Whether or not you are a new parent, expecting or nosy and found yourself on my page for top baby items, Don't worry I will help ease your mind. Shopping for baby stuff can be so stressful, is it in the safety guidelines, is it energy efficient, what is the price point and of course is the color pallet aesthetically pleasing to the eye? I remember Pinteresting for days if not weeks items and then searching each individual item and all the reviews, I also remember feeling so stressed out and lost. Let me just stay this I am not sponsored by anyone particular brand however, I do get commission off any purchased done through my links on amazon. (The way it works is you click on my link and it takes you to amazon and you place it in your cart, it then notifies amazon that the purchase came from my page and you just help my little one get some food!) My Baby is only 8 months so this is everything that I use up until now. Now that we got that out of the way let jump right into it!
Diapers
I feel like diapers are definitely personal preference and what shape fits you little ones bottom. So with that being said, my baby was very little and kept having issues with leaking out the leg. I tried just about everything between sizing up and down, changing brands and nothing helped. Until I figured out that it was a compression leak so we size up and those inner cuffs on the diaper need to be pulled out and if you take those same taps and place them in the crease between there thighs and crotch to ensure it is a snug fit. (if there is any gapping around the inner thighs you will have leaks.) My tops Brands are Pampers PURE, Hello Bello, and Honest brand. They all are amazing brands and I have not personally had any issues with any of them during the day. I DO have to say if your baby pees a lot overnight the Pamper PURE do get a smell to them like urine, not overwhelming but you can smell it when you pick the baby up. I never tried the honest brand diapers overnight and Hello Bello's regular diapers overnight didn't always hold up(and the leaking I am talking about overnight didn't start to happen until she started to sleep for longer periods). This is what prompted me to switch to overnight diapers, I use the Pampers Overnight diapers ( you can size up in overnight diapers and they still work amazing) and I have NEVER had any leaks. I almost forgot if you are into Cloth diapering I would recommend trying Nora Nursery. The diapers are high quality, durable and they have a lot of different packages with different designs!
Wipes
Wipes are the same as diapers each parent will find themselves liking certain wipes over others. I have thrown wipe packs out completely if the wipes were too sudsy or too dry. with that said I have three favorite brands Pampers Pure Aqua, Hello Bello and Honest brand. There are a few thing I will say for wipes, each job may need a different wipe. When you have the newborn poops you may want a more wet wipe to get the meconium paste off the babies bottom, for this I really enjoyed the Pampers Pure aqua. For once they get a little older and are on human-milk or science-milk, you may want a more dry wipe since the stool is usually loose, for this I preferred the hello Bello or Honest brand. (disclaimer; Honest brand wipes if they sit for a longer period of time for example, from baby shower until having the baby the wipes can oxidize and leave a brownish crust around the opening of the wipe, this is normal for there wipes and perfectly safe. the company recommends to wipe off crust and get rid of wipes that are discolored or you can take the wipes back to target even if not bought there.) After they baby begins eating solids it really doesn't matter which wipe you use, by this time you are a pro and have conquered just about anything.
Pacifiers
Pacifiers are really going to be hit or miss with each baby and if you as a parent even want to introduce one. I personally looked for one that were most like a nipple since I was going to be breastfeeding. I found that my girl liked the MAM pacifiers the best since they had a bulb at the bottom which made it easy for her to keep in her mouth but also similar to a nipple. I did wait until 2 weeks to introduce a pacifier because I was scared of nipple confusion. There are different styles of MAMS, however I have linked my favorite ones and this same style you can get in different age groups as they get older(I had no clue that pacifiers got bigger with age).
Bottles
Bottles will be the same as pacifiers, its really just up to the baby! The brand I love is Nanobebe, I used the breast shape bottle when she was younger, then switched to the silicone bottle now that she is older. I am gong to link the whole starter kit and it comes with two of each bottles, pacifiers (which we used for awhile however she kept the MAMs in longer so I switched for convenience), bottle/nipple cleaner and a adapter for attaching directly to a pump. These come in different colors the link I have linked for you, has pink and teal. Just an FYI Nipples for bottles come in different sizes just as pacifiers and as the baby gets older they may want a faster flow nipple, you can purchase just the nipple for bottles in the bigger size.
