There’s a lot to prepare when getting ready to welcome a new baby. You’ll need to set up a nursery, get baby clothes, stock up on diapers, install a car seat, baby-proof the home, and more. Choosing among a vast array of baby products is tricky with so many brands on the market. There are plenty of obvious essential baby shower items that you’ll need to buy for a baby, but you don’t want to forget some of the less obvious ones.

A Two-in-One Stroller and Car Seat

You’ll need a car seat to safely shuttle your baby around town and an easy-to-use stroller to walk around. Rather than purchasing two separate items, it’s a better idea to invest in a travel system. It’s a two-in-one car seat that detaches from its base and snaps into place on a stroller. Different travel systems have different features, such as a modular design that lets the baby face toward or away from you.

The Essentials for Feeding a Baby

Babies grow up fast in the first few months, which means they eat a lot. Whether you choose to breastfeed or bottle-feed determines some of the baby-feeding products you’ll need. You’ll need to ensure you have bibs, bottles, a bottle-drying rack, a bottle brush, nipples, burp cloths, and a dishwasher basket for bottles. You’ll also need breast pads, a breast pump, a breastfeeding support pillow, breastmilk freezer storage containers, and nursing bras.

One essential item that new moms and newborns need is a Boppy for baby. A Boppy pillow is a multifunctional pillow that can be used as a nursing pillow and for bottle-feeding, tummy time, or sitting up. TrulyMama gives a glowing review of both the Boppy pillow and Boppy lounger. Each comes with an internal pillow and a removable Boppy pillow cover that’s zippable and machine washable. They’re made of durable yet comfortable material and come in a variety of colors so you can customize your pillow for each baby.

A Reliable Device for Pictures and Videos

Your camera roll will start accumulating precious photos from the day your newborn arrives. You’ll want to make sure that you have a reliable device or camera with sufficient storage space to capture the baby’s best photos and videos. The best way to show off your best shots and free up your photos library is to print them with Shutterfly photo printing. You can discover a range of materials, sizes, and design inspirations that will bring your top photos to life. With Shutterfly’s online photo printing, you can easily print your best photos from any device and turn them into acrylic photo prints, canvas prints, photo posters, and collage photo posters.

Nursery Basics

You’ll need to set up a nursery that’s comfortable and functional. Some parents choose to decorate the nursery with a specific theme while others prefer to keep it gender-neutral. No matter how you decorate the nursery, you’ll need a quality baby monitor, a crib, a bassinet, a play yard, crib bedding and mattress, a diaper-changing table, a diaper trash can, a dresser, a glider or rocking chair, a laundry basket, a toy bin, and a waterproof mattress pad. Another helpful item to have is a swing that you can securely put the baby in when you need to do things around the house.

A Baby Carrier

You’ll appreciate the ease and convenience of toting your baby around in a baby carrier. It’s important to try on different baby carriers to ensure you choose one that fits your frame. Look for easily adjustable straps on the hips and shoulders so you can evenly distribute the baby’s weight.

You’ll likely find yourself buying more things for the baby once they arrive, but it helps to have the right essentials in advance.