With a third baby on the way, I’ve been thinking a lot about what my favorite baby products are and what I could do without now that I’ve experienced using them two times around. To be honest, we learned pretty quickly with our first baby what was going to work for us in the long run and what wasn’t, so I had already donated some things before baby #2 arrived! With that said, I thought I’d share a list of my must-have favorite baby products for little ones in case you’re like I was with my first and have no clue what to register for or purchase!
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A Quality Swaddle
Okay, let’s just cut to the chase – babies (at least mine!) have a hard time sleeping the first few months outside the womb. We actually had several types of swaddles gifted to us before our first daughter was born and we tried using one on our first night at home from the hospital since she was used to being swaddled in a blanket (side note: I was afraid of using a blanket plus I never mastered swaddling with one, so that’s why I was excited about the premade swaddles). Let’s just say our first experience went terribly – the swaddle was hard to use and even as a newborn, she was able to escape it within minutes! We immediately Amazon Prime’d a different brand and that’s what we used for her and our second daughter until it was no longer safe to use (when they start rolling) – it quickly became one of my favorite baby products. This time around, the team at ergoPouch was so kind to send me one of their swaddles made with organic cotton and bamboo. I love their concept, because it works as a true swaddle, containing their arms to prevent the startle reflex from waking them but it also transitions to a sleeping bag that allows their arms to move freely once they’re able to roll. I can’t wait to use this with our newest little lady!
A Safe Sleeping Area
With the recent news about the safety of the Rock ‘N Play, it has me rethinking what we’ll use for safe sleep with baby #3. I admit that our first two slept in their Rock ‘N Play more than they should have, but it was the only thing that would help them sleep for a while. I’ve heard really good things about the Halo Bassinet, which has a flat, breathable sleeping surface, and it can sit right next to your bed – so this may be what we go with this time! When it comes to transitioning to the crib, we used these mesh crib bumpers that were breathable but protected baby’s little arms and legs from getting caught in between the crib slats. Highly recommend – this falls high on my list of favorite baby products!
A Favorite Pacifier
I’ll be honest, we took a childbirth and breastfeeding class before our first baby arrived and the instructors scared us away from using pacifiers. Despite the hospital giving us a pacifier when she was born, I basically snatched it and threw it away for fear it would mess up our breastfeeding experience. We quickly learned that a pacifier was a blessing in disguise and comforted baby when nothing else would work. With that said, neither of our girls really took to a pacifier, so the amount of time they’d use them was super limited! It didn’t affect our breastfeeding experience negatively at all with the minimal pacifier use they actually had, so I definitely recommend having a variety on hand to find which one your baby prefers. We had several and there was a clear favorite among our daughters, so that’s the one we used. MAM sent me some of their award-winning pacifiers with adorable designs for our new baby, so I can’t wait to give them a try when she’s born.
A Good Nursing Cover
If you’re planning to breastfeed your baby, you’ll find that a quality nursing cover is so critical. I had an apron-style cover with my first and it was so hard to use and didn’t feel secure at all – plus, it was hard to do on your own without a second set of hands helping you situate the baby and the cover. Enter Covered Goods – I had heard so many great things about this multi-use nursing cover that also transitions to a car seat cover, infinity scarf and cart cover that I purchased one before my second daughter was born. I noticed right away how easy this cover was to use and I didn’t need my husband’s assistance to get set up to nurse the baby in a public setting. This is probably the item I’d recommend most to new mamas – it really is a lifesaver! The team at Covered Goods was so kind to send me another one of their amazing nursing covers in a gorgeous print for baby #3 and I can’t wait to use it.
A Way to Capture Memories
This is the most easily forgotten categories when it comes to my favorite baby products – when you’re so focused on how to take care of a new baby, you aren’t necessarily thinking about writing down milestones or even taking enough pictures…especially once you have multiple kids (ask me how I know…)! I actually have these beautiful Emily Ley baby books for my girls that I’ve barely filled in – I need to get on that before I completely forget it all! My parents also gave me the perfect gift the Christmas after my oldest daughter was born – a new Canon DSLR camera. I have used it so much over the years and I try to make an effort to use it for photos instead of just my phone all the time! I’ve always made an effort to at least take monthly photos until my girls were a year old so we can look back at how much they grew – and they wore cute monthly stickers like these. I’m really excited I was recently introduced to Stuck on You, an adorable brand created by a mom of 3 in Australia that specializes in personalized products for babies and kids. Their team was so kind to send me a personalized set of milestone cards for Baby #3 – the cards feature a combination of pre- and post-birth milestones for cute photo ops. In fact, I actually need to take some photos now of the small but memorable milestones we’ve hit thus far!
Places for Baby to Hang Out
Let’s face it, once you already have one kid running around, it’s inevitable that you’ll have to sit your new baby down more than you probably ever did with baby #1! I learned quickly that I needed to have my hands free to help my then-toddler and get things she needed, so I found several pieces of baby equipment that made life easier. One of those is a good baby carrier – I really like the Solly Baby wrap for newborns (it’s way easier to tie than the Moby wrap FYI!) and I also liked the ease of using the Baby Bjorn when we were out running errands. I also ended up buying a Boppy Lounger for my daughter to sit in on the floor while I would get ready in the mornings or while I was cooking dinner, etc. Obviously, this was before she was mobile! I believe the Dock-A-Tot is a similar concept, except I don’t think it’s elevated at all like the Boppy Lounger is. I also know some people say it’s not necessary, but we loved our baby swing with both of our girls and it saved my life so many times when all my girls wanted to do was cry! When they’re a little older and mobile, a bouncer is a fun activity to keep them occupied and confined so they don’t get into trouble.
What are your favorite baby products? Leave a comment and let me know!
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