NewBorn Essentials

There are a few essential items you should have in your medicine cabinet when you arrive home from the hospital with your newborn. In actuality, they will probably not be in your medicine cabinet but in your baby’s changing table or dresser.



The essentials:

A rectal thermometer—this is the most accurate method of taking a temperature in newborns and infants. Place a small amount of petrolatum on the tip of the thermometer and insert it in your baby’s bottom about 1 inch for 2 minutes.

Diaper cream—there are many to choose from. Choose one that has zinc oxide in it. Zinc oxide is a wonderful barrier. We like Balmex and Diaper Guard.

Rubbing alcohol—you will need this to clean your baby’s belly button area until the cord falls off at about 2 to 3 weeks. Place a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and clean the area twice a day. You can do this more often but recent studies have shown that this is sufficient and may even hasten the falling off.

Cotton balls—for use with rubbing alcohol to clean the belly button area.

Q-tips—these can also be used with rubbing alcohol to clean the belly button area.

Disposable cotton towelletes—these will be useful for wiping your baby’s bottom in the first month when the skin can be easily irritated by commercial wipes. Moisten the towellete in warm water and ring out excess water before wiping your baby’s bottom. These are available at most pharmacies.

A mild soap -like Dove or Purpose for sponge bathing your newborn—sponge bath your newborn until the cord has fallen off.

Nail clippers—infant nail clippers are available in most supermarkets and pharmacies. They are blunt clippers and are appropriate for an infant—adult clippers should not be used on an infant. You can also use an emory board to shape your infants sharp, little nails.



Not necessary
Fever medication -like Tylenol—you should not give any fever medication to your newborn without consulting your doctor. If your baby is less than 3 months old and has fever, he must be seen by the pediatrician.


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