Must Have Baby Products!

motherhood Feb 18, 2022

I’ve seriously had moments where I feel a genuine love for certain baby products that are so cleverly useful and not to mention helpful as a new mama and so I thought I’d put together a little list full of some of my favorites. I catch myself all the time saying, “This is my favorite _!” I know I can’t be the only one. So here is a breakdown of necessities that really made an impression that you’ll be utilizing day in and day out.

Okay, let’s get into it because I just put my daughter down for her nap. I’ve successfully transitioned my 14-month-old to 1 nap per day and now she and I are working on getting her to sleep longer through her 1 nap since she mostly cat naps for 30-45 minutes, which isn’t enough time for her to wake up happy and rested till her bedtime at 8PM. And let’s keep it real, 30 minutes isn’t enough time for me to have a moment to sit here and write to you all. With that said…

Here is a list of some of my favorite baby product must haves. All the little gizmos and gadgets and teeny tiny things for your precious little duckie that make it that much easier. Hope it saves you time, which is a commodity! Happy shopping!!

Disclosure: There are some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. All products shown are recommendations based off my personal opinion after purchase and personal use.

1 - Car Seat/ base. I loooooove the Nuna PIPA RX car seat and base we have from Nordstrom! It’s so simple yet sleek. You can really appreciate the quality of this product and know your little one will be safe and sound. The base makes it quicker, easier and quieter for when getting in and out of the car while baby is sleeping, and the stroller attachment (listed below) is wonderful so you can easily attach your napping bub to some wheels and be off. As far as the base goes, I do recommend it because it is tested and rated to help in case of an accident by taking some of the force by impact. It also secures the seat to the actual seat of the car according to type of seat, for example (40/20/40 seat or bucket seats or what not). Also, if you're traveling and worried the base is way too heavy, you are able to leave the base and safely and securely fasten the car seat with just the seat belt, if need be.

2 - Stroller/ adapter (Car seat attachment). Okay… I am 5 feet tall and petite. I searched and searched the internet to find a stroller that would be perfect for my petite frame because everything is oversized, bulky and massive! This stroller is wonderful. It packs as a carry on while traveling with a shoulder strap, lightweight as possible and the perfect size to not feel like I’m strolling a full-size shopping basket around. Plus, the tires are all terrain so we can get into all the stroller hike adventures we can think of. If only there was a one stop stroller shop! It’s so hard to stroller shop. And don’t suggest BuyBuy Baby because they did not have all the options I was considering when I was in the market. I purchased this stroller based off youtube videos with never having seen it in person till it arrived. I LOVE our stroller.

3 - High chair/ disposable highchair covers. Stylish, lightweight, simple. Must I say more? Our baby is now able to pull up to our dining table without the highchair tabletop attachment and she loves it. She definitely feels like a big girl in her highchair. Also, we are able to take it to restaurants and family visits to make life simpler. If we aren’t able to bring our highchair I searched and found these lovely highchair covers to put over ones at restaurants. Sometimes I wonder if those ever get cleaned because they always seem to be full of food.

5 - Baby Monitor. The baby monitor we chose is great because it’s hack proof, my favorite feature and it can do a full sweep of the room as well as move up and down so your able to watch if baby is mobile. It also reaches a far distance so If I want to do a workout while baby sleeps 2 floors up, it is possible. You can also talk through the monitor to your baby. I recommend also purchasing a second camera to have in a different room since the 2 cameras can link to the same monitor. This way you won’t have to move it every time baby naps in a different room or remove it when you're traveling.

6 - Diaper Genie/ bag refills. An absolute necessity. We have the grey one!

7 - S curve Nail File. Instead of clipping nails, try filing. It’s so simple and can’t hurt baby. Best part about it! Babys nails grow pretty quickly and are pretty sharp, so this is a necessity, no way around it. You’ll find the design very manageable with a squirmy little one.

8 - Earth mama Diaper balm. This product is WONDERFUL!!! One of my favorites I really should have put this at the top. This diaper rash balm works wonders! Also, you can put this on any scratches baby has anywhere on her body. Smells great and the whole family can use it too!

