top 5 newborn must-haves

Newborns. They don't need a lot of stuff. You'll spend most of the first six weeks holding, feeding, and changing your baby. But there are a handful of essential items that make first-time momming much easier and, dare I say, enjoyable. I don't think we would have made it to month two without these five life (and sanity) savers!

Please bear in mind that there are multitudes of parenting styles and yours may not perfectly align with mine. I am definitely a fan of attachment parenting, and this list will reflect that. 

1. Wrap carrier

I cannot tell you the number of times I have used a wrap carrier in the last seven months. A wrap carrier is a long strip of fabric, usually stretchy, that you wind around your body a million times and then somehow you're able to tuck your baby down in the folds and tote him around. Your arms are free to do whatever you want. The best part? You can go to the bathroom and not have to put the baby down. Newborns love to be snuggled up close to mom's chest and wrap carriers make them feel just as secure as they were in the womb.

2. Dock-a-Tot
I'm gonna come right out and say it... this is expensive, but there are similar products out there to fit any budget. The Dock-a-Tot is a safe sleeping space for baby that fits right in the bed with mom and dad. It cradles baby on all sides and keeps him from rolling around into his parents' sleep space, but gives a nursing mom easy access to baby for night time feeds. Plus, its super portable and machine washable! Sleeping space is a hot topic in the baby world and there's a big foggy blur around the safety of co-sleeping, but I love co-sleeping with my little! We used this until baby was able to freely roll and crawl out on his own.

3. Sleep sacks
Everyone told me that babies love to be swaddled. My baby hated it. We swaddled him for maybe three days after he was born but he was so wiggly we just gave up. He also liked having his arms free. Sleep sacks and nightgowns were our solution for keeping baby warm at night without swaddling or using dangerous loose blankets. I recommend sleeved sacks with zippers, like this one, that make night time diaper changes quick.

4. Muslin swaddle blankets
I know I said my son didn't like to be swaddled. What he did like was spitting up on everything, but mostly on me, and all those cutesy glorified maxi-pads called "burp cloths" weren't nearly large enough to collect the incredible amount of partially digested milk my kid could spew. Every day was a blood...er, milk bath. We received a few muslin swaddle blankets as gifts and these became my burp cloths. They were large enough to protect my entire torso from being drenched after every feeding. The gauzy material was easy to clean, too. These are also good as lightweight nursing covers or stroller blankets. I still keep one in the diaper bag for emergencies!

5. Coconut oil
What kind of crunchy mama would I be if I didn't suggest coconut oil as an essential baby product? Y'all, this is the best thing for your baby's scaly cradle cap, dry skin, and rashy bum. Its all natural and doesn't stain clothing or mess with the absorbency of cloth diapers. And your baby is gonna smell like a delicious macaroon... who wouldn't want that? Go ahead and purchase an industrial size tub.

Honorable mention / nursing pillow, swing, rocking chair, baby gym, NoseFrida

Every magazine and baby blog out there will give you a giant list of products you need for a new baby, but [if you're nursing] you really don't need more than a few onesies, some blankets, diapers, and a place for baby to sleep. Talk to your partner about what you value most when it comes to the material things for baby. How much laundry do you want to do? Would you rather put baby in a swing or bouncer while you get stuff done around the house, or would you prefer to keep baby close? Will baby really need a giant crib, or would you prefer a bassinet? Its your baby, you can buy what you want.