The following is for educational purposes only and should not be taken for medical advice. Be sure to consult a doctor for your family’s health needs.
Why have a baby first aid kit assembled before baby even arrives, when you can just order stuff or run out to the drugstore for supplies?
Well, as you may have already learned during pregnancy, babies like to be unpredictable—and inevitably, in the middle of the night, when your baby starts sniffling and coughing, you’ll be grateful for a bit of advance preparation. And the good news? This infant first aid kit won’t just be for babies, but for children and adults as well, so the whole family will be prepared.
Here are some essentials you’ll want to stock in a baby first aid kit.
General First Aid Kit Items to Have on Hand
First things first, for general cuts + scrapes and ouchies, start with these basics for your baby’s first aid kit. These are basics you’ll need in any type of first aid kit, so they’ll come in handy for the whole family too.
The Best Gauze
Band-Aid Gauze
Take it from a nurse: rolled gauze is extremely helpful to have on hands, from keeping sprains in place to protecting wounds. This Band-Aid brand includes 5 rolls of self-securing gauze, so it's a great addition to a first aid kit.
The Best Antiseptic Wound Wash
Band-Aid Brand First Aid Hurt-Free Antiseptic Wash
When cleaning out a bloody cut, you’ll need some disinfectant to make sure that the wound doesn’t get infected before you apply a bandage. As a more kid-friendly version, this anti-septic wash uses Lidocaine HCl 2.00% to help decrease the sting of washing. Plus, this pack comes with 2 6 oz. bottles, so stash one in your at-home kit and one in the diaper bag for on-the-go ouchies.
The Best Touchless Thermometer
Kinsa QuickScan Smart Thermometer
Our family of 7 owns this thermometer and I'm happy to say: it works exceptionally well. I love that I can quickly scan every family member's temperature without even having to touch their forehead. Just hold it above the middle of the forehead and the thermometer will read their temp in seconds. And the best part it is, Kinsa syncs to a free, accompanying app to store readings and give you personalized, age-appropriate insight about your child's health and next steps you should take.
Basic Pair of Tweezers: Guru Tweezers
Guru Tweezers
A basic pair of tweezers can help with removing splinters from skin or debris from wounds. I own these and they work great, although if you want to get really fancy, you could upgrade to a lighted version.
Best for Burns
Fruit Of The Earth Aloe Vera 100% Gel
Stock an aloe vera gel or a cream to treat and other household injuries and burns. As with any gel or cream for the skin, be careful to avoid getting it in your baby or child's eyes and discontinue use if it causes any skin irritation.
Best Hand Sanitizer
Happy Little Camper Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is a staple of modern-day life now, especially for moms. Now, it feels like no trip out of the house is complete without double-checking for the essentials: phone, snacks, diapers, wipes, mask, extra mask, and hand sanitizer. And for moms looking for a more natural route, Happy Little Camper Sanitizer provides a paraben and phthalate-free hand sanitizer. It has a very mild smell and doesn’t irritate your skin. Plus, it has a lockable pump top and comes in a convenient slim size that fits perfectly in a cupholder. I keep mine stashed in my minivan for all the little hands that need cleaning, so we’re never without it.
Read ReviewBest for General Cuts + Scrapes
Rubbing Alcohol
You gotta have rubbing alcohol to make any first aid kit complete, right? Fortunately, it's pretty much impossible to mess up rubbing alcohol. Just grab a bottle and use it for everything from sanitizing equipment like tweezers to cleaning out wounds.
Baby First Aid Kit Essentials
Here are the items specific to babies that you’ll want to have on hand for your little one’s arrival prepared for your baby first aid kit:
Best for Stuffy Noses
Little Remedies Saline Spray and Drops
Primarily used for when baby has a cold or just a stuffy nose due to congestion or allergies, these simple saline drops can really help with clearing baby out. Typically, they come in the form of a spray or in small individual pipettes that you stick directly into baby’s nostrils. (If you opt to use a spray, just make sure that you keep the spray part clean after use.)
For Clearing Stuffy Noses
FridaBaby Baby Nasal Aspirator
Most babies aren’t a big fan, but once they get past the discomfort of the nasal aspirator it’s a game changer for little clogged noses. Put in some saline drops first, then use the NoseFrida snot sucker and your baby will be relieved to breathe freely when they have a cold or get congested. If you're totally grossed out, don't worry: it's a closed system, so we promise you won't get any boogers in your mouth. Plus, it's dishwasher-safe, so pop it in when you're done for a good cleaning + sanitizing.
