With practice comes perfection, right?! I am so excited to write this post after using SO MANY baby things. I feel much more informed the second time around and there are things that we’ve used every single day without fail and things we never even touched! Below you will find my honest and genuine opinions on all things baby!
When I was pregnant with Kooper and was registering for the first time, I thought I needed everything. I remember my mom saying, “Kristine, as long as you have a place for him to sleep and diapers, you really don’t need anything else.” And, while she was right… there are definitely things that make raising a little human easier.
Is everything in this post essential? No. Will it make your life easier and do I stand behind all of these products? Yes. And, as it turns out… while you do need quite a bit, you don’t need everything “they” say. So, maybe my mom was right! Also, thank you to EVERYONE who purchased us baby gifts… to our families and friends, you made our baby dreams come true with our registries, so thank you!
Baby Registry Must Haves: Sleep
Bassinet
Let’s start with the basics. A place to sleep.
While it is so fun to set up the nursery and many people do it before the baby is born, it is funny to me that you don’t actually really use it until they are 6 months old! At least, that is what happened to us. For the first 4-6 months, we keep the little ones right next to our bed for a few reasons. First and foremost, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends it and second, waking up and breastfeeding the baby a million times in the middle of the night is much easier when they are sleeping right next to you.
For Kooper, we used the Uppa Baby Vista bassinet that came in the stroller and used a stand with it. It was sort of wobbly and he grew out of the bassinet pretty quickly. But, the bassinet was approved for sleeping and the Uppa Baby Vista stroller was expensive, so we wanted to make sure we used it to it’s full potential.
For Konner, my mom got us the Halo Bassinet. I love it! It is so easy to use, swivels into bed and Konner loves it too. Plus, its not crazy expensive like the Snoo. We did have a little trouble with it when he was really little, but once we put the My Snuggly newborn insert in it and swaddled him in the Ollie swaddle, it was lights out for the little man. Couldn’t keep his eyes open!
I wanted to try the Snoo, but I couldn’t justify the price. And, I’ve also heard stories of babies getting really used to it and the transition to the crib being much more difficult because of it. Who knows though! All babies are different, right?!
Swaddles
Speaking of swaddles… another baby product that is a must have is the Ollie swaddle. We’ve used SO many swaddles, the SnuggleMe, Sleepea, Halo Sleepsack and regular aden & anais swaddle blankets (P.S. I love these for everything else – spit up, cover up while breastfeeding, cover as a blanket, etc. I have at least a dozen that I use weekly). No swaddle I’ve used compares to the Ollie swaddle. It is cute, has moisture wicking technology to keep them from overheating, it’s SO easy to use and most importantly, makes Konner sleep like a champ! Use the code Ollie10 for 10% off! This is a baby registry must have.
Sound Machine
When it comes to sleep there is one other thing that I love to recommend. The Hatch Baby Rest is such a great sound machine to have and it transitions with the child as they grow. First, we just used it as a sound machine, but as they get older, you can set a “time to wake” alarm, etc. We have one for Kooper and Konner. It is controlled by your phone and you can change the white noise and colors, which Kooper loves to do now. It’s not “cheap” for a sound machine, but in my opinion, the fact that it can grow with the kids and the quality of the product makes it worth the price! If the price is too steep for you, here’s a good baby sound machine alternative my mom found on amazon – the waves are great.
Baby Monitors
We’ve purchased the same baby monitor twice and I have nothing but good things to say about it! We have the Motorola baby monitor with 2 cameras. With Kooper, we got the same one with one camera and it worked great. Why fix something that isn’t broken?
With baby number two on the way, my mom got us the same monitor with 2 cameras so we can keep an eye on both the boys. We have one camera in each of their rooms and it works great. Now that Kooper is older, he loves the 2 way talk feature. And, I love the clarity of the picture and how far the signal reaches- we can even keep an eye on the on the back porch! I am genuinely surprised by how good this monitor is, especially for the price.
Kyle also got white cord hider to hide the monitor cord and made a makeshift camera mount out of a piece of wood. It looks so good because you don’t even know it is there! Can you spot it in the picture below?