Pumps
The pumps that I have are the Spectra S2, the Elvies, and Evenflo manual pump. I got my Spectra S2 through insurance and if you have insurance I recommend going through them so you don't spend unnecessary money. However If you Don't look no further, the spectra is awesome it definitely pulls the most milk out in the shortest amount of time. The Elvies Pull milk off as well but not as effectively but its great for traveling because you can just place them in your bra and walk around. The Evenflo manual breast pump is what I use in two occasions, the first is when my nipples are just too sore either because I was new to breastfeeding or Because we are going through cluster feeding. the other reason I use the Evenflo is when I just to lazy to stay up and just want to get what I have to out and go to bed. Another disclaimer the Elvies are very expensive and I got mine second hand from a friend, If you cannot afford them they have dupes out there that work just as well, I just have not tried them. But if you don't want to have all these different pumps you can either just use the manual one on the go or you can buy a battery pack so you can take the Spectra with you.
Milk Storage Bags
With milk storage bags it really doesn't matter as long has they are spill proof and thick plastic. I use Nanobebe but thats because I got them from my baby shower. once I run out I have some that my friend gave me and they are the Lansinoh brand. with theses they have stackers for your freezer and I am going to attach both the Nanobebe one and the Milkies brand that holds the Lansinoh bags.* side note that when you are storing milk you are suppose to try and get as much air out as possible without spilling milk, I myself didn't know this so I am passing it on.
Diaper Rash Cream
I honestly tried about 7 brands of diaper rash cream before finding one that works the best for my baby. The brand that I like most is Burt's Bee Diaper Rash Ointment, Now normally when i think Ointment I think clear vaseline like, however this is thick like ointment but white and creamy like a cream. If you are interested in a applicator for applying diaper rash cream, this is the one i have, Baby Bum Brush. This comes with two one for changing table at home and one incased for travel. *Pro tip: When you are dealing with a diaper rash you are going to want to make sure you are cleaning the bottom of bodily fluids and then pat dry with a wash rag and then add the cream. the reason for this is because if you do not dry the skin and put the cream on you are locking in moisture with the skin barrier. Another pro tip is to let the baby air out on a towel or anything that can absorb urine and change the baby every time you notice the baby is wet.
Bathtub/ Bathchair
The bathtub that I picked out was the top rated for 2021 and it seemed to be the best one for the baby to grow with. The one that I purchased is the Angelcare bath tub support, it lasted us the full 6 months and then we had to switch to the sit up bath chair. The one that I purchased was the Summer My Bath Seat, this seat has suction cups that tighten to the walls of the bathtub making it snug and secure. This seat we are currently in and will be in this one until the baby starts trying to stand.
Bath Products
For bath products I have two that I have tried and I really like. These two brands that I have purchased are the Honest brand (sweet almond) and Baby Dove Eczema Care. I used the honest brand until the winter hit and my baby started to get dry patches on her arms and legs, at that point I switched to Baby Dover, however I do plan to switch back after winter. I still use the Honest brand conditioner in her hair with the Baby Dove.
Bath-RinseCup and Safety
The rinse cup that I currently use is the Skip Hop Baby Rinse Cup and I also use the Skip Hop Spout Protector. The next safety product is the water thermometer, I would recommend the MotherMed Baby Bath Thermometer and floating bath toy. The next purchase I made was the Bath Kneeler and Elbow Rest Set, we currently only have one full Bathroom so I don't use it as often but if we had Two bathrooms I would. I love my nasal aspirator, it comes with an automatic aspirator and also an manual one. This has helped so much when the baby is congested, I spray saline in the babies nose and then suck out all the mucus(don't be afraid to use it, its truly not that bad. *make sure the collector is down when sucking to avoid backflow.).I also recommend having a Safety 1st Nursery Care and Health Set. Along with the safety set I would also recommend getting a Baby Nail Trimmer, this makes trimming newborns nails a breeze. On this product there is a light and it has a safety feature that will stop the trimmer if it touches the babies skin to many times. You may want to purchase Outlet Protectors and all the baby proofing stuff (corner covers, cabinet locks, toilet lock, furniture straps, and gas stove Knob covers) but this can wait until the baby is starting to crawl at that point you NEED to purchase this stuff.
