Before Emmett was born, I scoured the internet for lists of products
that people actually used with their brand new babies. There are a
million things out there that people tell you to buy, but I wanted to
know what we would actually need.
I got a lot of good input from friends, and found a few good lists on the mom blogs (here , here and here). Because I found these lists so helpful, I wanted to (FINALLY) post a list of my own. So, here are all of the baby products that I have used and loved (in no particular order):
1. Madela Breast Pump:
I had to go back to work pretty quickly after Emmett was born, so this
double-pump has been our most important and necessary baby buy. I hated pumping at first. Like,
really hated. But I was determined to continue nursing after going back
to work so I stuck with it, and it definitely got easier. Of course I
still don't love it (does anyone LOVE pumping??), but this pump is super
easy to use and comes with all kinds of helpful accessories.
2. Boppy Infant Lounger:
This thing is a lifesaver when your baby is brand new. It's basically a
take-anywhere bed, and Emmett LOVED his. It's contoured and sized to
fit newborns, so baby feels snuggled and comfortable. We used it in
every room in our house. We even took it with us on a vacation when
Emmett was three weeks old to use as his bed instead of bringing a huge
pack & play or bassinet. Did I say lifesaver?
3. White Noise Machine: We took this
cute little guy with us everywhere we went when Emmett was little tiny.
He was able to sleep in loud restaurants as well as quiet rooms, as
long as we turned on some white noise. Now that he's a bit older (and
sleeps lighter!) we have retired the sheep for an app on our Kindle Fire
(there are lots to choose from) since it has so many options and a much
louder volume. Every night (and at nap times) we turn on his white
noise as part of our bedtime routine, and it really helps him to settle
down and get ready for bed. It's also great for diffusing noise when we
have friends over in the evenings!
4. Baby ESP app:
This app was such a huge help to me in the first couple weeks after
having Emmett. It's available for Android phones, but we used it on our
Kindle Fire. This app is a tool for keeping track of baby's feedings,
diapers, naps, and everything else you could think of that you might
need to remember. This was so important for me since as a new mom, your
brain is hardly functioning in the first place, and then there's that
pesky sleep deprivation...
5. Swaddle Blankets:
We heard about these swaddlers from aden + anais from all of our
friends with little ones. They are the perfect swaddle blanket- light,
soft, big, and so so cute. They come in all kinds of patterns and
colors, each one cuter than the last. I really can't say enough good
things about these blankets. They are a must have. Tons of our friends swear by the Miracle Blanket, but we never got around to trying it. Next time!
6. Nipple cream:
People tried to warn me that breastfeeding hurts when you're first
starting out. I remember this clearly, but I didn't really understand
until I started nursing. It hurts. It hurts a lot at first. Imagine the
worst chaffing you've ever experienced times a hundred, and then add
1,000 tiny needles sticking into your nipples. It's that bad. So this
nipple cream was a huge huge help for me. It helped relieve just a
little bit of the pain between feedings, and is totally safe for baby.
7. Bathtub: We started out with the Puj Tub,
which came highly recommended, but it just didn't work for us because
it didn't fit in any of our sinks. Bummer. So we struggled and struggled
with bathing Emmett in our sinks, or I would get in the bath with him
each night. Finally my mother-in-law bought us this tub, which is simple and inexpensive and we absolutely love it.
8. Soothies Pacifiers:
I was a little nervous to give Emmett a pacifier, because I didn't want
to create an attachment that I would eventually have to wean him off
of, but I'm so glad I did. A friend bought him a Wubbanub, which is so adorable and Emmett still loves his monkey so much. The last couple weeks it has become his favorite "toy" to play with.
9. Wipes Warmer:
We LOVE our wipes warmer. Emmett has always been super sensitive to
cold temps (definitely an Arizona baby!), so cold baby wipes would immediately start
him shivering and sneezing when he was little tiny. So sad! We've used
this wipes warmer since he was a couple of days old, and I can't imagine
life without it. Besides warming Emmett's baby wipes, it also has a
night-light that I find super helpful for middle-of-the-night diaper
changes. It's bright enough that I don't have to turn on the overhead
light in his room and wake him up any more than I have to.
10. Bottle Cleaning Brush:
This is probably an obvious one, but we went without it for months, so
now that we have one I can't believe I ever lived without it. Since I
work outside of the home 40 hours a week, Emmett takes most of his meals
during the week from a bottle. So, I spend a LOT of time cleaning
bottles. This is a must-have!
I hope this is helpful! If you have any must-have's that I didn't mention, please let me know in the comment box below. I'm always on the look-out for products to make our chaotic life a little easier!
