Just a few month pregnant, I began pouring myself into product reviews, lists and all the need-to-haves for our baby registry. I had to have the best products for the price. My family and I were on a budget, so ridiculously expensive baby stuff was out of the question! But some cute things were hard to resist.
Due to the countless hours I spent looking into different products and finding the best bang for our buck, I have put together an ULTIMATE comprehensive guide so you don’t have to do all the work! This list has taken months and months of work. Of course, not every product may work for you or your baby (everyone has their own preferences!) and I do not claim to know everything about the products :). This is just my preferred list from erything I have read and experienced.
And by the way, congratulations on the new little one entering your life! <3 <3 <3
Take a look at these 9 categories be sure to check out the printable checklist at the bottom of the page.
If you are looking for the perfect checklist for packing your hospital bags, check out:
HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST, FOR MOM TO BE
Must Have Essential Baby Stuff For Your Registry
TRAVELING
♥ BABY CARRIER
We received four different baby carriers from different people. Four! So, I really got to try them all out and see which I liked the best. Hands down, The Moby Wrap was the best. I read that it is among the most widely used and popular baby slings on the market. Which makes sense. It is super versatile, comfortable, quick to put on and easy. Unlike any other carriers we used!
♥ STROLLER // CAR SEAT
I spent countless hours looking into strollers and car seats. I wanted the easiest and SAFE system out there. I found that buying a car seat + stroller was best for me because they I could just click my little sleeping baby into the stroller, out of the car and back again. So easy! I chose the Jogger edition because I like hitting up the trails. It is a little heavier and bulkier than the regular edition but for me, it wasn’t too heavy or too bulky. We can fit it snuggly in the trunk of our Chevy Malibu! Check out the regular edition if you are not a runner.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: at about a year old (or when your baby is an inch below the top of this car seat) you will need to look for a bigger seat. I scoured reviews, Amazon, Target, Walmart and Pinterest blog posts. I landed on the Graco 4Ever 4-in-1 Convertible Car Seat, Matrix. It gives you 10 years of use because it includes a rear facing baby car seat, a forward facing toddle seat and a booster seat with two positioning modes for the weight of you child as they grow. I also love how this seat is super locked in. So, why not purchase this one from birth? You can BUT you would have to wake your new baby up every single time you take them out of the car. In addition, you would need a carrier. I like how the Click Connect (pictured above) simply snapped out so I could carry the bassinet part or add it to the stroller!
♥ DIAPER BAG
Diaper bag needs: chic, versatile, low cost, not too big and doesn’t shout ‘diaper bag’. Those were my needs anyway! I wanted a diaper bag that looked like a chic purse without the $100 price tag. The Skip Hop Versa was IT. I LOVE this bag.
EDIT: I also purchased the HaloVa Diaper Bag Multi-Function Waterproof Travel Backpack. Lately I have been leaning more towards the backpack and it’s not so girly when my husband uses it. We have received a lot of compliments on it! Some people are purse people and some are backpack people. Either one is very functional and chic.
♥CHANGING MAT
Those dirty looking changing stations inside bathrooms were questionable enough for me to buy my own changing mat. I absolutely love Skip Hop’s design (there are MANY different colors to choose from!). It’s not too bulky, it is the perfect size, looks like a clutch, has extra compartments that are ergonomic, and I could buy a travel bottle bag that matched!
♥ TRAVEL BOTTLE BAG
“Do you really need a travel bottle bag?” I thought to myself as I ran through my registry checklist. I am glad I did. Not only can you keep bottles warm or cold in here but I have used this so much when pumping and traveling. I wanted to exclusively breast feed my baby, so that meant pumping if I was somewhere else, while she was getting bottle-fed by Thomas or a babysitter at home.
♥ BABY SUNSCREEN
This is Amazon’s top pic in baby sunscreen and for good reason. This sunscreen boasts to be the very first to pass Whole Foods Premium Care Requirements, it’s top rated, the highest SPF baby sunscreen and free of harmful chemicals. I wanted little Mae’s pale skin to be protected, and I LOVE Thinkbaby’s sunscreen. It’s not oily and rubs in amazing. A tiny dot goes a long way!
BATHING
♥ BABY BATH TUB
Even though this tub doesn’t have a thousand reviews on Amazon, I love it. We received it secondhand from a friend and it still looks brand new after a few kids! I love how it sits higher in the bath for easy reach, there is a plug that drains quickly, it compacts well for storage under our sink and the infant insert is angled nicely so Mae has fit comfortably in it from birth.
