Today is all about my newborn must-haves. One of the crazy things about having two kids spaced seven years apart is the difference in baby gear over the years. Of course, many things stay the same, but there’s been a few things that have become new favorites and I thought I’d share them. And definitely let me know what your must-haves were in the comments!
Fisher-Price Newborn Auto Rock ‘n Play
After a few nights of unsuccessfully trying to put the baby to sleep in the gorgeous bassinet Jude slept in and realizing that he really doesn’t like sleeping flat, I did a little research on the Rock ‘n Play. It was one of those things I’d seen in stores but figured we didn’t really need it. But after reading reviews and hearing from some other mom friends it sounded like it might be what we needed. The key is the auto-rocking feature, which is pretty awesome. Plus it’s light weight and it will be the perfect thing to take with us to the lake house or my parents’ in lieu of a crib there. I’ve even popped it in the bathroom in a pinch to keep an eye on Archer when I’m showering.
So apparently white noise machines are a big deal to babies. I had no idea as this was not a thing when J was little. But I have to say I’m really enjoying sleeping with the noise! And so is the baby. I like the Serenity Star because it serves several functions: several different white noise options, nightlight, temperature gauge (it changes color if it’s too hot or too cold in the room!), clock, and also a feeding diary for nursing. Plus it’s cute, so it gets two thumbs up from me for aesthetic alone, which sadly enough can be rare in the baby gear world (why so much ugly stuff?!).
Boon’s drying rack makes washing those bottles way more fun. It’s modern, easy on the eyes, and also comes in a white/clear version if you’re opposed to the grass green.
We had a gigantic baby bathtub with Jude that wasn’t easy to store and pretty cumbersome to use. I stumbled on the Puj and I love the whole idea of it. It’s a lightweight foamy material and it folds up to fit in any sink. We used it in our upstairs bathroom for Archer’s first bath and it perfectly cradled his tiny body. When we were done, it popped open and we hung it up to dry.
Swaddle blankets are nothing new obviously, but I do love all the cute indepdent companies popping up. Wren & Rumor is a fave, as is Boco Baby. Both companies have the perfect sized swaddles, and are lightweight enough to not overheat baby.
I’d kind of forgotten how important it is to have multiple places to put the baby down into, especially just in case they don’t like a certain option (I’m looking at you, swing – although to be fair, he’s starting to like it better). The Boppy newborn lounger is a great option to have, and also works well for tummy time (dumbest term ever, but whatever). I imagine that when we’re done with it, it will be reincarnated as a dog bed for Nickels, who is already eyeing it jealously. Oh, and if you don’t like the few pattern options for it, you can also order a custom slipcover on Etsy.
So there you have it – a fun little roundup of newborn must-haves. Tell me – what are your favorite baby gear items? Anything you couldn’t live without?
