6 Minimalist Baby Essentials for Mums

After having two healthy vegan pregnancies and homebirths, I want to share my top minimalist baby essentials with you in the hope they will help you in your motherhood journey. I like simple living and when it comes to adding a baby to the mix I want to keep things as simple as possible, my mummy brain needs it, how about you mama?!?

Minimalism can mean many things to different people, and so I am going with my version of minimalism with regards to baby essentials to keep it to the point. In this modern world, we are bombarded with all the baby stuff you * should * get as a parent. All the paraphernalia, gadgets, cute outfits, clobber and STUFF. Quite frankly, it scares me all that stuff, is it really necessary for bringing a baby into the world?!?! No. Simply put, no.

My biggest tip for any mama is to listen to your heart with everything, it serves you well. Intuition is everything! Do this with pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, raising a child and what things you purchase throughout motherhood for the little ones. My mama heart says to keep it simple… with everything! And that includes the baby clothes.

My version of minimalist baby essentials might seem simple to some and still too much for others. I am sharing what works for me and helps to keep it simple whilst still purchasing items I love that will serve the family for a long time. I like to purchase items that will last a long time and ideally for future babies. I like quality over quantity. I like to think about what feels natural, simple and easy for mummy and baby. I like to think about what will help the baby feel connected to me. I like to see certain items as an investment for the family. All these play a part in my minimalist approach.

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6 Minimalist Baby Essentials

I love everything baby, what mummy doesnt’t?!?! And this is the issue with buying all the baby stuff. Marketing and clever companies promote all the baby gear that we apparently need to be a parent and raise our children, yet all those things are just for those businesses to profit, it has nothing to do with what is best for baby, mummy and the family. Ok, some companies might have our best interests at heart, but bear this in mind when getting sucked into another baby gadget.

Here are 6 of my favourite minimalist baby essentials. Honestly, you don’t even need all of these either, you could keep it simpler for you and your family!

Baby Carriers

First and foremost, I am obsessed with baby carriers. Once I became pregnant with my first child I knew I would be diving into the world of babywearing as it feels so natural and normal to me to carry my baby. I have never had a pram, and use baby carriers only.

I carried my first child in a baby carrier from the beginning for many years. Over the years I acquired many types of carriers as I just love them for practicality, versatility, comfort and connection for baby/child, soothing, being hands-free to cook, walk the dogs, housework etc, and just because I love them. I have had buckle carriers, half buckle carriers, stretchy wraps, woven wraps and ring slings and love every single one.

One of my favourite woven wraps is the Didymos Prima Aurora.

Buckle carriers and stretchy wraps are great for the newborn and young baby phase. Ring slings can work for this phase too! Buckle carriers, woven wraps and ring slings are perfect for the older baby and toddler phase. Buckle carriers and woven wraps are great for the child phase.

As mentioned, I carried my first child from almost day one (as from day one we were snuggled in bed for the first two weeks resting, bonding, healing and building our breastfeeding relationship, so I started using a carrier when she was around 2 weeks old), and used all the variety of carriers for years. To date, she is 5 years old and I have the pre-school buckle carrier from Baby Tula that fits perfect for her which I use for short bursts at home. I had to stop using it a few months into my second pregnancy as it felt uncomfortable so I am excited to see if I can still use it alongside the baby for those moments that my oldest needs a little extra connection when in the kitchen. Ahhh my mama heart is excited!!!

Check out The Best Carrier Options for Newborns!

Also: Top 10 Tips for Making Babywearing a Success

I have a lot to say about baby carriers and babywearing which I will save for another post. Invest in quality carriers and they will last a very long time. They take up less space than prams, are easy to put in a bag, are perfect for travelling, are great for attending parties and events, are amazing for out walking the dogs, the perfect accompaniment whilst making food, and you can use them again and again with more children. Plus, there are many beautiful designs!

So yes, baby carriers are essential on my minimalist baby list as they are minimal in size, simple to use, perfect for mummy and baby bonding and they last (almost?!?) forever.

Some of my favourite brands: Baby Tula, Sakura Bloom, Solly Baby, Didymos, Oscha Slings, Happy Baby, Ergo Baby, Pavo Textiles.

Clothes

Keep it simple! You do not need to buy all the clothes before the baby arrives, plus family and friends may buy clothes as gifts so hold on. You don’t know what size the baby is truly going to be and how quickly they will grow. Get the bare minimum in sleepsuits, babygrows, vests, cardigans and hats. I generally go for size 0-3 months, I might get a few pieces at newborn size but don’t see the point in much of that size as they don’t last long. Personally, I don’t do “boy/girl” clothing and believe either gender can wear whatever colour and I like mainly neutral colours. You can always buy more clothes once the baby arrives and you can gauge their growth rate.

