My Baby Item "Go-To Guide!"

Moms, you know how it is! Your first time mom friend gets pregnant and starts excitedly asking your opinions on specific baby items. Your excitement is now matched with hers and you just can't contain yourself! You start spouting out a list of a million items that you LOVED and HAD TO HAVE for your precious bundle of joy! Or... is that just me? Regardless, I've been asked numerous times my thoughts on baby items. Since there's like a 100 gizillion items out there all marketed as the "#1 Must Have Baby Item of 20__ "(fill in the blank with your baby's birth year) it's so incredibly hard as a first time mama to figure out realistically what you need and what you don't need.

So! I decided to make a very detailed list of my "must have" baby items, and a few of my other favorites. A few things before we get started though. I AM NOT BEING PAID BY ANYBODY TO MARKET/ADVERTISE THEIR PRODUCT! :) Ok, glad that's out of the way! Also, remember these are items that worked for me and my family. I go into pretty lengthy detail about why I loved the item, but to each it's own! If you absolutely have to have the stroller that matches the car seat, that matches the car, that matches the pack and play, that matches the bouncy seat, that matches the swing... GO FOR IT! (and in case you were wondering... yes they do make matchy/matchy products like that.) Feel free to use my "go-to guide" as an outline of what I loved, to match you and your growing families need.

And! Just in case you stumble upon this list out in the world wide web, I thought maybe you would like to know a little bit about who you are taking advice from. I am a 27, soon to be 28 year old mom of two! My daughter was born in the fall of 2010, and my son came very soon after in the summer of 2012. Both of my kids, for lack of better words, hated their first 3 months of life. I spent countless hours researching for the next best items to turn my screaming/crying/very unhappy children into smiling, cooing infants. I learned a lot the first time around, and learned even more the 2nd time. If we ever do have a 3rd, I'd probably have to call myself a genius in the baby product world. (I'm kidding.) As much as I was willing to try and have the next best and greatest items, I'm a huge cheap-sake and like to look for the best bang for you buck.

I have included links to all of the products, most of them taking you to babies r us being that is where the majority of people make their registry from.
And without further ado, MY LIST!

MUST HAVES!

Halo Sleep Sack

If you are not familiar with sleep sacks, they are a gown type garment worn over clothes/pjs and take away the need for having loose blankets in a child's crib, in return reducing the risk of suffocation. Not only does your kid look adorable in these things, but they are so safe! Both kids slept zipped inside until they started walking.

With big J it was a bit later since her birthday falls in the cooler months, so we actually got one for her with feet holes. Little man on the other hand began to walk in the summer, so we weren't as concerned about him being cold at night. Both kids adored this part of their nightly routine, and honestly I think it had a lot to do with how great of sleepers they came to be.

Car Mirror

This is an item on my list of go-to baby shower gifts. Many new moms over look this item but I highly suggest them not to!  Rear facing car seats are significantly safer for your child (something like by 500x), but often said child is unhappy, dosing, or cooing and mom trying to focus on the road can't help but wonder what baby is doing back there. A mirror not only lets you see them, lets you see when they fall asleep to time naps, understand why they are upset (ie. girls headband falls and covers their eyes) but as babies get older and their sight improves a mirror provides entertainment for them by seeing themselves and adds comfort because they can see you too!

Rock N' Play

Why did it take so long for this thing to be invented? And whoever invented this thing is an absolute genius and needs lots of awards! Forget the cute frilly bassinet that you spend way too much money on, set up way too early just to dream about your peacefully sleeping infant that will soon be next to you at night, and is not in any way portable to the other parts of the house and spend half the cost on a Fisher Price Rock N' Play. Personally, I haven't ever met a newborn that actually prefers sleeping flat on their back compared to at an incline. I mean, think about it. Your baby just spent the last few months curled up, more than likely doing a headstand! ANYWAY, the rock n' play is a very portable, incline set bassinet that not only lets your babe sleep in a more natural position to them BUT in the middle of the night when they start fussing and the thought of them waking up completely puts you in a panic, you just kick your leg over the side of the bed and use your foot to rock them back to sleep! Yes, it's a must have!... did I mention you can take it anywhere around the house with you?!

