Category: baby products

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Gift Guide

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Sometimes, the littlest gifts can be the hardest to find. So I thought I’d put together a list for some ideas for the hanging socks on your mantle (so weird honestly). I personally love stocking opening, we always open them last, like a “grade finale” of Christmas Morning! Now that we have a toddler in the house, it’s even more fun to continue the tradition. Sure, you can fill stocking with candy canes and pencils and cheap toys, but why not mix in a few useful items too! Useful items are always a plus and help reduce more junk in the landfill come Valentine’s Day.

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR LITTLE ONES

Construction Site Utensil Set – This “toy” doubles as utensils and makes mealtimes more fun! Perfect for the little ones in the “truck!” phase.

Frozen Queen Elsa Utensil Set– Anything to get them to eat, right?

Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Books – Anything to keep them away from screens or messes for a minute, right?

Play-Doh Christmas Tree and Snowman Ornaments – Comes in a 6 pack so you can gift a few to daycare friends as well!

Sticker Books – Once again I love the Melissa & Doug ones, but any brand will do! Kids love stickers

Slippers – These toddler sized slippers come in a bunch of different styles for boys and girls. We have them for Emmett and they’re great quality and super cozy and warm!

Electric Toothbrush – a fun new toothbrush like this one from Nuby is useful and a great way to combat all those cookies & milk.

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR HER

Skincare Minis! You can never go wrong with something like a mini skincare set like this one (my favorite!) from Olehendriksen. (NOT SPONSORED, JUST LOVE IT)

Sheet Masks -Are self care stockings a thing? They should be.

TARGET GIFT CARDS – Honestly I could go on and on with little gift ideas, but all she wants is a Target gift card. I know you don’t think it’s thoughtful enough, but truly, it is.

STARBUCKS GIFT CARDS – She wants these too. The end.

STOCKING STUFFERS FOR HIM:

New Razors – not super fun, but super practical!

Coffee Pods – Does the man in your life have a Nespresso or Keurig machine? Is he getting one for christmas? Put some pods in his stocking!

Skincare! – Chances are he won’t but it for himself. Check out this set by Jack Black

SCRATCH OFF LOTTERY TICKETS – Tried and true. Never met a soul who doesn’t love a good scratcher.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful for you and that your stocking is full of everything but coal! Merry Christmas everyone.

XO- HMB

How to survive a long road trip with a toddler

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2020 has been whack. Totally freakin’ whack. January started off with such promise, such potential. By February we had a few quick trips and flights on the books, by March, our calendar was cleared. The whole damn world cleared their calendars and hunkered down. But as May morphed into June, and I started to question my sanity, it became apparent that my little family of 3 needed to GTFO of our house. Desperately. Being locked up raw with a fussy husband, I mean, toddler, for months can really cause a lot of stress and strain, so a getaway was desperately needed, and downright essential to survival.

We started looking at options of stays within driving distance and nothing seemed right. Nothing seemed safe enough or a good option. That’s when we decided we were going to drive to visit my aunt and uncle in Traverse City, Michigan. They have room for us, have been totally socially distant, live on a lake with a pontoon boat (boats are the ultimate social distancing machine) and plus, my uncle flips a mean blueberry pancake.

But there was a catch. The drive was 15 hours NOT including stops. And we have a 16 month only mini human. SHIT. Okay, we’d stop half way. But where could we stop to ensure we weren’t exposing ourselves to covid?

Long story short, we decided we were just going to go for it. Yep, straight through. We were open to stopping if we absolutely had to, but the goal was to keep going until we were greeted by the friendly midwestern smile of Aunt Deb (who was definitely going to be pouring me a glass of wine as we rolled in.)

So, to get to the point here, this was our game plan. I was going to pack all our food, to avoid stopping and wasting time + possible exposure to covid. I was going pack smart and be prepared. We would pack our patience. We were prepared to make lots of stops, but ultimately, it was doable and we’d get there.

Since it was a 15+ hour drive with a toddler, when we arrived was important because if it got too late, we’d be way past bedtime and we’d have a meltdown on our hands. So we left early AF. Our car left the driveway at 3:50am (both ways). Bubs was asleep in his crib and the car was packed and running in the driveway. When we were ready to go, I quietly scooped him out of his crib, changed his diaper and immediately transferred him to the car seat still in his jammies. I turned on white noise on Spotify via bluetooth and luckily, he was quiet/ asleep until 7. So we had 3 solid hours of a calm, chill baby. People thought we were crazy for doing this, but honestly, this was huge and next time, I’d leave even earlier.

After he was fully awake, I hopped in the backseat and offered him his usual breakfast routine. Which is usually a sippy cup of milk, a banana and some dry cheerios. I tried to keep our usual “routine” in place as much as possible. Which is a bit of joke but I did try to pretend like it was a normal day.

Around 9am, he was getting fussy so we stopped. Another hot tip that worked great for us was bringing a small ball along for rest stops. We stopped a rest stops with lots of green space, so we kicked the ball around and he went chasing after it. Like playing fetch with a dog, only my dog was of the human breed. This was great for stretching his little, usually non-stop toddler legs.

The rest of the trip was a lot of keeping the baby entertained. I packed a ton of (NEW) books. This was also a win. I picked up a bunch of new books and didn’t give them to him until the we were in the car. That way, they were new and exciting. Books with flaps or touch and feel is an added bonus!

Meals were tricky for Bubs, as he really only eats “hot” foods for lunch and dinner. The kid wont touch a cheese stick or a cold sandwich so to be fair, he ate mostly bananas, snacks and pouches the entire day, with the exception of 1/4 of a peanut butter sandwich. I was anxious about this, but in reality, he was totally fine. He’d eat it if he was hungry enough. I packed sandwiches for my husband and I and had everything in a cooler that was easily accessible in the back seat.

