Sifting through the endless lists of baby gadgets and gear available can be overwhelming for anyone, but especially when you’re a new parent. After all, we simply want the very best for our little ones, but it’s hard to know what is truly needed to help ease into parenthood, and what is extra, especially when it’s your very first baby. That’s why I’ve used my own experience as a mom of two, along with the recommendations of many experienced mothers, to give you only the top baby items for new moms – that you’ll actually use.

While it’s easy to get lost in the excitement of the latest trendy styles and gadgets, and the promise of a full nights sleep (spoiler: no one product can actually guarantee sleep, sorry, mamas), I can promise you that the transition into parenthood doesn’t need to come with a million items. That said, there are a few items that us experienced moms could not have survived the early days of motherhood without. Today, I’m sharing the top baby items for new moms, so that your own motherhood journey gets off to a great start.

Whether you’re treating yourself or searching for the perfect gift, we’ve got you covered. Explore our selection of the top 10 baby items for new moms below (plus a few bonuses!) that will undoubtedly simplify your life as a new parent.

Top 10 Baby Items for New Moms

1. A quality swaddle or sleep sack. While there are literally hundreds of swaddles and sleep sacks to choose from, there are a few that we have personally tried and wholeheartedly loved. Trust me on these – I had a baby that did not want to sleep, so I spent my fair share trying out a good number of products to find just the right ones. I would personally recommend two of each size, so that you have a backup when one is in the wash (if your baby is prone to spitting up, or drooling, you’ll definitely want at least two!) There’s a reason this is the first on the list of top 10 baby items for new moms!
   • Love to Dream Swaddle. This is a personal favourite, but also one that has been recommended time and time again from experienced parents. The best thing about this swaddle/sleep sack is that they have variations that can be used anywhere from newborn until 3 years old. The other great thing? These are perfect for babies who want to self-soothe by sucking on their hands, but still keep them contained and warm. Since not all babies love to be tightly swaddled, this is a win, win!
   • Nested Bean Sleep Sack. Another one that we loved as my girls got older! This one has a slight weight to the front (or back, if you have a tummy sleeper, as you can flip it around!) so that baby feels like you’re right there, with your hand on them. Much better than sleeping with your arm hanging out of the bed! These are apparently great for newborn to 24 months, though I personally used them with my babies when they were 6 months +!
   • Halo Sleep Sack. This one is great for newborn babies who love to be swaddled, with straps that velcro across the body to keep baby snug as a bug. Once they’re older and begin to roll over, you can keep their arms out and wrap the flaps snug around their chest, or upgrade to the toddler sleep sack! Another personal favourite that both of my girls loved. (Be sure to pay attention to when baby is beginning to roll over, as you want their arms free at this point!)
     
2. Bouncer Chair. Admittedly, with our first baby, I wanted everything new and name brand. And then, one day, I was strolling down the baby aisle in Walmart when my oldest was a newborn, and happened upon a simple little bouncer chair (and by simple, I mean it would bounce only when mom or dad was manually making it move). It was $20, so I figured it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. As it turns out, it was our favourite baby purchase, ever. We would put it on the floor beside us during dinner time, and one of us would bounce it gently with our foot so that we could enjoy a (short) meal together. Doing laundry and baby didn’t want to be put down? I’d bounce it while folding. It was literally the simplest chair, and yet both of my girls absolutely loved it. In fact, we passed this one down to a friend, and of all the amazing (and expensive) items they received, this one was also their favourite.
   • That said, if you want something a little bit more fancy, I’ve heard excellent things about the Baby Bjorn version as well.
   • Here is a similar one to the one we had, though this one comes with a built in vibrating feature. Ours did not have that! I’m just here to say that sometimes, the cheapest items end up being the biggest hit! (Disclaimer: my babies would always fall asleep in this chair, but never without adult supervision).
     