Muslin swaddle blankets
Don't leave these off of your must have list! These very large, very light blankets are perfect for just about anything! They work great for covering the car seat to and from the car in the rain, adding a layer between the nasty dirty ground and your very curious baby on the floor. Need a nursing cover? These are big enough to cover both you and baby and thin enough for baby to not pass out from heat exhaustion while eating. AND for their most popular use swaddling! Of course there's no Velcro, snaps or ties so you have to learn the old fashioned way, but they are awesome for wrapping up a baby tight.

Play Mat
 Don't know how a baby could possibly listen to the same 15 mins of music for the first 4 months of their life? Ya, me either! But it's a strange phenomenon that happens! These mats are totally awesome for entertaining baby with colors, sounds/music, and action/reaction movement. Dangle toys from above their head, turn on the flashing light music box, and you have an instant baby sitter for at least 20 mins! Quick, do the dishes, fold the laundry... or just close your eyes and listen to the sound of a happy baby!

Chicco Car Seat/Travel System
Ok, Ok. So I admit. We bought this baby product for baby #1 merely because we fell in love with the color pattern. I did have some experience with this car seat while nannying (pregnant with #1) and loved the ease of use. After using this car seat stroller combo, and experimenting with a few other seats too, I can not recommend any other infant seat than the Chicco bucket seat! I, like a lot of first time moms, thought price of an item = a much safer item and of course I wanted my kid to be the safest so spending more on the Chicco brand just made sense. Let's get one thing straight that I have learned, every USA car seat goes through the same tests, gets the same ratings for safety, any car seat sold in stores is safe! The way a car seat is unsafe is if you are not using it correctly. (A safe install = installed with less than an inch of wiggle room at site of installation, straps pulled tight to where you can't pinch any slack, chest clip at armpit level, at of below the shoulders for rear facing, and at or above the shoulders for forward facing...etc.)  The difference in car seats come from the "upgraded" features that make them easier to use, thus making them safer. I have found the Chicco Bucket Seat to be one of the easiest installs, and car seats to use. The stroller moves like a dream and is the perfect mixed between sturdy and not too chunky.

Divinci Crib
I had to include my Divinci Crib, which I love. Remember when I said I"m really cheap? Here's where that comes into play. I knew I was not about to drop $500+ on a BABY BED! Geesh! My kids are special but not THAT special! I needed something realistic in price that was going to last through all of our babies. I wanted to have the option of a toddler bed if we wanted it, and potentially a full head board if it came down to that too. The Divinci Kalani crib does all of those things without breaking the bank. And let me tell you! It not only was so easy to put together, but it's super sturdy, and has been used every day for the last 41 months.

Luvs Diapers
While we are still on the topic of trying to save a few dollars. Please don't be afraid to try Luvs diapers. Yes I know their diaper design is a little more feminine for your sons than you would like. But what little hinney doesn't look good in purple? Kidding, I actually hate the design a lot, for boys or girls, but the truth is these diapers are kick butt, work just as good, or even better than pampers or huggies and cost a fraction of the cost! Just give them a try :)

Baby Monitor- Summer Infant
If you don't buy anything else from my list, please buy a baby monitor. I PROMISE YOU you will not regret it! Nick and I saved up all of our gift cards from our baby showers and when J was six weeks old, I kissed her little head, laid her in her crib, turned her sound machine on and whispered... "sweet little girl, you are never allowed to sleep in mommy and daddy's room again. This is your room... goodnight!" Left the room in a bittersweet symphony, turned on my video monitor and instead of freaking out because she wasn't right next to me in the middle of the night, slept peacefully knowing I could still see her every move on the monitor. Aside from that day, Nick and I have spent many hours swooning over the monitor googly eyed at our babies as they sleep.... and when they wake and you want an extra 5 mins of sweet sweet rest, no problem! You can see and hear exactly what they are getting into. (The model we have, the slim and secure has the option of 4 cameras. Since we only have 2 kids, we only have 2 cameras and it scans room to room every 8 seconds. Pretty awesome.)

Marpac White Noise Machine
I know, I know. It seems crazy to spend $50 on a white noise machine. Something that can produce the same noise a $10 box fan can. I'm telling you, it's worth every penny! Living with neighbors so close you never know if they will let their dog out at obscene hours of the night, which really is just regular time for a normal human being without an infant! I own two of these bad boys, each kid has one in their room. It's small enough to travel with, small enough to put in any room and the dual speed switch lets you control how soft or loud you want the noise. So worth it!

FAVORITES FOR NEWBORN

Miracle Blanket
I swore to myself I would never "torture" my child by using this thing. HA! This was was a God send for my babe that loved to be swaddle. None of this kicking/punching out of it. 12 hours of blissful sleep, still contained in the swaddle!

