You may not put the following items on a traditional baby registry, but they’re products that you’re going to need once baby arrives.

1) Wipes – For the first couple weeks of Charlie and Olive’s life, we used cloth wipes and water since newborn skin is so sensitive.  As much as I loved using cloth wipes and warm water from a thermos, convenience won out in the end and we use Pampers Sensitive Wipes.

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2) Diaper Cream – We’ve used Balmex and A&D Ointment in the past, but now we stick to multi-purpose Aquaphor.  Many moms swear by certain diaper creams from Triple Paste to Desitin, but we’ve never had a problem with diaper rash so we’ll stick with Aquaphor.  You can also use Aquaphor to treat cradle cap, and apply it to exposed cheeks to protect your kids from the winter wind.

3) Nasal Aspirator – The Nosefrida is much better than a standard bulb syringe in removing snot from your little one’s nose when they’re sick.  You suck the boogers out with your mouth, but don’t worry — a filter keeps them from actually going in your mouth.  This is a must in every new parent’s medicine cabinet.

4) Digital Thermometer – Taking your baby’s temperature rectally yields the most accurate results.  We used the Vicks Rectal Thermometer when Charlie was really sick and we wanted to know his exact temperature. We also have a temporal artery thermometer to scan Charlie’s forehead, which is fast and easy and what our pediatrician’s office uses.  After Charlie broke the temporal thermometer from playing with it too much, we got a Braun ear thermometer, which is also very fast and easy to use.  Ear thermometers are not recommended for babies under 3 months of age however, as it’s difficult to get an accurate reading.

5) Nail Clippers and Nail File – Cutting your newborn’s paper thin nails can be scary, so a nail file is easier to use in those first months of life.

6) Vitamin D Drops – The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all exclusively and partially breastfed babies should receive daily vitamin D supplements. The popular Trivisol and Polyvisol brands stain, so I love these Carlson Baby Drops instead.

7) Body Wash/Shampoo – I’ve tried many organic shampoo lines including Episencial, Little Twig, Burt’s Bees, and Avalon Organics.  But I always find myself coming back to California Baby’s Super Sensitive Shampoo and Body Wash. It’s pricey, but I love that it’s made with all natural ingredients and is fragrance free.  I have eczema and bathe with Charlie every night, so I use California Baby for myself as well!

8) Body Lotion – We use California Baby’s Super Sensitive Everyday Lotion on Charlie and Olive.  I just wish they carried a cream (for the winter months) that came in a tube instead of a jar.

9) Gripe Water or Mylicon – Babies are generally very gassy, and I think that Gripe Water and Mylicon help. They’re both effective, but I tend to prefer Gripe Water because it’s made with natural ingredients.

10) Infant Acetaminophen – You’re going to want some infant acetaminophen on hand just in case. Ibuprofen tends to be stronger, but babies are not supposed to be given ibuprofen before 6 months of age.

11) Baby detergent – We use Seventh Generation’s Fragrance Free detergent for all of our laundry.  It’s organic and does a great job of getting our clothes clean.

12) Diapers – We use Pampers Sensitive Swaddlers, though Charlie is about to outgrow the largest size they carry.  My only piece of advice to you when it comes to diapers is not to stock up on too many newborn or Size 1 diapers.  Olive already outgrew the newborn size diapers and she was less than 5 pounds when she was born!  Charlie was 8 1/2 pounds when he was born, and he moved onto size 2 diapers so quickly, we had hundreds and hundreds of size N, 1, and 1 1/2 diapers left.

What are some of your baby toiletry essentials?