Cradle Cap
I Honestly just ask the hospital for a Brush and used that, because free is for me! but if you are looking for a brush because you are a planner and need it on hand before the baby ill attach one that my friend has. This is the cradle cap brush she uses (Fridababy DermaFrida)and it doubles as a brush to rub shampoo in the hair.
Baby Monitors
Baby Monitors have different styles, there are ones with a display screen, there are ones that can be watched from your smartphone, there are just sounds one and there are non wifi based ones. I Personally Didn't want a wifi based one since they were getting hacked into. I went it a display screen monitor and non wifi based, I felt this was the safest option for me. The brand that I ended up going with was the VAVA baby monitor. This monitor has a clear picture and sounds is loud enough to hear when sleeping. It monitor has a thermometer built in and the capability to talk to the baby from the monitor. With this monitor you can buy a flexible mount that can attach to anything by wrapping around it(Disclaimer; Per safety guidelines it is not considered a safe sleeping space with anything attached to the crib.) . There is also a mount that can be attached to the wall that can be angled up or down.
Bassinet
My Favorite purchase was my Bassinet it made breastfeeding so much easier for me. I purchased the Halo bassinet swivel sleeper and it goes next to your bed and it swivels away from the bed and back again.The other feature that it has is the one rail has a spring to it so when you place the baby in the bassinet it helps guide your arms down. If your like me and are half asleep feeding the baby this feature is amazing. (Disclaimer; The swivel sleeper has to be pushed away from the bed when you are sleeping to be consider a Safe sleeping space. Also if purchasing a bassinet and it says sleeper then it isn't consider a safe and approved sleeping area, So this is only considered a bassinet when rails are up and it is one foot away from the bed.)
Pack and play
If you are new to being a parent or have older children they you are probably looking at these fancy pack and plays in aw. I remember the pack and play my mom had for me, it looks nothing like the new one that are out today. For the pack and play I decided that I would like to have the option for a changing table and a detachable bassinet. I picked this option because it would double as a portable safe sleep space. I purchased the Graco Pack 'n-Play Dome LX-Playard, this is on the pricier side however, you can take it anywhere like vacation and you get a bassinet( that you can take to the beach, pool, basically anywhere and a changing table). We took this camping in our travel trailer when our baby was only two weeks old. One of my friends has this setup in her house and uses the changing table during the day, so if you have a two story house and don't feel like climbing the stairs 100x, this is definitely an option. I have a one level house and so I use my changing table for every single change, I suggest to get a changing pad that fits inside of a changing table topper that can be secured if you do not have a changing area it definitely make changing the baby so much easier. Im going to attach the dresser and changing table that I have along with the changing pad, just for example. With the changing table you will need changing pad, covers and I highly recommend putting water proof changing pad liners.
Diaper Pail
When I was looking at a diaper pail I got a lot of mix reviews on if I should even get one, Most people said it was a pain in the butt to have to buy special bags for the diaper genie. I searched high and low for the perfect diaper pail and I found it, It takes normal kitchen trash bags, hold about two weeks of diapers and best of all NO SMELL. Let me introduce to you the Skip Hop Diaper Pail With Dual Air-Lock, you know you are an adult when you are happy about a diaper trash can.
Jumper/Excersaucer
Im not going to lie to you the next purchase I had no clue what I was getting I just put it on because it was on the amazon checklist. Well turns out my girl loves it, and It looks very bouncy so I thought my baby will probably like that! She loved it so the item I am talking about is the Evenflo Excersaucer Wood Frame. Now that she is teething she love all the animals on it, if she can bend it to her mouth thats where its going.
Gym
The Fisher Price Deluxe Kick &Play Piano Gym, is self explanatory as to why i bought it. When you click on the link you will understand, I mean what baby doesn't want to play the piano and hear cute songs with lights.
Walker
The walker that My daughter loves isn't even the one I own, My friend always let her walk in it at her house and she fell in love with it. The Safety 1st Ready, Set, Walk!, is the walker that my daughter loves, with other walkers she will only go backwards with this one she will go all over the place.