♥ BABY WASH & SHAMPOO
Top Pick:
When looking for a low cost, yet quality baby wash I found Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo to be the best. It is hypoallergenic, made for newborns + and tear free. Of course, everyone has their own preference but this is ours! 🙂
♥ BABY LOTION
I didn’t buy special baby lotion at first. There were so many baby things to buy, did I really need baby lotion? I found out that regular lotions that are designed for everyone could damage my baby’s skin. Baby’s skin is thinner and more prone to dryness as well as allergic reaction. So, I found out the hard way when little Mae’s cheeks became rashy to switch to Baby Lotion.
♥ TOWELS
Top Pick:
I bought two Carter’s baby towels and I’m glad I did! It’s really wonderful to have the hood and be able to wrap Mae up like a little snuggle bug in these. I bought them on Carter’s website when they were having crazy awesome deals. You can also find them on Amazon: Baby Girl Elephant Hooded Towel (One Size, Pink)
♥ TUB TOYS
Most tub toys will have a minimum age around a year. When looking for tub toys, look for ones that do not have holes in them because water gets trapped in there and mold grows. That stuff is real – don’t Google mold in baby toys, *shudders*. My solution for now is the amazing Baby Banana Infant Training Toothbrush and Teether! It’s not a tub toy but it’s solid (no holes) and Mae loves splashing around in the water with it. Also, these Bright Starts Links are amazing toys she loves playing with in the tub as well!
♥ BABY WASHCLOTHS
Top Pick: Gerber Newborn Baby Wash Cloths 10 Pack from Walmart
These were on clearance at Walmart and I love them. They are super soft and adorable. I usually hand one to Mae to chew on while I clean her with another 🙂 Walmart no longer sells this particular print but has many others here.
♥ BATH KNEELING PAD
We received this bath kneeler for our baby shower and it has been awesome. What a thoughtful gift and product. When bathing your little one, your knees can get pretty uncomfortable on the floor. This seems silly but the struggle is real. I also like how there are compartments for things like soap and rags. I stow things in there that I don’t want our little one to grab while she’s bathing.
FEEDING
♥ BOTTLES
These Avent bottles are top notch and I read a ton of positive reviews, so I chose this brand when putting together my registry. They were awesome. We only have four because I exclusively breastfed but when I had a babysitter, Thomas was taking care or her or we were out of town, these were used. I found out later that some people have so many problems with their baby taking a bottle! We never had that problem with Avent, plus I did make sure I introduced a bottle to her right at four weeks old.
♥ BURP CLOTHS
These are my TOP used item. I bought three sets of these for burp cloths. Do not use them for cloth diapers, they are too thin! When I was reading what other people recommended with burp clothes, most said it depended on your baby. But, every baby burps up and will have spit! I use these prefolds folded on top of my changing pad ( I hate changing the cover all the time!), I bring one along when we are out to wipe up food mess now that Mae is well into solids, I use them to wipe up her teething spit and other burp ups and I fold one under her chin when I give her a bottle because she drips down into the folds of her neck. I literally use them all the time!
♥ FEEDING PILLOWS
I actually chose the nursing pillow called My Brest Friend for our baby registry. It had a ton of positive five star reviews on Amazon. Thomas was gifted the Bobby from a client at work. I used the Brest Friend for tiny newborn baby Mae and it was nice in the rocking chair because it had a pocket and I could adjust it tightly with the strap to sit high on my torso. But as Mae got bigger, the bobby was just way easier and more comfortable. No strapping in, it had more padding and was much more durable. If I was to choose one, I would definitely go with the Bobby!
♥ BREAST PUMP
Your insurance should provide you with a breast pump. Mine had two other choices: the Medela Pump In Style and the Ameda Purely Yours; both, very popular brands. So, why did I choose the Melodi? It was a newer pump and when watching all the videos of the other two, reading into all the parts I would have to clean (and probably replace!), I chose the Melodi. I love how I can charge it too and take it with me on the go. I didn’t have to buy a special bra to keep the cups on either! They fit nice and snug into my nursing bra, so I can go hands free. I haven’t personally tried any others but the Melodi One one has been amazing!!!
♥ PACIFIER
The NUK pacifier brand was highly recommended to me and online I found many who swore by them. After we started using them (4 weeks after birth to avoid nipple confusion), we loved them too! Again, this was one category, I found others having difficulty in as they tried many different brands. I understand every baby is different and in our case, NUK Pacifiers always worked amazing.