9 - Snack Containers. Snack containers are a must when you're on the go. I chose silicone so it’s shatter proof and able to be gripped easily by tiny hands. A great use for these is to pack your tiny things like a pacifier or clip holder inside while out and about. Baby utensils fit here as well. Aside from the fun colors, they are snug as a bug under a rug to not let your snacks free inside your diaper bag.

10 - Baby Toothbrush. The baby toothbrush I recommend is currently out of stock. I’d wait for it and check back because I haven’t found another like it. The bristles are extremely soft for babies’ new teeth and sensitive gums. Baby can also chew on it as a teether while waiting for more teeth to come in since it has a silicone exterior.

11 - Dish Rack. I was gifted this dish rack over two others I had on my registry, and I’ll be honest. I am so happy about it because this rack served its purpose. I was able to hang, drape, set and fit so many bottles and teeny tiny things here that I wouldn’t have been able to on the other racks. It’s also very cute and has counter appeal!

12 - Bottle brush. Keeping your babies’ dishes like bottles, teethers and pump supplies clean are an absolute must especially in the first stage of being. These brushes helped do so and I actually kept one upstairs and one downstairs. Helpful tip: If you live in a two story or more, grab the largest pot you have and keep it upstairs near nursing/pumping station. Fill it with soapy warm water and continue to fill it with dirty bottles, pump supplies and any dishes to keep them from crusting with old milk. When it’s time to wash it’ll be much easier, and you won’t have to run a basket full of things up and down stairs while caring for your little one.

13 - Bottles. Whether you choose to solely breastfeed like I am you should still have bottles on hand. The silicone Comotomo bottles were very useful when bringing baby home until both of us got a nursing rhythm. Also, I was training for a fight for 2 and a half months and I was gone during one feed session a day, so it was important to have bottles, so my husband was able to feed our baby while I was at the gym. The silicone makes it close to natural and the shape is so easy to clean. Which is important, that matters a ton when you're cleaning all kinds of tiny things!

14 - Manuel Breast Pump. This was an absolute MUST!! I recommend getting 2 in case one is dirty. Which was definitely the case for me. One was always used, and I almost wanted three. This product is so simple to use and when you're leaking naturally without expressing you want all that liquid gold caught and none waisted! It also helps to prevent mastitis since it naturally expresses for you. Absolutely LOVE this Product! Another I should have put at the top.

15 - Milk storage containers. For me, having a set of 5 worked just fine. I fed on demand and didn’t need to have more. What stood out about these containers is the little tags that come along to mark the time you pumped. Helpful tip: I also used label stickers and stuck it to the top of the lid and threw them away when I used the milk. Also, to warm, it is totally safe to stick this container straight into a hot bowl of water to warm. Wait a few minutes and your refrigerated milk is ready for baby.

16 - Breast Pump. I read a ton of reviews on pumps after hearing a few stories from friends and family and I ended up choosing the Spectra. I have no complaints. It is simple to use and if you're having trouble there are plenty of YouTube videos to inform you. It’s also compact and quiet in case you're nursing near baby and has a wonderful nightlight that saved me on numerous occasions from having to turn on the bedroom light. 

17 - Pacifier clip/ pacifier. This clip serves as multiple things beside a pacifier clip. Because of the silicone balls, baby is able to teeth on them as well. Try putting it in the freezer and then giving to baby, they’ll love it! Aside from that I loved using the clip for toys also. I took a hanging gym toy and attached it to the end of the clip and secured it to babies’ shirt and voila the toy was safe from ever touching the ground. As for the pacifier, I was not big on giving my baby a pacifier, but I did use the silicone pacifier as a teether. Multiuse is always better! 

18 - Nasal aspirator. I kept it original and found these easiest to clean out baby’s nose. 

19 - Baby hairbrush. Natural bamboo with ultra-soft bristles for sensitive new skin.

