From bathtubs to backpacks, these 14 essentials will help you settle and care for your newest addition to the family.

Becoming a new parent is daunting enough without having to trawl through thousands of baby products. Do you really need a baby bouncer? What does a swaddle do anyway?

To make your life easier, we’ve picked out 14 baby essentials to help you navigate parenthood in Hong Kong. Must-have baby essentials for expecting Hong Kong parents You may also like… What’s On Five-star Nurseries: Hong Kong’s best baby changing rooms and breastfeeding facilities What’s On 12 gifts for new parents and their tiny tots

Narrow pavements, bumpy roads and crowded neighbourhoods mean that Hong Kong is not the most stroller-friendly city in the world. A good carrier is essential for navigating bustling streets with baby in tow. The BabyBjörn Mini Carrier is lightweight, easy to put on, and best of all, is perfect for getting on with your day – hands free. Only suitable for babies up to one year old, the lack of a hip support belt can be a little taxing on the shoulders; so perhaps opt for a heavier duty Ergobaby (great for hiking season), or a the coveted Artipoppe for longer days away from home.

A baby’s ‘Moro reflex’ (when they suddenly startle and fling their arms up) means that most babies tend to sleep with their arms up in the air, and are often most comfortable in this position until the reflex waivers at around six months old. If you baby is hard to settle, it’s likely that you’ll have tried a whole bunch of swaddles, however the Love to Dream Swaddle is award-winning for good reason.

A great ‘safe sleep’ option that has been backed by the  “International Hip Dysplasia Institute,” if you’re struggling with traditional swaddles and not ready to move on to a sleep sack, give ‘swaddling up’ a go. It might just make those early morning returns to the office less reliant on a strong cuppa.

Yes, Hong Kong is notoriously hard to navigate with a stroller, but we can’t wear our little one’s all day every day! A baby essential no matter where you are in the world, the BABYZEN YOYO is made for Hong Kong parents due to its nifty, sleek design that easily folds up to be slung over your shoulder — handy for packed MTRs and loading into a taxi.

Available to buy “all-in-one” which includes the newborn insert, 6-months+ and attachable car seat, the BABYZEN YOYO fits in the overhead locker of an airplane, which makes for an easy travel option. The stroller size is just what you need to nip around the city, but fair warning – the underneath storage is tight, so buy your diaper bag accordingly, or pick up a few stroller hooks to attach shopping to.

If your baby struggles to fall and stay asleep amidst the sounds of construction and clatter of mahjong tiles , a white-noise machine can actually help to create a comfortable, womb-like environment that calms infants and encourages them to settle and fall asleep faster. Easily attached to a crib or to your brand-new BABYZEN stroller, there are plenty on the market to choose from, but this owl-shaped Skip Hop soother is as cute as it is effective. Alternatively, Amazon has plenty of options.

When shoulders are strained and arms aching, somewhere to safely put them down is essential. New parents have undoubtedly heard of the BabyBjörn Bliss Baby Bouncer, a lightweight, foldable chair for little ones to relax in while you fix yourself some lunch. The natural rocking of the bouncer is not only soothing, but as your baby grows they learn to control the rocking and stimulate their balance and motor skills — plus, you get five minutes to yourself. Ten, if you’re lucky.

There aren’t many apartments in Hong Kong that come with a bath tub, so finding a baby bath that is free-standing rather than immersive is key. The Shnuggle Baby bath is a great option for those with little space as it fits easily into a kitchen sink. You can buy the accompanying stand, too. Easy to drain and clean, the bath has a built in seat which makes it supportive and suitable to use from birth.

A pacifier can be both a blessing and a curse (as you pop it back in their mouth for the hundredth time), but for those looking to introduce a pacifier it doesn’t get cuter than BIBS’ pastel colour collection. Made from natural latex, BIBS pacifiers have been expertly designed to imitate the shape of a mother’s breast and have even been recommended by midwifes to support breastfeeding.

When you’re already loaded up like a packhorse, the last thing you want to be doing it sifting through your bags to find your keys. Attaching to the handle of your stroller, an organiser is great if you’re only heading out briefly, or just need a place to put and access all the essentials — spare diapers included.

Simply because you need somewhere to hold your oat milk cappuccino.

Whether its taking a work call while rocking baby to sleep or just to help dial down a particularly bad tantrum, AirPods are perfect for keeping your hands free.

How is a phone case a baby essential you ask? Bear with us. If you’ve ever finally settled your over-tired little one on to your chest and daren’t move for fear of waking them, a mirrored phone case helps you to check if those eyes are firmly closed, simply by using the reflection. Same goes for when they’re in a carrier and can’t quite see if they’re asleep from your angle. This one comes in handy more often than you think.

A quintessential baby item, choosing the perfect diaper bag is high on the priority list for parents to be. With many things to consider such as size, comfort and practicability, you may go through a few before you find ‘the one’. New York company Dagne Dover is quickly becoming a firm favourite for first time parents thanks to its sleek design and three sizes to choose from. Comfortable straps? Check. Stroller clips? Check. Laptop compartment? Check!

Plus, we love that the lining, shoe bag, and dust bag are all made from Repreve® recycled polyester — a durable, versatile material that turns recycled bottles into bags.

If you’re heading out of the house or don’t have the room for a larger changing pad, a foldable, wipeable change mat makes dealing with diaper blow-outs that much easier on the go. A nappy wallet and baby changing mat in one, this stylish leather pouch by ben & ellie is padded for comfort and kitted out with  five pockets to store and organise up to six nappies, nappy rash creams, baby wipes and additional items like a spare onesie, a wet bag or disposable nappy bags. Definitely a luxurious addition to your baby essentials list.

If your baby throws their pacifier straight on to the streets of Mong Kok or drops their teething ring over lunch, don’t panic. The 59s UV Sterilser Bag is non-toxic and kills up to 99.9 percent of germs. Simply attach the power bank, turn it on and your item is sterilised within just a minute or two. It’s even compact enough to chuck in the bottom of a stroller or at the top of a diaper bag. No more panicking if you forget to pack that spare!

Hero and featured images credited to BABYZEN.

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