BioGaia
Remember I told you my babies hated life for awhile? Well I found this with baby #2 after joining a Colic Support group because I just couldn't take it any longer. Girls in the group often suggested this specific Probiotic, being that it was in liquid form and dairy free which is the most common issue for infants. Anyway this was a GAME CHANGER in our house! A friend recently had informed me Gerber markets them now. They are a little challenging to find, and I haven't tried the Gerber marketed drops, but I will tell you this reduced our little guys crying drastically.

Nail File
I was introduced to this product after attempting to cut the girl I was a nanny for fingernails and ended up cutting her instead. YIKES! And yes, I did a repeat situation to my daughter after bringing her home from the hospital!  I immediately ordered myself one of these fine tools. Basically, It's a vibrating nail file and while it takes a little while to get the hang of it... I can promise no blood will be shed from it's use!

First Years Bath Tub
The options they make for infants bathtubs these days is absolutely ridiculous! Do you really need a shower hose to rinse your baby off? Or do you really need a bath tub in the shape of a cute animal? Come on, save some money and be practical. This bathtub will get you use until about crawling age.

Ring Sling
Oh how I love my Maya Ring Sling! I've tried MANY different carriers on the market, but for me nothing compares to my ring sling. Of course... remember I'm cheap, I did order mine off of ebay used so I only paid a fraction of the going price of $75 but it has gotten every bit of $75 worth of use from it. Remember, this carrier does put babies weight on one of your shoulders, for me it worked, and still works well but I know for some though they would prefer babies weight distributed differently on their body.

Cloth Diapers-Flips
I did a lot of research on cloth diapers while pregnant with big J. I did choose not to go that route, but if I would have this would have been the brand I would have started with.

Bouncy Chair
I can't remember the name of our chair and it's currently packed away in the attic but this one is the closet one I found to it... minus Winnie the pooh! Basically, I knew I wanted natural colors and being cheap definitely played a role in our decision! I don't think you can go wrong with a bouncy seat, but it is on my list of favorite items, because it allows babies to interact as a real human would without being able to sit up yet. And I can't forget the best use of this seat! Bring it in the bathroom, strap baby in and take a shower in peace checking on baby when necessary!

FAVORITE TOYS

Sophie the Giraffe
Does a baby REALLY need a $23 dollar toy that looks like a dog chew toy? Yes! The answer is yes! Just yes! Well done designers of this toy, well done!

Clip on toys
Best toys ever! Clip onto almost anything, made of hard plastic so they make noise when hit together, are perfect for teething and best of all, throw them in your sink full of soapy water, rinse and dry! These went EVERYWHERE with us! Hooked them on shopping carts, hooked them on high chairs at restaurants, strollers... You just can't go wrong with these!

FAVORITES FOR NURSING

Nursing Cover

This nursing cover is awesome. I got this for a shower gift and it's just great! The patterns they come in are super cute, the fabric is thin but not see through and is big enough to cover you and baby, the wired top allows you to see baby without showing yourself to others and it has two little pockets, in case you are wearing reusable pads. It's worth the price!

Soothies
I don't know how I lived without these the first time around. A nurse introduced me to these after delivery with j! If I know you are planning on nursing, you most likely will be getting these as a shower gift from me. There's not much else to say... BUY THESE, and make sure they are in your hospital bag!!!

Lanolin
The hospital you deliver at should hook you up with some of this stuff.. if not, RUN to the store and go buy some. You'll thank me later!

Medela Swing
I'm sure you have heard it, Medela Pumps are the best our there. Well, personally I do believe it's true although the competition has upped it's game in the last few years. Still, I wouldn't trade my Medela Swing. I tried the double pump... but lets be honest. Unless you get one of those fancy bras that lets you pump and work at the same time... pumping two breasts at the same time is extremely difficult. Since the swing is just a single, it's WAY less expensive, works just as well and as a stay at home mom was exactly what I needed!

Nursing Tanks from Target
These rock! Buy one in every color, wear them over a nursing bra and under a normal shirt, and WALA! You look like a respectful person of society again! Pull your top shirt up when it's time to nurse, and your postpartum belly never has to hang out for others to see :)

Storage Bags
If you plan to pump, you'll need these... lots of these!