20 - Socks. What I loved about these socks are they have lasted from 3 months till now. My baby is nearly 15 months. I found the newborn socks to be such a waste of time and money because they fall right off and are used for such a short amount of time. Also, these have slip resistant dots on the bottom to help when baby does begin to pull up and stand.

21 - Accu-dose pacifier/ digital thermometer. If your baby gets sick, I think it important to have one of these because let’s face it. No one really likes the taste of medicine, and they are more likely to take medicine though a pacifier than a spoon at such a young age. It’s just better to be prepared and this did work for us. AS for the digital thermometer, this came in handy more than a few times especially during these Covid times. It was easier to get a reading digitally on baby and this is another one of the things to have on hand just to be prepared even while traveling. 

22 - Baby bowls/ utensils. Silicone and bamboo with suction on the bottom so baby can’t get wild and throw food all over your kitchen. I’ll be honest, it’s very helpful but if your baby really wants to, they’ll find out how it works and throw it anyway. They’ll look at you with those adorable little eyes and laugh and then you’ll start laughing too. HAHA. As for the cups with straws, I did not give my daughter a sippy cup. I introduced a cup and once she knew how to drink out of a cup, I began teaching her how to suck out of a straw and then I put them both together and she knew what to do. It just takes a lot of patience and practice! More patience than practice. 

23 - Diaper caddy. I found this diaper caddy really comes in handy to keep in the living room full of diapers, wipes, a nasal aspirator and anything you don’t want to run upstairs for. It also keeps it all out of the way and tidy. (I just keep mine on the couch away from baby)

24 - Bib. The bandana bibs are great for when you're nursing because they have a very soft and warm backing, and the silicone bib works wonders for when they start solids, and you don’t want food falling all over their lap.

25 - Gel edge protector. Baby proofing wonders for your coffee table! Just until they learn that it comes off if you pull hard enough. 

26 - Outlet plug covers. You’ll want to get some good plug covers for when baby becomes mobile. These are so great because you can’t even tell they are there. I’m all about aesthetic so I mean it when I say you can’t tell these are even on. They also are sturdy enough to not be taken off unless you as the adult really want them off. 

27 - Swedish dish cloth (for each mealtime). This method makes is incredibly easy to clean messes while baby eats. Actually, my toddler looooves the bird cloth. She gets so excited to see it and makes cleaning fun for her. She even will let me clean her hands off with these without fussing. It’s also a huge contribution to the environment because before these I was going through tons of paper towels. I love these dish cloths for home use or while visiting friends and family. I prefer to use baby wipes when were at restaurants. 

28 - Mesh Pacifier feeder. This mesh pacifier is so great when introducing fruit to your baby. They get to taste it without you worrying about them swallowing and choking on a small piece of fruit in those first introductions. You can also freeze a piece of fruit and let them teeth on this. Either or, a great product!

29 - Baby Gate. Lastly, the baby gate we chose at the bottom of our staircase is the Regalo extra wide and at the top we have the Retractable Black gate. The reason behind this decision is so that baby doesn’t get tempted to throw things down the stairs through the gate holes and or try themselves to fit through the holes to get down the stairs while the gate is shut. Thats a scary thought… The Regalo Super wide is what we have separating our living room from our kitchen and dining room space. We did this to separate our dog from our baby when she was learning to crawl and still so small for us to trust our large Rhodesian ridgeback dog while she was doing so. At 14 months we do still have this gate up and plan on keeping it up for baby number 2. It’s helpful for so many reasons and works great for us.

30 - Baby Gate adapter. This is the finishing touch to our little list. I don’t know if you were thinking it above, but no I did not drill into our banisters. I purchased this lovely (unflattering in a photo) piece of hardware. Trust me…. It works and you’ll want it, and it does NOT look as bad once attached. 2 come in a pack. We ordered 2 packs and I have one left over. 

Well, that is all! If you are still reading this, thank you for your interest and trust in my opinions for my favorite necessary baby products. Until next time!

- That Edgy Momma

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