No. 1 / No. 2 / No. 3 / No. 4 / No. 5 / No. 6 / No. 7 / No. 8 / No. 9 / No. 10 / No. 11 / No. 12 / No. 13
I have been getting so many requests on what baby products we like and wanted to make sure I had really tested them before I did this post. Now that Charlotte is two months old, I have a better idea of what products are really working for us. I hope you all find it helpful! Sorry it’s a long one! 🙂
No. 1: The Boppy lounger is a product I was very surprised by! This item is very inexpensive and we use it so much! We put Charlotte in it on our breakfast table and she loves it + we love that she gets to “eat dinner” with us every night. She looks out the window and is so happy. We use this all over the house and as she has gotten bigger she continues to love it! I have this grey color way (great for either gender) but also love this print for girls and this one is cute for either gender! This is one of our most used items.
No. 2: Wubbanub pacifiers are Charlotte’s favorite. She started using these while still in the hospital. We had a few pacifiers without the stuffed animal on it and we have lost every single one of them. Not only are they cute, but when you are in need of one they are easy to find around the house or in the diaper bag. Every baby is different, so don’t buy too many just in case they don’t like it. A lot of people have different opinions on pacifiers, but because they help prevent SIDS, I didn’t see the harm in using them!
No. 3: Aden & Anais is one of my favorite baby brands. I have a bunch of different burp cloths and these are by far my favorite. They are a little pricey, but so worth it. You will not believe how many of these you will use! I like these because they stay on your shoulder really well, are super absorbent, and they have a snap if you want to use them as a bib! I have this set for Charlotte, also love this set for boys and this one!
No. 4: I heard mixed reviews on if we really needed a diaper pail, and I now cannot imagine life without one! So many people rave about the Ubbi diaper pail but I ordered it and did not like it. It is really low to the ground and I didnt like not having a foot pedal. The Munchkin diaper pail has worked really well for us. It locks in the smell and I like the way it looks too! I recommend buying the Target brand trash bag refills, they are cheaper and I think they work better.
No. 5: Comotomo bottles are a dream! These have made transitioning from boob to bottle so easy, she goes back and forth with no issue at all! I have heard stories of people who were still strictly breastfeeding 6+ months in and there is just no way we can do that. I am about to start back at work and will be pumping as much as I can, as well as supplementing with formula. I am so thankful for these bottles for making it so easy! I also recommend that you only buy a few, just in case your baby doesn’t like them. We fed her with a bottle for the first time when she was less than a week old and she did great.
No. 6: We love these Aden & Anais blankets. They are super soft and light weight. We have quickly learned you can never have too many blankets. They sell them in a pack of four and they make great gifts. I absolutely love this set and these for boys.
Then combination of all the next couple of items have made Charlotte the best sleeper (or we are just really lucky!).
No. 7: This sound machine is a product I am obsessed with! It puts off a white noise sound that isn’t annoying! We have one of these in every bedroom of our house and I highly recommend them for kids and for yourself! We take one every time we travel too. I used to be a terrible sleeper myself and once I started using this it literally changed my life.
No. 8: The Owlet Smart Sock Monitor may not be a “must have” for every one, but it gives me so much peace of mind. It is really scary bringing a newborn home for the first time and worrying if they are breathing. Charlotte sleeps with the sock on every single night. If you don’t know what it is, it is a sock you velcro onto their foot that monitors their heart rate and oxygen levels. A very loud alarm sounds if something is wrong. We have only had one false alarm and it was the first week when she was really too small to be wearing it. They need to be over 6 lbs and she wasn’t quite there so it slipped off. As we transition Charlotte out of our room and into her crib, I know we will be even more glad we have this!
No. 9: The Dockatot is one of those products that I had heard was so amazing, but I wasn’t sure if we would really need it. Thank God for this product – it really is amazing! She sleeps so much better in it. One night right before bed, she spit up all over it and I had to throw it in the wash. She slept SO badly that night, it was quite possibly our worst night we’ve ever had. I now make sure it is always ready to go for bed time. It fits perfectly in her bassinet so that is how she is currently sleeping every night. I sometimes move it to her crib for naps during the day too! They make really cute covers for it, which would be nice to have for a backup when it is dirty but they are quite pricey. We took our first trip this weekend and brought it with us and she slept perfectly! I was so nervous that she would be up all night because of being in an unfamiliar environment but she was great!
