A parent needs every advantage they can get when it comes to babies. It can be very tiring and I'd say a parent needs items to make the journey comfortable, effecient, and as calming for both baby and paremt as possible. Do you Need an all in one stroller that has a car seat that attaches and you just lift the whole seat out and snap it into the base in the car....technically no, but logically yes. If the baby is sleeping or theres bad weather....you need speed and efficiency while keeping the baby warm, comfortable....and sleeping. A vibratong jumper/ sleeper can do wonders for the sanity of the parent when trying to get baby to sleep.
We got our daughter a Bumbo before we got her a high chair. It's kinda like a low chair
But technically you don't NEED a high chair or Bumbo. You can feed your baby while they move & roll around but it'd get messy & probably take longer each time. You don't need tummy time pads, you don't need a baby bath if you have a large enough kitchen sink, don't need a bouncer but they are super convenient. Putting my daughter to sleep & simply taking care of her in the early stages would've been harder without it. You don't need a walker (although that's toddler stage, not baby stage), don't need a bassinet but you will need a crib once they start rolling, don't need sleep sacks (I got my daughter this cute teddy bear swaddler but even that's not necessary lol)
There's a loooong list of things you don't need. So many products these days are just for convenience & they aren't gonna be needed for very long anyway before the baby grows past it. We got plenty of things we don't "need" but it's really just for convenience. Some are worth it, some aren't. It'd be a lot simpler to list the things you DO need
High chairs: very necessary Tummy time mats: can just use your own blankets Sleep sacks: I didn't use Baby bath: I didn't use Grooming kit: I only used baby nail clippers from it Playpen: nice to have
Alot of the items are just a sell but it really depends on what's comfortable/easy for every individual parent and how you implement using regular non baby stuff for baby. Back in the older days they didn't have half the stuff they make today and they got by just fine. Still in other non* (auto had changed it to nonsense wtf 🤣) Western cultures, they don't use the stuff they sell here and co sleeping is completely accepted by all
Obviously a car seat is a must. Duh. I loved my stroller, we walked a lot, I also loved my chest carrier and I wore my baby all the time. Burp cloths, definitely want a ton of those.
I loved this thingy up until he wanted to crawl everywhere. Was amazing. I had a cheaper version.
SW-User
You need: A crib Diapers Diaper cream Sleepers and onsies (honestly all they wear the first year) At least 20 burp clothes Things for them to chew on, preferably things you can freeze. A couple baby blankets A stoller Car seat (bucket and a bigger one or just the bigger one rated from 6 lbs) I highly recommend a Baby Björn carrier (I used mine a lot) A few hand eye coordination toys once they’re 4 months + A baby monitor. A high chair
Most things you can compromise with things you already have, like the tummy time blanket, a regular one works just the same.
Things like these come from necessity. You don't need to buy them all, but they are there in case you need them. High chairs are safe places to feed your kid, let them learn to eat on their own. A place they can mess up, but not escape from. Baby bouncers and play pens are places you can put you kid that is reasonably safe (I never trusted a baby bouncer), so you can go off and do things you need to do. Vacuum, pump milk, do laundry, whatever.
A swing or a sassy seat will be your best friend. We didn’t get a high chair until my babies were eating on their own. A bassinet on wheels is a lifesaver
need: a baby front carrier a baby backpack carrier a swing a vibrating bouncy chair a rolling walker a stroller a playpen a crib receiving blankets burp cloths drool bibs feeding bib bottles if not breastfeeding carseat (the kind that detaches from the base) baby washcloths nose sucker thing a high chair lots of onesies diapers diaper cream powder wet wipes
of course you dont truly neeed all of these things but they sure make taking care of a baby more tolerable my oldest loved her swing and my youngest loved her vibrating bouncy chair. if i didnt have that thing i wouldnt have gotten any sleep at all. if i didnt have the swing i wouldnt have had any chance to clean with the oldest one.
Just ask yourself how many people were born and grew up before those things were even invented. That should answer the question as to their necessity .
@Lucyy Seriously though: Don't get a change table. Change baby of the floor (on something big and waterproof). Reusable diapers save a fortune - get a lidded bucket for them.
