I spend hundreds of hours inside the homes of parents with brand new, precious infants. As a result, I’ve had a chance to understand what babies need - and what they don’t. Or, should I say, I’ve had a chance to understand what parents need - and what they don’t - when it comes to taking care of a newborn and infant.

To that end, I want to help you streamline your wish-list - knowing that anything you decide you need after baby arrives (I have a hunch it won’t be much…), can be ordered online and delivered within 24 sweet little hours.

What You Absolutely Need When You Bring Home a Newborn

I can keep this one pretty easy for you because I’ve already written a post about it. If you want to read my suggestions in detail, visit, Top 10 Must-Have & Useful Baby Products for New Parents.

The bullet-point list read like this:

Baby monitor
Maternity/newborn photos (come on, how could I not include that one?)
A beautiful, soft, cozy robe (that’s for you, mamas)
A crib
A bouncer
Changing station (functional - doesn’t need to be uber-chic)
White-noise machine (optimal for city-dwelling families)
Black-out shades
Glider/rocker with ottoman
Co-sleeping bassinet

To be honest, I feel like the next-up list of “Don’t-Needs” is the critical 4-1-1 of this post. So, let’s put our attention there…

Don’t Waste Your Time (and space) With Baby “Don’t-Needs”

The bottom line is the large majority of the things you don’t-need-and-will-hardly-ever-use fall into the “super cute” category. But “super cute” does not at all translate to “super useful” when it comes to a baby’s needs. That means all that stuff is a waste of money and it clutters up your home. Plus, some of it is just plain unsafe.

Fancy crib bedding

The days of fancy crib bedding have ended if you care about newborn safety. The bottom line is that comforters, bumpers, snuggly stuffies - are all hazardous to baby’s breathing. Cribs should only have a single, fitted sheet. Period. When it’s time for the baby to sleep, dress him/her accordingly for warmth and comfort, forgoing crib bedding of any sort.

Baby wipe warmers

The idea is sound; but it’s a wasted practice. First, baby wipes aren’t that cold, and they warm up pretty fast just through your own hand contact. Those nether-regions can get hot, so some babies actually enjoy the refreshing, cool sensation. Second, getting used to warm wipes at home means your baby is in shock every time you change his/her diapers anywhere else. Baby in shock = crying baby. Yikes!

Frilly bassinets

Bassinets are like the western-hemisphere’s icon for New Baby. But, I’ll be honest - I have yet to see one that is actually put to use for anything other than storage for all the don’t-need baby stuff. Your baby will grow up and out of the bassinet quicker than you can believe, which leaves you with a useless bassinet, taking up space in the house, and no time or energy to find it a new home. Stick to a co-sleeping bassinet and/or the crib.

Baby towel and/or robe

Let’s start with the robe - you can forget about it. Kids don’t have the capacity to wear robes without getting tangled up in them until a while after the walking phase. As for the towel, the critter-themed hoodies are adorable...and they’re so thin that they hardly absorb any water. Plus, baby towels are small, and babies tend to keep on growing.

Give yourself the gift of new, ultra-soft regular towels for your household. It’s a win-win for everyone - and your baby will be warmer dryer, and more cuddly until you get him/her into a fresh diaper and whatever s/he’ll wear next.

In the meantime, visit, Things to Remember When Bathing Your Newborn, for tips on safe and comfortable bathing experiences.

Baby shoes and socks

I know they are so cute, and they make you weep with tenderness. But, if you can’t resist those itty-bitty-pointless baby shoes and socks, save yourself the hassle and have them professionally framed in a shadow box as part of your baby’s nursery decor; that’s about as useful as they get.

Baby shoes are too constricting for baby feet, which prefer to move and wiggle with abandon, and baby socks just fall off all the time - a major nuisance and annoyance (“Oh, look! Junior is only wearing one sock - again - and we have no idea where/when the other one came off…”). Invest in newborn pants with footies and/or sleep sacks for colder days. Otherwise, let the baby’s feet free-range with delight.

I’m Marcela and I’m a professional maternity and newborn photographer. In my line of work, it’s all about honoring the magic of newborn-hood - while remaining practical and pragmatic. Are you interested in booking your newborn session? Contact me to schedule a consultation at (510) 747-9019.

The Must-Haves & Don't-Needs When Shopping For Baby