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11 of the Best Newborn Essentials in Australia in 2024

Newborn Starter Kit 10 Essentials Every Parent Needs In The First Few Weeks

There is no more mind-boggling - incredible - time in your life than the first few weeks at home with your new baby. You’re hit with all the love, the hormones - the milk! - and it can be a time that’s equal parts turbulent and tremendous. So, what's the game plan? What essentials do you absolutely need to make this journey with your newborn a tad easier? And how on earth do you get them to stop crying?

The key to survival? There are two things.

First up, chuck those sky-high expectations out the window. These initial weeks? They're all about survival, bonding, and soaking up those precious moments in your love bubble. The outside world can wait. It's all about you and your tiny human finding your groove together.

Second, get your ducks in a row before your little one makes their grand entrance. Having a newborn starter kit ready to go means you're not left in a lurch, desperately needing something in the middle of the night.

So what do parents actually need in the first few blurry weeks with a newborn?

Forget not the essentials like a safe and snug bassinet, a secure car seat, and bottles (if they're part of your plan). Here’s the lowdown on the top 10 newborn essentials that'll make your life a whole lot smoother:

1. Gentle, Nourishing, Non-Irritating Skincare.

1 Gentle Nourishing Non Irritating Skincare

We recommend: QV Baby skincare

The line-up of products we recommend is:

QV Baby Bath Oil: simply add a capful to your baby’s warm bath. There’s no need to ‘wash’ your baby like you wash yourself in those first few months, so a touch of this hydrating cleanser in the bath water will nourish your baby’s skin, thanks to the inclusion of vitamin E.

QV Baby Barrier Cream: this barrier cream is paediatrician-recommended for helping to sooth the skin and prevent nappy rash. The nourishing formula forms a barrier that shields baby’s skin from water, detergents, chemicals and other irritants.

QV Baby Moisturising Cream: perfect for that nightly baby massage to lull them off to sleep, this hydrating moisturising cream is suitable for everyday use, and contains squalane, a component found in the skin’s natural oil, to help seal in the skin’s own moisture.

QV Baby 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner: If you feel your baby’s hair could do with a wash in those first few weeks (sticky toddler hands are a common culprit for this!), then you can rely on the gentle cleansing of QV Baby 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner. It contains a dual action formula with only the pivotal ingredients needed to cleanse and condition the hair - and nothing irritating!

Real customer reviews:

I use the QV Baby Moisturising cream in the handy pump pack on my baby everyday & she is now 10 weeks old. I have found it to be gentle, not greasy and great for her face and skin. I’m sure it helped with alleviating her milk rash and shortening its duration. She seems to relax when I am applying it onto her so I’m sure it must be very soothing on her skin and I also use it to moisturise my hands after using it on her & it’s fantastic in keeping my hands nice and soft especially with all of the hand washing involved with a baby. I would highly recommend the QV baby products and will start using the QV entire range on myself and for my husband.

2. An Amazing Baby Nappy Bag For Travel And Day-To-Day

2  An Amazing Baby Nappy Bag For Travel And Day To Day

A quality baby bag that you can depend on to house the multiple changes of clothes, mountain of nappies and plethora of wipes is essential in those first few weeks. The Baby Bag by Tottie has everything you need to make you feel empowered when leaving the house, as you can put your hands on whatever you need whenever you need it. 

We recommend:

Tottie The Baby Bag is the ultimate all-rounder when it comes to feeling 'normal' after having a baby. If you can rest assured that you have everything you need, and will be able to find what you're looking for, it means you can focus on your baby and the fun stuff, instead of worrying about leaving the house. This unbelievable baby bag comes complete with pram hooks and a cushioned change mat, as well as a water resistant interior and is made with faux leather which is easy to wipe down. Featuring 14 pockets and compartments, you'll be able to fit the mountain of things a new baby needs and still look chic as you pop out to get that coffee!

Real customer reviews:

"The Tottie bag is a GAME.CHANGER. Travelling overseas with two small kids I find to be stressful enough and I know firsthand that nothing makes it harder than an unorganised baby bag. The Tottie bag has pockets for just about EVERYTHING! I mean, EVERYTHING! It meant I could juggle snacks, bottles, changes and travel documents on the go, without emptying or rummaging through under pressure like I normally would. It also doubled perfectly as our beach bag with everything we needed whilst away from our hotel. Yes! One bag… I repeat, one bag (can you believe it?)"

