Bringing up baby is no longer just the mother’s job. Dads around the world are more involved than ever, from 3am teething woes to 8am vomit on that freshly ironed work shirt. It’s trench warfare out there (we know!), so we’ve compiled a list of essentials for new dads to help make your lives just a little bit easier.
Not just any list mind you, but the tried-and-truly best of what’s out there. The best bedtime accessories to help your baby rest so you can catch up on your sleep! The best diaper gear to help deal with those messy situations! Relief for teething? Baby food maker? Cuddle soother? We got you! We even found the perfect Munchkin Inflatable Safety Tub, and you didn’t even know what that was!
This essentials list, as the title promises, is essential for all you new dads out there. May you raise’ em right and get at least a bit of shut-eye on the way.
“As a a parent, I have personally used every item on this list, researched high and low, compared and contrasted, and often went through many different versions of a certain item to get to the one I felt really got the job done. These are all my go-to’s.” – Ilaria, LEO Founder and parent of three.
FEEDING GEAR
Baby Brezza Formula Machine $200
“This is hands down the best formula maker. You’ll be especially great for it in middle-of-the-night feedings or when baby is crying bloody murder for his bottle.”
“They make plastic ones as well as glass ones. I prefer the plastic ones for travel & diaper bag because they weigh less, and the glass ones for home. Make sure to switch up the nipple sizes per their age, it makes a big difference because if they drink it down too fast they get very gassy and uncomfortable. Start with newborn or level 1 and onward (or preemie size if needed).”
Kiinde Kozii Bottle Warmer $75
“You don’t need this when you using the Brezza because it heats the bottles for you, but great to have for pumped bottles or bottles that need to be reheated.”
“No contest, this is the best food maker for when they start solids around 5 to 6 months old. Great for pureeing anything from veggies and fruit and even meats. Comes with a recipe booklet and is beyond easy to use.”
“The go-to brands for spit-up bibs, bath cloths, food bibs, and swaddles. So soft.”
Philips Avent Steam Sterilizer $17
“My favorite bottle sterilizer because it’s straight forward and fast. I also throw pacifiers and other items on in there.”
“I’ve tried too many high chairs, and this is the only one I like. It’s comfortable, easy to get in and out of, and looks minimal. You can also remove the tray and slide the chair up to the dining table.”
DIAPER GEAR
“By far my favorite. cleanest organic diapers that actually get the job done and won’t leave you with a bunch of blow-outs.”
Medline Ultrasoft Dry Baby Wipes $30
“Something no one tells you is that half the battle of avoiding a diaper rash is not using irritating baby wipes. I like these as they are super sensitive on their skin as they have nothing in them. You wet them profusely and then put them in the diaper warmer. Plus they’re super cheap for the quantity; you go through so many wipes that the packaged ones become too expensive.”
Munchkin Warm Glow Wipe Warmer $30
“This is the baby wipe warmer I used with the Medline Wipes. For middle of the night diaper changes, a cold wipe will annoy them or wake them up.”
Seventh Generation Baby Wipes $30
“These are the baby wipes I use on the go (in the diaper bag or in the car). Seventh Generation products are so reliably clean and non toxic.”
California Baby Calming Diaper Area Wash $34
“This helps to clean their butt when they have big poops.”
“Trust me you need this. It’s a diaper trash can that seals the smell out. A classic.”
Babyletto Lolly 3 Drawer Changer Dresser $499
“I used this for all my kids because it’s a decent price, holds a lot of storage, and has the changing tray right on top. Once you’re done with diapers you lose the tray and just have it as a dresser for the kids’ stuff.”
Naturepedic Organic Changing Pad $99
“A go-to brand for anything the kids lay on because it’s non toxic. It goes right on top of the changing table but you can also use it on a floor or a bed.”
Baby Mantra Diaper Rash Ointment $19
“My favorite diaper cream is from Seventh Generation but since that’s currently out of stock, I also like this one as it’s gentle and great for sensitive skin.”
“If you’re having a boy, you’ll need these so you don’t get peed on mid diaper change.”
ALVABABY Diaper Wet Dry Bags $13
“These are a must to keep in your diaper bag. It’s a zip up wet bag for putting in the dirty diaper if there isn’t a trash can nearby. I also keep one for wet or dirty clothes if they have an accident on the go or for wet swimsuits.”
SLEEP TIME GEAR
“This is my favorite crib. It’s organic, super affordable and looks great. So many of the other organic or eco cribs are unnecessarily expensive. This does the same exact thing and is great quality.”
HoMedics White Noise Sound Machine $22
“This has always been my go-to sound machine. It’s easy, works well, is light enough for travel, and cheap.”
“A lot of people prefer the baby monitors that link to your phone, but I always think: what happens if your phone dies or breaks or your wifi goes out. This one is reliable and easy to set up and use.”
Fischer-Price Calming Vibrations Cuddle Soother $20
“A big hit with babies, helps soothe them to sleep because it has a calming vibration, and it’s cute.”
