Labor of Love - Must have Baby Items

There are few things that I can say I am highly proficient at. I may have several different talents but proficient, that is another story. At this point in my life, I can absolutely say I am proficient at having children. You may laugh, I laughed and then cried (just a little) when we found out we were pregnant again. Not because we didn’t want this baby, we did, very very much so. But because we were caught off guard. Now, a surprise child can add a lot of stress to some families. Fortunately for us that is not the case. Especially, when it comes to baby gear. I can easily say I have tried a lot of different products and feel good about what we now own and use. With each child I have done something different, bought something new, and learned what works and what doesn’t. By the time we had Makenna, I felt like we really had a handle on the “stuff” piece of it. The actual parenting, well that remains to be seen.

I remember as a new parent first with Olivia and then ultimately JJ, (Olivia’s story can be found HERE), I was overwhelmed by all the products. There were endless options and entire stores dedicated to just the baby phase. Naturally, like most parents I think, we over registered and over bought. Only to find out that we didn’t need half the crap we had. Also, I quickly learned that some things were worth the hefty price tag, while others were not. Since I now consider myself a bit of seasoned veteran, a round up of the “must have’s” would be helpful for those starting out on this amazing journey. Now, I want to be clear, I am not sponsored or endorsed by the vast majority of these products. I also want to be clear, when I am sponsored, I only partner with the brands that I actually believe in. So, I hope you read this knowing you are getting my honest opinion.

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Clothing, next to diapers, is the product that you will most consistently buy, why? Because the kids grow so dang much. Not until they hit toddler sizes do you get longer stretches of wear before jumping sizes. If you haven’t learned by now, I am a pretty big shopper and I have tried pretty much every retailer and clothing option for infants to children. The following brands are on the pricier side but you get the mileage out of these brands. If you are just starting your family, my suggestion (and something I didn’t do right away) is to buy the better stuff now, since you will likely be able to use for multiple children. There is nothing wrong with buying the less expensive brands, especially when you need so many onesies early on. But for items that you will wash over, and over, and over again; these brands have stood the test of time: Hanna Andersson, Burt’s Bees, Magnetic Me, Tea Collection. Some other honorable mentions are Gap and the Nordstrom in house brands. I have bought a ton of Old Navy, Carters, and Cat and Jack. I especially love these for the new walker stage since they are cute but not pricey, I don’t care if they get ripped in the knees. But I have noticed that they don’t quite hold up with the number of washes that the Infant stuff requires.

A Sound Machine is by far our longest lasting baby investment, why? Because my boys (ages 7 and 5) still sleep with them. The one I have linked is my favorite and we use the same one in all the rooms. It is inexpensive, has a battery option, has multiple sounds (we stick to white noise or the ocean) and is incredibly loud. We crank that thing in every room, every night to drown out the other kids waking each-other.

Humidifier- I didn’t really think this was necessary until our first cold and the doctor recommended running the humidifier. It is best to have this on hand and not have to run out to buy one when dealing with a sick little one. I like this one since it holds a large amount of water, is easy to clean and is aesthetically pleasing. We have one of these in each room and we use it pretty frequently.

Frida Baby Products were new when we had JJ at the time everyone thought we were nuts, sucking boogies out of JJ’s nose with a straw. But since then, they have become a registry staple. They also just came out with an electronic snot sucker (so appetizing, I know) which is an upgrade to its more barbaric original counterpart. However, I really believe in this brand and have been super impressed with everything they produce. This is one of those things where you don’t go for the cheaper knock off and stick with the name brand original.

A Diaper Bin - this is not the largest diaper bin on the market and there are other diaper bins that advertise they contain the smell. The reality is, no matter what diaper bin you pick, when you open it, it stinks. So, in my opinion, it might as well be pretty to look at. None of our bedrooms are huge so I appreciate the aesthetic of this one and how compact it is. Also, it forces you to change the bag more frequently reducing how stinky it gets.

Sock Booties - Not sure when these hit the market but I was late to the game getting them. We used them with Makenna and they were a game changer. Lost socks happen even in adult sizes, when they are made for tiny humans, it’s even worse. These sock booties stay on, are warm and look cute. As they get older, they make them bigger with grips on the bottom to prevent them from slipping. In my opinion, if you have a walker, you need to move to a more traditional shoe or moccasin but for that first year of life these are bomb.