Shop Tottie:

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3. Somewhere Safe To Place Them Down

3  Somewhere Safe To Place Them Down

In the moments when you feel overwhelmed, or like you need a break, it’s always best to place your baby down somewhere safe and go and make yourself a cup of tea. Everyone needs to do it every once in a while. The bassinet is a great place to do this, but there are other options too. A lounger that has been placed on the floor is an option. Please note that baby loungers are not considered a safe sleep space.

We recommend:

Cushii Loungers, as they’re portable and lightweight and are the perfect accessory to use inside or outside. They’re ultra-soft and comfortable for your baby to lay in for supervised rest, as well for feeding and to play.

Real customer reviews:

So happy I purchased a cushii lounger for my 3rd bub! It allows me to move him around the house so I can keep an eye on him while I'm doing housework, working out or playing with the other two! Wish I had one years ago!

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4. A Gentle Nail File for Tiny Nails

Pink

What makes the Wonderfile different?

As any new parent will know, a baby’s nails grow quickly. And are so sharp! Nasty face scratches can obviously hurt the baby, but often it is us parents feeling even more devastated. Making matters worse, cutting those tiny nails can be a dangerous ordeal - accidentally cutting the skin with nail trimmers is a thing.

Enter – Wonderfile. The ultimate parenting hack.

Wonderfile is a crystal nail file made especially for babies and children. It is a cleverly designed file that is smooth to touch and contains strictly NO sharp bits; when you use Wonderfile, you can feel confident that you will not hurt your baby’s beautifully delicate skin. It’s super efficient at filing nails down to a smooth, suitable length, and most importantly will not leave sharp edges like some cutters do. You are able to rinse and repeat using your Wonderfile, and it is even able to be sterilised.

Why try the Wonderfile?

Unlike other nail filing solutions on the market, the Wonderfile doesn’t contain any sharp cutters that could risk harming baby’s beautiful skin, or rotating emery boards that need to be changed all the time.

Not only can these options be a little dangerous, or loud, or ineffective at actually filing down the nails, most also don’t come with a 10 year warranty!

Yep! The Wonderfile comes with a 10 year guarantee on the filing surface. The reason for this is so you can purchase once, and that will last your child’s entire childhood. Better for the planet, and your wallet!

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Real customer reviews:

Don’t hesitate! BUY IT!!!

‘The day the wonderfile arrived I quickly opened it and set to work. My girls talons were nearly insta worthy and the file worked quickly to get them back to safe lengths. It took me a minute to figure out best method, and then I was through a hand and two feet before she knew what I was doing! So glad I got this, and I will be gifting to every new mum!’

5 stars!

‘Like most small humans, my son has the sharpest nails in the world! As time went on, his nails got harder to manage, the generic chemists warehouse electric files just weren’t cutting it (pun intended). We always have a very small window of opportunity to do his nails while he’s content and willing to sit still, and I was scared to use clippers out of fear of cutting his skin! Then we found the Wonderfile. Literally, in one sweeping motion his pesky razors were filed. It also doesn’t make that scratchy noise emery boards make! It’s quick, it’s quiet, it’s effective, 10/10 for our family. I have already recommended it to my friends! Thank you!’

5. Wipes You Can Depend On

4  Wipes You Can Depend On

There are two things you don’t want from your wipes in those first few weeks with your newborn. The first is irritation on your baby’s bottom, and the second is flimsy wipes that break as you use them and cause you to get mess where you don’t want to get mess – especially in the middle of the night.

We recommend:

WaterWipes Pure Wipes, as they’re strong and so gentle, they’re suitable to use on all babies, even those with sensitive skin, or premature baby’s skin.

Real customer reviews:

This wipes are amazing, they cleared my daughters teething nappy rash in 1 day. They are quite expensive but I just stock up when on special. These are definitely my go to wipes & totally recommend to everyone, you also only need a few each nappy change as they ate quite thick.

6. A Sleep Suit That Makes Them Feel Safe

5  A Sleep Suit That Makes Them Feel Safe

A sleep suit works as an extra layer of warmth for your baby, which is imperative, especially in those first few weeks. Likewise, a good sleep suit will make your baby feel snug and warm in a way that somewhat replicates how they were positioned in the womb. This is comforting for babies, which is why they respond to it so well.

We recommend:

We recommend: the ergoPouch Cocoon Swaddle Bag as it’s designed to keep your baby feeling safe and snug without complicated wrapping. Babies can rest easy feeling secure, and parents can rest easy knowing babies feel warm enough – and are unable to escape.

