Though I have three nieces, tons of friends with kids, and a resume that included a lot of babysitting, I still wasn’t sure what we would need or want for our first child. Of course, I knew the basics: crib, diapers, wipes, etc. But there are so many baby products out there, I wasn’t sure what to register for and what we would actually end up using. Every baby is different so what works for one might not work for others, but I came up with this list of items that we used with Vivian during the first three months and beyond to share for anyone that might be unsure where to start! These are all items we used repeatedly and worked great for us!
- Boppy Newborn Lounger – This was so handy to have in the beginning since she couldn’t roll yet, and it was safe to lay her down to fold laundry or whatever needed accomplished. I would often arrange the Boppy so I could also prop up a board book or a play & pat activity mat for her to look at.
- Fisher-Price Kick & Play Piano Gym – I think it’s fairly universal that babies love play gyms. What’s not to love?! There’s a comfy mat, a piano to kick, a mirror, and dangly toys!
- Footie PJs – Vivian is 7 months old now and still pretty much lives in footie pjs, they’re cute and easy! The type that we like the best have two way zippers for easy diaper changes but pretty much any that are soft material are great even with snaps. Carter’s, pictured above, are soft with two way zippers and lots of prints/patterns to choose from.
- Tummy Time Mirror – Vivian absolutely loved this mirror! Girlfriend just loves looking at herself! I get it, she’s dang cute! 🙂
- Halo SleepSack Swaddle – There are tons of different swaddle and sleep suit options for babies but this swaddle worked the best for Vivian. It’s easy for parents since it has the Velcro flaps and, of course, it’s safe for babies to sleep in which is obviously necessary. Safe sleep is so important! *After she could break her arms out of this swaddle, we transitioned her to the Merlin Magic Sleepsuit which I will talk more about in my next 3-6 month essentials post!
- Hicoco Carseat & Nursing Cover – I’ll admit that what drew me to this in the first place was the feather print, but it’s worked out really well for us. With all the Covid business we haven’t taken Vivian many public places but when we do this car seat cover has been like a mask for her car seat. Plus it doubles as a nursing cover in the event we’d ever be in public when she needs to eat.
- Bumco Baby Bum Brush – Otherwise known to us as the butt spatula, we have three of these bad boys! One at each diaper changing area in our house and a mini in the diaper bag. It’s just so much easier and less messy to use this spatula when putting on diaper rash cream (we use Boudreaux’s Butt Paste). I stand by this as a necessity! We also like having our Munchkin Diaper Pail to dispose of the diapers.
- Fisher-Price Craddle ‘n Swing – We had both this swing and mamaRoo and Vivian definitely liked Fisher-Price more. We just recently put this away because she loved swinging so much.
- Philips Avent Soothie Pacifiers – These are the pacifiers that the hospital sends home with you (at least ours did) and after much research I found that these are also the pacifiers that most speech and language therapists recommend. The shape of the Soothie pacifiers mirrors a mother’s nipple more closely than other pacifiers with different shaped ends. Those flatter pacifiers can actually cause tongue issues with babies later on even if at the time they stay in better. Vivian has always liked pacifiers, but I know some babies just hate all types!
- Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottles – Along with the Soothie pacifier, we also used the Philips Avent bottles. Since I’m also breastfeeding Vivian, we have always used the size 0 nipples and so far she’s done great going back and forth between the two.
- Infant Optics Video Monitor – I had Mike do the research on baby monitors and this is the one he picked. So far it’s worked well for us! It has one of the best ranges of similar monitors in the price range. No Wi-Fi connectivity means no worry about unauthorized access, and it easily mounts to the wall and has optional lenses to suit any nursery!
- Duck Bath Thermometer – I purchased this bath thermometer so I could easily know if the water was too hot/cold for Vivian during bath time. This one might not be necessary but it gives me peace of mind that she’s safe and comfortable with her bath temperature!
- Promptly Childhood History Journal – I’ll admit it, I have three different baby books for Vivian…she’s my first baby! That said, the Promptly journal is my favorite! Get this right away! There’s a pregnancy section, followed by birth, and then each month of the first year, and lastly each year until they are 18. Each section asks questions for you to answer as well as having several blank pages and a spot for photos. Hopefully Vivian appreciates all of the memories I’m crying about while writing them down.
- NoseFrida the Snotsucker – While the bulb syringe will work, the Snotsucker is way easier and more efficient. Vivian doesn’t love it, but it definitely gets the job done. I also use the FridaBaby Picker which she hates even more but sometimes her little stuffy nose calls for more tools!
- Mustela Cradle Cap Foam Shampoo – Vivian had just a little bit of cradle cap but this cleared it right up! Very gentle and easy to use with DermaFrida The SkinSoother cradle cap brush.
- Puracy Baby Lotion – This lavender and grapefruit lotion smells amazing and has been great with Vivian’s sensitive skin. We put it on every night at bedtime and in my mind it helps calm her to sleep.
- Muslin Wash Cloths – My favorite wash cloths, burp cloths, and swaddle blankets are all the muslin. They’re nice because they’re soft and breathable for sensitive baby skin.
- Hatch Rest+ – There are so many great features on the Rest+ but since the beginning we have been using the sound feature (set to ocean waves) and the nightlight (set to dim red light).
- Tummy Time Board Book – We had the Happy Baby version of this fold out board book but there are many great fold out books out there. It’s just nice to have a book like this for tummy time and when baby is in the Boppy!
- Look, Look Board Book – We have a lot of favorite books, but in the beginning babies really connect with the black and white books. We also liked the Baby’s Very First Black and White Little Library and Hello Animals.
Whew! So that’s the list! I’m sure I’ve missed a few things, but hopefully this is a helpful start if you’re planning for your first baby or a new baby and looking for a place to start!
Veteran moms, what haven’t I shared that you and your babes loved? I’m always up for more suggestions for our future babies! ❤
The Redhead Review 