Second (or Third) Baby Must-Haves

Expecting a second baby? Or maybe even a third baby? Likely you’ve already got most of the basic baby items covered, but caring for two children calls for a whole new set of second or third baby must-haves. Read on to learn which items will make your life with two or three little ones wayyyy easier!

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Second Baby Must-Haves/Third Baby Must-Haves

When I found out I was having a second girl (if you’ve just found out you’re due with a second or third child, check out these adorable second and third baby pregnancy announcements here!), I thought there would be nothing else I needed. I was kind of right; I had the basics and I could probably have survived without any extra purchases.

When my aunt offered to throw me a baby shower, I started to think of what would make my life a little easier while taking care of a baby and a very busy toddler. There were quite a few items that fell into the category of ‘nice to have.’

Now that my second is here, some of these items have quickly become lifesavers! Read on to learn about which essential items are second baby must-haves!

Don’t forget to read how to help your toddler adjust to baby #2 (or 3) here.

If you are thinking about ways to make life a little easier with a second baby (or third, fourth or fifth), here are some ideas for you! Be sure to set up an Amazon Baby Registry so you can organize all your registry items in one place!

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Second Baby Essentials

Double Breast Pump

With my first, I had a single breast pump, which worked fine. I was a diligent pumper and pumped a few ounces everyday so I had a good sized stash when I returned to work. Pumping took up a decent chunk of my precious nap time freedom and I came to resent it.

With my second baby, I invested in a double pump because I knew time would be even more precious. My oldest doesn’t nap and during the baby’s nap time we make the most of our special time together (in between housework and meal prep!). Twice the milk in half the time? Sounds good to me! Here is my favorite, and another I have heard great things about.

Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump

In addition to being an easy portable pump (I have no desire to lug a giant breast pump around on over-nighters, in addition to two kids’ possessions), this handy device can also catch extra milk while you are nursing on the other side. Again, more milk for less time/effort is a winner for me!

Sterilizer

With my first, I was old fashioned and boiled water in a big pot to sterilize bottles and breast pump parts. This time, my sterilizer saves so much time. So worth the money!

Nighttime Nursing bras

Another lesson learned from my first, I thought I could use one nighttime nursing bra and just wash it a few times a week. Lesson learned: in the first six weeks there is a lot of milk leakage and I had to wash it every single day until it fell apart. This time, I invested in several. Here is my favorite.

Baby Brezza

Although I don’t use formula, I have heard amazing things about Baby Brezza, which really does make formula prep a breeze!

Amazon Freetime Subscription

As much as you may try to avoid screentime, you may need to loosen your limits with a new baby in the house. For us, there was a period of two or three months when the baby would not nap unless I rocked her to sleep for at least 20 minutes. I had to know my three year old was occupied and safe. She had a lot of screentime in those few months, although we cut wayyy back as soon as the baby learned to nap by herself!

Amazon Freetime is an amazing subscription service that provides safe, child-friendly apps, as well as shows, movies and BOOKS! With its amazing parental controls you can completely control what your child has access to, as well as how long screentime lasts. You can even limit shows/games, but allow unlimited reading time! With Amazon Freetime you can feel confident that your child accesses only appropriate content (no more concerns over Momo on Youtube!). If you have to increase screentime, this is the way to go! The best part? It’s super affordable! After your 30 day free trial runs out, the service is only $2.99 a month! Click here to start your 30 day free trial now!

Extra Mattress and Sheets

If your toddler is still using their crib mattress, you will need an extra mattress and sheets for your second baby. You definitely don’t want to make the transition to a big bed with a newborn (you’re already losing enough sleep).

We’re also still working on nighttime potty-training, so we go through a lot of sheets! I love the print on these Burt’s Bees sheets. These ones are adorable too!

Cloth Diapers

It’s no secret I love me some cloth diapers (read about why here). Save yourself some cash in the long run by investing in cloth diapers immediately. If you have two in diapers or are planning on having additional children, the savings will be astronomical! Here is one of my favorite brands.

