Finding out you are pregnant is so very exciting. Once the initial excitement has died down and everything is going well you can start to think about what you might put on your baby registry. You soon realize this is a totally involved task. There are so many baby products on the market, most claiming to be ‘must-have’. With as many products come as many articles telling you what you really need. I decided to write my own version of what I really DID need/use and if I had to register all over again, exactly what I would choose! If like me, you are rendered clueless and overwhelmed by baby gear then look no further!
I quickly found out that I didn’t truly need an awful lot of what I received on my registry. I still put them to use so friends and family’s purchases were not in vain but there are certainly things I know I need not worry about if I was blessed with a second baby. Conversely, I discovered that things I received without requesting or things I purchased later on turned out to be the things I used and relied on the most! Those are the things I SHOULD have put on my registry.
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Here’s why these items became my holy grail baby products:
Muslin Burp Cloths
Baby’s spit up. A LOT or a little, either way you’ll be glad of these good sized burpies to save yours and baby’s outfit and minimize the laundry headache. Not to mention, they are the softest material!
Baby Nest
The Dock-A-Tot is pricey. There plenty of small business’ out there offering similar products. Either way, a baby nest is an excellent way to safely co-sleep, avoid traveling with a travel crib and in my experience, keep baby asleep longer.
Mamaroo
I was kindly gifted the mamaroo by my SIL and it’s a dream! The various gentle motions and adjustable seat position grow perfectly with baby. This thing is the reason I can get things done. It’s also been responsible for many 3-4 hour naps!
Baby K-Tan Carrier
I have a few carriers all serving different purposes (and people!) but the K-tan is my go-to for soothing a fussy babe! It’s no-tie which means no messing with yards of fabric and makes for a quick fix to an intense meltdown. Whether it’s for a trip to the shops or just doing something around the house – you get the luxury of TWO hands. I know, a wonderful thought, right?
Velcro Swaddle
I bought my swaddles when baby was 3 months old! She didn’t enjoy her muslin swaddles since a very young age but I was struggling to keep her asleep longer than 20 minutes during the day. First nap all swaddled up in one of these and she went out for 3 hours!
Sound Machine
Oh glorious white noise! If you have other kids (or a noisy dog and husband!) you need this to drown out the sounds of…life! The one I bought, has multiple sound options, a night light and a projector with two slides!
Nose Frida
This is the grossest thing ever. I mean. SNOTS! I had no idea babies had so many of them, or is it just mine? While the hospital issued nasal aspirator is effective, it can take a while and is more of a torture device due to how long it can take. I wished I had a Nose Frida so many times.
Changing Clutch
Such a simple idea and yet so valuable to me. Take it on short outings without taking everything but the kitchen sink. Use it while backseat-changing on roadtrips. Use it in the diaper bag for daytrips. Use it at home on the bed for a newborn. Stick it in your handbag….it’s just the best!
Grabbing Toys
After the three month mark baby will get such a fun little personality, it’s so exciting to see them becoming interested in their surroundings and trying to grab things. Stock up on a couple of grabbing, development toys to feed their curiosity!
To regain some control of your sanity (because let’s face it, baby takes over) during the newborn stage I suggest you put these on your registry, PRONTO!
See also, my top tips to lighten the load at home after baby’s arrival.
I loved the baby k’tan! It’s so easy to use which is helpful when your baby is losing it.
Awww, what a great post! I’m not yet a mum (trying though!) but I have a lot of friends who are and a few who are pregnant, so this is very useful 🙂 Glad to hear baby is sleeping well with the swaddling… bookmarking this post for later!
XOXO
My baby is two months old now and sleeps awesome at night without swaddling, 7-8 hours and then a couple 2 hour stretches in the early morning, of which I am super thankful, but he doesn’t nap very long during the day. He hated the Velcro swaddle when he was younger. What made you try it out at 3months. Did you try it before that for sleeping at night or day?
Desperation! She gave up napping during the day and it ultimately got her back in the nap routine. She can roll now so swaddling is no longer an option. She sleeps at night just fine in a wearable sleepsack!