“With all the fancy and expensive rockers, a lot of babies end up liking this cheap one so who are we to argue? Really comes in handy for naps, and I like that it’s light so it can easily be moved from room to room with one hand.”
Baby Merlin’s Microfleece Magic Sleepsuit $40
“At around 4 or 5 months, or whenever they start rolling, you will need to transition them out of their swaddle. This funny little astronaut suit is a life saving transitional item because they won’t be quite ready to sleep with just nothing yet.”
Aden + Anais Swaddle Blanket $55
“This is everyone’s favorite swaddle, so I wouldn’t bother buying them until after your baby shower because you’ll likely get a lot of them gifted from various people. Good for swaddling, but also for throwing over a stroller for extra sun coverage or nap time, and always comes handy in a spill or spit-up.”
“For kids who hate being swaddled, this is a good alternative cause it allows their arms to be out (and, again, great for parents who don’t have the swaddling thing down).”
90 Minute Baby Sleep Program $12
“Out of all the baby books, this is the ONE I recommend. This sleep program is a life changer for parents with young babies. “
Naturepedic Organic Quilted Crib Mattress $613
“As mentioned earlier, I trust Naturepedic the most. It’s definitely expensive, but a lot of mattresses are so toxic and they spend so much time face down on it. They last a long time, so you can use it for future babies too.”
Naturepedic Orangic Mattress Pad $179
“This protects the mattress in case of pee accidents, which can happen a lot until they graduate to an overnight diaper.”
BATH TIME GEAR
California Baby Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash $60
“I’ve done a lot of research on this, and this company has the most transparent, organic, clean products. When available, I order their brand for various things.”
California Baby Massage Body Oil $38
“Baby oil for the post-bath baby massage. It calms them down and helps them go to sleep. I do bath, massage, reading time as a good bedtime routine.”
“Bathing new babies is so stressful and this bathtub makes it way easier and safe, and so much better than bathing them in the sink.”
Munchkin Inflatable Safety Tub $25
“Once they can sit up well on their own, around 4 to 6 months, I love this inflatable bathtub. I even used it to travel with it in my suitcase since it’s deflatable. The bath tub is too big even at that age, so this feels safer and uses way less water. You toss bath toys in there and let them play. But remember to never take your eyes off them in the tub even for a second.”
Skip Hop Moby Bath Essential Set $51
“I like all the Skip Hop bath accessories. They’re a little silly looking but really make bath time more pleasant. There’s a bathmat for your knees, elbow mat (comes in handy, it hurts without it), spout cover to protect their heads, and a waterfall rinser to keep water and soap out of their eyes when rinsing out their hair.”
B&H Baby Water Thermometer $17
“This tells you if the water is too hot or too cold for baby to get into. The ideal temp for babies is 100 F (38 C).”
“Favorite baby brush because it’s soft and soothing. The comb is good for wet hair.”
“Pottery Barn Kids makes the cutest, coziest baby towels. Size up so you don’t have to keep getting bigger ones as they grow.”
“I like to use bath time as additional reading time. This book is awesome becasue it’s water proof and teaches kids about bath time.”
CAR GEAR
Diono Radian 3RX 3-in-1 Car Seat $280
“My favorite car seat to use once they have grown out of their infant car seat. It has amazing safety ratings and is very slim so fits in any car and if you have more kids, it can fit 3 across. For the infant car seat, I would just get whichever one is compatible with your stroller to make that transition from car to stroller and vice versa easier.”
“If your back windows aren’t tinted you really need this. I liked these better than others I tried as they stick easily, don’t peel, and take up most of the window for better sun protection.”
“The first few months while they face backwards in the car, you’ll need a car mirror so you can keep an eye on them in your rearview. I tried a couple of different ones and this was my favorite. I like how big it is for full view.”
“Pretty great for dads who are very outdoorsy as it can go on all sorts of terrain and can fit up to two kids or one kid and any other gear or groceries. Can even have a car seat attach to it.”
Palm Beach Crew Waterproof Blanket $68
“I keep this in the trunk of the car for the park or the beach. The corners are weighed down so they don’t fly up which is really handy and it’s big enough to fit the whole fam and all the gear.”
HEALTH & SAFETY GEAR
Tommee Tippee Forehead Thermometer $20
“I pretty much hate all baby thermometers, but this one gets the job done and just takes the temp off their forehead.”
Colic Calm Infant Gas Relief Drops $19
“This is to calm their bellies when they’re gassy or colicky, and it’s natural. Really makes a difference as almost all babies have issues with colic and gas.”
“This one is great for colic and gas as well. It’s worth having both and see which one works best for your baby. Colic is a real thing and make the difference between a happy and cranky baby.”
Hyland’s Baby Oral Pain Relief Tablets $6
“This one is great too. In my opinion, all of the Hyland’s products are good when you want a natural remedy for teething, colds, coughs and so on.”
“My pediatrician recommended this and it works really well. A good homeopathic option for kid sniffles.”
“This is an all-around great cream for any rashes, irritations or can even be used as a diaper cream. I always keep one in the diaper bag.”