Last in the sleep section comes something that has really given us peace of mind… the owlet sleep sock. In fact, as I write this in my living room, I am checking Konner’s “stats” on the Owlet app on my phone. Although the price tag is hefty, our friends purchased this for us for Kooper over 2.5 years ago and it is still working for Konner! We also follow all of the other safe sleep rules (in the bassinet, on their back, nothing in the crib), but it is just one extra layer of protection in my mind. The AAAP cautions against using this type of sleep baby monitor because there has not been enough research to support if they are actually effective and sometimes they do more harm than good (i.e. freaking out parents with false positives), but I personally really like ours and we use it every night. I even take it on vacation.
Baby Registry Must Haves: On the Go
Strollers
My amazing work crew got together and purchased my dream stroller when I had Kooper, the Uppa Baby Vista. If you’ve been looking at baby strollers, you know this one is not cheap! We actually used the bassinet next to our bed with Kooper, like I mentioned above. So, it was our bassinet and stroller! The Uppa Baby Vista is definitely a favorite for a few reasons: it grows with your family (you can use it as a single or add another kid with the rumble seat/kickstand), the massive storage basket at the bottom is my favorite thing ever, it is very easy to use (the whole system connects making transitions very easy) and it moves well.
Cons: it is heavy! Not the heaviest stroller ever, but definitely not light. I actually was planning to add the rumble seat for Kooper (but of course that is another added expense plus more weight), so I decided against it and instead, got a double stroller that I LOVE!
With Konner, we got the Zoe Double Stroller. It is so lightweight, easy to use and both the boys LOVE it. We just recently put it together, but we use it on walks now because it is so much easier to push one thing on walks (before we were using the Uppa Baby Vista stroller and our red wagon). It is easy to get in and out of the car (I can do it by myself because it’s much lighter than the Uppa Baby- even when it’s a single!), it provides a ton of shade and is a great price for the quality! We got the luxe version, but the classic looks great too. It is just an umbrella stroller, but definitely my favorite stroller yet and I’ve owned the Joovy jogging stroller, Uppa Baby Vista and Mclaren umbrella stroller.
Zoe Stroller Cons: It is not a “travel system,” meaning that you have to take your baby out of their car seat if they are asleep and put them in the stroller. I used to think this was a big deal, but honestly, I can usually easily transfer Konner into a stroller or a baby carrier, so this isn’t a big deal. It is a side-by-side double, so it is much wider than a tandem double, potentially making it more difficult to take in stores, crowded areas, etc. However, I have seen that you can actually get a Zoe tandem stroller (not side-by-side) if your family grows, so be sure to check that out too! I love the look of ours (and it pushes great)… can’t wait to use it more! So lightweight!
Car Seats
We had the Uppa Baby Vista and therefore, got the Mesa car seat for the babies. The car seat is great, easy to use and we’ve used it for both kids. It comes with one base, but we got three so we could easily move the car seat between my car, Kyle’s car and my mom’s car!
For Kooper, we have the Graco Extend2Fit in three cars – mine, Kyle’s and my mom’s. I love it because it is not super expensive, which is definitely a factor to consider when you have to buy 3! Also, it allows the kids to continue to face backward longer than usual. I am a big fan of this because I’ve read many blogs and talked to our pediatrician. It is great to keep them backward facing as long as possible, but until 2 at a minimum. Since it “extends to fit,” it is great for tall kids too! It isn’t the easiest to take him in and out of or to wash, but we now have a “no eating in the car” rule – we’ll see how long that lasts!
Baby Carriers
I plan on doing an entire blog about baby carriers. Let’s just say, I have an obsession (that’s putting it mildly). My current all time favorite is my Sakura Bloom maven silk scout carrier for so many reasons (I got the one with leather straps, but they must be sold out). I also love ring slings and solly baby wraps. I currently own 11 baby carriers. Yes, I know it is absolutely overkill! But, it took me awhile to find my favorites!!!! And, you’ve got to have one that matches your outfit (just kidding)! Baby carrier exclusive post coming soon, but feel free to reach out with questions!
