The
baby market can be very overwhelming. The big box baby stores have
thousands of options, but what do you really end up using? The
need-to-have list may vary depending on where you're living (city vs. suburb),
but here are our top 10 favorite and need-to-have items for the baby's first 3
months (excluding diapers and wipes):
1. Bibs: Green Sprouts waterproof bibs are our favorites. They have a waterproof inner layer so even after all of the drool/spit up/milk spillage, baby's clothes still stay dry! They also come in lots of pretty shades for boy or girl. Definitely stock up on bibs! You can never have too many.
2. Bottle drying rack: You can wash bottle parts in the dishwasher but neither of us run the dishwasher too frequently so we hand-wash everything. We both have the Grass Countertop Drying Rack by Boon which is functional, cute and easy to clean. You can dry pretty much anything on it, though it's particularly useful for pump parts and things that don't hang (spoons, toothbrush, dropper, pacis, teething toys, etc.). While it's great, it is a little small, so Jean got this cute Twig Accessory you insert into the grass to create more hanging space (thanks for the tip, Mira!). Amy got the Beaba drying rack in addition to the grass which holds a ton of bottles/cups/nipples. Jean also has the Skip Hop rack which also does the trick! Lots of good options to choose from here.
3. First aid kit: This First Aid Kit by the American Red Cross is great-- it has nail clippers, mini emory boards, various brushes (for his tongue, his head/hair in case he has cradle cap), nasal aspirator, comb, syringe/dropper for medicine, etc. The only thing that sucks about this kit is the nasal aspirator/bulb syringe-- it is super stiff and doesn't get anything out! Don't even bother with the bulb syringe, instead get a...
4. Snotsucker!: We both love the Nosefrida snotsucker. We've gotta give it to the Swedes for inventing such a powerfully effective yet simple device. When baby is congested, you will do just about anything to help him breathe better-- yes, even sucking out the junk straight out of his tiny nostrils! The idea of sucking your kid's snot makes you cringe, but fear not! The Swedes have made it possible for you to do it in a hygienic way. We find it to be most effective if you spray a little saline spray in each nostril first, wait a few seconds, place the Nosefrida and take multiple, quick, deep sucks to loosen and ultimately suck those suckers out!
5. Diaper rash cream: Triple Paste is HANDS DOWN, the BEST diaper rash cream. When Logan started having solids, he had bad diarrhea which resulted in the WORST diaper rash. Anything but air would make it sting. After a few days of trying various diaper creams, Amy discovered Triple Paste. After 12 hours, the rash was practically gone!! Butt Paste, California Baby Diaper Cream, A&D, Desitin all work just fine for day-to-day preventative use, but when you need immediate relief, nothing beats Triple Paste. Don't have a baby without it.
6. Boppy (nursing pillow): Some people may not think the Boppy is a necessity, but the Boppy is great for both mom and baby! Amy used it whenever she was breastfeeding, which is what it's typically used for. Since Jean pumped, she didn't use it much for feeding but more for Miles to lounge on. When he learned to sit up, it was great to put it around him to catch him if he fell over. Jean also used it as the cushion for her bottom during the first few weeks when it is extra sensitive down there. Amy used it when she passed out on the floor from pure exhaustion :). If you decide to get it, get an extra cover so you can wash one while using the other.
7. Sleep sacks: If you have an active baby, he will eventually kick off his swaddled blanket no matter how tightly you swaddle him. The Halo SleepSacks have been great at keeping the babies snug as a bug. Make sure to get the ones w/the "wings", which are swaddle sleepsacks, not just plain sleepsacks. It's the wings that keep the swaddle in place (for the most part). The wings are also detachable so once your baby grows out of the swaddle altogether, you can use them as just plain sleepsacks, so it’s like getting 2 for 1! They come in regular cotton and fleece material.
8. Swaddling blanket: We are suckers for sophisticated designs for babies. We LOVE Aden & Anais products, specifically their swaddling blankets! Their super-cute and oh-so-soft and stretchy muslin blankets are perfect for swaddling, summer stroller rides and just plain snuggling. Stash one in your diaper bag or stroller whenever you leave the house! Did we mention that they're also very cute??
9. Baby carrier: Go hands free by getting a baby carrier. There are lots of carriers out there, but our favorites are the Lillebaby (what Amy uses) and the Baby Bjorn (what Jean uses). Both carriers are strong and offer good shoulder support. The Lillebaby allows you to hold the baby (up to 40 pounds) in 6 different positions while still being soft enough to stuff into your diaper bag. The Baby Bjorn is super stylish and very easy to put on and off. Baby carriers are an absolute must for the city mamas! We weren't huge fans of the Moby Wrap because though it was very comfortable, it wasn't always the easiest to put on/off. They also didn't feel very supportive when the babies got bigger. Their website has tutorials on how to use/wear the wrap-- that's already a sign that this is too complicated than it needs to be.
10. Burp cloths: These cloths are not limited to just burping! Use them to clean up random and excessive spit up, lay it down before diapering, cover him when diapering (so you don't get peed in the face), dry him down after using wipes (helps prevent diaper rash), clean up the spilled milk, etc. While we typically like stylish and cute items, burp cloths really don't need to be since they're cleaning up all types of gross things :-). You'll definitely want to have a healthy stash of these. We recommend the not-so-fancy-but-gets-the-job-done Dundee Mills burp cloths.
