My Minimalist Baby Wishlist – 2018

Ahhh… the baby wish list, the  ‘must have’ list, and the ‘you can’t survive without these things’ list. There’s approximately 1.2million of them on the internet all with approximately 1.2million items on them right? Well I’ve read half the lists, done my own research and decided what we want to spend money on. We have no garage, so our bedroom wardrobes are full to the brim with garage type items like wetsuits, life jackets, motorbike boots, tools, and house paint. We don’t have heaps of room to store things that aren’t used often, or things that are big and bulky so I try to do my best to keep our things minimal. I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist as such, but I’m making an effort to keep it simple!

When deciding on baby items I’ve had the following things in mind:

• Is it versitile? Can I use it multiple ways?
• Is it high quality? Will it last through multiple children?
• Is it gender neutral and be used for both boys and girls?
• Is it compact and can be easily stored within our home?
• Is it practical and easy to clean?

Speaking of keeping things minimal, let’s cut the yarn and get into it!

For On the Go

The Stroller

This is something that I have done a LOT of research into it.  I’ve watched Youtube videos, read reviews, asked friends and scrolled Facebook forums. I’ve been told at least 100 times (this time I’m not exaggerating) that I need a Mountain Buggy. They’re obviously good strollers, and I do actually use one every week for a wee girl I look after, but the main thing that puts me off them is that they’re so big, bulky and heavy.

When thinking about what I would be using a stroller for, it would mainly be for going into town, going shopping and walking around anywhere BUT home so its important to me that the stroller folds down small, is ergonomic, and versatile.

When I first spotted the Mutsy Igo (now the I2) from Global Baby a few years ago, I knew that when the time came for me to have a baby, I would be pining after one. I love the sleek and beautiful design, as well as the very usable features. It can be forward facing or rear facing, is incredibly ergonomic, has a great canopy, and with the addition of the carry cot, is perfect for newborns. The carrycot is approved for overnight sleeps so it’s perfect for taking to granny’s house for sleepovers! You can switch out the foam filled tyres for air ones too which gives the tick of approval from hubby. Oh, and I love the brown vegan leather trim. It’s just STUNNING. I’ve hunted high and low and am yet to find anything quite as versatile as the I2.

The Carrier

I managed to pick up a second hand Moby wrap which I’ve been using to wrap up my belly and give me some back support. I’m planning to use it lots when baby is little too! Throughout the majority of the year, our farm gets lots of rain, making it a muddy mess, much too wet for using the stroller, so a wrap carrier will get plenty of use! When baby gets heavier I plan to look into a more structured carrier aswell.

The Car Seat

Car seats are something that I’ve spent waaaaaay too long looking into, but safety is important right?! If you haven’t looked at the NZ Carseat Discussion group on Facebook, it’s definitely worth having a browse. I looked into hiring a capsule but decided that buying one and using it for multiple children (fingers crossed) would be our best and most cost effective option. I plan on getting the Maxi Cosi Mico capsule and base, which will click into our stroller too. When they grow out of that we will go for either a Britax Boulevard Click Tight or Diono Radian. They seem to have the best reviews and ratings!

For the Nursery

The Cot

A cot is a cot right? As long as its a safe place for baby to sleep then it serves it’s purpose. We went with the Mocka Aspiring Cot with the Nero Mattress. Its pretty simplistic but all we need. We also have the moses basket that my hubby and his siblings slept in that we’ll use when babe is little too.

The Furniture

The only other item of furniture we’ve purchased and plan to purchase for the nursery is a set of drawers. I went with the Ikea Malm drawers which are really solid, clean and minimal. We purchased them through Akia. The drawers are the perfect height to be a ‘change table’ so I’m going to pop a padded mat on top. I probably won’t end up changing baby in there too much, but it’s nice to know I’ve got that option!