Changing station supplies on each floor

With my first, we had a change station in the nursery and we were constantly running up and down the stairs to change diapers. No biggie. However, I knew I wouldn’t want drag my toddler up the stairs, or leave her unattended downstairs while I was on diaper duty. We doubled up on a change pad, diaper cream (cloth diaper friendly option) and wipes (or amazing cloth wipes) to make things easier.

Wrap or Carrier

This is a no brainer. Keep your baby close while chasing after your toddler/preschooler or while getting housework done. There are so many great options for carriers out there, you are sure to find one to meet your needs. We have this one for little babes and this one for bigger babes, and I am considering buying this one as well!

Soothers

After having one baby, you will be aware of the panic that sets in when you can’t find the baby’s soother (why does this happen so often?). This time, we stocked up on plenty of soothers to avoid this! These were my girls’ favorites as infants, and this was Hannah’s favorite as she got a little older.

Swing

I held and rocked my first baby pretty much constantly (for some reason I was weirdly obsessed with avoiding flat-head syndrome).  As much as I want to do the same for my second baby, I know there will be times that I will need both hands and baby will be just fine in the swing for a few minutes.

Hands-Free Diaper Bag

Another no-brainer. You’ll need both hands when you’re travelling with a baby and a toddler. Having a back-pack style bag keeps your hands free. I feel like this bag has revolutionized my life!

Baby Clothes Hangers

More baby clothes will inevitably come, even if you’re having a baby of the same gender. I swear, Grace has twice as many clothes as Hannah! I’ve already gone back to the store FOUR times to pick up more clothes hangers. Save yourself some trouble and buy these in bulk.

Snap n’ Go Stroller

This is the greatest invention! It’s a lightweight stroller frame that your car seat snaps into. We have a jogging stroller which is perfect for parks and trails, but is too big to be able to navigate tight spaces like stores, and is a pain to load and unload from the trunk. We also have an umbrella stroller, but it won’t be used Grace can sit independently.

This stroller is so lightweight and fits perfectly in my tiny trunk. It is so easy to take out, set up, and maneuver, especially while loading and unloading a toddler in addition to a baby.

Stroller for Two

I think this little invention is genius. Just snap it onto your stroller and you have a sit and stand stroller so your toddler can tag along! Soooo handy for those longer trips when your toddler is tired! This is way more economical (and easier to maneuver) than getting a double stroller if your little one is old enough to walk most places, but might need a break once in a while.

Bonus tip: If your first child is a little older (maybe three or four), instead of a double stroller or stroller board invest in one of these great balance bikes!

We avoided the double stroller because my oldest daughter is a solid three and a half year and there was no way I was pushing her around in a stroller. I didn’t want to even give her the option. When we go for walks, she rides her little bike (because you know what going for a walk with a toddler/preschooler…SLOW) and keeps up with us. Soooo worth it for older kids!

Earth Mama Bottom Spray

This suggestion is more of a mom item than of baby item, but if mom’s not happy, no one’s happy, right? After tearing with my first, I wanted to make sure I was well prepared for my second. This spray is so soothing. Enough said. There is also a perennial balm from the same company if you prefer to use that. Either way, well worth it!

Do you want a printable checklist of this post? Sign up here to have a printable checklist of the second baby must-haves listed above sent straight to your inbox!

One More Second/Third Baby Hack You NEED

Don’t forget to set up your Amazon Baby Registry and keep all your registry items organized on one list! This is one thing that made my second baby shower soooooo much easier than my first!

With my first baby, I had three separate registries (Babies R Us, a local boutique store with some cool products Babies R Us didn’t have, and an online registry for items NEITHER of the brick and mortar stores had). It was a huge pain to keep everything organized and I felt a little crazy instructing my guests to check out one or three registries.

Amazon eliminates this problem because they have EVERYTHING you could possibly need for baby. Plus, Amazon Prime means that guests who shop at the last minute (that would be me) can get their items on time with two day shipping! Do your guests and yourself a favour and sign up for the Amazon Baby Registry today!

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