Baby Products Every parent needs

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Let’s kick off this post by saying the obvious: I’m no baby expert by any means. In fact, I think I was blessed with the easiest baby I’ve ever known, but here is a post all about products that have been a life saver for us. Of course I registered for all of the things–I went off suggestions, reviews, blogs, etc.–but I learned pretty quickly which I vibed with / helped me, and which were a waste of $$. I’m going to focus on the products that have made a positive impact rather than call out ones I found useless. However, if you have questions about a certain product not listed feel free to ask me and I’ll give you my honest opinion.

I divided up this post into categories to make it easier, so let’s get started.

Bath Time

+ Tub: I had a collapsible one that Capri outgrew in about a week. I wanted something more stable that she could submerge her body in warm water, too. This one has a nice rubber mat where she sits so she doesn’t slide around. Still keep a hand on them, though, because now that she’s all about kicking she scoots herself down.

+ Washcloths: I love Burt’s Bees products. They are so gentle and soft for babies. Their washcloths are great because they are small. I always place a warm washcloth on her belly during bathtime to keep her warm.

+ Hooded Towels: Necessary for after a bath to keep them warm. Heat escapes from the head so the hood is essential to trap the heat. Parachute makes THE softest baby towels.

+ Soaps / Lotions: So my pediatrician basically told me not to use anything but Dove bar soap and absolutely NO lotions. I did that when she was a baby baby, but starting at about 2 months I switched to Mustela products. I love the smell, it’s very gentle on their skin, and there are no endocrine-disruptors like lavender.

Clothing

+ Layette Gowns: OKAY I hated these at first (like, before she was born). I thought they looked straight out of Little House on The Prairie and I was not about that life for my baby. BUT, the second she was born and I had to change her diaper the first time in the dark I was converted. Fuck the snaps! I want quick, easy, done. Capri sleeps in these every night. In fact, she’s outgrowing them so fast but I can’t imagine dealing with mf-ing SNAPS in the dark! My favorite ones are by Kickkee Pants & Spearmint Love.

+ Onesies: If we are just being practical here, you really only need onesies for a baby. 1 per day is fine. If you’re extra, 2 per day. I have FAR too many (obviously) because I can’t control myself when I see yummy soft fabric & a cute print. But again, it’s all about comfort for the baby. I don’t believe in “outfits” for her just yet. Let the kid live.

+ Hat: Like I said above, heat escapes from the head so I kept a little beanie on Capri pretty much 24/7 when she was born. I didn’t want to layer her in tons of clothing so I made sure her head was always covered to keep her warm. Now it’s harder to find beanies that fit her large head (LOL) but she also can regulate her own temperature so I’m not too worried about it.

Diapering

+ Diapers: Honest diapers have worked for me from Day 1. I love their auto home delivery service and the cute prints. Easy, done.

+ Wipe Warmer: This is one of those things that’s not “necessary” but why not wipe her ass with nice warm wipes instead of cold ones, you know?

+ Waterproof mats: You’ll get peed on as you’re changing diapers. Again and again and again. Place one of these bad boys ON TOP of your cute changing pad cover to save yourself that extra load of laundry daily. Buy the 3 pack, trust me.

Moving Around

+ Stroller: My best piece of advice is this test drive these fuckers before purchasing. Is it easy to snap into place? Break down? Push? Does your bag fit? Does it fit in your car? If the answers are yes yes yes yes yes then go for it. If there’s a NO in there…thank you, next.

+ Carrier: Capri hated all carriers for as long as she had to face inward. Bitch is claustrophobic like her mama. We tried numerous brands, thinking it was the fabric, fit, etc. but really it was just the direction she was facing. Once she could face outwards she was fine. Paul loves the Ergobaby. It’s a bit bulky for me so he’s usually the one wearing her. However, I will say that this one is very simple–not too many snaps and whatnot.

+ Chair / Lounger: We got a wooden [lounge] chair from Scandiborn (that’s sold out) so I found one that is similar. We have used this from Day 1 until now and it’s been a staple for us. Capri sits in it while we eat, clean, etc. Sometime she’s over being held or laying flat so this chair is her comfortable place. We give her a toy and pacifier and she’s good. Ours rocks (you have to do it manually) and if she’s fussy we just gently rock her in the chair.

+ Carseat: The one we got (Nuna Pipa) is supposed to be very safe because it has this supportive leg. However, it requires the front passenger to be VERY close to the dashboard, which is why I’m always sitting in the back now. Very annoying. But safety first.

