Must Have Baby Products

Must Have Baby Products

 Here’s a list of the top baby products that have made my first year as a new mom SO much easier!! They’re split up into the following five categories: Everyday Life, Sleeping, Bath and Body, Laundry, and Medicine. I wish I had found and read this before having Colton! If you have any “Can’t Live Without” baby product please comment down below!!

Everyday Life

1. Graco Baby Stroller and Carseat-  Graco is an amazing brand! They have great qaulity stuff at an affordable price.

2. Baby Carrier- This baby carrier has been a LIFE SAVER. It was awesome on our first vacation with Colton and I love to use it whenever we go shopping so I can be hands free!

3. Baby Bottle Rack- I was one of “those people” who though that they didnt need a drying rack for bottles but let me tell you, YOU NEED ONE! They come in so handy.

4. Bottles- I bought A LOT of bottles, the Tommee Tippy are by far the best! I love the wide opening for adding formula and they’re super easy to hold!

5. JuJuBee Diaper Bag- I’m all for finding affordable baby items but this diaper bag is worth the SPLURGE. It fits everything I need without being huge. 

6. Burp Clothes- These Burp Clothes are affordable and work amazing! Super absorbant and they wash great.

7. Pacifiers- I think pacifiers are pretty specific to each baby but these were by far Coltons favorite. (and we tried a lot) 

 

                                                                                                                               SLEEPING

  1. Sound Machine– We got this just before transitioning Colton from our room into his crib. I think starting to use it while he was in our room helped him associate it with something familiar and comforting!
  2. Snuggle Me Organic– Absolutely loved this when Colton was a newborn! It’s a shame it only works for the first ~3 months, but I’d buy it again! For the little time we used it, it came in super handy. I got our cover off of Etsy to save a little $$, they have the cutest designs!
  3. Bassinet– I actually found our Bassinet on Facebook swap; BUT, I would happily pay full price for it.  Even though it took Colton ~3 months to like it, It worked well for us! It fit right by the side of the bed and it’s not as “structured” as regular bassinets so I could easily rock it to get him back to sleep most nights! 
  4. Sheets– I HIGHLY recommend the sheets from Target. They are just incredibly soft and wash really nice.
  5. Sleep Swaddle/Sack– I can’t say enough good things about the Nested Bean sleep sack and swaddles. This was a 2 a.m. purchase I do NOT regret! Colton absolutely loved this thing and we started seeing improvements in his sleep RIGHT AWAY! He wore the swaddle from 2-6 months (he was a late roller). It was super easy to transition him into the sleep sack- he still wears that for bed and naps. 

 Bath and Body

    1. Burt’s BeesDiaper Rash Cream- The Burt’s Bees Diaper Rash Cream is, so far, the only diaper cream we’ve had to use! I put it on at the first sign of diaper rash and it takes it away within the next few changes!
    2. Earth Mama Baby Face- Colton (like, most babies) drooled SO much, his poor cheeks were raw and rosy. This took away the redness and worked well with his sensitive skin – a life saver if you have professional photos coming up!
    3. Burt’s Bees Shampoo and Wash- Honestly I just like anything by Burt’s Bees because of how natural it is. It doesn’t hurt that all their products smell amazing!
    4. Burt’s Bees All Purpose Ointment- This works AMAZING for baby eczema. Colton had some really dry patches on his back and bottom and this took it away quickly! Its petroleum free so it is a little more “greasy” but it works like a champ!

Laundry

1. Meyers Baby Blossom- This is a clean laundry detergent that smells amazing! Colton has sensitive skin and this hasnt messed with it at all.

2. Oxy Clean Baby- I CANT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS STAIN REMOVER. Sorry, that was aggressive. I just love this stuff so much. The key is to let the clothes soak either overnight or for a couple hours. It works great on set-in stains.

3. Dreft Stain Remover-  This spray is perfect for fresh stains, I spray it right before throwing Coltons clothes in the washer- smells great too!