For Soothing
Harney & Sons Chamomile Herbal Tea
Chamomile tea serves many purposes in the early months. For instance, if baby gets a bit of diaper area irritation, you can wipe them with cloth and room temperature chamomile tea. For clogged tear ducts that cause “eye gunk”—very common in young babies—you can put warm (not hot) compresses dipped into chamomile tea to gently wipe their eyes. Last but not least, if you’re breastfeeding, it can be a soothing item as well for irritated nipples. Plus, brewing up a cup is a great way to unwind after a long day of parenting.
Diaper Rash Cream
Hello Bello Soothing Diaper Rash Cream
With 40% non-nano zinc oxide and other healing ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter you can rest assured that once you spread on this thick cream it’s going to soothe and treat all that ails your baby’s bum. This Soothing Diaper Rash Cream from Hello Bello is also hypoallergenic, vegan, and made with non-nano zinc oxide (this is a fancy phrase for meaning it sits on the top of the skin and doesn’t penetrate it).
Baby Nail Clippers
Easy Grip Nail Scissors by Frida Baby
Trust me, cutting your baby’s fingernails with the adult nail scissors doesn’t end up well. A grippy pair of nail clippers like Frida Baby’s is easy to hold and maneuver with a wiggly baby (pro tip: you can also cut baby’s nails while they sleep!). Plus, because Friday Baby is always genius like that, the included safety case can be used for baby to play with and as a guide to help you, the parent, actually get the job done by placing your baby's fingers through it to keep them in place.
For Gassy Babies
Mommy's Bliss Gripe Water
Though not every baby needs these, many parents find them helpful during the newborn days when baby gets gassy and uncomfortable. It’s worth having some on hand in case it turns out to be the magic tool to soothe your little one’s digestive issues in the first few weeks. Just be sure to check with your baby's pediatrician before using them, because you'll want to rule out any other problems if your baby is colicky and gassy.
Best Medicine Dispenser
Dr. Brown’s Pacifier Medicine Dispenser with Oral Syringe
In case you need to give your baby oral medication, a pacifier medicine dispenser or a syringe or medicine dropper is usually the easiest tool with a young baby to ensure they actually swallow all of it. This version from Dr. Brown's includes 2 pacifiers (sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months) and a traditional syringe so you have several chances to get the job done. We believe in you! They're also dishwasher-safe when the job is done.
Best Toddler Medicine
Tylenol Infants' Acetaminophen Liquid Medicine
Also known as Tylenol, this over-the-counter medicine is helpful to have on hand when your baby is in a lot of pain and discomfort due to fever, other illness or teething. Just be sure to always consult your pediatrician and follow recommendations for weight-appropriate dosage closely. Recommended for ages 2+.
Baby Healthcare + Safety Tips
Along with stocking your house with some basic baby first aid supplies and a newborn kit, it can be helpful to brush up on some general health and safety tips when you have an infant around:
Get CPR certified
Before baby arrives, consider taking an infant first aid and CPR course, or at least review the basics via video and books so that you feel confident in these areas. It’s also a good idea to ensure that anyone who will be spending time alone with your baby—like grandparents or caregivers—get certified too.
Babyproof the basics
Although your baby won’t be mobile for at least a few months, it is never a bad idea to start thinking about household hazards and some basic babyproofing.
Go through supplies regularly. Keep an eye on things like medications that have an expiration date and check through them every so often to make sure you don’t have a bunch of expired first aid items in your kit.
Don’t forget your furry friends
If you have pets, it can be a possible safety issue once baby comes home in terms of having them around your little one. Read up on techniques about getting your pet used to your baby and safety tips about animals and babies living together.
Practice safe sleep
Make sure that your baby has a safe place to sleep before they come home and you follow all recommended safe sleep practices including: a separate, flat sleeping area with no loose blankets, stuffed animals, or anything additional near the baby.
Check your car seat
Learn how to properly install your baby’s car seat and make sure you understand how the car seat works for maximum safety. Some stores offer free car seat consultations to help you figure out how best to use yours.
Replace detector batteries
If your baby’s nursery has a smoke or carbon monoxide detector, check to see that it is in working order.
And last but not least, it’s also a great idea to do a health and safety check-in with anyone who will be caring for your baby to ensure they are also following all the precautions that are important to you, including any health measures such as masking if necessary, vaccines, and sanitizing.
Your baby is everything, so don’t be afraid to have conversations about staying safe and healthy together.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you perform CPR on an infant?
It’s best if you can take an official infant CPR class from the Red Cross. They offer online certification and resources like this instructional video.
Where should you keep a baby first aid kit?
Somewhere handy and obvious for adults to access, but also a place that young children will not be able to easily get into it. Be sure to follow all recommended babyproofing steps to keep it locked up and out of sight.
