And so it begins — the double blue lines are clear and unmistakable. Your heart skips a beat, you can’t stop smiling. Time to start preparing. Dates and names fill your head as you pick up the phone. You dial, it rings, and for the first time in your life, you utter those incredible words: "I’m pregnant." The next nine months will be filled with joy and decision making. Your excitement is matched only by your desire to make good, healthy choices for yourself and your new baby. With Etsy listing thousands of lovingly handcrafted baby goods, it is the perfect place to start. From the EtsyBaby Team, I share some suggestions for those essentials that your bundle of joy will require for a wholesome start in life.


A full bodied diaper bag is a must. Fabulous design, colorful fabric and room for everything are just a few of the perks this bag by mamamade has to offer. This bag has a total of twelve pockets, including five elasticized pockets, and one zippered pocket.


Once you have your carry all bag, it's time to fill it with diapers, wipes, bottles and baby food. You'll want to include a bib to keep your baby clean. Upsiedoodle has a beautiful collection of high quality fashionable bibs. They're crafted with wonderful fabrics and whimsical styling.
 

You should always have plenty of burp cloths on hand. They keep you clean while you're soothing your baby's tummy after feeding or when you have him over your shoulder. These beautifully detailed burpies from BundleBaby fit the bill perfectly.


When you're out, it's important to have some of your baby's favorite things with you. Plush toys are the perfect take along item — some plastic toys are manufactured in questionable ways and are made with chemicals that could potentially harm your baby. These fun plush rattles designed by Fede are perfect for little hands.


A pacifier can be the perfect soother to keep your baby content. Because babies have limited muscle control, more times than not, the pacifier ends up on the floor. Hence the pacifier clip. This ingenious little device keeps the pacifier clean and can stop a baby meltdown by preventing lost binkies. These charming clips from lucabella0522 will keep that pacifier where it belongs.


Busy parents spend quite a bit of time in the car traveling from one place to another, which results in lots of baby naps in transit. The bouncing vehicle means your baby's bouncing too, and this can cause a strain on her neck. A travel neck pillow from GoldtoneDesigns is the answer. These fabulous pillows can be positioned any way you want, offering support for your baby's head and neck.


Back to basics… keeping your choices in clothing simple certainly doesn't mean a lack of flair. Be sure that they are easy on and easy off. Pull down pants with an elastic waist are perfect instead of lots of snaps, buttons and zippers. Layette designs and creates beautiful stylish clothing that is easy to manage and machine washable.


Babies use every part of their body, including their feet, to learn and develop motor skills. Pediatricians say barefoot is best, but when that is not practical, well-made soft sole shoes are the perfect solution.  These soft soles by myminimocs are made using all natural vegetable dyed leathers and are beautifully styled. They have pediatrician backing, an elastic ankle that keeps them on your baby's feet and best of all, they are completely machine washable.


Having been tucked in close quarters for nine months, the experience of suddenly being exposed to the world has to be at the least, a bit daunting. Slings are a fantastic way to give your baby that sense of closeness she's so used to, while giving you the ability to keep both hands free. These slings by BabyBeJeweled are quality constructed and come in many sizes to insure weight safety and a perfect fit.


Every baby has favorite things with which he likes to snuggle. A keepsake blanket can provide years of stroller-time, naptime, travel-time and bedtime comfort. These inspired blankets by littlesnugglebunny are chic and stylish and made from the textures babies love. With a wide variety of colors and styles, there's something for everyone.

These are a few of the things I call essential. I hope this article helps all of you expectant and new moms find just what you're looking for in this great big handmade world of Etsy.  EtsyBaby is an international Street Team whose products specialize in ages infant to 24 months. With over 125 members to choose from, it's a great place to start!

Further Resources:
Shopetsybaby.com
Etsybaby.blogspot.com

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