No. 10: The Infant Optics Video Monitor came highly recommended to me. We havent used it a ton yet since she is sleeping in our room, but I do use it during the day for naps. This monitor doesn’t work with your phone, which I actually like. I can set it up while doing things around the house and not have to be constantly looking at my phone. As she gets older we may get another monitor where we can use an app to check in when we are not home. The picture/sound quality is great, I havent had any connection issues, and I have no complaints! I will keep y’all posted as to how we like it once she moves into her room!
No. 11: We have been using the Halo Sleepsack Swaddle since we brought Charlotte home from the hospital. There are tons of different sleep sacks out there, but I really like this one. It zips up underneath like a sack and then velcro’s across her chest and stomach. If she isn’t wearing it, her arms are constantly moving and wake her up. I definitely recommend buying two of these because odds are right before bed, your baby will spit up all over it. We started out with one and had to order another. I have also heard great things about the Ollie swaddle, it is very similar to the halo but it is one size fits all. Some people are unsure about the velcro being loud and waking them up, but she sleeps right through it. You also don’t have to unvelcro to change her diaper, you can just unzip it half way from the bottom which is nice!
No. 12: I researched a ton of different diaper bag options and am so glad I went with this one from Fawn Design. I have the pink one, but really love all of the color options! I have never been a backpack kind of girl but when you are carrying the giant/heavy carseat, it just doesn’t make sense to have a tote bag on your shoulder. I love this bag, it has tons of compartments and is a great size over all!
No. 13: I am absolutely obsessed with all of Noodle & Boo’s products! We love this set of the 2-in-1 hair/bodywash and lotion. I received a ton of gifts from the line and wondered what all the hype was about. I totally get it now, it makes her smell like an absolute angel! We were using Aveeno Baby and smell wise it just cannot compete!
No. 14: I did a lot of research on infant carseats and went with the Nuna Pipa car seat. Charlotte does really well in the car (unless she has a dirty diaper) and I think it’s because she likes her carseat. I have heard a lot of babies HATE the car. We went on a 2-hour road trip this weekend and she slept the whole way there and back, literally not one tear was shed! This carseat has great safety ratings and is one of the more lightweight options on the market. One of the best features is the “dream drape” (see photo below), which is a cover that almost completely conceals your baby. I’m sure you have seen the covers people buy to go over car seats, but the dream drape makes those completely unnecessary. We have the Nuna Tavo stroller for traveling, but it would also be great for everyday use. The car seat snaps right into the stroller. Additionally, this particular stroller has a one click fold which is so cool and easy!!
One helpful tip – if you are unsure about a car seat or a stroller, go to YouTube and look up “Magic Beans”. They have video tutorials on all of the car seats and strollers I was interested in and it really helped me understand how they work, what features they have or don’t have, etc!!
A few other must have items not pictured:
The Rock and Play was one of the best gifts I have received. I have never met a mom who doesn’t love the rock and play. Charlotte loves it! I do limit her time in it because I have heard it can make her head flat! Update: Rock and Play Sleepers have been recalled after the tragic deaths of 10 babies.
Gripe water is something I had never heard of before becoming a mom. It helps with gas, hiccups and colic. If Charlotte is having a meltdown it’s a great way to calm her down instantly. You can start using it at 2 weeks old (ask your doctor if you are unsure). We use this way more often that I ever thought we would, especially when she seems to be having gas that looks like she’s in pain.
The Boppy nursing and positioner pillow is another product I use constantly. We took this pillow with us to the hospital. You put it around your waste and can hold the baby on it so you’re arms don’t get tired. It really helps people who are nervous to hold her and even my 90 year old grandmother could hold her with the help of the Boppy! I use it every time I nurse for support as well. It is definitely one of our most used items. I personally think Pottery Barn Kids has the cutest colors and patterns. I have this color and it is super soft! Also love this one for boys!
So.Many.Diapers. I cannot believe how many we go through a day. She tinkles ALL THE TIME – and hates for her diaper to be wet! We use Pampers Pure diapers and so far they have been great and she hasn’t gotten a diaper rash at all! Target does specials super often on baby stuff and I wait until they have a “spend $100 on baby essentials, get a $20 gift card”. In case you didn’t know, Target and Walmart will let you return unopened diapers to exchange if you end up not needing that size. You don’t even need the receipt! We also use Pampers Pure wipes. If anyone else has any tips on how to save money on baby supplies – send them my way!
If you have any questions for me or any recommendations on products you have loved, please email me or comment below!!
xo,
Laura
PS – shout out to Charlotte for finally taking a long enough nap for me to finish this post! I think I was interrupted at least 700 times!! 🙂
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