It’s now been 2 months with Claire, and we’ve got a pretty good handle on what works and what doesn’t. More like what she likes and doesn’t like, lol. We got most of the gifts we registered for at the baby shower and then some after her birth. So we were in great shape and had pretty much everything we needed when we brought her home from the hospital. Each baby is different and they can be very picky, so what works for Claire might not work for other babies. But I figured I’d share the products we can’t live without, some of our other favorites, and a couple which I would recommend buying something different.
Our Must Haves
- Portable sound machine: This might be our most used item! She loves the soft white noise and it calms her down immediately. We use it so much I bought another one (different brand)!
- Ollie and Happiest Baby swaddles: I’ve tried a bunch of different swaddles and these are our favorite. You can get a nice tight swaddle with the Ollie and the Happiest Baby one is literally so easy for middle of the night wake ups.
- Uppbaby Vista and Mesa car seat: We love our UB system and use it everyday. Claire has been sleeping in the bassinet since we brought her home and loves it. It’s super easy to bring in the car and I can’t wait to go for more walks when the weather is warmer! (I’d also add the stroller organizer to the list!)
- Baby wrap carrier: This I feel is an essential to have for newborns. Claire loved being bundled up in the wrap when she was first born and would fall alseep in there. She’s now a little more alert and likes to look out, but I imagine we will end up using this again down the line.
- Bibs pacifiers: I probably bought at least 10 different pacifies before we settled on Bibs. Every baby has different preferences and not all pacifiers are the same, so take time to find which works for your baby. Some babies don’t even like pacifiers, and that’s OK too!
- Zipped onesies: Some of our favorites are from Baby Gap and Burts Bees Baby. These are just the easiest to put on and take off, especially during nighttime feedings. Snag yourself some to add to their wardrobe!
- Car seat cover: I use this literally every time we go out to help block Claire from light and (some) sound while she’s sleeping in the car seat. This is a must have!
- Diaper bag: I absolutely love the diaper bag I got. It’s exactly what I wanted in terms of style, quality and functionality.
- Baby Frida products: We LOVE the Baby Frida products because they make life so much easier. I use the nail clippers and NoseFrida almost daily, and I got the humidifier for Claire’s room. Did you know all babies should have a humidifier in their room? Neither did I, so we snagged this and love it because it’s a nightlight, too!
Other Favorites
- Olababy and Tommee Tippee bottles: Same with pacifiers, every baby is different and not all bottle is the same. These were Claire’s favorite because they were closest to a real nipple.
- Baby Breeza bottle warmer: Warm bottles are better for baby’s tummy and are closest to the temperature of breast milk. We got this warmer and really like it! It takes about 5 minutes to warm a 4oz room temperature bottle, and you can control it through an app on your phone!
- 4Moms Mamaroo: This swing is amazing. It mimics the movements of a mom/dad’s rocking and other movement like car rides. It’s super high tech with an app and an a built in sound machine. I’d highly recommend!
- Rock N Play: This is another essential for new moms. The basic model we have was only around $45, so it’s a total new brainer. I pop Claire in here whenever I’m not holding her and am doing things like laundry or taking a shower (I bring her in the bathroom with me!).
- Changing pad: The changing pad is her favorite place, so we spend a lot of time here. It’s where we have all our mom & baby chats, lol! This one is great because it’s rubber so you can easily clean it. We use these liners on top so she’s not cold.
- Pampers Pure diapers and wipes: Made without chlorine, fragrances, parabens, or latex and made with pure cotton. Make sure to get diapers with indicator strips – makes your life a lot easier!
- Lawn drying rack: Seems silly, but it really is an essential if you will be using bottles at all!
- Babyganics dish soap: Love using this to wash all Claire’s bottles, pacifiers, etc.
- Hatch Baby Rest Night Light: This is perfect to have set up in baby’s nursery. It’s a sound machine + night light and is totally customizable through their app. You can set up favorite combinations and program timers for when you want certain lighting/sounds to come on. And the sound quality is really great! The light is also perfect for when you have to feed or change baby at night and don’t want it to feel like Times Square with all the lights on.
Skip It
- Infant Optics monitor: I did a LOT of research on which baby monitor to get when building my registry. The Infant Optics monitor continuously received great reviews and came recommended by other mom bloggers. So I was confident when we received it as one of our baby shower gifts. However, I have two gripes with the monitor. First, you are constantly having to charge the monitor piece because the battery just does not last (I’m talking 2-3 times a day). And second, the signal strength is poor even when we are just in the next room. I’d recommend adding a different one to your registry even though it might be more $$.
- Muslin swaddle blankets: You definitely want to get some of these just to have as cozy blankets for baby. But I found it impossible to keep her constrained in just a blanket swaddle and that the velcro or zip swaddles were more effective (and easier!).