My Favorite Baby Gear
As a first-time mom, it’s hard to know where to start as far as baby gear. I remember finding some Google Doc deep on the internet with different categories of product recommendations and I started there. There’s SO much to navigate. Will my baby like a bouncer, a rocker, or a swing? Do I need all 3? The thing is, every baby is different and it’s kind of trial and error, but after a little over 6-months in, I wanted to write down the items* I’d for sure get if I was doing it all over again in case helpful for someone else.
*Note, this doesn't include the baby basics like: crib, crib mattress, crib sheets, nursing chair, changing pad, car seat, stroller, diapers, diaper pail, diaper bag, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, bassinet.
Ergo Baby Carrier. We use the 360 Carrier almost every day. The amount of hours of naps that Maddox has taken in here is too many to count. I’d also get the infant insert so you can use it when they are still on the smaller side.
SwaddleMe Swaddle. I still have no idea how to swaddle. I remember the first few days at home I was googling ‘how to swaddle’ videos. It’s so hard. What makes it easier is the SwaddleMe velcro swaddles. Plus, babies just get out of all swaddles no matter what so we doubled up with the Ollie Swaddle. Also a must-have.
Sophie The Giraffe. At first Maddox didn’t love Sophie and I thought to myself — what’s the hype? But then all of a sudden around 3-4 months it became his favorite toy. We don’t leave home without it.
Activity Gym. We’ve got the Skip Hop x Pottery Barn one and I love it so much. We’ve spent hours and hours on this thing — on our back and on our tummies. I love how soft and cloud-like it is. Any ‘gym’ will do. The Love Every one is also really popular. Babies spend a lot of time on the floor so something like this is perfect entertainment.
Black & White Cards and/or Books. Especially in those early days, I could tell Maddox was totally stimulated by black, white, and red images. We have the soft cards pinned up on the play gym and we also read this My Animals book all the time. It’s a simple and fun activity and I noticed that he really liked it.
Baby Activity Center. We didn’t get the Skip Hop play center out until he was about 4 months, but it’s a key toy in our house. It’s a great way to help him learn to orient himself in the standing position and the toys are great for reaching and getting hand-eye coordination down. Bonus: it’s something you can put them down in and have some free hands for a little while.
Vibrating Chair. I was skeptical about this one, but we’ve used this Fisher Price Bouncer that vibrates every single day. It sits on our countertop and we put Maddox in there to chill while we cook or make coffee in the mornings. It’s a nice way for him to be involved in kitchen routines and the vibration chills him out.
Tubby Todd. I love Tubby Todd products so so much. We received The Newborn Gift Set and I love every item in it. Our faves are the Hair + Body Wash, Baby Massage Oil, Everyday Lotion, and All Over Ointment. All things that I’ve ordered twice. They smell amazing and are gentle on baby.
Whale Bath. We are a-bath-a-day people (not in the early days of course — he’d scream his head off). We love making this a part of the bedtime routine and we use the Whale Tub (also from Skip Hop — I guess we are Skip Hop people too — that’s where our changing table is from as well).
Boppy. If I could do it all over again I would have brought a Boppy Nursing Pillow to the hospital with me. I honestly couldn’t go anywhere without this thing for many many months. We also used My Breast Friend, but if I had to choose between the two, I’d go Boppy. It’s cozy, comfortable, and helps with a supportive nursing position. Plus, you can use it for tummy time and sitting practice as they grow.
Footies. Maddox lives in these (I probably should do a better job at dressing the little guy). Our favorite brands are all the bamboo ones: Kyte Baby, Kickee Pants, Kiki&Lulu, and Little Sleepies.
Monitor. Not gonna lie, started with one (a quite expensive one at that) and then ended up getting Infant Optics and we love it because it’s non-wifi, doesn’t have a distracting bright light, has noise reduction technology that drowns out the white noise machine, and you don’t need your phone (which I learned is key for night sleep).
White Noise. When you have a baby, you quickly realize that you simply cannot live without white noise machines. We have a couple and would recommend The Hatch and the Yoga Sleep products — both the Dohm and travel Rohm.
Baby Shusher. This one comes in handy for the first 4-ish months when sleep is just weird. I think it’s worth it.
Boon Lawn Drying Rack + Bottle Brush. If you’re doing bottles, this is a must-have. We use the Dapple Baby soap and spend lots of hours over the sink washing bottles and pump parts then setting them on the lawn to dry.
Electric Nail Sander. Yup, similar to the one they use at a nail salon. I tried to live without this handy tool for the first few months and quickly realized that cutting or filing your baby’s nails is hard. And, it’s something you need to do quite often so they don’t scratch their face. Trust me on this one, the sander is the way to go.
Huckleberry. Not a product, but an app. We’ve been using this since the hospital to track Maddox’s growth, eating, and sleeping. It’s provided me some semblance of time when everything blends together — especially in the newborn phase. You can download it for free, and there’s also a paid version (we don’t have it) that looks so helpful.
There are also some honorable mentions: Dock-A-Tot, Wipe Warmer, Wooden Baby Gym, Solly Baby, (wrap + crib sheets), On-The-Go Changing Station, and a Foam Play Mat.
Wow, recapping that makes you realize that babies certainly come with a lot of gear. I’m sure there’s a whole host of other must-have items we’ll learn about for 6-months+. I’ll report back when I learn what those are!
xo Gina