♥ NURSING COVER
I received a couple other nursing covers at our shower. They draped over Mae like a cloth and I wasn’t comfortable feeding her in public. I knew for me, I needed to be comfortable. It was important to me to get out and also breastfeed. I found Udder Covers Nursing Cover and once I received it, all my cover problems were solved. It has a rigid neckline that bows so I cold see down and watch Mae privately. The cover also has flaps on each side that go nicely over each shoulder. I LOVE the color. I get compliments all the time with this cover!
♥ HIGH CHAIR
I don’t have a top pick here because we received ours secondhand (it’s an older Chico one), and honestly, I am not a huge fan! But I bet now, Chico makes some great stuff. I wont judge anything that has gone through a few kids and lots of gunky food! Overall, I am just extremely grateful and thankful we didn’t have to purchase a brand new one. But on that note, I don’t want to recommend a product I haven’t tried or don’t absolutely love. I can, however, recommend the Graco brand high chairs because we have tried several other brands while traveling and those are the best. I also did purchase the IKEA high chair but it is very small and flimsy. There are many positive reviews on it but I wouldn’t recommend it!
♥ MASHING BOWL
Top Pick: NUK Mash and Serve Bowl for Making Homemade Baby Food
There’s a reason why this NUK mash bowl has close to five stars and over 2,000 awesome reviews. It’s amazing. I never would have thought this was a necessary item on my own until it was gifted to me at our baby shower. “This is a MUST have!” I was told. So true. I used it so often throughout the day, (all those months I had to mash food) that it sat out next to our sink always. I would use it and wash it multiple times throughout the day. One of Mae’s favorite things was mashed banana and then later I added in things like yogurt and oatmeal. She would always get so excited when she saw I had this bowl! Now, she doesn’t eat mashed food but I still use it all the time.
♥ SPOONS
Gerber has some of the best utensils for baby’s first bites. One pack of these was just perfect. A year and a half later and they still look fresh out of the package. The rubber is very soft and gentle on their teeth and the spoon size holds the perfect amount.
♥ BABY BULLET
Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Baby Care System
Of all the items we received in our registry, this one was one of the TOP ITEMS! We already have an amazing Ninja blender and I still preferred the Magic Baby Bullet. I used this thing multiple times a day, every day for over a year. We tried to store it after our little one didn’t need mashed food anymore, but I just had to take it out of storage the next day. I like using it so much. The little blender is the perfect size for quickly mashing small amounts of food efficiently. It also comes with a recipe book that is just awesome. I did however, prep food weekly. So, to do this, I purchased six ice cube trays (which is 1 oz per “ice cube”) in addition to this storage system.
♥ BIBS
These cheap baby bibs were the best! At our baby shower, everyone drew on these for a fun little game. I love them. We have two packs and even though we received many other kinds, these are my go-to. I bought a little cheap laundry basket from Walmart under a dollar and I throw these bibs and the burp rags in it. By the end of the week, I wash them. I do this because the velcro snags clothing but the burp rags are fine. I keep these bibs and the burp rags in a cute little storage bin under neath our high chair. I love it.
CLOTHING
♥ SLEEPWEAR
Carter’s footsie pajamas are the cream of the crop. I ran into a lady at Target frantically looking for a fleece footsie pajama just like this one. She said the cotton one she had was just too thin for fall and winter. But there were none in stores. I told her to order it off Amazon asap. My advice is if you live in a place that gets cold, buy one of these ahead of time in the correct size (the baby will be during that season) then buy the smaller size and the larger size. This way, when you do need them you wont have a cold baby and you will know which size to purchase more of. On Amazon, there are a ton of different styles. Carter’s website also sometimes has some great deals!
♥ SWADDLES
Yes, just three of these will run you almost $50 and guess what? They are hands down, the absolute BEST swaddle blankets you will use and you only need three! The quality of the material is bar none; it stretches amazing, it’s the perfect size for your baby from newborn all the way till they don’t need to be swaddles and it’s the softest by far. Buy three of these and you don’t need anything else for swaddling. We were gifted MANY other swaddles and I bought other kinds before Mae was born but I used NONE of them. We swaddled Mae all the time and three were great.
♥ SLEEP SACK
When baby graduates from the swaddle (breaking out of the blanket), the HALO SleepSack will be your new best friend. Since blankets are not safe for babies, a sleep sack is the way to go. I purchased a Medium for Mae’s first sleep sack size, so she had a little room to grow. When she was a year old, I purchased her second and last sleep sack, the XL which had room to grow as well.