Medicine

  1. Zarbees Cough and Cold- This is a great alternative to regular cold medicine filled with ingredients you can’t pronounce. They use a natural approach and have ingredients like “Agave”, “Elderberry”, and “Thyme.”
  2. Gripe Water- This is a must have for any baby! Colic, Gas, Fussy, etc. It all happens to them at some point! This helps naturally calm and comfort them with soothing ingredients. 
  3. Wellements Teething Oil- I cant recommend this enough! It instantly soothes Coltons gums when hes teething and really put off me having to give him pain reliever.
  4. Dye-Free Ibuprofen- I wont say much about this other than “Do your research on Tylenol and how bad it can be for your baby.” Once I started researching Tylenol and its ingredients I immediately threw it out of our cupboard and opted for some ibuprofen. For Colton, I usually get away with giving only half of the recommended dose. 
  5. Vitamin C and D- This is totally optional; but, as Colton gets older and isn’t breastfeeding I like having peace of mind that he’s getting some daily vitamins! I add it to his morning bottle.
Whats In My Hospital Bag

Whats In My Hospital Bag

Every woman’s hospital bag is going to look a little different, for instance, I live 30 seconds from my hospital so if I forget something or feel I REALLY need something my husband can easily run home and get it for me. Obviously this isn’t the case for most women so in this post I’ve compiled some of the most essential things a woman will definitely NEED in her bag, including the comfiest clothes, electronics, toiletries and so on!

Let’s start with the basics: Comfy Clothes! After going through hours and hours of labor and then having to deliver our precious bundle of joy we are going to want to be comfortable! I’m talking loose fitting, baggy, and most importantly non- restricting clothing! All the while still trying to look cute! I have found the softest of the softest lounge-wear and pajamas from Target! The best part is they have something for everyone; if you prefer shorts over pants they have you covered! Capris? No problem. Joggers over sweatpants? They have ALL THE OPTIONS! When I first started thinking about what I wanted to wear in the hospital I knew I wanted sweatpants and something button down to make breastfeeding easier! Another great thing about shopping at Target is they are “Tall Girl” friendly! I hate it when my sweatpants are too short!

Another thing you’ll want to think about is Nursing Friendly attire if you plan on nursing (I do) so I also grabbed a nursing friendly tank and some nursing bras to wear! Walmart has a great selection in store and online of nursing and maternity clothes! All at a really affordable rate! I grabbed a nursing tank and just plan on wearing my favorite cardigan over top!

To recap here are a few things I would consider when packing clothes for your hospital bag:
1. Comfortable Non-Restrictive Clothing
2. Button Down Pajama Tops to make Nursing Easier
3. Nursing Tanks and Tops
4. Nursing Bras (See link below to come of my favorite Amazon nursing bras)
5. Your Favorite Cardigan!! ( I linked some comfy, affordable options below)
6. Postpartum Underwear (I lIke Fruit of Loom Low-Rise briefs from WalMart)
7. Socks (I thought that went without saying) 😛

 

 

Next up let’s talk Amazon Essentials. Honestly I could go on and on about all the things you need from Amazon but I decided to just stick to some of my favorite basics. I knew I wanted a nice new bag to take with me. I didn’t want anything to big and bulky, just something that would easily fit everything I wanted to bring, after a little bit of looking I definitely found a winner! And it’s so cute!! This Quilted Leather Bag is amazing quality and won’t cost you hundreds of dollars.

Next up, you’re going to want your make-up bag! I was actually gifted this one last Christmas and it’s so handy! It easily holds all my make-up and keeps everything perfectly organized.

Someone else mentioned grabbing your Amazon Fire Stick or Roku and I think that is such a genius idea! Especially with everything going on right now with Covid-19 you aren’t going to have any visitors after baby is born so why not entertain yourself with a movie at night? Or put The Office on while you’re in labor to distract you! (that’s my plan anyways :P) And of course the last thing from Amazon you’re defitnely going to want is your phone charger!  I recommend finding a 6 to 10 foot cord because you have no idea how close you’ll be to an outlet while in your hospital bed. I picked up a two pack for me and my husband and then realized he doesn’t have an IPhone. 😛 Oops! This one from Amazon has great reviews!!!

I also linked my favorite nursing bras from Amazon. I’ve been wearing them during most of my pregnancy because they’re so comfortable!! For reference I’m a 36DD and got a size XL, they fit great and I love that they come in a 3-pack.

Here’s a list of a few other things I’m taking with me that were suggested by friends and family!

A lot of the “Postpartum Care” necessities will be provided for you by your hospital so don’t feel the need to bring your pads, mesh underwear, cooling pads, spray, etc. unless you have certain things that you know work better for you keep that stuff at home to avoid over packing.

I would love to know in the comments below what you had in your hospital bag that proved to be the most useful/helpful thing during your labor and delivery visit! Am I forgetting anything?  Let me know!  As always thanks for reading!!