What were/are some of your need-to-have items for the first few months??
1. Bibs: Green Sprouts waterproof bibs are our favorites. They have a waterproof inner layer so even after all of the drool/spit up/milk spillage, baby's clothes still stay dry! They also come in lots of pretty shades for boy or girl. Definitely stock up on bibs! You can never have too many.
2. Bottle drying rack: You can wash bottle parts in the dishwasher but neither of us run the dishwasher too frequently so we hand-wash everything. We both have the Grass Countertop Drying Rack by Boon which is functional, cute and easy to clean. You can dry pretty much anything on it, though it's particularly useful for pump parts and things that don't hang (spoons, toothbrush, dropper, pacis, teething toys, etc.). While it's great, it is a little small, so Jean got this cute Twig Accessory you insert into the grass to create more hanging space (thanks for the tip, Mira!). Amy got the Beaba drying rack in addition to the grass which holds a ton of bottles/cups/nipples. Jean also has the Skip Hop rack which also does the trick! Lots of good options to choose from here.
3. First aid kit: This First Aid Kit by the American Red Cross is great-- it has nail clippers, mini emory boards, various brushes (for his tongue, his head/hair in case he has cradle cap), nasal aspirator, comb, syringe/dropper for medicine, etc. The only thing that sucks about this kit is the nasal aspirator/bulb syringe-- it is super stiff and doesn't get anything out! Don't even bother with the bulb syringe, instead get a...
4. Snotsucker!: We both love the Nosefrida snotsucker. We've gotta give it to the Swedes for inventing such a powerfully effective yet simple device. When baby is congested, you will do just about anything to help him breathe better-- yes, even sucking out the junk straight out of his tiny nostrils! The idea of sucking your kid's snot makes you cringe, but fear not! The Swedes have made it possible for you to do it in a hygienic way. We find it to be most effective if you spray a little saline spray in each nostril first, wait a few seconds, place the Nosefrida and take multiple, quick, deep sucks to loosen and ultimately suck those suckers out!
5. Diaper rash cream: Triple Paste is HANDS DOWN, the BEST diaper rash cream. When Logan started having solids, he had bad diarrhea which resulted in the WORST diaper rash. Anything but air would make it sting. After a few days of trying various diaper creams, Amy discovered Triple Paste. After 12 hours, the rash was practically gone!! Butt Paste, California Baby Diaper Cream, A&D, Desitin all work just fine for day-to-day preventative use, but when you need immediate relief, nothing beats Triple Paste. Don't have a baby without it.
6. Boppy (nursing pillow): Some people may not think the Boppy is a necessity, but the Boppy is great for both mom and baby! Amy used it whenever she was breastfeeding, which is what it's typically used for. Since Jean pumped, she didn't use it much for feeding but more for Miles to lounge on. When he learned to sit up, it was great to put it around him to catch him if he fell over. Jean also used it as the cushion for her bottom during the first few weeks when it is extra sensitive down there. Amy used it when she passed out on the floor from pure exhaustion :). If you decide to get it, get an extra cover so you can wash one while using the other.
7. Sleep sacks: If you have an active baby, he will eventually kick off his swaddled blanket no matter how tightly you swaddle him. The Halo SleepSacks have been great at keeping the babies snug as a bug. Make sure to get the ones w/the "wings", which are swaddle sleepsacks, not just plain sleepsacks. It's the wings that keep the swaddle in place (for the most part). The wings are also detachable so once your baby grows out of the swaddle altogether, you can use them as just plain sleepsacks, so it’s like getting 2 for 1! They come in regular cotton and fleece material.
8. Swaddling blanket: We are suckers for sophisticated designs for babies. We LOVE Aden & Anais products, specifically their swaddling blankets! Their super-cute and oh-so-soft and stretchy muslin blankets are perfect for swaddling, summer stroller rides and just plain snuggling. Stash one in your diaper bag or stroller whenever you leave the house! Did we mention that they're also very cute??
9. Baby carrier: Go hands free by getting a baby carrier. There are lots of carriers out there, but our favorites are the Lillebaby (what Amy uses) and the Baby Bjorn (what Jean uses). Both carriers are strong and offer good shoulder support. The Lillebaby allows you to hold the baby (up to 40 pounds) in 6 different positions while still being soft enough to stuff into your diaper bag. The Baby Bjorn is super stylish and very easy to put on and off. Baby carriers are an absolute must for the city mamas! We weren't huge fans of the Moby Wrap because though it was very comfortable, it wasn't always the easiest to put on/off. They also didn't feel very supportive when the babies got bigger. Their website has tutorials on how to use/wear the wrap-- that's already a sign that this is too complicated than it needs to be.
10. Burp cloths: These cloths are not limited to just burping! Use them to clean up random and excessive spit up, lay it down before diapering, cover him when diapering (so you don't get peed in the face), dry him down after using wipes (helps prevent diaper rash), clean up the spilled milk, etc. While we typically like stylish and cute items, burp cloths really don't need to be since they're cleaning up all types of gross things :-). You'll definitely want to have a healthy stash of these. We recommend the not-so-fancy-but-gets-the-job-done Dundee Mills burp cloths.
What were/are some of your need-to-have items for the first few months??