♥ NEWBORN CAP
The first week or two, it’s advised to put a cap on your newborn. You will probably go home from the hospital with a couple of those thin ones but these work great and add a little more warmth. Amazon has some really fun baby hats!
♥ SOCKS
Socks, socks, socks! We could never get enough socks! I think our dryer must eat baby socks. A newborn will go through the first sock size in the blink of an eye. Buy or add to your registry the first couple sizes for your own sanity!
♥ ONESIES
Oh my gosh, Carter’s onesies are the absolute best! There are so many cute colors and styles. Buy a six pack in newborn, and 0-3 because you never know what size that little one will be! Plus, they go through the newborn size pretty quickly. When Mae was born, the 0-3 was way too big on her. She even fit some of the premie sizes! But quickly enough those newborn clothes did not fit! If the little on is scheduled to arrive in colder months, buy the long sleeve instead.
♥ Body Suits
Most places get a little chilly so you will need some long sleeve bodysuits. . We bought a couple packs of long sleeve bodysuits for the colder weather. Carter’s are my favorite. They stretch nicely and look so adorable.
♥ COAT
It’s not easy to find a baby coat that has a good weight to it and proper insulation. This may be because you have to take the coat off when placing your baby in a car seat. But winter in most places calls for a coat when out in the elements. I found Osh Kosh to be the best insulated coats. for in the baby seat wear, check out some of Amazon’s thinner options here.
♥ PANTS
Carter’s also makes the best stretchy and comfy little pants. They come in a variety of different colors and are a great low-cost but adorable option. We purchased just one pack of these. They are great!
NURSERY
♥ CRIB
Top Pick: Walmart Cribs Rollback
Cribs are expensive. I would suggest hopping on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace and finding a new(ish) gently used crib. Also, check Walmart’s Clearance & Rollback page here. I found the 3 in 1 (converts to daybed and toddler bed) crib depicted on the left here (and in pictures below of our nursery), which is currently $187, for $80! You can find brand new, beautiful cribs for great deals at Walmart.
♥ MATRESS
Top Pick: Kolcraft Pediatric 800 Toddler and Crib Mattress Owl
While we were at Walmart, we found this mattress also. It has great review and I feel like it is the perfect balance between bouncy and firm. I had absolutely no worries that Mae’s little face would sink into the mattress (and she did sleep smack on her face sometimes!) yet it has a nice overall give that seemed very comfortable.
♥ MATRESS WET COVER
Top Pick: American Baby Company Waterproof Fitted Crib and Toddler Protective Mattress Pad Cover, White
I ordered and added this protective cover right away to our nursery when I was preparing for our baby. This particular brand is Amazon’s #1 best seller in Crib Mattress Pads and the reviews are great. I was surprised at how well it fit on the mattress. I read that mattress covers are a must for little ones. So far, we have had one accident where this thing was a life savor. Little Mae was sick and threw up :(. I expect when we are potty training her soon, this will be super helpful as well.
♥ BEDDING
Top Pick: Iviebaby Crib Sheets
There are only a few things I splurged on when it came to the nursery: both Iviebaby things (the crib sheets and matching changing pad cover) and some beautiful pink blush pillows from Etsy in the same color (you can see the pillows in the pics below). The room is decorated in whites, creams and a couple dashes of pink blush. This pattern was the focal point and it’s amazing!
♥ CHANGING PAD
Top Pick: Summer Infant Contoured Change Pad
This changing pad was one of the highest rated for it’s cost. At first I thought it was humungous but found that this size is typical for changing pads. Mae grew into it pretty quickly and now at 16 months old (close to potty training age for us), she can still fit in it. I love how it’s contoured so I don’t have to worry about her falling off and the buckle has been wonderful.
♥ CHANGING PAD COVER
Top Pick: Iviebaby Changing Pad Cover
Here is the changing pad cover pair to the Iviebaby sheet above. I absolutely love this cover. It’s the perfect size and looks just adorable. One really nice thing about this print is that when stuff gets on it, you can’t really tell!
♥ CHANGING PAD COVER LINER
These are the bomb.com. These were featured in my blog post: 8 BABY REGISTRY MUST HAVES, OFTEN OVERLOOKED! It’s a giant pain to change the pad cover all the time so add one of these and a burp cloth folded over it. This way, you are only changing the burp cloth most of the time and the liner about once or twice a week. Be sure to wash these on cold and not dry them.
♥ HAND SANITIZER
Top Pick: PURELL Advanced Hand Sanitizer
Stock up on hand sanitizer! We placed one on the changing table and one on the kitchen counter (high traffic area). Newborns can get sick so easily!