3. Sound Machine. We have tried several different sound machines throughout our newborn days, only to have all of them die on us or time out. So I can say with confidence that this is the only sound machine you’ll ever need: (trust me, every. single. mom. recommended this one!)
   • Hatch Sound Machine. We have one in each of the girls’ rooms, and swear by them! Not only do they act as a nightlight and sound machine, but you can also change the colours and sounds, and set them as an okay to wake clock, too! The girls love having control over which colour and sound they get to sleep to, and what their “okay to wake” colour is! Highly, highly recommend the hatch as one of the top 10 baby items for new moms!
     
4. Baby Monitor. There are so many out there, and everyone seemed to have different thoughts on which one was best. I suggest finding one that fits your personal needs and budget. We had the Lollipop camera, and while I loved that we could both hear and see baby, I didn’t love that it was connected to Wifi, as it wasn’t always the most reliable. This list and this list both have some highly rated options for those just getting started on their hunt!
   
   
5. Baby Carrier. I got so many favourites from experienced moms for this list, so I’ve tried to keep it brief while still including the most popularly mentioned. These range from $ – $$$$, depending on your budget and needs. I am personally a huge fan of a wrap carrier, and cannot say enough good things about how versatile they are! That said, many moms with multiple kiddos said that each one had a different preference for carrier, so this one might be a great item to buy second-hand or borrow first, to see if baby likes it!
   • Solly Baby Wrap
   • Moby Wrap
   • Beluga Baby Wrap
   • Baby Bjorn Carrier
   • Tula Baby Carrier
   • Artipoppe Carrier
     
6. Portable Changing Pad.
   • Rubber or soft material with plastic covering (trust me – you want something that’ll easily wipe down!) This one is a really affordable option that cleans up in a pinch, and has some great storage built in for carrying around all the things you need for diaper changes on the go!
     
7. A quality Walking Stroller. If you’re somewhere that gets snow, definitely, definitely spend the extra to get one that is great through all terrain. This is my biggest piece of advice to all first time parents, and something I really regretted when selecting my Uppa Baby Vista (while it is an excellent stroller, it hasn’t been so great in snow). Below are some of the brands that have been recommended by experienced moms:
   • Bumbleride Indie. This one has been through three kiddos and is still going strong! Perfect for snow, gravel and rough terrain (aka ideal for Alberta!)
   • Bob. Apparently this one is excellent for walking, and handles snow like a champ. We were gifted a hand-me-down that has been excellent for strolls this winter!
   • Uppababy Vista. I know that I mentioned above that this one isn’t the best in snow, but that is truly where my complaints end. The basket is massive so it’s perfect for a day at the zoo, grocery shopping or simply hauling all of the baby/kiddo things to the park. We have had ours for seven years, and it’s still in excellent condition! Not to mention, it’s a double stroller, so I have been able to push both girls together since the moment my second was born.
   • Veer. While this is technically a wagon, it really is a one-in-all! One of my mom friends has gone through five different strollers (and three kiddos), and says that this one topped them all. A two-in-one that grows with the kiddos is a huge win!
     
8. Sleep support. Okay, hear me out here. While I understand that sleep training can have a very negative connotation in some circles, I can personally attest to how it transformed my motherhood experience during the first year of my baby’s life. Whether you’re all for cry it out, or want to implement some gentle sleep habits with baby, I highly recommend looking into some form of sleep support as one of the top 10 baby items for new moms.
   • I have heard really wonderful things about the Taking Cara Babies sleep support. I have numerous friends who have utilized these programs and have had excellent results!
   • I personally used the book Precious Little Sleep, and it truly saved my sanity during those first difficult months with a baby. I loved that there was everything from gentle approaches to cry it out, depending on baby, their age, your personal feelings around sleep training. Plus, it covers everything from newborn to toddler sleep and beyond, so you’re covered for all stages to come!
     
