so I have a couple of girlfriends who are having a babies and some have asked for advice of products or gear. I was so overwhelmed when I first walked into a baby superstore. I had no idea what things really were needed or what half the items were even. so below is a list of things I and mark say we couldn't live without, because it was necessary and really made or life easier. (these are in no particular order by the way.)
chicco keyfit travel system
this is the easiest way to tote around baby. it comes with a super safe carseat (per consumer report rating), the stroller and base to place in your car. we took the stroller and carseat to florida with us and it worked really well in the airport. I also packed a baby sling but never ended up using it because it was too warm. it took getting used to opening and closing but it's easy nevertheless. it's hard packing a full diaper bag below right now since the seat has to fully reclined to have the car seat snap in but if you remember to place it there first before reclining the seat it's not a big deal.
learn more at the
chicco site.
boppy pillow
this is usually on everyone's list. it props baby comfortably for feeding, helpful for tummy time, and later to help baby sit up. it definitely helped in the beginning with feeding with lily—esp with my c-section it created a nice comfy spot for lily without hurting mommy. it's helpful to have the water proof layer as baby spits up and drools all the time.
find it
here.
boppy booster pillow
it's a foam wedge that props baby up a bit higher. where the boppy pillow works, this just literally makes things super easy especially with a newborn. my sister gave me this and it really came in handy—she found it on clearance at target and just gave it to me to try and it really helped. being a first time mom breastfeeding is something you need to get used to so anything to make it easier the better. the first month and a half I always used this to feed lily.
find it
here.
aiden and anais muslin cloths
so at first all I could really think is these are expensive pieces of cloth. but compared to other recieving blankets these are most comfortable, easy to use for swaddling and hold up very well. these are great if baby doesn't need heavy covers but still would like to snuggle up to something.
carter's soothing sounds bear
there are many soothers out there but this one was most appealing to me. first it's a really soft velvety cute bear. second it's easy to travel with. third it plays nice sounding momma's heart beat, rain, water and waves. we always use this to put lily to sleep—just wish it stayed on longer than 45 mins!
burt's bees baby bee diaper ointment
I know there are a bunch of diaper creams out there, but this is mark and I's favorite. we only use this when her bum is looking red and when we apply it helps with one application. we also use aquaphor sometimes but in general we rarely have needed to use diaper cream. we only use wipes if we need to clean up a poopy mess, so that may help cut down on irritation too. burt's bees is our favorite because it smells nice and minty too—it's a lil butt fresher too :) another plus is that is 100% natural!
aveeno baby calming comfort bath
so if you ask me this by far is my favorite smelling baby product. when I'm all done washing lily she smells like pure baby goodness and love snuggling up to her. it has a vanilla lavender scent which adds to the comfort. lily really doesn't have a choice but she likes it too :) daddy of course favors the burt's bees shampoo and wash, but this one is great in mommy's eyes.
fisher-price whale of a tub
so those who know me will understand I have a sea obsession. maybe it's because we live in the middle of cornfield America and I always long to see and hear the waves crashing on a beach that has lead to my state of nautical love. well I saw this tub and instantly added it to the registry without second thought. I then read the reviews and maby other parents love it too. this is a great tub. I fill it and then prop it on the bathroom sink (it has legs that level it and keep it in place.) the ledge on the inside keeps lily safe in place and once done I lift the plug and the water drains straight into the sink. I don't have another tub to compare this to, but this one is easy-to-use and keeps baby in place.
fisher-price rainforest play mat
lily has loved this playmat since she was about a month and a half. I placed her on there and the lights mesmerized her and all the colors and sounds kept her busy. there are a bunch of loops to hang toys or rotate the ones that come with the mat. it was fun when she learned or the mirror and reflection she played on that mat by herself for 45 mins! now that she is 4 months + rolling over to her belly she still has a lot to see and play with still. great mat for baby!
lamaze toys
this was one of the first toys to capture lily's attention. we hung it from her play mat and she batted it for a half hour. her favorite is olivia the owl but she equally is intrigued and will play with sydney and sandy kangaroo, sophia the princess and jacques the peacock. all these toys are brightly colored and have distiguishable black and white patterns which helps when baby is just developing eyesight. these are great toys but baby won't start to be interested in them till around 2 months.
fisher-price snuggabunny swing
I didn't mean to put so many fisher-price items on my list but this swing is great. it wasn't until lily was 2 months old that she started sleeping in the her crib. the snuggabunny swing was and still is a savior. we also have a bouncer, equally useful, but if you had to choose one this has been used practically every day we've had lily. right now we use it for nap time and if she needs a bit of help before falling alseep for the night. this swing plugs in so if you need to use it all night, you can and don't have to worry about batteries. this too has a snuggly lining so it's comfy for baby to sleep in. the soothing sounds and mobile assist lily to fall tired and sleepy. sleep is important and anything that helps I say I love it!
carter's sleep-and-plays
these are a necessity. some may say onesies are but I found sleep and plays are the easiest and quickest especially for babies under three months. we found onesies difficult to put on a newborn—their heads are so wobbly it's hard putting something over their heads and makes changing longer than it has to be. zippers are quicker than buttons of course but all these have been useful to have for baby not only for pjs but to wear during the day. they come in so many cute designs too—this strawberry one is my favorite!
burp cloths
baby spits up... A LOT. baby drools... A LOT. so you will go through 2-3 of these a day. I just bought these white diaper cloths and they have worked wonderfully. you don't need the fancy kind just something that is absorbent and easy to clean.