The Bouncer

We’re planning on keeping this reeeeal simple. Have you been into a baby shop and seen all their bouncing, swinging, swaying and spinning things lately? Woah. These old school bouncinettes are perfect for a spot to prop baby.

For Feeding

The Breastpump

I plan on exclusively breastfeeding so don’t need any fancy equipment. I love the simplicity of the Haakaa breast pump, and how the newest generation can turn straight into a bottle. This breast pump has a really low price point compared to others so is definitely worth getting, even if I only use it occasionally. Once baby starts solids, I’ll likely be looking into some more Haakaa items too!

For Bathing and Changing

The Bath

Some minimalist mums wouldn’t both with a baby bath, but when I saw this collapsible bath at Farmers I knew it would be perfect for saving space!

The Change Station

As I said earlier, we’ll use the top of our drawers as a change station… maybe. We’ll get this changing pad (again from Farmers) to pop on top. If we choose to keep it in the lounge, it will slide perfectly under the couch when not in use too.

The Skin Products

I’m a big fan of natural and nasty free products! For starters I’ll try to avoid using anything on baby’s delicate skin, then I’ll be making my own DIY products with essential oils.

The Nappies

I’m planning on cloth diapering our babies both to save money, and to reduce our waste. I have a little stash of these nappies from Baby Factory and plan to add to it later on. I’ve also been looking into some newborn covers from Ali Express, then using prefolds from Real Nappies inside. There are a LOT of ugly patterned cloth nappies around, but I’m trying to stick to just white. White always looks good!

The Wipes

Again, with both cost and the environment in mind aaaannnd baby’s skin, I wanted to seek an alternative option for wet wipes. I love seeing people use these reusable ThinkWise wipes. This wipes dispenser looks really great for storing them in too.

For Wearing

The Clothing

Clothing is another thing I’m trying to keep super minimalistic. I’ve been buying gender neutral items in whites, greys and other neutral colours. I’ve been keeping patterns either really simple or none at all, so the clothing lasts for our future babies without looking naff. In the smaller sizes, I’ve focused on zipped PJs (these ones from Cotton On are my fave), gowns (like these from Nature Baby), and merino items. Quality has also been something that I’ve been looking for!

For Mama

The Nappy Bag

I kind of hate nappy bags. And by nappy bags, I mean the nappy bags that spring to mind when you hear the phrase nappy bag. You know what I mean right? I feel like a lot of nappy bags are designed for older mums in mind. I want something that I’m proud to sling over shoulder, but is equally practical. This Tiba and Marl bag from So Beau Baby has won my vote. It’s pretty, practical, wipeable, has multiple pockets and includes a change mat and a smaller clutch bag. 

The Clothing

Pregnancy and postpartum can be a funny time for figuring out what to wear! I’ve been lucky enough to be gifted some items from Mrs Smith Maternity which I definitely rate. They’re both maternity, and breastfeeding friendly which is a major bonus. Other things I think are definitely worth getting are maternity jeans from Jeanswest. You can’t go wrong with basics!

Things we’re NOT getting

This list could go on, but I’ll run through a few things that we definitely DON’T plan on getting.

A change table- they’re big, bulky and no matter how well you organise them they often look messy. Imma change the baby wherever.

An electronic breast pump- for my situation, this probably isn’t something I would use a whole lot.

A baby monitor- I can definitely see how these would be useful for multiple level houses or bigger spread out houses, however, our house is small enough that anywhere you go you would be able to hear baby.

Toys- A minimalist’s worst nightmare. I’ve found that children under one aren’t actually particularly interested in toys. My time as a preschool teacher taught me a huge amount about kids, toys and technology. I’m going to try to keep any toys at our house open ended, simplistic and high quality  (famous last words, I know). I found this video really awesome for suggesting open ended toys for children.

Ok, so now that I’ve compiled this list I’m thinking that its not so minimalistic after all. Or is it? The intention is there anyway! I hope you enjoyed browsing through some of my carefully considered items!