Today, on International Children’s Day, we’d like to post an article inspired by children that would be useful to their English-learning parents. Let’s focus on words denoting items often considered essentials for newborns. Even if you’re an intermediate, upper-intermediate, or even advanced English learner, you might still lack some vocabulary related to this topic, especially if you’re about to become a parent for the first time. So, let’s get into learning mode and prepare to welcome the baby with some new, useful words in our arsenal!

Baby, Newborn or Infant?

Before we delve into the exciting world of baby care products, let’s clarify the usage of the terms “baby,” “newborn,” and “infant.” Let’s start with the latter. An infant is a formal term for a baby, that is a child under the age of 1 year. A newborn, on the other hand, is a term used for a very young baby, usually under 1 month old. However, it’s worth noting that sometimes the term “infant” is incorrectly used to describe a child who is much older than 1 year. For example, some airlines provide “bassinets for infants” (like the one you can see in the picture on this website), referring to children under 2 years old, which is not technically accurate. A child aged approximately 1 to 3 years old is called a toddler.

Baby Essentials

For the main section of the article, we’ve chosen to focus on items that people often struggle to name if they don’t speak English natively. The reason is simple: they haven’t had the need to learn the vocabulary, let alone use it until now. But that’s about to change for you, dear reader. Welcome to this brand new world, and congratulations on becoming a parent (already or soon)! Here is our selection of words that we believe you really should know.

Word	Picture	Pronunciation
Diaper (US) / nappy (UK)		/ˈdaɪpər/ /ˈnæpi/
Baby wipes		/ˈbeɪbi waɪps/
Diaper/nappy pail		/peɪl/
Crib (US) / cot (UK)		/krɪb/ /kɒt/
Bassinet		/ˌbæsɪˈnet/
Onesie		/ˈwʌnzi/
Booties		/ˈbuːtiːz/
Fitted (crib/cot) sheet		/ˈfɪtɪd ʃiːt/
Swaddle blanket / swaddle		/ˈswɑːdl ˈblæŋkɪt/ /ˈswɑːdl/
Wearable blanket / sleep sack		/ˈwerəbl ˈblæŋkɪt/ /sliːp sæk/
Baby bathtub / bath		/ˈbæθtʌb/ /ˈbæθ/
Hooded towel		/ˈhʊdɪd ˈtaʊəl/
Washcloth		/ˈwɑːʃklɔːθ/
Formula / formula milk		/ˈfɔːrmjələ/
Breast pump		/ˈbrest pʌmp/
Baby feeding pillow /nursing pillow		/ˈfiːdɪŋ ˈpɪləʊ/ /ˈnɜːrsɪŋ ˈpɪləʊ/
Milk storage bags		/mɪlk ˈstɔːrɪdʒ bæɡz/
Nursing pads		/ˈnɜːrsɪŋ pædz/
High chair		/ˈhaɪ tʃer/
Burp cloth		/bɜːrp klɔːθ/
Bib		/bɪb/
Bottle sterilizer		/ˈbɑːtl ˈsterəlaɪzər/
Pacifier (US) / dummy (UK)		/ˈpæsɪfaɪər/ /ˈdʌmi/
Car seat		/ˈkɑːr siːt/
Baby carrier		/ˈbeɪbi ˈkæriər/
Stroller (US) / pushchair (UK)		/ˈstrəʊlər/ /ˈpʊʃtʃer/
Teether		/ˈtiːðə/
Baby swing / bouncer		/swɪŋ/ /ˈbaʊnsər/
Baby play mat/gym		/pleɪ mæt/
Crib/cot mobile		/ˈməʊbl/ (US) /ˈməʊbaɪl/ (UK)
Rattle		/ˈrætl/

Did we forget something? Are there any essentials you can’t live without? Be sure to let us know in the comments.

And now, it’s time to practice…

Exercise 1. Click the link here and match the words with their definitions.

Exercise 2. Click the link here and match the words with the pictures.

Exercise 3. Click the link here and complete the sentences with the right words.

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