Week 21 Update: This week has been mostly the same! Bump is looking a little bit bigger, and I’ve gained about 1lb in the last week. During second and third trimester is where your weight starts to change a little more often. I’ve heard it can be anywhere from 1-2lbs per week, and the range is often somewhere between 15-50 lbs depending on where your weight started at. I’ve gained probably a total of 10 lbs since January overall, we will see how that changes with the next 19 weeks! I did experience some lower back pain for the first time this week, but I think it’s stemming from an old injury in my tailbone that gets activated with weight bearing. The baby/uterus can push on the tailbone in later stages of pregnancy, so I think that’s where it’s coming from, but I’ll double check with my doctor on this if it’s still bothering me at my next appointment. Food wise – still no cravings or foods I won’t eat! I eat healthy most of the week and then allow myself a treat food 2-3 times a week. Yesterday was an ice cream cone! Haha. It also helps me get some extra calories in especially on days I exercise. Symptoms are about the same, abdominal ligament stretches has pretty much stopped unless a go for a long walk, no headaches, but I am consistently pretty tired all the time, makes sense why I’ve been so tired all year! Hair is looking thicker, skin is clear, and nails are strong so those are all positives! And I am occasionally feeling a kick or two from Apollo too. 🙂
I made this list initially for myself and then realized how overwhelming it was for me to think of everything, because I had literally no idea what I would need. I decided I’d make this list public and share it with other future mothers that might also be confused about what to get/what they need. I put this list together with hyperlinks for everything and quantity needed (for one child, so if you’re having twins you might want to double some of these things). I always try to find the nicest quality for the least expensive price for pretty much everything I use, I love a good deal on something that is functional and long lasting. There are some things I am more willing to splurge on than others, but what you see here will be everything you need with links attached to the items I found that I personally thought were reasonable price-wise and also excellent quality. 🙂 I will also continue to update it as I go if I find more things or realize I was missing something, and if you enjoy this list, I’ll continue making them as the baby grows for different ages!
Clothes List of What to Get
- Undershirts or Onesies – Quantity 8, mix short and long sleeve, we got a lot of ours from friends, my mom ordered some from Gerber, and a lot of the brands we have are from Carter’s as well. This is for all the clothes on this list.
- Nightgowns – Quantity 5 (for use until the cord falls off)
- One-piece stretchy sleepers – Quantity 8, go for ones with zippers, not buttons.
- Pants – Quantity 5 pairs
- Socks – Quantity 1-2 packs (8 pairs)
- Newborn Hats – Quantity 2
- Scratch Mittens/Mittens, keeps baby from scratching face – Quantity 2 pairs
- Cardigans/Jackets for winter areas – Quantity 2 (might need more in colder climates)
- Bunting Bag/Snowsuit for winter babies
Furniture
- Changing Table (with storage!) – Quantity 1
- Convertible High Chair – Quantity 1
- Crib – I loved this 4-in-1 find from Walmart that turns into a toddler bed, day bed, and full bed as they grow! They have several design options for the 4-in-1 on the website, so you can choose what you like. I also found a mattress, bed sheets, and waterproof covers recommended to get 2-3 sheets of this all at Walmart.
Nursing & Feeding (some of this is specifically for breastfeeding)
- Burp Cloths – Quantity 1-2 Packs
- Breast Milk/Formula Pouch Holder & Organizer – Quantity 1
- Hands-Free Breast Pumping Bra, so you can do other things while pumping – Quantity 1
- Boppy Positioner– Quantity 1
- Bottle Warmer – Quantity 1
- Nursing Bra 5 pack OR 2 pack – Quantity up to you 🙂
- Disposable Nursing Pads – Quantity 1 pack for now
- Breast Milk/Formula Pouches – Quantity as many as you prefer
- Baby toys/bottle sterilizer – Quantity 1
- Bibs – Quantity is just a bunch of them, haha
- Lotion for sore nipples if you are breastfeeding (
- Breast pump – ask your insurance and they may send you one for free.
- Small bottles & Larger bottles, with different nipple sizes
Bed, Bedding, & Sleep
- White Noise Machine/Lullaby – Quantity 1
- Swaddling Blankets – Quantity 1-2 packs
- 3 waterproof mattress covers – linked in furniture
- 4 fitted cribsheets – linked in furniture
- Sleep sacks
Bathing
- Newborn Bath Towels – Hypoallergenic – Quantity 1
- Diaper Rash Ointment – Quantity 1-2 for now, order more as needed
- Hooded Towels – Quantity 1-2 packs
- Infant Bathtub – Quantity 1
- Baby Soap
- Baby soft bristled hair brush
Transportation & Travel
- Stroller and Car Seat Set – Quantity 1, I chose a jogger set for hiking, running, and walking.
- Stroller Accessory – Quantity 1, not necessary, but I saw a lot of complaints about not having room on the stroller for a phone, or other items for the parents to keep with them, in reviews.
- Car Seat for when they grow out of their newborn seat (after a few months) – Quantity 2 for each car if you have two vehicles, 1 if not.
- Car Seat Base if you order more than one seat for different vehicles. Apparently these car seats are harder to get in and out of vehicles so for convenience it is nice to have two.
- Diaper Bag – Quantity 1
- Travel Bassinet – Quantity 1
Convenience
- Baby Carriers – I have two linked. I haven’t tried them out yet, but one is significantly cheaper. The other looks more comfortable. I’ll update this with which one is better once I try them both!
- Baby Swing/Rocker – Quantity 1
Play Areas & Safety:
- Portable Indoor/Outdoor Playard – Quantity 1
- Portable Gate (for stairs or near doors that open a lot) – Quantity varies on your home
- Activity Gym – Quantity 1
- Electrical Outlet Plugs – Quantity depends on your home
- Doorway Jumper – Quantity 1
- Tummy Time Mat – Not hyperlinked, a friend gave us hers.
Babies Needs/As They Grow:
Books/Education for Parents
- Book that tells you how to take care of health concerns, when it’s an emergency/to go into the doctor, and how to treat simple things at home
- Potty Training Book
- What to Expect Dual Pack of Books for Pregnancy and the First Year
Health/Medicine Needs
- Nail clippers for infants
- Syringe for suctioning mucous
- Eye dropper & medicine spoon set
- Baby medication in case of fever – check with your doctor (not linked to anything)
Other things you’ll need
- Toys
- Diapers – a friend of mine who just had a baby recommended pampers swaddlers and huggies little movers for diapers, as well as pampers sensitive wipes being the best! (She also said you only need about 2 boxes of newborn diapers, and then a few more of 1s, but 2 and 3 diapers are what you need the most of!)
How I Set Up My Registry
I googled all the different options that you could use for a registry and settled on Amazon for three reasons. Amazon has a universal registry meaning you can add things from any website, like walmart, target, gerber etc., they also offer a diaper fund/gift cards, where you can request a gift into that fund instead of for a physical gift if you think that would be more helpful for you, and lastly prime shipping to your door (especially in COVID times where get togethers aren’t guaranteed!). My mother and my friends who are also mothers helped me out a ton with this list, so if that was you, THANK YOU for your help! 🙂
Resilient & Radiant 