You know you’ve seen the list circulating the Internet, the lists of baby things you “don’t really need”. If you’re a first-time mom you may be likely to heed the advice of these lists because who wants to waste money on things you don’t really need? Sure there are plenty of things that you can live without but in my opinion there are quite a few things on those lists of things to not buy that made my life so much easier! Here are three of my favorite “don’t need” must haves:

Bottle Warmer. I absolutely agree that you can run hot water over a bottle to heat it but do you want to stand by the sink while you wait or would you rather be doing something else–like calming a baby? A bottle warmer can not only help you multi-task, it can also help keep you from overheating it and keep away the temptation of nuking it in the microwave, which La Leche League warns against because of the possibility of uneven heating and hot spots.

Wipe Warmer. The last thing I need in the middle of the night is even louder screaming from a baby who doesn’t want a cold wipe on their bottom. In my opinion, anything you can do to keep a baby comfortable is worth the money. Being comfortable lowers their stress levels, as well as yours.

Diaper Pail. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t empty the trash every single day and I certainly would not have been flushing baby poop down a toilet before trashing a disposable diaper. Diaper pails
can handle a big load of smelly diapers without stinking up a room. If you know you won’t be taking your trash to the dumpster every day and you don’t want to smell dirty diapers, I’d invest in one of these!

Jacqueline Banks is a certified Holistic Health Counselor. She works with women in all stages of motherhood, from mothers struggling with conception to those trying to get their groove back after pregnancy to ensure the best health and nutrition for both mom and baby.