A City Parent's Guide to Baby Gear—Here’s What You Actually Need

This infant car seat is a city parent's dream, especially if you rely on rideshares or taxis. Instead of lugging around a heavy base or fumbling with complicated installations, you can quickly secure the seat using just the LATCH system—a game-changer when you're juggling a baby and bags on busy city streets. The lightweight design makes it even easier to transport between rides, and you can trust that your little one is safely secured each time.

The Doona is a car seat/stroller all rolled into one, ideal for taxis, ride shares, rental cars and whatever other transportation challenges your urban life involves. “If you live in a city where you don't own a car, you will find yourself taking Ubers a lot more often. Having a Doona means no clunky strollers to fold into the trunk, and you can click the car seat using just the seatbelt,” says one city-dwelling Babylist parent.

If you don’t have a car or simply walk a lot of places, your stroller will be your best friend when lugging all the things you need. When we polled Babylist parents about their must-have gear for living in the city, the Vista was one of the most popular mentions. “It’s my car! Or at least gets more use than the car does,” one wrote in. This one has a spacious storage basket that can fit your groceries, diaper bag and whatever else you find yourself toting around that day. “Its large basket allows me to run local errands with my baby, and it can attach its car seat, toddler seat, extra rumble seat and buggy board,” another Babylist parent said. 

Keep in mind that the Vista is pretty heavy to get up and down stairs and takes up quite a bit of space when folded— two things to note when considering if this one will work for your family. A few parents mentioned starting out with this stroller and later swapping to something lightweight and compact: “We originally got the Uppababy Vista for longevity [and in] planning for baby number two, but it's way too big for the buses and small grocery stores in our city. We switched to the Minu and that made all the difference.”

The ultimate lightweight stroller for traveling, this is a good pick to add to your registry if you want a compact yet functional stroller that’s easy to get in and out of Ubers and navigate small spaces. In addition to being lightweight (just over 13 pounds), it’s super compact when folded— which means it’s easy to take up and down flights of stairs. 

“It’s amazing for city living. Super high quality, handles city sidewalks, cobblestone streets. Easy fold and open, lightweight and easy to carry. Fits in restaurants. We never had a problem having it next to our table,” a Babylist parent shared about their Aer+.

When choosing a diaper bag, a backpack style is your best bet for overall capacity, organization and comfort. For shorter outings, or once baby is a little older and doesn’t need so much, city-living parents who responded to our poll said a crossbody or fanny pack style option come in handy.

Diaper blowout while you’re walking through the park? In a restaurant without a changing table? This packable pouch is your very own portable changing station, featuring everything you need to diaper your little one when you’re out and about. It can also be useful for at-home diaper changes, especially if you don't have the space to set up a designated changing station.

After strollers, city parents ranked a versatile, comfortable carrier as their next essential item—an 'absolute must,' according to one Babylist parent in our poll. They especially come in handy when space is limited: “Navigating a stroller downtown is impossible, so a good baby carrier that doesn't kill my back is a must!” another Babylist parent said. They also make riding public transportation easier (since you won’t have to fuss with folding up a stroller). The Omni Breeze is supportive, comfortable and has convenient storage pockets to stash essentials like your keys and cash. 

Babywearing and cold weather don’t mix, or do they? Quite a few Babylist parents raved in our poll about this brand’s coats that are made to specifically fit you, your baby and your carrier. One Babylist parent said they found their babywearing coat was worth every penny, especially for “those rainy days when you have to step out with the baby.” You’ll still want to make sure you follow all carrier safety guidelines and that the coat isn’t too snug against baby.

Cities are noisy, no doubt about it. A portable sound machine can help drown out some of the hustle and bustle of the city when you’re out and your baby needs a nap or is overstimulated from all of the activity around them. One Babylist parent said, “We clipped that bad boy into our stroller whenever we were out and about and it helped take the edge off of all the city noise.”

A travel crib is a great add to any registry, as it can also serve as a playard when you need baby in a safe space to get things done. This ultra-breathable option is extra city-living friendly thanks to its compact size. 

Minimal design with long-term functionality, this bouncer has so many pros for city families. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, folds flat for easy storage and, most importantly, is a safe, comfy and ergonomically designed place to put baby if you need a quick shower, time to prep dinner or just a moment to yourself.

An aesthetic floor mat is a nice swap for a rug if you’re living in the city and short on space (aka places for baby to play). This Little Nomad mat is one piece, easy to wipe clean and provides a soft, comfortable spot for little ones to play. And the best part is, it’ll blend in seamlessly with the rest of your home. It’s also easy to move from room to room if you wanted to.