PLAY & LEARN
♥ BOUNCER/SWING
I had a normal fussy baby that was soothed by rocking but I didn’t want to rock her 24/7. Scouring the internet, I read that gliders (like 4moms) and all those other types sometimes don’t have enough motion for babies, plus they outgrow them quickly. I read this one was one of the best! Graco’s Swing worked wonders!!! The Graco Swing has various levels that allowed us to mimic the motion of a rocking chair, plus I could take the bassinet out and use it as a bouncer. It was a miracle.
♥ ACTIVITY CENTER
A play gym can be purchased from day one. I liked the Skip Hop play mat because it’s visually more subtle in a room. For higher contrast objects, I could added bright toys. Her favorite toy on this gym is the orange squirrel and the apple with the mirror on it. At five months old, almost to the day, she started reaching out and batting the toys. I like how the mat is washable, I can swap out toys, it doesn’t look horrendous in our living room and even at a year old, she still loves playing in it.
♥ TOYS
These links are AMAZING! They will likely be your little one’s favorite first toy! I have a video of Mae playing with them at one month old and they have continued to be one of her absolute favorite toys. They make noise when shook, you can use them to link other toys up on things like the play mat, and they float in baths! Now, at close to 10 months, she likes putting them into bowls. This simple, low cost toy has been the best toy purchase of all, hands down.
Check out my top 12 baby toy picks:
RELATED: TOP 12 BEST BABY TOYS FOR BABY’S FIRST YEAR
♥ BOOKS
Black and white images (the highest contrast) register in the most impactful way on a baby’s retina. This sends the strongest signals to his/her brain which means stimulation, growth and faster visual stimulation. Mae LOVED this book and I read it to her daily. Her eyes would get so wide when she saw the fish page and the flower page!
HEALTH & SAFETY
♥ BABY MONITOR
This baby monitor has over 14,000 reviews on Amazon. That’s the most I’ve ever seen. And yet it’s got close to five solid stars. The cost isn’t astronomical, the quality is great and the customer service is awesome. We had a baby monitor that was a step down from this one and it went caput within the year. Infant Pics helped us out and sent us a new one!
♥ HUMIDIFIER
Your pediatrician will recommend a cool mist humidifier for the nursery. It helps clear their airways and ease any congestion. This is especially important in the early days because newborn babies don’t breath through their nose! For safety, cool mist humidifiers are recommended way above warm mist humidifiers. The White Drop Coos Mist Humidifier is easy to use, has a beautiful design and works wonders. Just like any humidifier though, it’s recommended that you clean it weekly with a vinegar-water combo solution (as detailed in the instructions) if you are using tap water. So I felt like that was a little annoying but hey, I hate cleaning. Plus, I knew that any other similar product I’d have to do the same thing!
♥ BABY GATE
Again, a product on Amazon with almost five solid stars and close to 2,000 reviews. I spent wayyy too much time looking into baby gates. I watched multiple YouTube vidoes on each gate and compared tons of features. I landed on this Easy Close Bronze gate because it looked like the most simple to install and it would blend into our living space rather than be an eyesore. I absolutely love it. It was super easy to install and withstands intense banging and shaking. I love how it closes behind you so you don’t have to shut it and it opens so easily with two lock features. Amazing gate. I would highly recommend it!
♥ OUTLET SAFETY PLUGS
Outlet safety is pretty basic. You don’t need anything fancy but you do need a product that works. This brand of outlet plugs is Amazon’s #1 choice and is recommended by over 2,000 additional people besides me!
FOR MOM
♥ BELLY CREAM
Top Pick: Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter, 6.5 Ounces
This stuff is the BEST. Hands down. I scoured online reviews for the absolute best lotion to fight stretch marks. I went through lists and lists of products, some with BIG price tags (over $100). This lotion kept showing up at the top of lists along with those super pricey products. Could a $12 product even compare?! My cousin used this product during her pregnancy and didn’t get A SINGLE STRETCH MARK. Serious. Her personal, raving review of this product was pretty convincing so I tried it as well. I used it morning and night. I also did not get a SINGLE STRETCH MARK. Actually, I got one and it was on my thigh where I didn’t use it!
♥ PRENATAL VITAMINS
Top Picks: Double X + Iron + Calcium + Omega-3
I’m really big on nutritional health, so I looked up guidelines for the absolute best prenatal health supplements. Ask your doctor before taking ANY supplements, prenatal or other vitamins while pregnant. Here are the vitamins I took and what I recommend, because it is so important!:
Nutrilite is the world’s number one health supplement brand. Nutrilite’s vitamins come from their own privately owned certified organic farms, so they are the only company that goes from plant to pill daily, all in one place. That means Nutrilite is the cream of the crop.