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Cloth Nappies

For the first few weeks after the baby is born, I like to use eco-friendly disposable nappies and then move on to cloth nappies. I still have all the cloth nappies from my first child and using them for my second child. Cloth nappies may seem expensive upfront but they do last a very long time and can be used again and again with subsequent children.

Check out 7 Tips for a Healthy Vegan Pregnancy

Bump and Breastfeeding Friendly Clothes

My style has changed over the years and when I was pregnant the first time I was generally a t-shirt and joggers kinda girl at home. This style of clothing was very bump and breastfeeding friendly as t-shirts and lounge pants are super comfy, have plenty of space for a growing bump, postpartum comfort and easy access to the boobs for the baby. The second time around I was more of a dress kinda girl and this love for dresses grew outside of being pregnant and was an extra bonus with the growing bump as I found it so comfy. Be sure to get dresses that have comfort for a growing bump and easy access to the boobs for the baby.

Whatever your style, wear clothes you feel comfortable in, whether that is t-shirts, leggings, joggers or dresses. I absolutely LOVE Petal & Pup for bump and breastfeeding friendly dresses.

Towels / Cloth Wipes / Blankets 

I have grouped towels, cloth wipes and blankets together as they are all pieces of material that can be used interchangeably if needs be and keeps things simple for us mums. Towels are great for homebirth, leaky boobs when breastfeeding, drying baby, and bath time. Cloth wipes are a super way to save money on constantly buying disposable baby wipes. Use cloth wipes for cleaning after nappy changes, wiping hands and faces, cleaning up any small breastmilk leaks and can continue to be used with older children. Blankets are great for post-birth, snuggling the baby and generally keeping the baby warm. Thin blankets are great for summertime when carrying the baby in a baby carrier to keep the sun off the baby’s arms and legs.

Car Seat

If you don’t have a car then skip this one. If you do have a car then you will need a car seat. Invest in a good quality car seat that will last the baby well into childhood. I like the brands Britax and Graco.

Check out 10 Healthy Habits for Women in Your 30s

Questions about Minimalist Baby Essentials

Here are a few more common questions when preparing for a baby.

What are the bare necessities for a newborn?

In all honesty, for the bare necessities, all you need is clothing and nappies. In fact, you don’t even need nappies as you could learn elimination communication and use a potty or the toilet. I used elimination communication from early on with my first child alongside using cloth nappies and it really helped with understanding when she needed the toilet and tuning into her body needs. I have heard of some mums just using the toilet or potty from newborn and it worked well for them as a family.

How many baby clothes do you need?

How long is a piece of never-ending string? This comes down to personal preference and knowing your baby’s needs. The nappy might leak more often than you’d like or breastmilk gets all over the clothes, anything could happen that requires a clothing change. Once you know the rhythm and routine of you and your baby it will help to know how much clothing you really need.

I know this isn’t helpful as a first-time mum when preparing for a baby. Start with a small amount and then you can always buy more. Get a pack or two of sleepsuits, a pack of bodysuits and maybe vests, a few cardigans and hats, a coat/all in one suit depending on the season. You don’t need lots of clothes for a baby…they grow!!!!!

What baby items are not necessary?

This truly is down to personal preference. As shown in the 6 examples above for minimalist baby essentials there isn’t much more you really need for a baby. This is my personal opinion, I don’t think these items are necessary: pram, cot, baby monitor, all the clothes, dummy, baby play mat gym, bouncer with gadgets, and anything with all the gadgets.

When we allow ourselves to dial in with our intuition as a mum, the natural process of birth and babies, and simplify the whole process of babyhood, all that is really needed is clothing to keep the baby warm, somewhere to sleep (co-sleeping is wonderful for all), breastfeeding (for food, hydration, comfort, connection etc), baby carrier (comfort, connection, sleep, hands-free mama and a happy baby).

Want to boost wellness? Get Revive Essential Oils. These are my favourite essential oils for diffusing, skincare, haircare, dog care and housework. Code: REBECCA10

Minimalist Baby Essentials

As a first-time mum or already a mama looking for baby inspiration, it is easy to put together minimalist baby essentials when we allow ourselves to block out the noise of must-have baby items and focus on what is truly needed. Of course, feel free to buy whatever you want for your baby, however, if you’re reading this blog post then I can only assume you are looking for tips on how to simplify baby items.

Whatever baby essentials you choose for your family, the best gift we can give our babies is the gift of love. Enjoy your baby, it sure is a magical wonderful time in our lives.

If you really like this blog post and it was helpful for you please share it with your friends and family or leave a comment below. I really appreciate it and would love to hear from you! Let me know if you are pregnant and what is on your baby list.

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