High chairs
There are two types of high chairs one that attaches to the table and the tradition high chair. The high chair that attaches to any table is very convenient to travel or going to restaurants that do not have high chairs(not a lot of restaurants but there are some). The brand that I have is the Chicco 360 Rotating Hook-on-Booster. As the name suggest it spins all the way around and has a tray that attaches to it. The "traditional" high chair that I have it is the Ingenuity SmartServe 4-in-1. The reasons I picked this on is because the tray swings to the side instead of pushing in. The high chair can also convert to a booster seat without the base and then it can turn into a high chair that can roll up to the dinner table with out the top part. The fabric is really easy to clean and just slides off to be wiped down or washed then put back.
Stroller
The most used and Most Loved item is hands down my Stroller, I tell everyone that is looking for a stroller or having a baby to get the Mockingbird, this stroller is amazing! Not only does it fold up nice and tight it can be done with one hand or a little one in your arm. The stroller can lean all the way back like a bassinet(can be used to change the baby when there isn't a changing table) or come up all the way into a sitting position( for me doubling as a place that i can feed the baby). Once you know what car seat you are getting you can look on there website and see if they have an attachment that makes them compatible, so you can just click and go (or if you like me go see what car seats are compatible and buy one of them).This stroller is so unique because you can convert it to a double stroller and now you can purchase a riding board for a third child. there are so many accessories I can't name them all right here but I am so serious BUY THIS STROLLER! OH and if you love the look of brown leather then you can chose the penny leather option. This stroller is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye, I would buy it over and over again!
Rocker
Ok so heres the thing I don't love my rocker but its too late! I do however love my friends rocker and I guess rockers are one of those hit or miss. If my rocker was in the living room i would use it more but I just don't see the point in being in the nursery because its so small. with that said I rarely use my rocker but I am going to attach my friends rocker because she uses it a lot and loves it.
Toys
Im just going to attach Toys in age ranges, and what my baby loved. Babies are so weird with toys, like you buy this expensive toy and they crawl over to a box or water bottle, so honestly don't stress about the toys!
0-3 months
3-6 Months
6-12 Month
Fisher-price Laugh & Learn Crawl around car (Pink)(Red orBlue)
Sleep Sacks
For people that don't know what a sleep sack is, it is a wearable blanket to prevent suffocation and strangulation. There are tons of sleep sack companies and different thicknesses that they come in. The rating of sleep sacks is based on a TOG rating, basically rating from 0.5 (light) to 3.5 (heavy). The heaviest tog rating that I have is 1.5 and its a Burt's Bees one and its super thick and we use it when our wood-stove isn't very hot and its a cold night, or we use it in the summer when our A.C. is turned very low and its cold in the house. Our light one we use on nights when its warm out and we don't have air or heat on and that is a 0.5 tog. Then we have medium ones that we use the most and they are 1 tog. We have three brands in the medium 1 tog sleep sacks, one is simple joys by Carter's (this one has sleeves) the other one is halo sleepsack(this one doesn't have sleeves), and i recently purchased the Little unicorn sleep sack (its actually 1.1 tog, super cute and warm, its also muslin cotton). The ones that are 0.5 tog are Burt's bees and Halo sleepsack.
Car Seats
I am apart of a car seat file group on facebook and If you are not you should join, they tell you EVERYTHING there is to know about car seats. In this group you can ask what car seat would fit your car best, if your child is properly locked in and if the car seat is installed properly. I love this group but like every group it can cause you to be a bit overwhelmed at times, with all the information. The car seat that I felt would be best for my baby to grow was the Chicco fit2 not only does it grow with the baby it also has two settings and the second one creates more leg room for your baby. Another reason I bought my car seat is because the color of it matches the Stroller I bought and I thought I would look like a put together mom (lets all laugh together now). But in all seriousness its really nice car seat. The next car seat I am going to buy once she out grows this one is the Evenflo Gold Revolve 360, This seat swivels to the door to put the baby in and then swivels into position.
