What to Buy For a New Baby

Our Top Recommendations for Each Category

Expecting a new addition to the family? First time parenting? How much stuff do you really need for a new baby? If you have questions like these, and no time to read up on every little thing, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s the official Practically Apparent recommendations for the best value in almost every category.

Dresser: Forget the changing table. While it works great for infants, toddlers can wreak havoc with all the open shelving. Go for a dresser instead, and add a changing pad on top to transform it into a changing table. As an added bonus, dressers come in a wider variety of widths and heights so you can get one personalized to you and your partner.

Solid Sided Crib: Unless you fancy retrieving pacifiers and the like in the dark from underneath the crib multiple times a night, get a crib with a solid back. It will save you lots of trouble finding items that escape. And often these cribs transform into headboards for bigger beds once your child gets older.

Convertible Car Seat: If you want to avoid buying another car seat in six months to a year, get a Britax convertible car seat from the start. Infant inserts make these reversible car seats extremely safe for babies. If you have your heart set on an infant car seat you can snap into place, the Chicco KeyFit tops our list.

Best Stroller: We love UPPA Baby for top of the line strollers with all the bells and whistles. They take your child from birth to preschooler and can handle any terrain. But if you don’t want to spend a fortune, or need something more compact, decide what stroller features matter most to you. Then use your personalized list to pick the right lightweight stroller.

Thirsties Cloth Diaper Covers: If we had to pick one brand, Thirsties makes the cut. These diaper covers last. They make diaper changes a breeze. The customizable fit lets you adjust as your baby grows, and makes sure you get the right fit.

Honest Company Disposable Diapers: If you can’t resist disposable diapers, get Honest Company for fewer chemicals and dyes. Plus the adorable gender neutral designs make these diapers even more attractive.

Magnetic Pajamas: Forget the zippers and the snaps and go for magnets instead. You’ll thank us at every middle of the night feeding (there’s more than one!) when the magnets pop back into place with minimal effort. These magnificent pajamas make life easier on new parents.

Tiny Love Toys: These jiggly toys will fascinate babies, and the clip makes it easy to attach almost anywhere. The bright colors and mesmerizing patterns will catch their eye and look good while keeping your baby entertained.

Zutano Booties: If you want to keep your baby’s toes covered, Zutano makes the best booties. You can forget all other socks and shoes. These fuzzy slippers snap into place and stay there. No more backtracking trying to find lost socks and shoes after kids kick them off. And they come in a variety of colors to match any outfit.

Booster Seat: If you want to save space and money, skip the fancy high chair with the tray that won’t even fit in the dishwasher. Instead, get the Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat. This seat attaches securely to almost any chair. The small tray fits in the dishwasher and wipes down easily. And there are no cloth covers or crevices for food to get stuck in, making cleaning the entire thing a thirty second process. The fact that it doubles as a booster seat for older kids means you can use it much longer at less than half the price.

Beco Gemini Carrier: We love this padded carrier. It offers multiple positions as babies grow, and can be adjusted to fit different partners with ease. Plus, the buckles don’t end up rubbing blisters under your armpits. With adorable patterns and lots of colors, you can find one to match your style.

Wubbanub: These adorable pacifiers not only look cute, they make it easy to find in a crib, bassinet, or diaper bag. The soft animal gives older infants something to grasp, and the sweet stuffed animal means you’ll use it even if your baby refuses to take a pacifier.