Baby's First-Year Basics: A Month by Month Guide

A car seat—either an infant car seat or a infant to toddler car seat—will likely be the first piece of gear your baby touches, as you’ll need one safely installed in your car to take them home from the hospital or birthing center. This infant car seat is well priced, easy to install and has many safety features, not to mention it’s consistently one of our top rated infant car seats here at Babylist.

We hope you won’t have to use this kit too much, but knowing you have everything you might need all in one place if your little one is hurt or sick will bring you valuable peace of mind. We partnered directly with doctors to create this curated First Aid kit filled with medical supplies and soothers for baby’s first year and beyond. It also includes information on how to use them and advice on when to call your doctor, call 9-1-1 or head to the ER.

Whether it’s a stuffy nose, constipation or gas, a suspected fever or Freddy Krueger fingernails (those newborn nails can be razor sharp!), this kit has you covered.

Find more newborn essentials here.

While those early newborn weeks are great for snuggling and cuddling, it’s also nice to have a safe place to put your baby down so you can get something done. The mamaRoo is a favorite because it provides hands-free rocking motion at the touch of a button. (See more about how to choose a rocker, swing or bouncer for baby.)

Swaddling can make a big difference in helping your baby sleep, but there are a lot of different styles and fabrics to choose from and it’s tough to anticipate what your baby (and you) will like. Swaddle Box to the rescue! The bundle includes four bestselling swaddles so you can test each one out before stocking up. (See our best swaddles guide for even more options.)

Not all babies take to a pacifier, but if your baby does, you’ll know that they can be magical soothers. This box can help you and your baby find the one they love. There are six popular pacifiers in different shapes, materials and styles for your baby to try out. If your baby finds one (or more!) they prefer, buy multiples and stash them around so neither of you will be without.

Oh, and while it’s fine for a newborn to have a pacifier, if you’re breastfeeding, you might want to wait until your baby has gotten used to it—around 3 or 4 weeks—before introducing a pacifier.

Babywearing lets you have your hands free to do the things you need to do while still keeping your baby close. There are many baby carriers out there (here are tips on how to choose a baby carrier), but this Babylist/Solly Baby exclusive is a parent favorite——we think it’s one of the best newborn carriers. It’s custom-made from a lightweight, buttery soft and sustainable fabric. Wrap it around your body, tie it off and insert your baby to keep them close to your chest. You may find that even the fussiest babies doze off quickly while being carried this way.

As you start to get out and about more with baby, you’ll need to take some baby stuff with you. This diaper bag has a wide mouth, so you can easily get to what need. It also has all the essentials like a cushioned changing pad, pockets for bottles and zippered pockets to stash your phone and keys—and it easily clips onto a stroller. (See more options in our best diaper bags guide.)

Getting outside is good for both you and your baby. This streamlined stroller is a popular pick because it’s easy to push around, even with just one hand. Its narrow design means it can fit through tight spaces (think: aisles and doorways) and because it only weighs 17 pounds, you won’t pull a muscle loading it into your trunk. But the best feature is the one-handed fold makes it super-simple to open and close. (See more options in our best strollers guide.)

White noise machines can be a great solution to help your baby feel secure and calm during naps and bedtime. They also drown out other noises. The Hatch Rest is a do-it-all sleep device that provides soothing white noise, a nightlight and a time-to-rise clock—and you can control it all by touch or via an app on your phone. (See more options in our Best Sound Machines guide.)

Once baby can roll over around three or four months, you’ll need to stop swaddling them. Unlike loose blankets, wearable blankets are great because they help keep baby warm but are also safe for crib use. When used regularly as part of a bedtime routine, they also help signal it’s time for sleep. Burt’s Bees Wearable Blankets are made with soft, organic cotton and close from bottom to top for easy access during nighttime diaper changes.

As your baby becomes more social and interested in their surroundings, a soft, structured carrier like this is a great option. This lightweight, breathable carrier allows them to face inward, outward or be worn on your hip or back, giving them different views and ways to interact with the world around them. The Breeze keeps baby in an ergonomic position, which is better for their hips and for your back. (See more options in our best carriers guide.)

Baby socks are notoriously frustrating for never staying on tiny feet, especially as baby becomes more wiggly and starts rolling around. These booties are warm, super cute and actually stay on. Get ahead of the game and register for a few pairs in bigger sizes, like 6 mos and 12 mos.