Baby Mattress
With mattresses you can purchase foam, spring, combo and New woven. a mattress is considered safe if it is a firm mattress. We went with a two in one mattress so its an foam crib mattress and if you flip it over its a little softer for a toddler bed. That mattress is the Graco Premium Foam Crib &Toddler Mattress. When i first made the purchase and realized it was a foam mattress I was so nervous the bed wouldn't be firm enough. Let me assure you this crib mattress is firm, I may have climbed in the bed once or twice to get my baby asleep and the bed never gave or suck at all. Make sure you get a mattress protector, for all those unexpected leak, spill and sicknesses.
Sterilizer
Sterilizer have became popular more recently, most people would boil or use the dishwasher to sterilize baby bottles toys and pacifiers.Those methods still work however, a sterilizer does work a little better because it not only sterilizes without any chemicals but also dries whatever is put in. I don't want to confuse anyone you should still wash you baby bottles toys and pacifiers, then you would place them in the sterilizer. There are a lot of different sterilizers cheaper ones can got in microwaves and or baskets for the dishwasher. The one I have was a bit pricer but I use it all the time to ensure all my pump parts are clean and all the stuff the baby put in her mouth are clean. The Baby Brezza Baby Bottle Sterilizer has multiple features, Just sterilizes, just dry or sterilize and dry. This has made clean and sterilizing so much easier and faster, I just place in the sterilizer turn it on and go to bed and in the am everything is dry and clean.
Diaper Bag
I initially bought a diaper bag that had all these bells and whistles like charger, changing table/ sleeper, and a million compartments. Now I have switch to a cheap smaller bag, the big bag just got to be too heavy and not needed. My husband also had a bag that we don't use anymore but we did in the beginning, it has a lot of compartments and it looks like a tactical bag. Bags can be so expensive or they can be cheap, big or small it all depends on what you need and what your using it for. when we go on vacation i take the bigger bag to pack clothes in and the little bag to pack as her actual diaper bag.
Noise Machines
I didn't know what a noise machine was before having a baby, I didn't even know they existed. One of my good friends who has a baby suggested getting it so I put it on my registry with the though if it doesn't get bought oh well. My noise machine is on every night actually its on right now, as I type this I don't know how I would sleep if I didn't have it in my room every night. This purchase isn't just for the baby its for my sleep too! The Hatch Rest + has change mine and my babies life forever! I also recently purchased for the babies room a projector, it put stars a and moons on the the ceiling for the baby like a night light and it has helped her sleep longer at night( she wakes up and stares at the ceiling then falls back to sleep).
Babyfood/Bibs/Spoon/Bowls/Cups
First let me say whichever feeding method you chose to do is up to you and I will never judge because it's different then what I did. For baby food I actually Tried the baby led weaning however my baby kept choking and it made me so scared, so we just stuck with purees. I tried making my own baby food but the baby refused to eat it, so I ended up buying her food. I have a few brand that I like the most but here are some; Serenity Kids Baby Food(for dinners), Happy Baby Clearly Crafted (for Lunches), Happy TOT (for breakfast), and Earth Best (For any meal, this one is my girls favorite dinner.) Bibs, so for me traditional bibs are a no go, they just don't cover enough space and they have to be washed after each use. I am in LOVE with silicone bibs! Like how cute, are , these, bibs ? Next are spoons, my favorite spoons are the ones that tell you if the food is too hot, they just make life a little easier. These spoons are the Munchkins White Hot Infant Safety Spoons. This is another two brand I like Tiny Thumbs and these because you get so many Munchkins 12 Piece Set. Now onto Bowls, I like on the go bowls that have a lid the best Because my baby isn't very good with doing the whole feeding thing herself just yet. We use the Munchkin Love-a Bowls (for the go) and For at home we use these bowls and these plates. Last but definitely not least we LOVE our Weighted Straw Cup by Munchkins. It has been my daughters favorite since the first time we tried it.
If you have made it this far I am so impressed! I know shopping for a little human can be stressful but don't make it harder then it has to be. If you find something you like buy it don't second guess yourself into not buying anything. Your baby doesn't know that you have no clue what you are doing to them, you are an amazing parent. Just remember not everyone is going to agree with all your decision and thats ok, but remind them that they were a great parent but now its your time to be an amazing parent too. Im going sign off with a quote this week, but as always leave feed back, comments or questions, and if you want me to elaborate on anything in the future I will absolutely write a blog about it! <3
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