Scrunchy Baby Essentials I Actually Use (and Skip)

Byadmin

I have two children, and the difference between my first and second baby was… a learning curve.

With my first, it felt like we needed everything. We made lists, bought all the gadgets and gizmos, and tried to have the latest and greatest of it all.

With our second? Bare minimum.

More intentional. Less wasteful.

Why I Keep It Simple Now

The second time around, it was easier to step back and really think about what we actually needed.

Experience changes everything.

We realized pretty quickly that less stuff didn’t mean less care—it actually made life feel calmer and more manageable.

I also started paying more attention to what we were bringing into our home—choosing simpler, more practical items and avoiding anything overly complicated or unnecessary.

What I Always Have

These are the things I’d make sure to have every time (along with a safe sleep space for baby):

  • A good infant baby carrier
    • I used one with my first but it was ESSENTIAL for my second. This made it easy to continue running after a toddler while having baby close at all times.
  • Nose spray
    • Keeps the nose moist and helps when you need to get booger out. What more could I ask for? You may also need a nose aspirator but that’s a whole blog post in itself !
  • Burp cloths (lots of them)
    • You may end up with a unicorn baby who doesn’t spit up (our first baby) or you might get a spitter (our second.) My advice is to just be prepared with a dozen of these.
  • A baby swing or seat
    • You can’t carry baby all the time! Mama needs to shower and pee sometimes too. I would plop my baby in one of these in front of the shower so I could keep an eye on them.
  • A sound machine
    • Listen, you don’t need to blast the sound machine. I have ours very low but it helps to somewhat mask the toddler sibling or the dog who likes to bark everytime a leaf blows by the house or when your partner sneezes and coughs in their typical cartoon way (loud and dramatic.)

Optional but helpful:

  • A bottle washer/sterilizer/dryer
    • I pumped and fed my first for a while, and washing, sterilizing and drying bottles was the worst. Splurge here if you plan to use bottles in any way!

What I’d Skip (or Buy Less Of)

  • Don’t buy a ton of clothes
    → My babies lived in sleepers and onesies
  • Don’t overbuy in general
    → You don’t need everything before baby arrives
  • Skip the wipe warmer
    → It’s just not necessary

A Simple Tip That Saved Me

Don’t overthink every purchase.

If you’re unsure about something, check the return policy. I’ve ordered things knowing I could return them if they didn’t work—and that took a lot of pressure off.

You don’t have to get it all right the first time.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by baby “must-have” lists.

But scrunchy motherhood, for me, means stepping back and asking:
Do I actually need this—or am I just being told I do?

It’s about choosing simpler options, buying less, and focusing on what really makes life easier.

You’ll figure out what works for you as you go—and that’s more than enough.

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