Babies really don’t need a lot! But there are some things they do need. Today I’m sharing with you my natural baby essentials checklist.
Natural baby essentials checklist
Becoming a mother was one of the biggest events in my life. The sweet little girl who first made me a mom will always be one of the most precious people on earth to me. And the same goes for her brother, and their new little sibling, due in just a couple of weeks.
I tend to be somewhat of a minimalist. I like not having a lot of stuff and clutter around. Having less stuff makes for a simpler, higher quality lifestyle. When you limit yourself to just the essentials, you can choose just the nicest, highest quality things. It also makes cleaning easier!
Pin it for later
Babies don’t need a lot of stuff
I discovered this for myself. Of course, with a first baby, pretty much everyone has more than they need. And that’s okay! Every mom is different, and every baby is different. You have to figure out what works for you, what you like, and what you don’t need.
If you’ve been on my blog before, you’ll know that I like to keep things as natural and toxin free as possible. That’s why you’ll see lots of organic cotton, wool, and natural materials like that. I avoid plastics and synthetic materials as much as I can. This goes for anyone in our home, but I find it’s especially important to keep the toxins away for little babies. They’re new, and sensitive, and their systems have a lot of developing to do. Let’s give them the best start in life possible.
Alright, let’s take a look at my natural baby essentials!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.
Diapers
Babies need diapers! We do cloth diapers most of the time at our house. There are a few exceptions to this, like if we go on a trip or will be out of the house all day.
Another exception is when a baby is just a few weeks old. I could buy newborn cloth diapers, but I tend to have bigger babies. The amount of time they’d spend in the newborn size is really short. So, I find it to be easiest and most cost effective to just buy a natural brand of disposable diapers, and use those for the first 2-3 weeks.
Before you know it, my babies are big enough for cloth, and at that point I make the switch. I like Thirsties Duo Snap covers with cotton prefolds inside.
I find it really handy to have a little basket of all my diaper changing gear, so that everything is in one place. Having it in a basket makes it easy to bring around the house, to wherever I’m camped out during the newborn stage. I keep my diapers and wipes, wipe solution, tallow balm, and extra diaper pins in it. During the night I can carry it back into my room for nighttime diaper changes.
I don’t own a changing table and never have. I just changed them on the floor or a bed or couch.
While we’re on the subject of diapers, I’ll mention that clean prefolds make perfect burp cloths, too! Yay for multitasking.
Natural Baby blankets
Organic cotton receiving blankets are a must have. These are great for wrapping them when they’re first newborn. Later, they’re great for covering surfaces for playtime, and just anytime you need to cover something with a blanket.
I love organic cotton muslin swaddling blankets, too. These are lightweight and breathable. My first didn’t love swaddling, but my second did. Even if baby isn’t a fan of being swaddled, these are perfect for covering the stroller or carseat on warm days. I also love them for nice, lightweight, breathable nursing covers.
A general purpose, organic cotton baby blanket and a wool baby blanket are two things I also like to have. These are for when baby is sleeping on their own in a crib. Wool is such a wonderful material! It’s safe, natural, breathable, and helps control temperature. The wool baby blanket is wonderful for during cold weather, to keep baby warm in a carseat or stroller.
Clothes
My first two were born in cooler months. They mostly wore organic cotton sleepers at first. This third baby will be born in warm weather, so I’m thinking we’ll be using some onesies. I have some organic cotton short sleeve onesies that will be perfect.
For the first few days, a little organic cotton hat is good to help them stay warm until they can regulate their body temperature on their own.
While we’re on the topic of laundry, I also have a recipe for an essential oil stain remover that uses lemon essential oil to remove laundry stains.
Wrap carrier
This is definitely a must have in my list of natural baby essentials! I have the Boba wrap, and I love it. Baby can sleep or be awake, and it feels like they’re being held, all while you have freedom to use both hands and get some stuff done!
When they’re bigger I like to switch to the Ergo carrier. It offers more support, and lets them ride on my back when they’re big enough.
