When I first started creating our baby registry, I had zero clue what to add to it beyond recommendations that friends and family gave me. Even with the recommendations, I now realize that a lot of the things I put on there serve the same or a similar purpose and almost felt like repeats of each other once Brady arrived. For example, Jonny and I bought the Happiest Baby Snoo to act as our bassinet because of all the rave reviews we read about it (more on this below). The Snoo comes with it’s own special swaddle that attaches to the bassinet to keep baby in place while he sleeps but I also registered for other swaddles/sleep suits (specifically the Magic Merlin Sleep Suit and the newborn swaddle that syncs with our Nanit baby monitor in Brady’s nursery) in the 0-3 month sizes that I will probably not use because he sleeps in the Snoo 99.9% of the time. I realize now that I was trying to cover our baby bases in case Brady didn’t like some of the things that we got for him, but hey, we ARE new parents over here.
The Snoo
This was one of our more pricey baby related purchases. I will do a much more in depth review of our thoughts on the Snoo in a dedicated blog post, but for now, I will credit the Snoo with helped Brady sleep for long stretches (5+ hours at a time) through the night starting the first day we brought him home.
The Ollie Swaddle
This was something I added to our baby registry after hearing friends rave about how much they loved it. This might seem like one of those repeat items that I talked about above but I am SO glad that we had it on hand. Brady was having difficulty taking naps during the day in the Snoo. Sometimes naps were successful using the Snoo and the Snoo swaddle but not all that often. One day, we decided to try out the Ollie swaddle after finishing the Taking Cara Babies course (this is her preferred swaddle) and we were SHOCKED that Brady slept for two straight hours in it. We swaddled him in it and then placed him in the Snoo bassinet (the Snoo won’t rock until you connect it’s swaddle clips so there was no rocking) with our portable white noise machine and we have been using these for day time naps ever since.
Mushie Bibs Pacifiers
We started out with Ryan and Rose pacifiers and I always felt like they were too heavy and bulky for Brady even though he took to them right away. I decided to try out the Mushie ones after seeing them everywhere and oh my gosh, what a difference. They are much smaller and lightweight, not to mention they are SUPER cute. I just purchased two more because we love them so much.
Zipper Onesies
I remember thinking that zipper onesies were just onesies and wondered if they were really that much better than the snap kind. The answer to that question is YES, yes they are. They are superior in every way.
Boppy Pillow
We brought our boppy pillow to the hospital with us based on a recommendation and many nurses told us that the boppy was a little too big for a fresh newborn. We used regular pillows at first while I got used to breastfeeding, which never felt 100% comfortable. A week after we brought Brady home, I switched to the boppy and haven’t looked back since. It really is life changing and makes breastfeeding so much easier. It supports Brady’s head (it’s very firm) but is also comfortable enough for him to sometimes fall asleep on after feeding. I take even take it with me on the go.
Uppababy Stroller + Mesa Carseat
Another pricey baby item that is 100% WORTH THE MONEY. We were lucky enough to have my parents buy this for us for our baby shower gift (SO GRATEFUL) but after having used this for a month and a half, we would absolutely spend our own money on this stellar set. The Uppababy system is extremely intuitive and SO easy to use (once you YouTube how to use everything). Everything just clicks into place and Uppababy has all these little things that make your life easier without you even realizing what they are there for. It makes me sound like such a newbie parent but I am still learning how amazing this stroller + carseat set is even to this day. I also love that it came with two other pieces (the bassinet and the toddler stroller seat) so that you have everything you need on hand.
Solly Baby Wrap
This was something I was super intimidated by at first. I received some more structured carriers that I love but I felt like Brady might prefer the softer feel of a wrap at first. Turns out I was right because Brady loves his Solly Baby wraps. If we are having a hard time putting him down and he’s fighting nap time, I pull out the Solly Baby and he is out within 5 minutes. If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will.
Portable White Noise Machine
This was gifted to us and we have been using it non stop for the past two weeks. It’s an amazing tool for on the go naps and we have been using it for regular nap time as well. I love how small it is and that you can carry it with you.
Taking Cara Babies Newborn Sleep Course
This was also gifted to us and we are SO grateful we took this course. I’m sure you’ve heard of Taking Cara Babies (she’s been featured on Good Morning America and her Instagram is incredible!) Cara is very knowledgeable and her approach has worked well for us. I highly recommend taking this course if you are going to have a baby or if you have a newborn. We learned so many helpful tips and scheduling advice that we use every single day.
Haakaa
Weird name, I know, but wow, I use this tool EVERY day, multiple times a day. Basically, this simple tool catches let down milk when you are breastfeeding on the opposite side. Instead of leaking or letting that letdown milk go to waste, the Haakaa catches it all and you can save that fresh breast milk and freeze it for later use. I haven’t pumped at all and have only used the Haakaa since we brought Brady home. I have so many bags of frozen breast milk that I have collected, which is fantastic since Jonny has wanted to get in on the special feeding time.
Comotomo Bottles
I can’t really speak to other bottles since these are the only ones that we tried but Brady took to it right away. I love the soft squeezable feel of the base of the bottle and they are SO easy to clean post feeding.
Medela Nipple Cream
I was introduced to this in the hospital and LOVED it. I liked that it was more of a gel consistency, which I now know that I prefer over a cream consistency. This really helped my nipples in the first couple of weeks as I adjusted to breastfeeding.
Burp Cloths
These were something that I panic ordered a few days before Brady arrived when I realized we didn’t have any. So helpful for cleaning up spit up or wiping his face when I feed him. I actually lay one on top of his boppy pillow to help catch any milk that spills out of his mouth.
Milk Snob Carseat Cover
We did not have a car seat cover when Brady arrived so we used a swaddle blanket to cover him when we were outside. This worked fine until any wind kicked up and then we were constantly catching it and holding it down while we pushed him in the stroller. This Milk Snob carseat cover is a game changer. Not only does it completely cover the seat, but it has a little opening on the top (fits over the handle of the car seat) that I can pull down and peek at Brady on our walks. We have the black one (this does a great job of blocking out sunlight) and the white one. I highly recommend getting two so if one gets dirty you have another one on hand.
Baby Nail File
Baby nails are sharp and grow really fast. Make sure you have a file on hand to keep up with the rapid nail growth!
Diaper Cady
It’s been a lifesaver to have a diaper caddy that has everything you need in one box. We use this every day and could not live without it.
Water Wipes + Huggie’s Little Snugglers Diapers
Our go-to diapering combo. We were introduced to Huggie’s Little Snuggler’s in the hospital and haven’t looked back. We love them! They have a line down the center of the diaper that lets you know when it’s wet, which was super helpful for us when we were in the hospital and is still great now!