Real customer reviews:

The swaddle of my DREAMS. Our little guy is tall, like, 97th percentile tall, and we struggled to find a sleep sack we could use arms-in and still feel like he had enough room in his legs and hip areas. This solved everything and I wish we found it sooner. So soft and cozy too.

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7. A Sound Machine To Get Them Used To Noise

6  A Sound Machine To Get Them Used To Noise

A good sound machine will work to block out the other noise around your baby, essentially creating a consistent sound environment, blocking out loud or disruptive noises that might risk waking them from their peaceful slumber. The noise your baby hears can also become a sleep association, which may help your baby know it’s time to catch some zzz’s when they hear it.

We recommend:

The Baby Shusher, which repeats a long, soothing ‘shhhhhhh’ noise on repeat. This makes your baby feel as though you’re still in the room! Aden + Anais Serenity Star, as it’s also a night light, feeding diary and room temperature indicator, as well as a night light.

Real customer reviews:

When I initially received the Baby Shusher, i was apprehensive of how something so simple could work so well. But after using it for a few days, I found that it worked better than the mobile and dummy that I was using at the time. It was particularly helpful when my girl was really distressed and upset as the repetitive and soothing nature of the Read more about review stating Work's like a miraclesound eased her nerves and calmed her down. Love using this product! There isn't a single day that I do not use the Baby Shusher!

Shop here:

8. A Temperature Sensor To Ensure They’re Comfortable

7  A Temperature Sensor To Ensure Theyre Comfortable

This will allow unsure parents to rest easy knowing that the room is not too hot or cold and that the baby is appropriately dressed for the temperature.

We recommend:

As mentioned above, the Aden + Anais Serenity Star is many things, including a room temperature indictor! Yippee!

Real customer reviews:

I bought this for my newborns baby room and I love all the features it has, especially the room temperature colour change feature and that it plays music and white noise. It is very handy that it takes batteries as well so you can move it around the house as needed. Would definitely recommend!

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9. A Quality Baby Monitor

8  A Quality Baby Monitor

A baby monitor is one of those things that you depend on heavily in the first few weeks. When you’re not with your baby you want to ensure they’re okay, so the monitor acts as another set of eyes and ears.

We recommend:

We put together a list of The Best 10 Baby Monitors In Australia – take your pick! But the Cubo Smart Baby Monitor is pretty cute!

Real customer reviews:

Definitely the best product I’ve purchased as a new parent. Quality is really good - not sure what else you’d want. Notifications are great - warned me multiple times that my son’s face was covered etc, so I could deal with it before something became an issue.

10. A Reliable Thermometer

9  A Reliable Thermometer

Being able to check your baby’s temperature is imperative at all hours of the day and night, especially when they’re so little and a temperature could be harmful.

We recommend:

Braun Thermoscan 7 Thermometer, as it features AgeSmart™ technology.  Just select the appropriate age setting and take a temperature. A green screen suggests no fever, a yellow screen suggests moderate fever, and red signals high fever, dependant on the child's age.

Real customer reviews:

This product is easy to use, it's very straight forward and simple. My daughter is 28 months old and this thermometer fits nicely into her ear and reads her temperature within seconds, it could not be easier.

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11. A Comfortable Baby Carrier

10  A Comfortable Baby Carrier

Odds are your baby will be happiest when close to you, so they’ll want to be there – a lot. Hence why a baby carrier or wrap is so useful. It means you can get things done while keeping your baby close. A good carrier will allow for this, as it will sit comfortably on you, too!

We recommend:

Redsbaby CONNECT™ Wrap, as it’s made from soft, premium 100% organic cotton and allows your baby to feel enveloped across your chest. The soft fabric allows for a soothing motion, reminiscent of that your baby feels in the womb.

Real customer reviews:

I have a newborn who doesn’t want to be put down and this Connect wrap is perfect for keeping him close while having my hands free and he absolutely loves the wrap too, it's also the quickest way to get him to sleep. The material is so soft and luxurious and the wrap is so simple to use! This would be my go to gifting option to new mama friends!

Shop Redsbaby:

Shop these newborn essentials and earn $ at One Fine Baby!

You read that right! For every purchase you make on the One Fine Baby Shop you earn $ rewards to spend on your next purchase. It's really that easy. As soon as you purchase you're signed up and earning $. Find out more about the rewards program here.

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Want to see the best of baby and nappy bags in Australia up close? Come to our next Sydney baby expo or Melbourne baby expo by visiting our Sydney baby expo page here or our Melbourne baby expo page here.

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