DOUBLE X – Double X is Nutrilite’s #1 multivitamin. It’s amazing. I took this once a day.
IRON – Pregnant women need I30 mg of iron a day. I took 2 of these a day, once in the morning and once at night. The recommended dose is 1-3, so ask your doctor what they recommend.
CALCIUM – Pregnant women need 1,000 mg of calcium a day. I took 2 of these a day as well, once in the morning and once at night.
Omega-3 – 300 mg of DHA is recommended for pregnant women. You can read about the importance of Omega-3 in pregnancy here. I took one of these in the morning and one at night.
Download the nutritional information here (I put all four vitamins on one page) so you can show it to your doctor and make sure it works for you.
♥ NIPPLE CREAM
Top Pick: Lansinoh Breastfeeding Salve, 100% Natural Lanolin Nipple Cream
Along with tons of five star reviews, I also am a fan of this Lansinoh cream. I used several different brands because I got way too many samples when pregnant but this one was the best. I purchased this tube and honestly wouldn’t have had to purchase anything else. It’s a lot in one bottle.
♥ SOOTHIES
Top Pick: Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads for Breastfeeding Mothers
Oh my gosh, these were a life savor!!! At the hospital they provided these soothies and they were just amazing. I love how they are reusable. I just stuck the tray in the fridge. That first month or so, breastfeeding was such a challenge (blisters and so much soreness). I don’t know how I would have made it without these!
♥ BREASTFEEDING PADS
Top Pick: Reusable Nursing Pads
The cutest nursing pads EVER! You get to choose the print. They are the perfect size, stay put and soak up A LOT. My favorite print was the peanut butter and jelly! Haha, so cute. I also bought a little washable bag to go with them. These were a go-to in my diaper bag. I used them always when I was breastfeeding.
DIAPERS // DISPOSABLE
♥ DISPOSABLE DIAPERS
Top Pick: Pampers Swaddlers Newborn Diapers Size 0, 88 Count
Pampers Swaddlers (newborn size) are the best selling newborn diaper on Amazon and were also the exact diaper they provided for us at the hospital. We used them for a couple weeks because they have a nice stripe that turns blue when wet. Mae was born small, so her pediatrician was very adamant about knowing how many wet diapers she had. After three weeks, we switched to cloth (shown below).
♥ DISPOSABLE WIPES
We tried a variety of wipes and I liked these the best. They are great for sensitive little bums and travel well. Amazon highly recommends them and so do I! Though, eventually we switched to cloth and used those instead.
♥ DIAPER GENIE
Top Pick: Playtex Diaper Genie Complete Diaper Pail with Odor Lock Technology, White
Diaper genies are great. They are designed to seal in the yuckies and be efficient at diaper disposal as it would be a pain to go throw each super stinky little diaper outside in the bin. I have heard mixed reviews about every single disposable diaper pail. The Diaper Genie always seems to come out on top. It’s a sleek design, easy to use and I found it to work great.
♥ DIAPER CREAM
Top Pick: A+D Original Ointment Jar, 1 Pound
It seems like every mom and pediatrician has their “go-to” miracle brand of diaper cream that they swear by. I would listen to moms with eyes wide, telling me I MUST use X brand. Well, we got a crazy amount of diaper rashes (which is one of the reasons we switched to cloth) and I can tell you only ONE diaper cream that worked every single time. That was A&D. We tried so many. I felt like I was collecting diaper creams. A&D also sells a pack of smaller tubes and a brand that’s specifically made to treat diaper rashes. Check it out here. It was our go to!
♥ BABY POWDER
Johnson’s Baby Powder is an Amazon “choice” product and at just under $2.00, it’s a steal. When we used disposables and our little one got the worst rashes in the world, I lathered her with A&D ointment and coated her bum and the diaper in baby powder. Worked every single time.
DIAPERS // CLOTH
♥ CLOTH DIAPER COVERS (NEWBORN)
Top Pick: Newborn Capri Diaper Covers
This system is my absolute preference for newborns (8 Blueberry Capri diaper covers + 24 Workhorse fitteds and 2 packs Capri Inserts for nighttime) because it’s the least expensive and most flexible. I have tried out all the popular diaper cover brands and Blueberry was the best (hands down) when I used fitted diapers (and the cover over them). I never had a leak!