Baby Registry Must Haves: Play yards
Pack n’ Play
I’ve heard awesome things about the regular pack and play, but when our friends showed us the convenience of the 4Moms breeze play yard and removable bassinet, I was sold! It was a bit pricier, but the ease of use seemed worth it to me. It is literally one pull to collapse and one push to set up. Can’t beat that. We have loved it for travel (great travel case) and it’s so easy to use. Con: it is not lightweight!
Play Gym
One thing that I was NOT going to include, but feel like I need to is the lovevery play gym! We just got it for Konner and he literally has no other “baby” toys and I’m not buying anything else. The mat comes with 3 adorable toys and five different sensory sections (making sounds, how things feel, hiding & finding, exploring colors and learn to focus) and is good from 0-12 months! The quality and material of this play mat is just phenomenal and I’m going with LESS is MORE, especially when it comes to toys for baby number two! So, this is the only mat/toys we are going to use with him.
Baby Registry Must Haves: Randoms
Health
The frida baby snot sucker is so gross, but I would be lying if I didn’t say it was one of my favorite things (thanks Steph!) ! The weird bulb they give you at the hospital doesn’t work very well and the snot sucker is a necessity for any nose trouble. It takes a minute to get used to, but it is oddly satisfying.
When it comes to diaper pails, I cannot recommend the Ubbi diaper pail enough. We’ve had it for 2.5 years (and now we have disgusting toddler diapers – TMI, I know) and it holds the smell in pretty well! I’ve been impressed. It also locks, which is important when you have a curious toddler. But the best part? You don’t need to buy special trash bags like you have to with the diaper genie. Big fan! I’ll spare you with a picture.
The Basics
Yes, you need bottles. Our favorite is comotomo and we tried 16 (that’s a story for another day).
Also, let’s talk pacifiers! Kooper never took one but we were thrilled when Konner did. Let’s just say pacifiers are a game changer in the newborn department! We are huge fans of MAM – they are the absolute BEST hands down And we’ve tried all of the pacifiers. They come in the cutest designs and Konner won’t take any others! Also, MAM has great teething toys, toothbrushes, etc. Be sure to check them out.
My favorite wipes are Pampers Pure. Favorite diapers are also Pampers Pure or Honest… both my boys had sensitive skin and these worked great and are “clean.” And last, favorite baby and kids soap is Beautycounter hands down. My favorite diaper cream is Olen Kids Baby Butz and another favorite for baby relief is Maty’s All Natural and Organic Baby Products. They have a chest rub, teething oil, cough syrup, ointment and diaper rash relief. We also love pinxav for diaper rash, sunburn, chafing and big bites!
Swings and Things
The BabyBjorn bouncer is my favorite in the swings, bouncers and rockers category. It is SO lightweight and in my opinion, better than the mamaroo (too heavy to move) and all the swings we’ve tried. Kooper loved it and Konner just started hanging out in it and is a big fan. It is great because it is so easy to move around the house. It’s also easy to pack and bring with you because it folds up. We got the mesh one and have even brought it to the beach.
The DockaTot is one thing that I thought I could do without. We had the boppy newborn lounger for Kooper and while I liked it, I didn’t love it because it wasn’t flat (I always felt like he was going to fall out of it) and it only works for when they are really little – they outgrow it so quickly. But, it is very cheap and good for the price! I thought a DockaTot was incredibly ridiculous for the price (to quote a family member – a ridiculously expensive dog bed- ha!), but I really wanted one.
And let me tell you, it should be a must have! He loves this thing. Naps in it all the time while we are watching him. Is it worth the price tag? Probably not. See if you can find a used one and buy a new cover (or wash the current one)!
extras.
So after I published this post, some things came to mind that I thought might help you! We’ll start with the nursery glider/rocker/recliner. This piece of furniture was the best addition and Kyle could even fit in it comfortably AND sleep in it. Here’s the link! I’m not kidding when I say this is the best chair ever. I did a lot of research and for the price, you can’t beat it! Plus, to find a chair at this price point that both glides and reclines is a big win!
summary.
Okay friends, I’m tired. I could go on for days. But, haven’t I already? Please comment below with questions! If I had to pick my favorites… that would be my sakura bloom scout carrier, the owlet sock and the Zoe Double stroller. Signing off for now!
