What does a first-time grandma need for a new baby?

You’re going to be a GRANDMA! You may be in shock. You may be thrilled. One thing is for sure: you need to get prepared.

What does a first-time grandma need for a new baby?

The kind of gear you’ll want to buy depends a lot on how often you will be seeing your grandbaby. If your little one lives nearby, you might stock your home with everyday basics that make frequent visits easier. But if your grandbaby is farther away, you may only need a few special things ready for those treasured visits.

In this post, we’ll explore both situations so you can feel prepared, whether your grandchild is just down the street or miles away.

A lot has changed in the way parents raise their kids now. Here is a post that will help you get up to speed on what’s new.

Diapers.

Make it easy on yourself and buy the same brand of diapers and wipes as mom and dad get. They have researched all the options, believe me. Show that you are a team player and just get what they get.

If your grandchild is in town and you are likely to see them often, you may want to invest in a changing table. It will save your back. And you can store toys, blankets, and even clothes on the extra shelves. It can be a baby “command center” standing ready.

Pro Tip. Keep 1 or 2 of those plastic grocery bags under the changing pad. That way, when you need to contain a particularly fragrant diaper, you have a bag ready.

If your new grandchild lives far away, you may not need a full changing table. A changing pad like this keeps everything within reach and doesn’t take up a lot of room.

But this is also a good choice. Look at all the storage!

Baby Clothes.

It’s a good idea to keep a few extra outfits (including socks) at your house. They’ll come in handy when baby gets wet or messy, and you can pop the dirty clothes into the washing machine. For a while, my daughter and I had a constant rotation of baby clothes going back and forth. Somehow, though, I always ended up with all shirts and no pants—I still don’t know why!

Feeding.

The third group of essentials for Grandma’s house involves feeding. Even if your grandchild is breastfeeding, they still probably know how to eat from a bottle. On days when I babysat my new grandkids, Mom would provide frozen packets of breastmilk to thaw and add to a bottle.

It’s probably most helpful to buy the same brand of bottles that your kids use at home. Be sure to check the types of nipples they use, too. You can’t believe all the choices there are, and you want to give the baby what he/she is used to.

In no time, you will also need sippy cups, child friendly plates, those tiny baby spoons that are so cute. And bibs. You will definitely want bibs.

Pro Tip. It is possible to break Corelle dishes. Do yourself a favor and buy some rubber bowls that don’t shatter when they hit the floor. I learned this the hard way.

Before you know it, your darling newborn will be sitting up by themselves, and by 6 months, they will be starting solids. That is, baby cereal, mashed bananas, and my favorite, pouches. Who wants a delicious spoonful of Squash, Pears and Apricots?

This is the time that some kind of high chair becomes a must-have for Grandma’s house.

I purchased a pre-owned highchair for my house at a children’s second-hand store for $40. So far, it has made it through 2 little boys.

If you only need an occasional highchair, one of these clip-on seats or even a travel highchair will work just fine (and it will save space),

After a full meal, let’s all take a nice nap.

Sleeping

For the first month, I liked to just hold my new grandchildren while they slept. It did cut down on my productivity, but who cares?

Finally, I had to admit that a baby should sleep in a real baby bed. If you’re preparing for a grandchild’s visit by converting your former sewing room into a nursery, then you may be shopping for a crib. They have nice cribs that convert into toddler beds later on.

I just used a Play N’ Pack. We used to call these playpens back in the day. The word “pen” seems to have fallen out of fashion now.

Look at how cool this is! A bassinet, a changing table, and a larger sleep area for later on.

You can also upgrade the mattress if you want to and buy adorable baby sheets, too.

If your children are using a white noise machine for the baby, you should probably get the same one for your house. Same for a pacifier, if they are using one.

And, because you are a fully prepared grandma, pick up a few sleep sacks while you’re shopping. Baby experts tell us that sleep sacks are safer than blankets. Keep those cute baby quilts out, though. They make excellent play mats.

More Essential Gear for Grandma’s House.

A Stroller.

Even if you don’t use it every day, it’s handy for walks around the neighborhood or outings to the park.

Baby Proofing.

One thing every grandma needs to do is babyproof. Outlet covers and cabinet locks. Moving breakables and sharps up out of reach. This will be an ongoing process as they get bigger. One time, I looked up to see my 18 month old grandson calmly walking through the kitchen with a large knife. He had fished it out of my utensil drawer. After that, I got drawer locks, too.

Car Seat.

In the early days, we just moved my grandson’s car seat back and forth between his parents’ car and mine. That quickly got to be a pain, so I just bought a permanent one for my back seat. There are also car seats where you leave the base in the car, but the seat comes out, which is handy, especially when the baby is sleeping.

What Does a First-Time Grandma Need? Toys!

Do toys belong on the list of baby must-haves for grandparents? Maybe not right at first, but soon.

Admit it. You’ve already been to the Toy aisle at Target, haven’t you? It’s all right. This is the fun parent of grandparenting.

Young babies have short attention spans, so it’s ok to have an abundance of toys. You should check with their parents about their preferences, though, for example, natural wood materials or no batteries required.

A friend, who is the most tasteful decorator, showed me a trick. She got a nice-sized basket and filled it with baby toys. The basket can go in the living room for baby to discover. They will soon start to look for it every time they come over. And when the baby is gone, you can reclaim your space for adults by tucking it away somewhere.

I get a lot of toys from Melissa and Doug and also Fat Brain Toys. For bigger toys, I like to check the second-hand kids’ stores first.

Surrounding them with God’s love

Love and attention are gifts you can give in every interaction with your grandchildren. But you can also surround them with gentle reminders that God’s love is always present.

Wall Art

One easy idea is to add wall art with a message of faith. I found this one on the Great Big Canvas website.

Clothes.

Look how cute these onesies are!

I have saved the most important thing for last. Regardless of how much or how little you collect in material possessions, your most important work is praying for this baby.

Conclusion

Why is it that the smaller the person, the more gear they require? It sure seems true when you’re asking “what does a first-time Grandma need?” It’s probably a good thing babies take 9 months to be born. It gives us time to get ready.

Having the right items can relieve the mental load on parents. When they know grandma has everything she needs, it makes a quick drop-in or an afternoon of babysitting into a smoother, more relaxed experience for everyone. The quality family time we are all looking for.

Wishing you all the best as you wait for the exciting arrival.

I’d love to hear from you—what baby gear do you keep at your house as a grandma? Share your ideas in the comments so we can all learn from each other!

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