Sustain-a-Baby: A Minimalist’s Guide to the Baby Products You ACTUALLY Need
For all the really complicated emotions– from snuggly mornings to long, tear-filled nights (yours AND baby’s)– that new family additions can bring, they also come with lots of “stuff.” Or, at least, that’s what the baby aisle at Target and the targeted social media ads want you to believe. As someone who relies on minimalism to keep my sanity, I knew that simply was NOT going to work for me.
So, I spent hours during pregnancy reading reviews and ‘must-have lists’ (which almost universally have wayyy more than you need). Then, I spent 6+ months testing out my picks with Wild One to bring you this comprehensive list of actual (eco-mindful) baby essentials. While I’m including lots of links, the more environmentally mindful option will always be to source items secondhand. Plus, buying only what you need is a win for the environment and your wallet!
Babies sleep, a lot.
Non-Toxic Crib Options
If you opt not to co-sleep, you’ll need a safe place for baby at night. The Emily Crib Mattress is an affordable, natural fiber mattress (no polyurethane foam here!) that is Greenguard gold certified to have low chemical emissions. We pair the mattress with the Babyletto Modo convertible crib. This beautiful wood crib is also Greenguard gold certified. Like most of the Babyletto line, it’s available in ‘natural’ wood (so no worries about Wild One chewing on paint!).
We’ve also found a lot of value in the Guava Lotus travel crib. Wild One pretty much hates falling asleep alone, so this is the best chance I have of nursing her to sleep then getting a few minutes to finish the dishes or grab a shower.
The Bassinet Dilemma
We originally purchased the bassinet conversion kit to accompany our Guava Lotus Travel Crib. The ‘plus’ is that the bassinet can be rocked to settle a fussy little one, and it packs down for easy travel. But, the downside of a bassinet is that it’s only useful for a few months… and we quickly realized that baby will be sleeping in our room for much longer than that! So in my “do-over,” I would just put the crib in our room from the start and skip the bassinet.
The Dock-a-Tot
If baby clothes make you want to swoon, that’s nothing compared to the joy in my heart when I see our Dock-a-Tot. This beauty was a gift from a friend (who received it during her pregnancy but didn’t plan on co-sleeping) and it has been a lifesaver. It lives on our couch, where it’s a safe spot for baby to nap and play during the day. Bonus points that it fits perfectly on our sectional, so I can lay beside baby and replace the pacifier she just spit out for the 20th time. Double bonus points that it was the ONLY place Wild One would sleep for the first two weeks of her life. And triple bonus points that the dock-a-tot can travel for naps at grandma’s. Really, this thing is a rockstar. The Dock-a-Tot is Oeko-Tex certified and machine washable, so safe and easy to care for. If you’re looking for an organic option, the Snuggle Me Organic seems comparable.
On Sleep Accessories:
It’s by no means a guarantee that your baby will enjoy being swaddled (ours definitely didn’t!). You can easily use a lightweight blanket for swaddling, or borrow swaddles until you know your baby’s temperament. Now that it’s a balmy 20 degrees every winter evening (can you tell I love the freezing cold?), we get daily use out of Burt’s Bees Wearable Blankets… but Wild One’s preference for them could have gone either way.
Babies eat, all the time.
Baby bottles
Avoid your kitchen become a never-ending game of “hide and seek” with rogue baby bottle parts by (spoiler alert) having only a few baby bottles on hand. A great silicone bottle option is Comotomo (these are the bottles we use). Some good glass bottle options are Philips Avent Natural Glass Bottles and Mason Bottles. I spent a ridiculous amount of time agonizing over the 5 oz. versus 8 oz. bottles, so I’ll cut to the chase for you: There’s no right or wrong answer. We personally found the 5 oz. more compact and easier for Wild One to hold on her own, but don’t lose any sleep over the choice.
Mini-me at the table
We use an EZPZ mat and Num-Num Pre-Spoon GOOtensils. We also save ourselves countless wash loads with these silicone bibs. Wild One is able to sit right up at the table with this $20 Ikea high chair, but we plan on transitioning her to the Stokke Tripp Trapp when she gets a little older.
Optional: Somewhere to store pumped milk & homemade baby food. I store pumped milk in 8 oz. mason jars (though these silicone freezer bags are also great options). When I make homemade baby food in bulk, I freeze individual portions in Souper Cubes, then transfer the portions to mason jars for longer term storage.
Babies poop, often.
To buy the changing pad or not to buy the changing pad?
I’m a resounding yes. We use the Keekaroo Peanut Changer. It’s easily wipeable, which is a must for us because Wild One still wets the changer during diaper changes several times a week. Really, changer-wetting could be her part time job– if only it paid better!
Diapering
I was pleasantly surprised with just how EASY cloth diapering was. You can read more about our cloth diapering routine (including the diaper brand I hands-down recommend) here.
When baby isn’t sleeping, eating, or pooping…
Baby bouncers, swings, and jumpers… oh my!
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me I needed a baby swing, I’m pretty sure I could single-handedly fund a charitable organization. We have the 4moms mamaRoo, which is pretty much the only flame-retardant free baby swing on the market. In practice though, we get substantially more use out of the Baby Bjorn bouncer. Wild One wasn’t strong enough to bounce it herself until about 5 months (not from lack of trying), but she would happily sit and play. She still frequently drifts off to sleep in its cocoon-like seat. The company-endorsed time span for both these products is around 6 months, and your little will almost definitely outgrow them by 8-9 months.
The best of the baby-wearing contraptions…
No one took the time during pregnancy to tell me how absolutely sanity-saving (and wonderfully peaceful) baby-wearing is. I highly recommend the Baby K’tan, which is the holy grail of fabric wrap for anyone averse to complicated tying maneuvers. Wild One and I do everything from cooking dinner to afternoon hikes in ours.
Car seats
Legally mandated, at least if you want to leave the hospital with your baby. There are only a few flame-retardant free options on the market, mostly from Clek, Nuna, and Britax.
Rub a dub dub, three babies in a tub…
A baby bath tub is by no means essential, but we use and enjoy the Oxo Tot Splash & Store Bathtub. This (semi-pricy) tub is nice becaue it’s both collapsible and can last into toddlerhood. You can also opt to bathe with your baby (Wild One makes a regular appearance during my famously long showers) and forego the baby tub altogether.
On those adorable baby outfits
Take the hand-me-downs. Seriously. Your little one will outgrow them before you blink. Around here, we live in onesies in the summer & footie pajamas in the winter. Absolutely nothing is cute enough to justify rows of complicated snaps, or difficult diaper access.
Want to read more? Check out The Ultimate Guide to an Earth-Friendly Infant-hood. Found value in this post? Please share with friends!
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