9. Honourable mentions:
   • A quality Breast Pump. Several mentioned the Boone Trove, which is a passive milk collector, and I used a similar one – the Haakaa breast milk collector. Either way, I loved the hands-free (and passive) ability to collect milk while nursing to keep on hand for baby! This list has some excellent – and very detailed – recommendations for electronic breast pumps.
   • Burp Cloths. These will definitely, definitely come in handy, especially if you are nursing or baby is prone to throwing up. I can’t tell you how many burp cloths we would go through in a day with my second. My favourite brand was the muslin variety of Aden and Anais, because they were soft, super absorbant, and bonus – really cute. These muslin ones on Amazon were super highly rated, and are adorable, too!
   • Nose Sucker. We used the Hydrasense manual one (kinda gross if you thought too long and hard about it) and it worked perfectly! That said, a bunch of moms recommended the electronic ones, which sounds really nice to me! Either way, this will be a life saver when baby gets a cold and can’t sleep due to allllll the snot. Check out this list for some great options for nose suckers! We can’t not include this one in our top 10 baby items for new moms!
     
10. And last but certainly not least, an entire list of must-haves, just for mom herself in our top 10 baby items for new moms. Because mama needs to be cared for just as much as baby during those first exhaustingly beautiful months together.
    • Handheld water bottle, preferably something large enough to get you through a whole night of nursing sessions (That nursing thirst is very real!)
    • Easy (healthy) snacks – nuts were a personal fave, but really anything that you can eat with one hand and easily store beside or on you – granola bars, apples, rice cakes, etc! I kept a stock pile of snacks beside my bed for my middle of the night feeds. The nursing hunger is also very real!
    • Freezer meals – make ahead yourself, purchase from the store or have friends and family drop off! Easy, healthy meals that you can easily pop in the oven to keep yourself and everyone else in the family nourished during a time when you don’t have two hands to cook! My favourites to deliver post-baby are lasagnas or any casseroles that are one quick dish to pop in the oven and then later clean. Bonus that there are lots of leftovers!
    • Padsicles. Okay, if you’ve never heard of these, I promise they are life changing after a vaginal birth. I didn’t have them with my first, but came across a simple recipe to make them for my second, and they really are a life saver. Click here to learn how to make them yourself! (and in keeping with this – a peri bottle goes a long way, too!)
    • Nursing bras. I recommend setting aside at least two per day at first, to minimize the amount of laundry you need to do. If you’d like to keep the number of bras to a minimum, stock up on reusable nursing pads instead, which help with leakage and to absorb a lot of the messy milk, especially in the very beginning. These ones were my favourite because they were so soft and absorbant!
    • Cold and warm pads for nursing. These were a life-saver for my first nursing experience, especially when it came to getting clogged ducts. Keep them in the freezer to have a cold pack, or warm them up in the microwave for a hot pack. Both are amazing on sore breasts!
    • Comfy loungewear – nursing friendly (button or zip down)
    • Electrolytes, especially if you’re nursing, these will help you stay hydrated, which will really improve how you’re feeling overall. My faves are these ones, but there are so many to choose from out there!
    • Fave books/shows. Have your e-reader and air pods handy, and your favourite shows, podcasts or movies downloaded and ready to go! It was so easy to spend those middle of the night nursing sessions on my phone scrolling or impulsively buying unnecessary baby things… but there are so many better ways to feel like you’re taking care of you during those tough hours.

While this list of top 10 baby items for new moms could truly go on and on, I really hope that it has helped you feel confident that you have (or soon will have!) everything you need for baby’s arrival. Remember – the most important thing that baby needs, money simply cannot buy. It’s you, your love and your presence – the rest is just extra. That said, I know that having some of the top 10 baby items for new moms will certainly make the ride more enjoyable 🙂

Expecting in 2025? Let’s help you always remember.

Kahla Kristen Photography is an award-winning Edmonton newborn, family and maternity photographer. She specializes in capturing the magic of baby’s first year of life, and helping her clients preserve their favourite memories through stunning, heirloom artwork such as albums and framed prints. Her custom design services bring your family’s story to life in a way that will be passed down for many generations.

Kahla serves Edmonton, Sherwood Park, St. Albert and surrounding areas. To learn more, click here. To contact Kahla to begin planning your dream session, come say hello here.

Mom’s dress provided by the KKP client closet.
All film scanned and processed by The Canadian Film Lab
Complimentary hair and makeup, by Luxe HMU.