FAVORITES FOR BOTTLE FEEDING

Playtex Nurser

J #1 would only take this bottle. Although it had to be the brown rubber type nipple and not the silicon which is now used. But I don't believe they even make the originals any more so, this is the next best thing! Clean up is pretty awesome too!

MAM Bottles

After trying every bottle on the market with J#2 I came across these which have a very unique nipple. It ended up to be the only bottle he would ever take. I really loved these, and suggest them when people say their babies are having a hard time latching to a bottle after breastfeeding.

**All bottle suggestions aside, buy a few 1 packs of different bottles. All kids are different and like different things. Having a back up on hand of a different brand prevents you from pulling out your hair and having to run to a store in the wee hours of the night looking for another option.

Gentlease
When I had to do formula, this was my formula of choice. Make sure you sign up online and you'll get lots of great coupons in the mail!

Bottle Drying Rack
This not only comes in handy for drying, but for storage as well. And then when you graduate to sippy cups... it becomes sippy cup drying and storage!

FAVORITES FOR OLDERS

Britax
Both of my kids have a Britax Boulevard convertible car seat. As much as I LOVE this seat, it's not highly suggested in the car seat safety world because it does have a shorter lifespan (rear facing height and weight limits) than other seats on the market. This seat is incredibly heavy, making it near impossible (ok i'm over exaggerating) to travel with, but it's so comfy for the kids, and again... the ease of use makes it worth the hundreds of dollars spent on it.

Cosco Scenera
If you travel...or if funds are really tight,this is the convertible seat to get! It weighs only 8lbs!, works AMAZING on an airplane and although the car install is definitely a bit more challenging it's a $40 seat you know your babe will be safe in!

Peg Perego Aira Twin Stroller
When baby #2 comes along, this is the stroller I always highly suggest! I did buy mine used for $100, still in perfect condition. Took this baby to Disney World and couldn't have been more happy with the way it preformed. It's super lightweight, turns very easily (actually you can make turns one handed) it's lightweight, folds up small, I've never had a problem with it fitting through doorways... it's awesome!

City Select
Let's be honest here. If I had countless amounts of money I would own this stroller and I would love it... but I don't. A friend of mine has this and I turn green with envy when I see it... but at the end of the day I still couldn't ever get myself to drop that kind of money on a stroller.

Also while we are taking about strollers, if I wouldn't have gone the Travel System route with my Chicco bucket seat, I would have thought about purchasing the City Mini, which is made by the same company that makes the City Select, Baby Jogger. I have heard amazing, amazing things about this stroller although I personally have no experience with it.

 ...and they also make a double versionof it two.

FAVORITES FOR FEEDING

Space Saver
If I had to do it all over again, and pick out a new high chair, I would still pick the Space Saver! It just works! And, it really does save space! The reason we went with this option is because we have a bar height kitchen table and there are no high chairs are that tall enough to reach a bar height table. Regardless, I'm glad I don't have a full sized high chair to move around in my kitchen.

Gerber Nuk Utensils
We are still using these utensils at 3.5 years. They are awesome. Not too big, not to small. Of course, not my first choice to start off feeding baby with, but my preference when learning to self feed.

Magic Bullet
Even if you don't plan on making your own baby food, I'm sure there will come a time when this comes in handy for you. And yes, they have one marketed specifically as a baby food maker... but this does the same thing, looks cooler and you can freeze way more in an ice cube tray.

Not on MY list, but popular

Boppy
Tons of friends swear by this thing. I never could get comfortable nursing with it, therefore it went unused in my house.

Pack and Play
We have one, we used one (especially for when I needed a safe place for the J's when I showered.) It could go on my favorites list, but it does take up a lot of space! Definitively handy when needed but a huge space taker. My advice, GO CHEAP! All the bells and whistles are totally unnecessary!

Swing
We had one... a huge one that was given to us. In fact, this thing even had an iPod hook up with a speaker. I used to call it the Cadillac of baby swings BUT, neither kid enjoyed it, and if a 3rd ever comes around I'm wondering if we will end up even pulling it out. However, some kids love the swing..my advice, buy the cheap travel swing that takes up less than half the room of a full size!

Bumbo
I have mixed thoughts on the bumbo. I loved it for bringing baby to the table to eat with us, however we had the highchair they could sit in. I loved it for interacting with them, but we had a bouncy seat I could have use. It came in handy, but is an item I could have lived with out!

And there you have it folks!
Do you have a favorite baby item not listed? Leave me a comment and let me know what I missed out on!