♥ CLOTH DIAPER FITTEDS (NEWBORN – 3 MONTHS)
I LOVED these and got tons of compliments with how they worked. Newborn poo is runny and becomes more solid when switching to solid food at about six months. Because of the runny poo, many moms battle “blowout” diapers and leaks, especially when there is poo + urine that makes it extra runny. (I know, kinda gross). During this stage, I tried ALL KINDS of cloth diapers, even the systems where I read moms saying they never had a blowout or leak! But ALL leaked at least a little. For me, fitteds NEVER leaked. They were the absolute best!!! ( I used the newborn fitteds and the small fitteds, then I switched to prefolds as an insert + covers after Mae started eating solids.)
♥ CLOTH DIAPER INSERTS (FOR NIGHTTIME)
Why Capri Size One inserts? I scoured the internet for the insert that soaked up the most liquid used in overnights. This one came up over and over. They aren’t cheap! But buy one set or two sets and you’re good! My baby is over a year old and I still use these two capri inserts for overnights! Size 1 is for newborn to about six months. Size 2 can be used at six months but we waited till about a year.
♥ CLOTH DIAPER LINERS
Diaper liners are a life savor!!! We use diaper liners and did not purchase a diaper sprayer. In the end, I would suggest a sprayer like this one because those stomach bugs make diapers you don’t want to deal with! Though I would have used it only a handful of times. The liners caught everything most of the time and are amazing!
♥ CLOTH DIAPER COVERS (THREE – SIX MONTHS PLUS)
Top Pick: ALVABABY Baby Cloth Diapers One Size
These are diaper covers, basically just PUL with snaps and I love them. I only purchased about 10. The best combo with this cover that I found was using Nicki’s Cotton Prefolds, folded in half and used as an insert. I tried so many different inserts! Those were the best. This was by far the easiest cloth diapering system I used, plus it was crazy cheap.
♥ CLOTH DIAPER INSERT (THREE – SIX MONTHS PLUS)
Top Pick: Nicki’s Diapers GreatFit Cotton Prefolds (6 packs x4)
These go inside the diaper cover above. I purchased the small size and even practiced my folds on a stuffed bunny before Mae was born. Haha. I had it down! But then she was born a little over 5 Ibs. and was too small for the small size prefolds (I needed to buy the newborn size)! Plus, I found the folding way too much work and fuss, especially with the lack of sleep! I switched to Workhorse fitted diapers with a Capri Diaper Cover (listed above) and actually came back to prefolds once Mae started eating solids (around six months). Though this time, I used the prefold as and insert and folded them in half. Mae is almost 10 months old and the small size fits perfectly into the Alva Baby cover. This turned out to be my FAVORITE system!
♥ CLOTH DIAPER POCKET DIAPER (THREE – MONTHS PLUS)
Instead of using the AlvaBaby cover above + Nikki’s prefolds, you could use the pocket diaper system. The above system (covers + prefolds/inserts) is around $70 total and this system is a couple hundred. These AlvaBaby pocket diapers come with a cheap microfiber insert. Use these but add a Thirsties hemp insert underneath it (listed below). They are an amazing insert! Why use this system instead of covers + inserts? When your baby starts walking, the cover + insert system bunches and can be ineffective. With all that movement, comparatively, the pocket system keeps the inserts in place. It’s also really nice to have the pocket diapers ready to go beside the changing table, where the covers + insert needs to be put together. Another con of the pockets is drying time takes a day and it does take a good 15/20 minutes to put them all together. Overall, since the cover + prefold system is pretty cheap, I recommend doing this until the walking stage and then going for the pockets.
♥ CLOTH DIAPER INSERT
I researched the heck out of the absolute BEST inserts for pocket diapers. These came up over and over and over again. I was hesitant to buy a name brand insert because they are a tad bit more pricey and I have had more success with brands not so commercialized. Keep in mind that hemp is a SUPER duper absorbent material so it should go underneath another insert. An insert so absorbent can cause rashes if placed against the skin. I loved the duo of AlvaBaby pocket diapers + the insert that came with them and this underneath them. Remember when prepping these to wash and dry them 4 or 5 times separately from any other laundry ( I know- what a pain). The oils from the natural fiber will stick to other laundry when prepping! Like any natural fiber insert, these take about 10 washes to become fully absorbent. Use cloth diaper safe laundry detergent like Allen’s, listed below!