Bedding
Organic cotton crib sheets are another one of my natural baby essentials. Be sure to have at least two on hand so you can wash one and still have a place for baby to sleep.
A waterproof mattress pad is really good to have to keep the mattress nice. I like this organic cotton one.
Another thing I really like is a wool mattress topper. Again, wool works beautifully to keep baby comfortable temperature wise. I like to put it underneath the sheet and on top of the waterproof mattress pad. It’s also nice that wool has its own water repellent qualities.
Natural baby essentials for Bathing
A baby bath seat is really nice to have. It makes it much much easier to wash them if they have a secure place to sit. They’re happier and more comfortable that way, too.
For washing, I like to use my tallow baby soap. This works great as a baby shampoo, too. I show how to make it here. I don’t usually wash their whole body with soap when they’re newborn, but it is important to keep the creases clean. Water works for most of their body, and I use soap in the creases and for their hair.
You can use normal towels and wash cloths, but I like having a hooded baby towel and some baby wash cloths for when they’re tiny. I like these organic cotton ones.
In the bathing category is also tallow balm. This is seriously the best baby moisturizer. There is nothing more pure, natural, and gentle, and it works so well to moisturize, soothe, and heal a baby’s skin when needed.
Also tallow balm is really helpful for nursing. I like to start putting it on a few weeks before baby is due. It really helps me not get as sore during the first part of nursing. It’s safe to continue to use for nursing after baby is born, too. It’s perfectly safe.
I have a blog post here when I show how to make tallow balm, and I also offer it in my shop. For on and around babies, I definitely recommend the plain, unscented tallow balm with no essential oils.
A few other necessary items you’ll want to have are nail clippers and a bulb syringe.
Gear
A car seat is necessary for riding in the car. You’ll want to make sure yours is up to date, safe, and installed correctly.
I love a stroller. This is good for when they’re just a little older and beyond, for walks and other adventures. Strollers are awesome for carrying bags and everything else you need to bring along!
Bouncy seats are something that are more of a personal preference, but I really do like having one. Babies like to be held most of the time, but they do enjoy sitting in a little seat and watching what’s going sometimes. A bouncy seat is perfect for this.
A crib is important for when they sleep on their own. For the first several months, mine sleep with me. I use a bed rail to keep them safe from falling out. I find that having them in my bed with me makes it easier to get them to sleep and to nurse at night, all while making sure I get enough sleep during the newborn stage.
A good diaper bag is necessary. I like the Skip Hop Duo diaper bag. It has a pocket for everything, and clips on the stroller so nicely!
Rocking chairs are really nice to have. They’re prefect for soothing baby.
Nursing pillows come in really handy, too. They help you keep good posture while nursing, and just makes everything more comfortable.
Another thing I really like to have for a new baby is a Himalayan salt lamp. I like the kind that are dimmable. These provide a perfect, orange glow at night, if I need to see for nighttime diaper changes and whatnot. Later, when baby is in their own room, it’s perfect for nighttime nursing or just checking on them. My kids still use theirs as nightlights.
Natural Baby Essentials Checklist Video
More natural baby resources
Cloth baby wipe solution recipe
The best diaper rash cream recipe
My top 10 natural pregnancy and postpartum essentials
My natural mom bag: a look inside
Postpartum healing spray recipe
What would you add to this list?
Tell me what your natural baby essentials are in the comments!
Join our traditional wisdom community, and grab a free DIY home remedy recipes eBook when you subscribe!
Shop this post
Thirsties Duo Snap diaper covers
Organic cotton receiving blankets
Organic cotton swaddling blankets
Organic cotton hooded towel & washcloths
Want to shop for organic handmade skincare products?
Check out the Bumblebee Apothecary Shop here.
Follow along with Bumblebee Apothecary
Thanks for stopping by! Be well! 
I love the tip about the salt lamp, I never would have thought about that! I was surprised at how little you actually need for a baby when I had my first. I co-slept too, it was a much gentler experience and I was more well rested than most new mothers. Great list!
Thank you so much! It’s true, they don’t really need that much 🙂 I love co sleeping, too!