New Baby Must-Haves
There is way too much information about new baby gear out there, so I am here to put out even more info into the world LoL- Really, I get asked a lot what my go to products are, so I was inspired to write a blog post to direct people to. I am one that researches, researches, then researches some more before finally deciding on a product. Although time consuming, I am 100% in love with my purchases because of this. So here are my must-haves:
(some links may be commissionable)
STROLLER:
Ok so the stroller it totally a personal choice. Also, it depends on the number of kids you have/will have. So for my first, I did not have a stroller for a long time. We lived in a city, walked everywhere and just threw her in a carrier. However, with baby #2, we moved to warmer climates, where wearing a baby is hot af, so opted for a stroller. My 4 year old loves sitting in a stroller too (can we say lazy?) jk jk, so opted for a stroller that can accommodate 2 kids. Most people splurge on their stroller and get an Uppababy. Not here to bash on it, but it is pricey AF. There is a look alike brand called Mockingbird, which is about a 1/3 of the price. You can add a second seat, bassinet, etc. with just a click. Be sure to get the right combo - either the single stroller or double. You can have just one seat on the double, but if you ever want a second seat, you’ll have to have the double version (hope that makes sense 😅)
BOTTLES:
omg the bottle debacle. Babies are finicky af and each kid is totally different. I highly recommend getting a variety of bottles, Personally, I have tried them all and the only ones my second daughter would take was the Comotomo bottles. I have heard this from many people, which is why we went with them.
BREAST PUMP:
There are two main pumps out there in the world. Medela and Spectra. I personally had the Medela In Style with baby #1 and thought it was fine, but decided to try out the Spectra for baby #2 and love it way more! I feel like my output is better, but that could also be because it’s baby #2, so its hard to say. Honestly, you’ll be fine with either choice. I do recommend getting the spectra that’s portable or the battery pack for the Medela so you can pump in the car or move around the house if needed (a must if you have more than 1 kid).
Also a Haaka (a what?!) is a must have! Like you must have it - it’s the best thing ever. There is the haaka “pump” that you wear on the side you just fed on to get extra milk out. This is gold when starting to build a stash without actually pumping yet. I also recommend the haaka lady bug collectors which are easier to keep in your bra as milk collectors.
CARRYING WRAPS:
I’ll give you my top 3: Tula free to grow, k’tan, and wildbird. First, the Tula is easy to take on and off and can be used from newborn to toddler without an infant insert. It came out after I had baby #1 for a few months and upgraded my original Tula for the free to grow and am using it with baby #2. The k’tan is a no brainer wrap that is super easy if you’re new the wrap world. I am short too, so the wraps with really long fabric was not working for me and the k’tan is easy if you are out and about by yourself. The wildbird for a ring sling because they are just so comfortable and beautiful.
CAR SEATS:
I didn’t know this with my first, but getting an infant car seat with a newborn is often much safer than a convertible seat even though they grow out of it fast. I am a huge proponent of Clek car seats. After a really bad car accident with my first daughter, I did a lot of research on car seats and they are the gold standard. Honestly, all car seats have to meet certain standards, but I highly recommend the Clek liing for infant. The only reason I opted for the Chicco Fit 2 was because Clek wasn’t compatible with my stroller and is also one of the safest car seats as well. (just don’t ask me how many times I actually used the car seat adapter on my stroller - 5 times).
BABY SLEEP ACCESSORIES:
A sound machine is a must. Some, not many, want their baby to sleep through the sounds of their house. But let me tell you that it takes A LONG time for a baby to adapt to not wake up to other kids, fire trucks, dishes clanging. So do yourself a favor and get a white noise machine. There are some fancy ones, but I just use two different options.
use an air purifier. The air purifier on the highest setting has white noise AND it’s cleaning the air. Here is the one I use, under $100.
An actual white noise machine that I also use for counseling at school sites.
I suggest a portable sound machine you can take on stroller walks, when your little falls asleep and you want to take them into Target, or when traveling in the car.
A bassinet is great for the first 5-6 months. I personally used the arms reach co-sleeper. Not the prettiest of bassinets, but the most functional imo. If you get the Mockingbird Bassinet with the Mockingbird Stroller, they now have a bassinet stand to have at your bedside 😍
HELPFUL AF
These items were super helpful for both my babes:
A nursing cart aka as a 3 Tiered cart. With both babes, I pretty much setup shop during the newborn state in my bed and on the couch. So a cart with everything you can need and more to bring from room to room is super helpful to have. For my second, I opted for the cart that only has 2 tiers and a flat top to put food and drinks, my ipad, etc. on. I missed the extra space at first, but I really liked having the flat top.
What are some of your must-haves or is there anything you’d like me to add?
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