You may be one of the parents whose baby doesn’t cut teeth for a few more months. But it’s always best to be prepared, especially when teething is concerned. These adorable teethers are made from food-grade silicone and give your baby shark something safe to gnaw on. The teether clips onto baby’s clothes so you don’t have to stress about it falling to the floor and getting dirty. And, you can chill it in the fridge to give your little one’s sore gums even more soothing relief.

You can introduce an activity center or baby jumper as soon as baby has good head and neck control. And they’ll be very entertained as they bounce and turn to play with different toys and activities in this activity center. This Skip Hop Activity Center also grows with baby, eventually turning into a play table for toddlers. Another plus? It’ll look nice in your living room.

At around five months, you may see your baby losing interest in the toys you gave them as newborns. Sensory balls and nesting cups are great to introduce at this age—they help develop motor skills and tend to roll away from little ones, which encourages crawling.

Once your baby starts trying to sit up, the inevitable happens: They also topple over. A lot. A large, soft play area is ideal for this stage. These tiles from House of Noa lock together to create a cushy and wipe-clean surface. (See more options in our best floor mats guide.)

Many parents begin to introduce solids at this age, which means it’s high chair time. The Stokke Tripp Trapp is a classic. It’s been around since 1972 and is a consistent bestseller among Babylist families. It is an investment, but one we think is well worth it due to its sturdy design and that it grows with your family from the baby days all the way through the big kid years. (It holds up to 300 pounds!) We also love that it pulls right up to the table so your little one can join in on family meals from the start. (You can see more options in our best high chairs guide.)

This exclusive First Food Set has everything you need to stylishly—and smartly—start solids with your baby. Known for their 100% food-grade silicone that’s soft, flexible and dishwasher-safe, all the feeding tools in this set are thoughtfully designed specifically with new eaters in mind. The bundle includes a Tiny Bowl, a Tiny Spoon two-pack and one Tiny Cup in this exclusive colorway you can only find here.

Finally there’s a bib that does the job and looks good too. Made from silicone, it’s way easier to clean than traditional cloth bibs. Just wipe it down with soap and water, or throw it in the dishwasher, and it’s ready for your next feeding session. Bonus: The bibs have a mess catcher and fold up easily for storage or travel.

While you may have already been reading to your baby, at around seven months, they’ll likely start taking a real interest in books. Some great ones to start with? This set features three popular books that babies can’t get enough of. The pages are filled with real-life, engaging images that are great for learning words and colors. (For more great board books for babies, check out our favorites to add to your registry.)

At this age, with a baby on the move exploring everything they can get their hands (and mouths) on, baby proofing moves to the top of parents’ lists. If you have stairs, consider getting a baby gate, as well as covering all outlets that are within baby’s reach. We love Bink’s modern babyproofing line that will keep your home looking a bit closer to the stylish haven it was before baby arrived.

Nine months is a good age to introduce a straw sippy cup, if you haven’t already. These cups are BPA free and dishwasher safe. Handy tip: get a straw cleaner or pipe cleaner to make sure the straws stay clean inside and out.

By adding moisture to the air, a humidifier helps ease cold symptoms and reduce dry skin or itchy eyes. The large tank on this model provides your nursery with up to 24 hours of cool, soothing mist.

A no-touch thermometer is great to have for when your baby reaches a less-cooperative, super-squirmy age (rectal thermometers work well for newborns and younger infants).

If your tot hasn’t started standing and cruising yet, it’ll happen soon. Use Skip Hop’s activity walker as an entertainment station—it has a ton of interactive features. With over forty ways to play, they can use it while sitting and once they start cruising on two feet, it turns into a rolling toy for new walkers who can’t get enough of pushing things around.

If you started with an infant car seat, your baby will likely graduate to a convertible car seat around one year old (be sure to check height and weight limits on your infant seat to know when you’ve maxed out). This car seat is among the easiest to install, and converts to a highback and backless booster, so it’s the last car seat you’ll need to buy. Not sure what the difference is between an infant car seat and a convertible car seat? You can compare all the types of car seats in our round up of the overall best car seats.

Fill this handy cup with your kiddo’s favorite snack and tether it to your high chair or stroller, and you’ll have a happy baby on your hands. The lid on this snack cup lets your little dig their little fingers in there to scoop up those Cheerios.