Diaper Caddy - Believe it or not, I do not use this in the nursery itself (although there would be nothing wrong with that). I have a diaper station on my main living floor that I keep stocked with diapers, wipes and a changing pad. If you have multiples or little ones just close in age, there is no time to be running up and down the stairs to change a diaper. I like this diaper caddy because it is pretty to look at but also provides good storage space and organized compartments. It does stash nicely in a closet if you have that space, but it also doesn’t look terrible sitting out. This is my number one tip to moms who will have little ones close in age. It’s a game changer to have a diaper changing station somewhere else in the house.

Owlet - this didn’t exist for JJ and was new when we had Westyn however we didn’t have the budget to allow for this pricey purchase. We did end up buying when we had Makenna and I am so happy we did. I can not express how much stress this took off of me. It is a sock bootie that sits on the baby’s foot as they sleep. It connects to an app on my phone and registers the baby’s oxygen and heart rate. It sounds 2 different alarms when there is something wrong. The less aggressive alarm is when the sock just becomes loose and can’t get a reading. The blaring alarm is when the baby’s numbers dip below a certain threshold. Makenna was a good sleeper and did very long stretches early on. This saved me from the panic wakings in the middle of the night wondering if she was ok. I especially loved this when my kids moved to their own rooms; it allowed me peace of mind and rest!

Baby Monitors may be the most overwhelming purchase since there seems to be so many on the market. We have the Lollipop which is aesthetically pleasing, compact and provides a great picture. The one and only Con to this is it is attached to an app on my phone. I love this for when I am not home and I can check on the baby. However, for the sitter, they do not have a monitor in front of them to use. There are other highly rated monitors on the market (such as the Vava Baby monitor), I just have not personally used these so can not speak to them.

Car Mirror - this is a necessary purchase since your little one is going to be rear facing until at least 2 if not longer. We have been through SO MANY car mirrors and I have hated every single one, except this one. It’s large in size, easy to adjust and stays put. The plastic that is reflective is also super clear. There are a ton on the market but this one is so good.

Baby Baths - Another very necessary purchase and one you need from practically day 1. We have had this particular bath since JJ and it is still in perfect condition. We like it because its compact. We didn’t have a lot of space when we first started having kids so I needed something that tucked away easily. This fit the bill and we still use it today. It hangs in our linen closet when not in use but also works in our large kitchen sink as well as a standard tub. This isn’t the most expensive one on the market and it has the least bells and whistles, but its been one of the easiest purchases and we have gotten our money’s worth 10 fold.

Also, while on the topic of bathing, I know that the knee savers are a big bath purchase however I don’t recommend these. Not because they aren’t a good product but they literally only have 1 use. If you follow me on stories, you may have seen my bathroom hack with a storage cube. This not only acts as a knee saver (also a back saver) but its a storage solution as well. I have a few linked but you can find these anywhere and insert a plastic bin (if you’re going to store wet bath toys).

Dock a Tot - This is a pricey purchase. One I fought for a long time, until I realized I was sick of not sleeping. I have found an amazing DUPE that works just as well and is not as expensive. I personally think the dock a tot is worth its weight in gold. However, I do know there are other options out there that people swear by. I have personally only used these two brands which I love.

Doona Car Seat/ Stroller is an amazing piece of technology. Honestly it is brilliant and does make carting that bucket around so much easier. With Makenna this was a godsend. She was the 3rd born with 2 impatient older brothers. This allowed me so much mobility when I was out with the 3 kids. My boys are old enough to walk so I did not need to worry about a cargo system for them. But I did know that carrying that heavy bucket (if you know, you know) wasn’t really an option. However, if you are just starting your family and plan to have multiple kids you may want to rethink this purchase. Since it comes with wheels it does not click into a stroller system (like the Uppa Baby or City Select). So, if you need an option for the buck to click into an existing stroller (aka a toddler and an infant), this isn’t for you. Also noteworthy, it is very heavy in comparison to just the traditional bucket seat. Now, you get around that by having the wheels attached but hoisting that thing in and out of the car with a 20lb toddler in it does rival some cross fit activities.

On the topic of Stroller Systems we are big fans of the City Select double stroller. We like it because it grows with your growing family and is more cost effective than the Uppa Baby systems. In my opinion, this is where you can save yourself some money an equal or better product. We love the multi configuration options for 2 seats without it being a double wide. It also allows for a multitude of bucket seat attachments so you can pick whichever infant car seat you like best.

