Below are 20 of my absolute favorite products that I wish I had known about when I was creating my baby registries. I can’t tell you how many times some of these items saved the day when Ethan was a newborn. If you would like my recommendation on a specific item or have any questions, please let me know!
- B. toys Rain-Glow Squeeze – Light-Up Cloud Rattle ($7.99)
The sweetest little rattle that lights up & doubles as a teether! It’s easy for older babies to hold, but keep in mind that it is a tad heavy for newborns.
- Baby Einstein Ocean Glow Sensory Shaker ($9.59)
As with the cloud rattle, this toy is a little on the heavy side BUT it lights up & makes noise so it’s an instant win for me. Ethan went crazy for this thing and the best part is…you can turn it off (believe me, you’d be surprised how many toys go on and on with no ability to quickly silence them).
- Little Remedies Gas Relief Drops ($7.25)
THESE WERE A LIFESAVER. A gassy baby = a fussy baby = a stressed out mama. These work and often go on sale for 40% off at Target. Keep them everywhere: in your diaper bag, in the nursery, by the highchair, at your parent’s house…anywhere that your little one may be. Additional benefit: the included syringes are much nicer than any that we were ever provided when Ethan needed to take medication for acid reflux. Save them & thank me later!
- Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleepsuit ($39.95)
All those amazing reviews online? Yeah, they’re real. If your little one is busting out of their swaddle and refuses to sleep unless they have their hands free – you need this.
- SwaddleMe Original Swaddle ($27.40 – 3 pack)
These are hands-down the best (and most affordable!) swaddles we found. They are typically sold in sets of 3 and hold-up very well in the wash.
- Love To Dream Swaddle UP ($29.95)
Swaddling a newborn in a blanket is just plain hard & how the nurses manage to get those tight cocoon-like wraps is beyond me. My little one was too tiny to immediately go into the SwaddleMe swaddles, so we gave this one a try and it was such a lifesaver! Easy to get them in & out and allows those little hands to stay up close to their face.
- Dr. Brown’s Formula Mixing Pitcher ($9.29)
Making bottles individually is time-consuming & a pain in the “you know what”. This pitcher allows you to prepare up to 32 oz of formula at a time and we found it creates significantly less bubbles – which equates to less gassy baby bellies!
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl-After Cat on a Vac ($14.89)
Yes, this is a cat on top of a Roomba-like vacuum. Yes, it sounds like an autotuned boy band. And yes, your baby will go crazy chasing after it.
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy ($12.99)
BEST TOY EVER. Seriously, buy this toy. Buy everyone you know this toy. It’s that good.
- Cubo Ai Baby Monitor (with 1080p HD Night Vision Camera, 2-Way Audio, Night Light Plus Safety Alerts for Covered Face, Danger Zone, Crying & Temperature Detection) ($249.00)
We ended up ordering this when Ethan was about 4 months old because our Motorola monitor just wasn’t cutting it. This has a free app that allows you to monitor baby from your phone or tablet and check-in remotely anytime when baby is with a sitter. The audio & picture quality is fantastic and we love that the monitor takes random photos and videos that you can save to your device. The only downside: if your wi-fi is out – your monitor is out (no battery back-up!).
- Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Diaper Rash Ointment – Maximum Strength ($6.99)
Trust the reviews – this is the best of the best.
- Boppy Original Newborn Lounger ($32.99)
This was a lifesaver for the first couple of months. It gave us a place to lay him down where he still felt supported and cushioned. It was great for snapping photos as well, as it props their heads up just enough!
- Fisher-Price On-The-Go Baby Dome ($69.99)
Packing up the pack n’ play is a pain, plain & simple. This “mini pack n’ play” – as we call it – is great for throwing in the car for trips to the beach, grandma’s house, birthday parties, etc. It folds flat and weighs next to nothing and…it just so happens to fit the newborn lounger perfectly.
- Le Petit Baby Book ($25.02)
Classy, elegant, timeless. I can’t say enough about this baby book. It has everything you’d ever want to record through their first year & it’s absolutely beautiful.
- Pearhead Newborn Baby Handprint or Footprint “Clean-Touch” Ink Pad ($4.49)
Who wants to mess with ink pads or paint with a squirming baby? No one, that’s who. This is mess-free and stress-free.
- Nuby Reversible 100% Natural Cotton Muslin 3 Piece Teething Bib ($9.99)
A bib that doubles as a teether – win.
- Munchkin Stay Put Suction Bowl, 3 Pack ($6.96)
These bowls truly do stay in place and that is a huge help when baby gets into the “self-feeding” stage. If it ain’t secured, it’ll be on the floor.
- Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home ($109.99)
It’s worth the cost, I promise you. This home, like most Laugh & Learn products, has SO many features. It teaches colors, numbers, weather, sorting, etc. – all in multiple languages – but also teaches baby about turning on lights, opening doors, using a calendar…the list goes on and on. This toy will entertain your child for years. Bonus: it interacts with the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn 3-in-1 Smart Car!
- NailFrida The SnipperClipper by Fridababy ($7.87)
Trimming those teeny-tiny baby nails is terrifying, I’m not going to lie to you. I tried several types of clippers and files and this was the only one that I felt comfortable using. It allows you to see exactly what you’re clipping before you press down.
- Cetaphil Baby Wash & Shampoo ($4.99 – 7.8oz)
If your little one has sensitive skin/eczema – this is more than likely what your pediatrician will recommend you start using. Ethan’s cradle cap & eczema were considerably better once we started using this during bathtime.