The BassiNest gives your baby a safe, cozy sleep space without taking up precious room. Its 360-degree swivel keeps your baby close while making it easy to get in and out of bed plus the space-saving base tucks under your bed making it ideal for small rooms.

A mini crib is a great option for city dwellers who don’t have room for the full-sized version. We love that this one rolls on (locking) casters, folds for storage and easy transport and comes in a range of colors. A few parents specifically mention this crib in our poll for its foldable convenience, saying “These tiny Brooklyn apartments are no joke, but being able to collapse the crib and roll it around was game-changing.”

A sleeping baby in the city means dealing with plenty of potentially disruptive noises. The Hatch is a favorite among Babylist parents and editors for its versatility and soothing sounds. It’s a night light, sound machine and time-to-wake clock, rolled in one—which means you won’t need to find surface space for three separate pieces of gear. The calming sounds help to drown out city noises and those from your neighbors.

No room for a rocking chair? Not to worry. Just put the Ready Rocker against any sturdy vertical surface, lean back and rock your little one to dreamland. It’s seriously genius!

Diapers take up a lot of space, something you’re most likely short on. A diaper subscription means you don’t have to worry about running out or re-stocking yourself.

If you’ve got enough room for a smaller dresser, this changing pad is an easy way to turn it into a designated spot for diaper changes. And it wipes clean which means less laundry for you. 

Want to skip the designated changing station? As a parent who lived in a small home when each of my kids were born, I preferred to have a portable changing basket (aka diaper caddy) that I could take with me around the house—it saved a lot of space. Keep it stocked with a few diapers, a pack of wipes, diaper cream and a portable change mat like Gathre or the Skip Hop Pronto Changing Station listed above.

A well-stocked nursing cart is a good idea, no matter where you live, but especially for city-living parents. It’s a great way to keep all of your essentials organized and accessible, plus it can roll easily from room to room. You can customize it to your specific needs, whether you’re breastfeeding or pumping. If this is too bulky for your space, you can also fill a diaper caddy with your nursing stuff as a portable option.

A place to dry all of your baby stuff (think bottles, pacifiers, pumping supplies and more) without sacrificing sacred counter space, the compact design of this drying rack is ideal for smaller city kitchens. The rack fits right under cabinets and comes apart for easy, thorough cleaning.

Baby gear that’s multifunctional is key for city-living parents. This portable high chair securely attaches to a dining table chair and allows baby to be with you during meals without taking up precious floor space. It’s also handy for folding up and taking on-the-go to visit family and friends or a day at the park. 

This is one of our gear editor’s favorite high chairs for small spaces—and tons of Babylist parents love it too. It clips right onto your table or countertop, taking up very little space. You’ll want to provide baby with foot support for proper alignment when eating and that can be as simple as propping a cardboard box under your baby's feet.

This is a convenient kit packed with all the essentials for baby’s bumps, scrapes, and sniffles in one compact, easy-to-store case. 

You don’t need a ton of things in the way of grooming supplies and this kit has a few of the basics you’ll want in your stash like baby nail clippers and a viral SnotSucker nasal aspirator.

Most infant tubs take up a ton of space, but that’s not the case with the Stokke. This one folds completely flat, making it ideal for smaller city spaces. It’s suitable from birth to 8 months and even comes with a newborn support just right for those early months.

Big cities mean big sounds. When we polled Babylist parents about their must-haves for city living, quite a few mentioned these hearing protection muffs. They’re specially designed for tiny ears and will protect your little one’s hearing from roaring trains, wailing sirens and the hustle and bustle of your urban environment. One parent wrote, “There’s a solid scene of Brooklyn parents who go out and find baby-friendly bars and such, so our kiddo uses his headphones often. But if that’s not your scene, even on the subway the noises are loud for tiny ears!”

If you only have room for one play gym in your city home, make it this one. Designed by childhood development experts, this play gym features tons of activities and grows with your baby from day one all the way through the toddler years.

This thing is a fan-favorite among both babies and their parents. Not only is it super portable, folding up nicely if you want to stash it away, it’s loaded with features babies love—from the engaging colors to the catchy purple monkey tune.

Activity centers come in handy when you need something to capture baby’s attention so you have a minute to yourself or get things done around the house. Most activity centers are bulky, but not this Oribel pick. It also features foldable legs, making it easy to store away in a closet if you want some of your floor back. 

Stroller toys are super helpful for keeping babies entertained while they’re out and about, and the clips mean they’ll stay within reach (and off of the ground). Plus, this one plays the viral purple monkey song.