The Baby Products We Used Every Single Day
You need way less than you think. And your nursery doesn’t have to look like everything matches.
I can tell you what I’ve learned about baby essentials for NYC families after having two kids of my own in Brooklyn and 15 years of photographing families with newborns in NYC: tons of baby products you use just a bit, or they sit unused in a corner. But there are other things that are essentials, get used every single day, and make your life so much easier with a baby in the city.
This is that list. The stuff that actually works when you live in NYC.
Baby Essentials for NYC families
For Comfort and Movement
Solly Baby wrap: For the first weeks, nothing beats a good wrap. The Solly is soft, lightweight, and keeps your newborn close while your hands stay free. Your baby is outside your belly but on you all day. It’s the coziest, warmest feeling.
BabyBjörn carrier: When your baby is a bit older and wants to see the world, the BabyBjörn is our favorite. Ergonomic, easy to put on alone, and built to last through multiple kids. Essential for subway stairs and getting around the city without a stroller.
Babyzen YOYO stroller: If you’re in NYC, this is the baby essential stroller. Period. It folds in seconds, fits in an overhead bin, handles subway stairs and cobblestones, and rolls beautifully. We’ve seen it in hundreds of our Brooklyn and Manhattan sessions.
For the Nursery
Keekaroo Peanut Changer: Okay, this was my FAVORITE thing of everything. No fabric. No covers. No endless laundry of pee-soaked changing pad covers at 3am. Just wipe it clean, and you’re done. It never gets that weird smell that fabric covers get. Just trust me on this one. Especially in NYC apartments, where laundry is a hassle.
Rockinblinks Pima cotton kimono sets: A Brooklyn brand making the softest baby clothes. Pima cotton, beautiful colors, and designed for easy dressing in those early weeks when every outfit change feels like a team effort.
Pehr organic cotton crib sheets: Clean design, gorgeous colors, and organic cotton that gets softer with every wash. The kind of thing you’ll still love three years later.
BigStuffed giant whale from Smallable: Part toy, part sculpture, completely wonderful. It shows up in so many of our newborn sessions because your baby looks so tiny compared to it, and then your baby grows even bigger. My kids are 7 and 9 now and still have their stuffed animals all over their beds.
For the Walls
I love vintage botanical prints and 70s animal illustrations from Etsy. They are timeless and have an artistic quality that looks so good.
And for the nursery shelf: An Almanac of Birds by Maria Popova. These are beautifully illustrated cards that you can also frame.
For book recommendations for your baby’s first years, we have a free guide to the best children’s books for ages 0-3.
For Sleep
BabyBjörn Baby Cradle: A beautiful cradle that rocks gently and takes up almost no space. Perfect for small NYC apartments. We loved having this in our bedroom for the first months. It’s simple, clean, and actually works.
Bloom Alma Max crib: This crib becomes a toddler bed, which means you use it for years. Solid wood, beautiful design, folds flat for storage or moving. We loved it. Also great for city apartments because it doesn’t take up much space when folded.
BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light: The easiest travel crib to set up and pack down. We used this for every trip, every grandparent visit, every weekend away. It fits in a carry bag, sets up in seconds, and the mattress is included.
For Feeding
Lalo high chair: Sleek modern design that transitions from high chair to booster to regular chair. Clean lines, no fussy parts, easy to wipe down. This was our high chair.
Comotomo bottles: Soft squeezable silicone body that actually mimics the breast. Our babies took to these immediately. Easy to clean, no million parts to lose.
For You (The Parent)
Babyletto Kiwi glider: A nice-looking rocking chair. Swivels, glides, modern fabric, actually comfortable for those 3am feeding sessions. We kept ours long after the baby years.
Freshly Picked Zurich backpack: This was my diaper bag. Lightweight, tons of pockets, doesn’t look like a diaper bag. We used it for years, even after diaper days were done. Great for navigating the city with all your baby stuff.
The First Forty Days by Heng Ou: If you’re thinking about how to nourish yourself in those early weeks, this is the book we recommend most. It’s grounding, practical, and reads like a letter from someone who genuinely wants you to be okay.
Fujifilm Instax Mini: Get yourself a Polaroid camera to take photos of your new baby. I know, I’m a photographer saying this. But there’s something about having instant photos stuck to your fridge, handed to grandparents, taped in a baby book. They’re imperfect and immediate and you’ll love them. I have Polaroids all over the house.
Bonus: For the Toddler Years
Wiwiurka Montessori climbing arch: I know. It feels crazy to get something like this for a NYC apartment. But if you can make it work, it’s totally worth it. My kids absolutely used and loved the arch every single day. It’s a rocking chair, a boat, a cave. Perfect for their imagination and for getting energy out without leaving the apartment. We kept ours for years, and it moved with us through multiple apartments.
And if you want your newborn documented at home in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or anywhere in the NYC area, we photograph your baby and your life exactly as it is. Get in touch here.
