What gear do you need to buy new when transitioning from one child to two?
What baby items should you hold on to in order to save money when preparing for baby number two?
Chances are you already have pretty much everything you will need.
However there may be a few second baby must haves that will make it easier when you have two little ones instead of one.
In this post we will go over what to save for your second child and what things you will want to purchase new.
Don’t forget to grab your free second baby checklist printable planner at the bottom of this post!
Unfortunately pacifiers and bottle nipples do not last forever. They tend to get chewed on and worn out so there is a risk of pieces breaking off.
Pacifiers and bottles are a couple of things that you will want to buy new for your second baby.
If you have plastic bottles you will want to look at the condition of the bottle in order to make a decision.
If it is breaking down you will want to purchase new.
If you have glass bottles and they are not broken or chipped they are most likely safe to use for baby number two.
Second Baby Checklist: How to Prepare for a Second Child
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How do I prepare for a second child?
Maybe you are just starting to think about conceiving or adopting baby number 2 or maybe the decision has been made.
What exactly do you need to do to prepare for the second child?
One of the first things you should do is to make sure to hold on to what you can use for the second child…so you don’t have to buy everything new again.
What to Keep for Second Baby
If you are planning on moving your toddler to a new room and keeping the nursery as is…that can be one way to save money on nursery decor and possibly save some time.
When I got pregnant with my daughter that is what we decided to do. We left my son’s “old room” and moved him to a new room months before our second baby was born.
The nursery was already gender neutral so we really didn’t buy anything new.
The crib, rocking chair, and changing table all stayed put.
My son moved next door to a room that was decked out in dinosaurs so he had no problem leaving the nursery.
If you plan on doing this make sure you do it months before your baby is born so that your toddler has time to transition.
Reuse Your Cloth Diapers on Second Baby
One of the BEST perks of using cloth diapers was when we were going to have our second baby and ALL of our cloth diapers were in great condition and we were able to use them for our daughter!
I do have to come clean and admit I did have to buy a couple of cute girly diaper covers because…they are just too cute!
Make sure that you wash and care for your cloth diapers correctly so that they are in good condition when your second baby arrives.
This is a big money saver!
If you didn’t cloth diaper for your first but you are considering it for your second…you can read all about how to start cloth diapering here.
How to Store Baby Clothes for Second Child
You will definitely want to hold on to your first child’s clothes if you are planning on having a second.
You can store baby clothes in plastic tubs like this or if you need to save on space you can use vacuum seal bags like these ones.
Grab your FREE Milestone Guide HERE.
What if my baby is the opposite gender and born at a different time of year?
So this was me.
My first was a boy and my second was a girl.
My son was born in October and my daughter was a February baby heading into springtime.
Guess what?
We still used a lot of the clothes he wore.
My son happend to be a very small baby and my daughter was more normal sized so somehow it all worked out.
To us the gender thing isn’t huge.
She happens to be a girl that loves dinosaurs so she has been very happy with some of the outfits and pajamas that my son once wore.
Did we get anything new for her?
We did.
We also were fortunate to get a large pile of second hand girl clothes from our neighbors.
I think it is a good idea to hang onto clothes just in case!
Keep Baby Toys that are in Good Working Condition
You will want to go through your baby toys and make sure that they are all in good and safe condition.
Get rid of toys that have broken or missing pieces.
If you did happen to get rid of your baby toys or need replacements you can check out my recommendations for baby toys from 0-6 months to get you started.
Check Your Infant Car Seat Expiration
If you are no longer using your infant car seat you may be able to use it for your second child.
When should you not use it?
If your car seat has ever been in an accident you should not use it.
If you see any defects or things are not working correctly you should get rid of it.
If it is passed its expiration date it is time to trade it in and get a new car seat.
Make Life Easier with these Second Baby Must Haves
Now that we have covered what to keep for second baby let’s talk about what to buy for second baby.
There are just a few things to buy for second baby that are ESSENTIAL and will make life easier when baby number 2 is born.
Many of the things to buy for second baby can be bought second hand so you may want to check into that first before you buy new.
Are double strollers worth it?
At first I had no plans to get a double stroller.
My toddler is a busy boy and has not enjoyed sitting in anything that he needs to be strapped into such as strollers and shopping carts.
I was planning on just putting my baby in the stroller and having him walk alongside to burn some energy.
One of my friends was selling her stand and sit stroller (if you haven’t seen these you can check it out here) so I thought I would snag it just in case.
My toddler LOVES it!
We go for walks in the neighborhood in the morning which gives us some nice time to talk to each other as he sits facing me.
If he starts to get squirmy , he just stands up to stretch his legs.
You can also get side by side strollers (like these) if your little one still enjoys sitting down in the stroller.
White Noise Helps to Keep Children From Waking Each Other Up
If you have a noisy toddler…or a loud baby then this a must have. I have the same white noise machine in each of the kids room (this is the one we have.)
It helps my baby sleep through my toddler when he decides to play loudly during naps (which is pretty much always the case.)
When my baby has woken up crying during the night (she had colic so this happened a lot) my son has slept through it.
Baby Play Activity Mat Helps Keep Your Baby Happy
Baby gyms are perfect for when you need to entertain or tend to your toddler and you need your baby to play by themselves.
Baby’s work on fine motor, gross motor, and cognitive skills while spending a few minutes at a time in the baby gym.
This is the one we had for both my son and daughter.
It has help up great and provided them with some wonderful entertainment and learning.
Having a Second Baby with a Toddler
How can you keep your toddler busy with a newborn?
I got to try out these activity plans when I was pregnant and they were a life saver!
Now as a mom to two…these activities are always at the top of my list.
They are simple to put together and you most likely have everything you need on hand at home.
Having activities on hand that your toddler will learn from and be entertained by are ESSENTIAL when you have a new baby.
You can try this free activity challenge to see if they are a good fit for you and your little one.
Many of these activities would be great to stick in a “busy box” that you have ready for when you are needing to feed the baby or just need to keep your toddler occupied for a few minutes.
Another great addition to a busy box is a quiet book.
You can print out the one I made HERE.
RELATED POST: Helping Older Siblings Cope with New Baby
A Baby Carrier Let’s You Get More Done
If you thought a baby carrier was a life saver the first time around… then you know just how important it is once you have two.
Baby carriers can be a bit tricky. They are definitely not a one size fits all.
When both of my babies were first born I used this one.
I liked it because it felt like it gave my body a lot of support.
This is also the carrier my husband prefers to use hands down.
This is the other carrier I have.
If you are looking for an option that is inexpensive but can be used in a variety of ways then you will love this one.
Second Baby Registry…Do You Need One?
This is completely up to you!
If you feel like you have everything you need or don’t want gifts from anyone else then don’t make one.
If you have people asking you want you need or what you want then set one up.
You can set on up on Amazon by clicking here and it only takes a few minutes!
What to Put on Baby registry for Second Child
I would stick to the essential baby items for second child that I listed above.
You will also want to register for baby supplies that you may not have on hand such as baby bath supplies.
Gift cards also can really come in handy when you have a second child because you may need something that you didn’t need for your first because all children are different.
Second Baby Checklist Printable Download
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed by the arrival of your second child?
Don’t worry…I will help you stay organized!
Download your free printable second baby checklist planner so you can be prepared for when baby number 2 arrivers.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR PRINTABLE SECOND BABY CHECKLIST PLANNER
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Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.