I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last blog post! I’ve missed writing on here so much, it’s all I can think about lately.
So much has happened in my life since my last blog post. Moving to a new house, getting pregnant, and having a beautiful baby girl named Josephine just a couple short months ago. I’ll include a photo below, as she’s the absolute light of my life!
In the theme of having a baby, I’ve been thinking of doing a post on all of my favorite baby essentials. At the end of the day, not many of these are actual necessities. The only true essentials needed for a baby are diapers and formula if you’re not breastfeeding. Babies really don’t require much! These essentials are just nice to have on hand to make life with a baby easier, and I’ve found these particular ones to be my favorites.
Burp Cloths:
There’s a couple different burp cloths we use. These first ones above are super thick and absorbent. They also don’t shrink like the traditional muslin ones, which is really nice. Unfortunately, the patterns I got are no longer available, but they do have some other cute patterns!
We also use these muslin ones as they’re much cheaper and come in large packs of 6 on Amazon. The only problem is they do shrink, even when washed on a cold setting. They’re still bigger than some other burp cloths we’ve been given, though!
Diapers:
The Honest Company diapers are my favorite so far. We used Huggies in the beginning because they were the ones our local hospital used, but our baby started having blow outs in those. I also like how the Honest diapers are a much more eco-friendly option. We use their wipes as well. I’ll link those here.
Diaper Cream:
So far this is our favorite diaper cream. It’s the one that was recommended to me the most when I was pregnant. We only use it at night for when she’s asleep long stretches, or when she actually has a rash.
Swaddles:
We never really use actual receiving blankets for swaddling, but we do use these muslin blankets for lots of other things. Mainly as a cover for breastfeeding or to lay her on when changing diapers around the house or in public places.
When we do swaddle our baby, we’ve always use the SwaddleMe since the day she came home from the hospital. They come in packs of 3 with the cutest designs. The sad thing is she’s so tall for her age that she’s already outgrowing them!
Breast Pumps:
When I was pregnant, I heard everyone recommending the Spectra S1. It has an awesome battery life which makes it fairly portable. I was able to get my insurance to help cover most of the cost, so be sure to check with your insurance before purchasing to see if they’ll help with the payment.
I also like to use this Lansinoh manual pump for when I need to pump super quick and don’t want to deal with setting up the Spectra. Unfortunately, I came down with mastitis and this manual pump was so handy to help recover while feeling sick. This would also be really nice to bring while traveling if you need to pack light.
Bath Support:
I also saw everyone using this bath support when I was pregnant, and it really does work so well to support baby in the bathtub! It also has quite a bit of room so we can keep using it as she grows before she can sit up on her own.
Washcloths:
We use two different washcloths. These Burt’s Bees washcloths are nice and they’re a terry cloth material compared to the second ones. These are a little better for scrubbing as they’re a rougher material, but it’s really all up to personal preference!
The second ones we use are microfiber and come in a super big pack of 12 on Amazon. Since they’re microfiber, they are so soft for baby’s sensitive skin. They also come in a ton of different colors.
Diaper Bag:
Diaper bags are another item that can get so expensive. Some moms have recommended using a regular backpack, but I also know of other moms that love their diaper bags because they have so many more compartments. I’m so glad I found this diaper bag because my husband and I love it! It’s also pretty dang cute and has so many compartments.
Sound Machine:
We use two different sound machines. The first is this portable Skip Hop sound machine that we bring with us when we leave the house and also keep in our bedroom. Once she moves into her own room for nighttime, we will probably keep this one in our diaper bag so we can still take it with us places as it is so handy to have.
For her room, we use the Hatch sound machine. It is so nice! It has so many different options for colors and sounds, which you can save to have your own favorites and schedule certain ones for certain times. For instance, you can schedule the bird sound to wake your baby up in the morning, and the white noise to put them to sleep at night. You can control the entire thing from your phone too, which makes things so easy.
Rocking Chair:
When I first looked for a rocking chair, they all seemed so expensive! For something that I’ll only use for a couple years, I couldn’t see such a high price being justifiable. I found this rocking chair on Amazon that is so much more affordable, super sturdy, and really comfy! It also comes in a few different colors. I got the beige, which matches our nursery perfectly.
Swing:
Baby swings are another thing that I found to be super expensive for something that won’t be used long at all. Most swings can only be used for less than a year! I know everyone loves the MamaRoo, but I found this Graco swing to be so much more affordable. Our baby likes really any back and forth motion, so this one works for us just fine!
Bouncing Chair:
This BabyBjörn bouncer is the one thing I did want to splurge on. I’ve seen everyone use it and love how portable it is. It’s perfect for having baby around while cooking, working, going to the bathroom, etc. The bouncing really helps soothe our baby too.
Bassinet:
This Graco 4 in 1 Bassinet is another one of those things that I wanted to go with as a more affordable option. Because it’s also a pack and play, we can keep using it for traveling as she gets bigger. The bassinet portion is also detachable so you can move it around the house if needed. I felt like this was much better than an expensive bassinet that we can only use for a short time.
Baby Monitor:
When looking for a baby monitor, there’s so many options which makes it tough to pick. I’ve heard horror stories of people hacking into apps on your phone, which is what made me lean towards an actual monitor with its own handheld screen. This Infant Optics monitor has all the features we need, a clear picture, and a pretty good battery life too.
Car Seat/Stroller:
Travel systems were another item that I didn’t want to spend a ton on if we would only use it for a short time. I know a ton of people recommend the Doona, which was my first pick, but then I saw how fast babies outgrew them and that made me change my mind. We decided to go with this Chicco system, which is much more affordable. It looks just like the other expensive, designer brand strollers and is available in the LE option that includes treaded rubber tires. The stroller can also be used for much longer than the Doona, you just have to get a toddler car seat later on when your baby outgrows this one.
I hope you all enjoyed this list of baby essentials and that it gave you some good recommendations. I’ll definitely have to post about clothes next, as we all know that’s one of the most fun parts of having a baby!
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