An Exclusive Baby Layette—What's Worth Buying, and What Can You Skip?

The children's items are so cute and so well-made that you could easily leave the baby registry shopping trip with a truck loaded to the brim.. On top of that, before the baby is born, everything seems necessary—preferably in multiples, because what if one gets lost, another gets dirty, and the third ends up at Grandma’s??

Essentials

To start with, it's best to focus on what's essential. So for now, we're closing our eyes and not looking at Effia's beautiful bunnies—let alone La Millou's cuddly toys. Because what does a child do at first?? He sleeps, eats, and poops in his diaper. So we need a crib (Stokke has some great options that grow with your child—it’s also worth checking out TROLL’s selection) with a mattress, a comforter with a pillowcase, a blanket, and we’re all set for bedtime.

After your baby is born, you may find that it's impossible to sleep without white noise—in that case, you can buy a Szumisia Bear (either the entire stuffed animal or just the head).. After the baby is born, we can also buy a sleeping bag—depending on what time of year the baby is born. In the summer, simply wrapping him in a diaper (preferably a muslin one, which feels very soft—Poofi, for example, offers these Poofi), and if it’s winter, you might want to consider a thicker sleeping bag (e.g., Snoozebaby or Quax).

Another issue is food. It all depends on whether you decide to breastfeed or use formula. Breastfeeding is more convenient in that, if you choose this option, the only thing you’ll need to get is a breast pump (along with a million doses of patience, a head of cabbage, lecithin tablets, and an occasional non-alcoholic beer to help you relax)..

For added comfort while breastfeeding, you can use a special pillow—such as the La Millou chicken pillow or Poofi nursing pillows. Along with dry shampoo, these pillows are one of humanity's greatest inventions. In the first few weeks of life, a baby is as limp as a rag, and even though we listened carefully in antenatal classes to learn how to hold the baby for feeding, the baby was usually asleep at that time. That's why it's best to have a pillow, lay the baby on it, latch the baby onto your breast, and fire up your Kindle with an interesting book.

If you're feeding your baby formula, it's a good idea to have bottles ready (e.g., from Medela), a bottle dryer (my favorite model is the Green Grass from Boon), and a bottle warmer.

As for diapers, you’ll just have to stock up on two million diapers and baby wipes. It's also a good idea to buy some diaper cream in case of diaper rash.

Of course, before the baby is born, you also need to buy a stroller and a car seat, but that's a topic for a separate post ;).

Second-Level Essentials

Unfortunately, people don't get any younger with time, and this applies to both a 100-year-old and a one-month-old baby. While a newborn really does just eat, sleep, and soil its diaper, a two-month-old baby may already show a greater desire to be active.

Only then should you start looking for a playmat—the Octopus model from Mamas&Papas, for example, is great. We lay the baby down on a mat like this; the mat is soft to the touch and colorful, so the baby feels cared for and, at the same time, engaged, while we can get on with making dinner.