Feeding

+ Bottles: We use Dr. Browns because she was gassy as a newborn and these bottles help with that. We never switched because she’s comfortable with them, but we did start using size 2 nipples as she got older and needed a faster flow.

+ Bottle Warmer: There are some fancy bottle warmers / formula mixers out there but we have been just fine with this one. It’s easy to use and hasn’t wronged us yet. What I want to know is when someone is going to invent a bottle warmer to go!?

+ Drying rack: We hand wash our bottles in scalding hot water to sanitize. It’s a serious bitch but I will not run my dishwasher multiple times a day, especially when it’s not full. This drying rack is the most decent looking one I could find. Tip: make sure to take the top part off and clean the base…it gets nasty down there.

+ Burp Cloths: These are WAY more important than cute printed swaddles. Capri is not even a spitty baby so I can’t imagine if she was how many more we would need. We go through one per feeding.

Entertaining

+ Swing: I fought and fought and fought my mom on this. I finally caved and got one and Capri didn’t love it. Now I have this gigantic thing sitting in my living room. As she gets older she’s slowly starting to get more into it but it’s very hit or miss in our house. She has to be in the right mood and we’ve had to attach millions of toys to the top so she doesn’t get bored after 2 minutes. Some people swear by the swing but for us it’s only useful some of the time. Also, something we don’t allow is for her to sleep in it longer than a little catnap. We don’t want her getting used to sleeping in something that is constantly rocking.

+ Poppy The Peacock: Paul made up that name but she LOVES this damn peacock. We have to bring it around the house with us everywhere….Many of you have asked me to link it so here you go. Also, I’ve pretty much learned that the uglier the toy the better. I tried really hard to find cute, wooden, neutral toys on Etsy and not only do those do nothing for their development, they can’t really see the colors / contrast, and they tend to not give a shit about them. Primary colors is where it’s at (unfortunately).

+ Car Mobile: Capri was a little psycho in the carseat at first and we finally realized it’s because she was bored. This girl needs constant stimulation, which I think is actually an issue. We got this mobile that’s good for learning but also keeps her entertained. Sometimes we put it on her stroller as well since we have the same issue in there.

Sleeping + Soothing

+ Yoga Ball: Our physical therapist had me get one for tummy time and it ended up being the most useful tool for soothing and putting her to sleep. Sometimes Capri is super grumpy and doesn’t want to eat so I bounce gently on the ball while feeding her and it works. I also use it to soothe her when she cries or to bounce her to sleep.

+ Dock A Tot: There’s a ton of rules about this…don’t let them sleep in it being the moral of the story. I think it’s a very useful baby product, as they feel very cozy like in the womb. Just use common sense when using it 😉

+ Bassinet: We had Capri sleep in her bassinet in our bedroom until 3 months. It was partially for peace of mind and partially for convenience if we needed to get up for her. Now she’s too long for it so she sleeps in her crib (I could cry) but I’d say it’s a good baby product to have. The one we had is copper and white…very chic.

+ Miracle Swaddle: SO MUCH YES. Our night nurse taught us about it. Again, fuck all the cute swaddles. I mean, we have like 30 of those and they are basically just used as cute props for photos. I can’t swaddle for shit so the Miracle Swaddle was a life saver and game changer. Capri (& most babies) loved being swaddled. When she was fussy, we would swaddle her tight and she would immediately calm down. It took some practice but once we got the hang of it I couldn’t imagine life without it.

+ Shusher: Yes, it’s $35 for a machine that says “shhhhhhh” over and over but let me tell you…you will thank me later. After 87 “shhhhhhh’s” your throat will close up and you’ll need water and then you’ll either cough and wake the baby or they will wake up when you stop “shhhh-ing”. Take your pick. I’ll take the $35 investment to keep my baby asleep, thank you very much. We also have a white noise machine going in her room but I honestly don’t know if she cares about it. If I could only pick one it’s going to be the Shusher.

+ Pacifier: I know not every kid likes it, but Capri does and hallelujah for that. She is very easily soothed by her “Paci” and we love the Wubbanub ones. I definitely didn’t understand the stuffed animal attachment at first, but the weight of it helps keep it in their mouths. Otherwise they spit it out every 5 seconds and guess who has to keep putting it back in??? So yeah, these ones are her favorite, and now that she has discovered her hands she loves to rub the stuffed animal while she falls asleep which is just too fucking cute.

Alright…..I think I covered it all. If you have any questions for me about any of these products or something else you’ve seen me use and not mention in this post do not hesitate to ask. With that said, as we move into the 4th month with Capri, are there any products I will need to buy for the future?! Share with me below in the comments!