer. When it comes to these newborn essentials, she encourages new parents to focus on buying items that cater to their individual needs. You will slowly learn what these individual needs are, such as the swaddles they like best, or the bottles that are more suitable for your child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many brands of baby bottles that exist, but a great place to start is by purchasing a \u201cstarter pack\u201d that contains different size nipples and includes all of the essential cleaning tools you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What do you need?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most obvious newborn essentials is diapers. Your baby will inevitably need something before they start to potty train, which can be anywhere from the first two to three years of their life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you plan to go the reusable diaper route, Sandberg says that a diaper delivery service can be an amazing way to avoid dealing with a mess if you can afford to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you plan to go the disposable route, we have a great breakdown of the cost of diapers<\/a> and how many you can expect to buy in year one.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Newborn Baby Essentials Do You Need?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Diapers,](\"https:\/\/www.zolo.ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/newborn-essentials-list-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBaby Gear and Transportation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Feeding Essentials<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Diapering Essentials<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n