Newborn Baby Must Have Items

With Ella turning ONE this past weekend, she is no longer a baby {but will always be my baby}! Having been through 3 babies, I have had many baby products over the last 8.5 years. Over the next few posts, I am going to go over baby must haves for newborns {it's own post because there are so many} and 3-12 months, as well as my favorite baby clothing items. Before I had all of my kids, I remember endlessly googling 'must have's for baby'. There are so many lists, and here is mine! I also try to be budget friendly. Babies are only babies for such a short amount of time and diapers/wipes add up fast.

Newborn Baby Items (with links):

• Medela Pump in Style Advanced Breast Pump with On the Go Tote was the exact pump I used. I had this one for all 3 kids. I was able to get a new one with Ella through insurance so I had two which was awesome! I left one at work and one at home.

• I have used both the Playtex Drop In bottles and the Avent Natural Bottles. The drop in ones were nice as we always had a clean bottle, but I would say I prefer the Avent. Ella took to them easily, they were easy to clean, and didn't have very many parts. These are the exact ones I used Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottles. I accidentally ordered some purple ones and was disappointed, however, it ended up working well as many people have the Avent bottles and I could always tell which ones were mine {Philips Avent Natural Baby Bottle Purple}!

• I used the SwaddleMe swaddles below. I always bought the fleece ones as I felt it kept them warmer. I literally just searched and searched as I know I have a picture of all my kids swaddled but couldn't find them anywhere! I started with the small but always had big babies so quickly had to move up a size.

                                                             

• With Ella, I had the auto Rock 'n Play instead of a swing. I loved it! Many of my family members and friends have also used this when their babies had a hard time sleeping at night. The controls are at the bottom and you can tap them on and off with your toes which is especially nice when your hands are full. Having two older kids, it was nice to get her off the floor, easy to fold up and bring with places, or move from room to room. She also thought it was very cozy and always slept amazing for her naps.

• The Boppy is another favorite! From nursing, feeding, tummy time, positioning, little helpers, and sitting this pillow is a must have! You can find a lot of fun designs for the covers too. I also had this for all 3 kids and it held up great.

• We loved this Bassinet for the first few months Ella slept in our room and for traveling. For the older two we used the Pack N Play, but this was much smaller and less bulky in our room and for traveling. It didn't automatically rock but I was able to easily rock it with one hand, if needed. The insert easily came out to wash as well. 

• I would highly recommend a video monitor. It is so nice to be able to check on baby. Even now with Ella being one, I love being able to check to see if she is really awake before I go get her or in the middle of the night {yes she still wakes up} it is nice to see if she is lying down and crying or sitting/standing up. We have had the same Summer brand one since we had Jace which is similar to this one {video monitor}. I am considering investing in the WiFi Camera. You can watch the monitor from anywhere. Being home in the summer, I am thinking the range of this would be nice during naps. The range of the other one is decent but I can't go too far outside with the boys during nap time or mow the whole yard before I am out of range. Does anyone have one similar to this?

                               

• The Aden + Anais Bamboo swaddles are a favorite of mine. They are so soft and breathable. I've also had these with all 3 kids and they are by far my favorite blanket. The designs are super cute too! The bamboo is a must have as it just gives a softer feel. 

Small items

• These Diaper Bag Dispenser bags are so nice for dirty diapers and dirty clothes. Ella was the queen of blow outs. These were nice to keep the smell away plus keep the poop contained!

• For all the drool and spit up, these Bandana Bibs are wonderful for growing with baby. They are cute and fashionable. I like them much better than the old fashioned bib! Also, many designs to choose from online.

• This Noise Machine is a life saver for home and travel. They say noise helps reduce the chance of SIDS, too. With a lively household, this has been they key to me not having to tell everyone to keep the noise down during nap/bedtime and the boys being able to have friends over while Ella is sleeping. It also travels everywhere with us!

• Mustela body/bath products - I received these as a gift from my friend, Lindsey, when Ella was born. They are now my absolute favorite. They smell AMAZING {I always get compliments on how Ella smells}, they are very moisturizing, no-tear, hypoallergenic, and great on her sensitive skin. We have:
• 2 in 1 Cleansing Gel - this is what I use for her shampoo and soap {and plan to for quite some time}.
• No Rinse Cleansing Fluid - SERIOUSLY, this is awesome for infants. You use the solution on a cotton pad and can wipe them down {no rinse} without giving them a bath. Great for hands and bottom area. They have soft skin and smell great afterwards!
• Body Lotion - {UPDATE: this is 20% off today!} moisturizing and smells great. Great for daily use. 
• Foam Shampoo - this helped immediately with her cradle cap. With the boys, I had to use head and shoulders shampoo to get rid of it but this helped immediately and is safe on the eyes. I still use it weekly to avoid the cradle cap. When I don't use this on the hair I use the 2 in 1 Cleansing Gel

All our products!

I know this list is not all consuming (I didn't include things like strollers or car seats and those items are definitely important. To be honest, I didn't love mine and so I did not want to review on them). Diapers and wipes are definitely must-have's as well...as is Amazon Prime! Ha! I will be back with my 3-12 month baby must have's next week. On Friday, I will be posting my Friday Favorites. See you then!

Kate

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