Baby Must-Haves You May Not Know You Need
(Posted on Thursday, September 6, 2018)
Are you bringing home a newborn baby? “They” have a lot to say about baby products! There are so many products to choose from that it is so hard to know what you need… and what you don’t need. Here is my list of all-time favorite baby items which help make my life easier.
Of course diapers, baby wipes, and bottles will be important. There are a couple of things I didn’t realize at first. Many babies outgrow the Newborn diaper size pretty quickly. Some big babies won’t even fit into them. You may want to avoid buying huge packs of newborn size until your baby enters the world and you know how big they are (or at least hold onto your receipts). My son was 9 pounds 2 ounces, so newborn didn’t apply much to him. Also, because all babies are different, bottles may not be “one size fits all.” You may want to stick with only buying a few bottles at first to make sure your baby takes to them before you buy an entire set.
For Comfort
HappiTummi: This tummy wrap is a lifesaver. When our baby was experiencing colic and reflux, this tool calmed her down right away. You simply heat the herbal insert in the microwave, place it into the comfy tummy wrap, and wrap it around your babies lower stomach. This calmed my colicky, need-to-be-held baby down in an instant.
For Sleeping
Monitor: A baby monitor is a must. I prefer the monitors where you can actually see the baby. This gives me peace of mind, but any baby monitor will do.
Here is the one we use and love.
White noise sound machine: I am so thankful a friend told me about white noise! It is basically a sound machine placed in baby’s room which plays some type of white noise all night long. The first time we used a sound machine, our newborn slept over an hour longer than she usually did. We never looked back. Find an example of a white noise machine
here.
Swaddle Me swaddles: These velcro swaddles are our absolute favorite. If at first your baby doesn’t seem to like being swaddled, try swaddling them right before bedtime and breastfeeding them straight away. Usually mine would calm down and sleep much better and longer.
Sleep Sacks: We love these
Halo SleepSacks. We transitioned our babies from the swaddle to the sleep sack around four or five months old.
Baby Carrier
Baby carriers are great for any baby, especially when you leave the house, but I found them essential when I had my second child. I wore my second and third child a lot so that I would have my hands free to care for and entertain my toddlers. My favorite for my newborn was the Moby Wrap.
Check it out here. For older babies, I love the
Ergo carrier.
For Bath Time
Bath Sponge: My children hated the plastic bathtubs. I was delighted to find
this bath sponge. We place it directly into the bathtub, lay baby down, and bathe them right on it. I use a bath cup to continue pouring water over them during the bath to keep them nice and warm.
Hair brush which helps prevent cradle cap: Check out
this baby brush. We were given a baby brush just like this when we left the hospital with our first child. I was so happy to find one for purchase when we needed a replacement for baby number 3! It works wonders at preventing and removing cradle cap. I just apply some baby soap and massage baby’s scalp gently in circular motions.
Washcloths: Soft washcloths are wonderful for bath time. I recently came across these
super soft washcloths which we love.
For Diaper Changes
BabyBum Brush for applying diaper cream: I wondered and wondered if this product would actually work. I hated having diaper ointment residue on my hands even after washing with soap, so I gave it a try. The
BabyBum Diaper Cream Brush is absolutely amazing. I can apply diaper cream now in one easy swipe and my hands are completely goo-free!
Baby Wipe Clutch: The
Huggies wipe clutch is my favorite. I can unzip and refill and place it directly into the diaper bag. It has a nice little strap for carrying and can even be hooked directly onto a bag.
Diaper Ointment: We love the tried and true
A&D diaper ointment for everyday changes and the
Medline Remedy Olivamine Ointment for diaper rash. It works like a charm at removing tough diaper rashes!
For Sleep and Play
Pack ‘N Play: We use the Pack N’ Play for traveling or as a safe place for baby (out of my toddlers’ reach).
This one is our favorite as it has a little bassinet and changing area for baby.
Rock ‘N Play: My infants spent a ton of time in their
Rock ‘N Play. The incline was awesome for my babies with reflux and the rocking and vibration features make it even better!
Play Nest: This is a favorite in our house. There comes a time where baby wants to sit up so bad, but they can’t do it quite yet. They become frustrated laying down, but would fall if you sat them up without support. The Play Nest was the perfect solution. It even helped my babies practice and learn to sit up. This particular play nest can be flipped to the other side for an infant insert:
Check it out here.
For Feeding
Medela Sterilizer bags: These bags are great for sterilizing pump parts and bottles. Many different brands make these neat and easy-to-use sterilizer bags!
Breast Pump: We used the
Medela Pump in Style. If you are breastfeeding, this may be the most important baby item. This pump lasted me through all three kiddos. I simply replaced the tubing each time.
Formula dispenser: If you are formula feeding, the
AVENT formula dispenser is so convenient for on-the-go feeds. This one holds three bottles of formula and easily converts to a snack cup when baby becomes a toddler. It is perfect for any outing or trip.
Boon “grass” drying rack: We love
this drying rack. Ours is over five years old and is still going strong! You can even get a fun flower or tree to hold your bottle nipples. It doesn’t hurt that it looks cute on the counter either!
Bibs with plastic backing: My babies make a huge mess while eating, while burping, while drinking. I had to invest in some bibs with plastic backing, so their clothes could stay dry. Less laundry equals a happy mama!
Diaper Cloths: We love these
Gerber flat fold birdseye cloth diapers for burping baby. Their extra large size provides nice coverage which keeps baby and I clean and spit-up free. They get softer each and every wash.
Boppy: The Boppy is an item I use every day. It helps keep baby in a nice position while nursing. Later, it can be used to help baby learn to sit up.
I hope you will find this list of must-haves helpful! These items have sure helped me through my three babies… and let’s be honest… with three, I will take all the help I can get.
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