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Bedside bassinet is another product that I literally have tried a different one for each kid. With JJ we had the very beautiful Restoration Hardware Moses basket; while it was beautiful it was not comfortable for him or practical. With Wes we tried an inexpensive bassinet that was also very uncomfortable and not practical for being next to the bed. With Makenna we used this bassinet and found it to be a winner. We love the idea of co sleeping in those early newborn weeks (especially for breastfeeding and bonding purposes) but it's not safe (in our opinion). This bassinet allows a very close proximity to the baby since the side drops down, but allows for the exhausted parents to sleep without worry of rolling onto the baby. It attaches under the bed so you don’t have to worry about a gap between the bed and bassinet. We used this with the Dock A Tot and it fit perfectly. Add in the diaper caddy I mentioned above and you have a very efficient night time changing, feeding and soothing setup allowing you and your babe to get back to sleep quickly.

Compact High Chair - yet another product where I used something different with each kid. This time around, I decided to buy two of these, one for Makenna and an additional one for the new baby. I love that it sits on a chair not taking up precious floor space. It also reclines for when the baby is very little. All the pieces come apart and are easy to wash and clean. I like that it swivels as well allowing me to easily turn the baby to face me, rather than stretching my body to feed the baby. Also, not the most expensive one on the market but holds a lot of value in my opinion. If you are looking for a traditional high chair I highly recommend the white Ikea one. They make inserts for when the baby is smaller and there are lots of different accessories you can now buy on etsy to jazz up its look. Eating is messy business do yourself a favor and get a high chair that wipes down easily.

Lilly Jade Diaper Bag - full disclosure, I was gifted one of these bags. However, it is by far the best diaper bag I have used. Yet another item that I bought new with every kid, and nothing holds a candle to this bag. Whether you have 1 child or 5, I recommend going with a backpack style, I struggled with my first diaper bag as it was a traditional bag. While it held a lot, it was so inconvenient and difficult on the go. Just in case you don’t believe me, here are the diaper bags I used with my other kids:

JJ - Lesportsac Diaper Bag - wipes easily, large in size but not a backpack

Westyn - Skiphop Diaper Bag/Backpack - Yay for the backpack and extra points for it being stylish but it had no structure and stuff got lost at the bottom of it.

Makenna - Valentino Backpack - Only points are for style. This is a compact bag that looks super cute but its leather and will not work for more than one baby. I had to insert a Tote Savvy insert to allow it to become a functioning diaper bag. Why did I buy this you ask? Well I thought I would only need it for 1 in diapers. My boys are grown and I don’t have to cart stuff for them anymore. And well, it was pretty.

Plain white, plush, burp cloths - Not a name brand, not a beautiful print but they are soft, absorbent, inexpensive and withstand a million and one washes - you're welcome.

A Baby swing, yet another very overwhelming purchase, and if you’re like me you’re drawn to the MamaRoo aesthetic. It pretty much looks like (and is priced like) a baby space ship. We have used it for all my kids. So it has held up, however the boys hated it. It was not a help to me at all since I could not leave them in it. Makenna loved it but I am learning that she is just a very different temperament than the boys. The swing I have linked is one that came recommended by the sleep trainer I follow (and swear by). If I was just starting our family this is the swing I would get. Its not the prettiest or most modern swing but it will actually help you as it rocks the baby to sleep.

Blackout Shades - this is another tried and true product that currently live in all my kids’ rooms. I like them because they are functional but also stylish. If you were to price out custom roman black out shades you will quickly learn just how expensive they are. These look custom without the hefty price tag. I can’t recommend these enough!

Boppy Lounger - this is something we used with 3/4 of our kids. It is not the Boppy nursing pillow (which is great but in my opinion I feel like you don’t absolutely need). This is the lounger, I liked this because I could move it around the house with me and have the baby lay comfortably wherever I was. For example, outside the shower as I rush to get one in. Or on the kitchen island (never leave your child unattended) as I prepped dinner. We got a lot of mileage out of this thing and I plan to use it again with BB due in November.

Haakaa - full disclosure, I have never used this but man did I need it. It is a relatively new product and it is something I will be purchasing. For new moms planning on pumping or breastfeeding, you will quickly learn how much you leak. This hard-earned milk gets wasted as it leaks onto your bra, shirts and baby’s head (yep I said it). This little device latches on and catches the milk that would usually get lost. For a very small amount of money out of pocket, I highly recommend this little gadget.

I am hoping you find this helpful! If you have a product that you absolutely love, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a note or follow me on Instagram (link at the top of the page).

xoxo SNB