♥ CLOTH DIAPER SAFE DIAPER CREAM
This stuff is the greatest. All of the rashes we have had have been conquered quickly because of this rash cream. It is super amazing. Because it’s more pricey than basic diaper creams, when I start to see a little redness I use Burt’s Bees multipurpose ointment which is also a diaper safe cream and wont break the bank. If you are in a pinch and need diaper safe cream asap (usually cloth diaper safe creams you can’t really find in stores), use natural (organic) unrefined coconut oil. Coconut oil is cloth diaper safe.
♥ CLOTH DIAPER WIPES
Top Pick: Etsy Marleysmonsters 40 Pack Reusable Wipes (style: no preference)
ADORABLE wipes! I can’t recommend Marleysmonsters any higher. We’ve used these for 16 months now and they are holding up super well. They do get a tad rougher when washed a zillion times but even then, they are still fantastic. These are some of my favorite cloth diaper things!
♥ SPRAY BOTTLE
Instead of using anything fancy (like a wipe warmer) with our cloth diapers, we just use a simple spray bottle with water. You can use essential oils in the water (we did for a little bit) but we had some stubborn rashes and I found that basic water worked for us. Buy one for the changing table and one for the diaper bag! 🙂
♥ DIAPER PAIL
Top Pick: Hefty 13.3 Gallon Pivot Lid Trash Can – Black
The right diaper pail is ESSENTIAL when cloth diapering. Smell can be the sole reason people quit on cloth diapering and it’s all because they have the wrong pail or washing routine. Wash every other day and purchase a trash can like this one with a pivot lid. Very little to no smell. We have this exact trash can and it’s absolutely perfect. It was recommended to me by another cloth diaper blogger. The pivot allows for a little bit of breathing room and this actually helps with the smell. I know, it sounds backwards but if you shut off all the air to your dirty diapers that smell festers in bad ways. I use this trash can with the Planet Wise pail liners (below) and wash every other day. Check out my cloth diaper 101 blog post for my recommended washing routine.
♥ DIAPER PAIL LINER
If you scour the internet like I did for the best cloth diaper pail liner, you will find that many have all sorts of complaints and for some reason, everyone just loves these Plant Wise liners. The Amazon reviews on this one are spot on. Buy two. When one is in the wash, one will be on the trash can. We have washed these every other day for over a year and they still look and work like brand new.
♥ WOOL DRYER BALLS
Dryer balls will help fluff up your cloth diaper inserts in the dryer and allow them to dry faster. There are a ton of wool dryer balls out there with various types of wool. I like Woolzies because the wool used is a very nice quality, they are a good size and they’ve held up amazingly well.
♥ DIAPER DRYING RACK
Top Pick: ClosetMaid 48″ Mounted Wire Shelf
To hang cloth diaper covers, you will need a place to do so. There are many ways people have done this. In order to maintain the integrity of the elastic gussets, the best way to hang your covers is sideways so that there is no pull on the gusset (see photo below). This shelf allows room to do so and fits all covers for one wash. It isn’t built the best but it’s low-cost, works great and is the perfect size and design for cloth diapers.
ClosetMaid 48″ Mounted Wire Shelf holding 24 AlvaBaby pocket diapers
♥ CLOTH DIAPER LAUNDRY DETERGENT
When comparing all the lists of cloth diaper safe laundry detergent, Allen’s Naturally kept showing up at the top with all the positive check marks. I purchased this gallon size detergent at the very beginning of our cloth diaper journey and 16 months later, we STILL have plenty (using two pumps every other day). I think this one bottle will last one baby an entire cloth diaper lifespan from newborn to potty training. Why use a special laundry detergent for cloth diapers? Other regular brands coat fabric to repel (which is a no go!) and contain softeners, scent etc. that build up in fabric. These built up soaps in your baby’s diaper will cause rashes and repel secretions against baby’s skin. This ruins your cloth diapers. Cloth diaper safe laundry detergent gently cleans cloth diapers safely so you can use them over and over and over!
♥ CLOTH DIAPER WET BAG (FOR TRAVEL)
Planet Wise is the best! These little wet diaper totes are the bomb and they come in such cute colors! I have two and wash our cloth diapers every other day. I wish I had three because I use these every day and have to use a plastic grocery bag when these are drying. They keep in smell perfectly, and fit a great amount of diapers (we’ve used them on trips and they hold an entire day’s worth of pocket diapers with all the inserts).
♥ CLOTHESPINS
Okay so, hanger clips are obviously necessary for hanging up cloth diaper covers (they don’t belong in the dryer) but these are GREAT. They are super duper sturdy, plus you can add them to baby hangers and they clip in nicely. This allows you to hang pants, skirts etc.