I had the iPad loaded with pre-downloaded movies and shows on Disney+, Prime Video and Netflix. I did not bring this out until it was absolutely necessary, which was about the last 4-5 hours of the trip. DO NOT. I REPEAT. DO NOT bring the iPad out too early. It’s the hail mary to the finish line.

In total, it took us 16 hours to get there and 17.5 hours to get home because of traffic and several casualties like a cup of milk in the car seat and a blowout diaper. I will say, 16 hours is the MAX I would do again. 17.5 was two hours too long and we were all miserable. But we made it.

So, to simply all of the above, here is a list of advice:

  1. Pack smart.Pack a things that are readily accessible in the back seat. Try your best to stay organized. I had a box like this and it was great for books, toys, snacks, change of clothes (keep a change of clothes handy so you don’t have to dig through the suitcase if needed,) diapers and wipes to keep in the back seat. (BRING A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS AND A BAG FOR TRASH) It fit in the middle seat but was easily moved when I needed to scoot to the middle seat to entertain him.81ZjvYKGINL._SL1500_
  2. Pack all your food. Pandemic or not, stopping for food adds a lot of time and money to your trip. Packing your meals ahead of time saves a ton of time you don’t want to add on to your already long trip. Put a cooler in the back seat where it’s easily accessible, don’t put it in the trunk. PACK MORE SNACKS THAN YOU THINK YOU’LL NEED. TODDLERS AND GRUMPY SPOUSES LOVE SNACKS. BRING THEM ALL. *Snack ideas, Goldfish, Cheerios, cut fruit / fruit cups, pouches, veggie straws, Ritz Crackers, bananas, puffs, yogurt melts, etc… Less messy the better, but get over the mess, it’s going to be a mess… BRING THEM ALL.*
  3. Leave room in the backseat, you’re going to have to sit back there with your kid the majority of the time. This tip doubles as leaving a space for diaper changes. Changing a diaper in a rest stop bathroom is not ideal, so make sure there’s room in the car to lay your tot down for a diaper change.
  4. Bring *new* books and toys. They don’t have be brand new, but bring them out of rotation a few weeks prior to the trip so they’re exciting and engaging for your little one. Interactive touch and feel or lift the flap books are a bonus. Books like this book and this book were great for us. We also had a lot of luck with straws in an empty water bottle! He enjoyed dumping them out and threading them back in!
  5. Screen Time. Preload the iPad with movies, shows and if they’re old enough, games. We love Moana and Toy Story (Disney+) Blippi (Amazon Prime) and Little Baby Bum (Netflix).  But don’t bring the iPad out until you absolutely need to (ie. screaming fit). This is your last resort.  ALSO, get an tablet car mount or a case. We had this car mount for the headrest and it worked great. It fits a phone too! This also saved us!
  6. Leave early. If it’s a very long road trip (longer than 8 hours) leave super early and take advantage of groggy / sleepy little ones. If possible, plan around nap times/bed times too.
  7. GET OVER THE MESS – THIS IS HARD. Kids are messy. There are going to be crumbs everywhere. You can vacuum later, you’re in survival mode.
  8. Be prepared to make lots of stops, but if baby isn’t crying, keep going!

Remember, people have done crazier things. Eventually, you’ll reach your destination and it will have all been worth it. Good luck and safe travels!

-HMB

How we weaned off bottles and made the switch to sippy cups

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If there is one constant in the world of motherhood, it’s that nothing is constant. Once you’ve gotten into a groove with something, it’s time to move onto tackling the next obstacle. First, it’s tackling breast or bottle feeding, finding the right formula or adjusting your diet to your infant’s sensitivities. Then it’s sleep, well, it’s always sleep. Then, it’s introducing solids, then baby proofing, and then just as you’ve figured all that out, they turn one.

When they turn one, there’s a sense of gratification and pride, almost like you’ve finally figured it all out. You’ve survived a year, so you’re a veteran parent now. But at their one year well visit with their doctor, that’s when pediatricians recommend moving them off of bottles and formula, and on to milk and sippy cups.

Boom. More change. For some reason, this one was a doozy for me mentally. No more bottles? I have made and cleaned bottles every day for nearly 13 months, and now what, just, no more? I remember so clearly one middle of the night feeding early on. Me, in a zombie-like trance shuffling to the kitchen to make yet another bottle and thinking to myself, wow. The bottles will never end. And here we are, at the end. My baby is growing up.

There was something that told me my baby wasn’t ready to give up bottles. I called his doctor a few times after his visit (like a psychopath) and told her I don’t think he’s ready. She assured me he was, and the sooner we got him off the bottle, the easier it will be in the long run.

That’s when I realized it wasn’t my baby who wasn’t ready for the transition, it was me that wasn’t ready.

When it was time to start weaning, he was already down to only two bottles of formula per day, one in the morning and one at night before bed. (I should also note we introduced sippy cups at meals times around 7 months, although he didn’t use them very much.) We decided to start gradually, and initially replaced his morning bottle of formula with a sippy cup of formula for a few days, and then a sippy cup of milk. He didn’t mind the sippy cup of formula  (we have had the most luck with this one) but he hated the milk. And we tried offering milk all different ways. Whole milk, 2%, warmed milk, cold milk, milk in a bottle, milk in a sippy, milk mixed with formula… If there was milk in it, it was going to get thrown at my head.  It was frustrating, but we did not go back to having a morning bottle. If he didn’t drink his morning sippy cup, oh well. He ate more at breakfast.

I tried offering milk for weeks before I made another call to his doctor and asked what to do if my son just didn’t like milk. What do I offer him before bed if he wont take milk? She assured me that as long as he was getting calcium and calories in his diet in other ways, he will be fine. She told me to continue offering milk daily, because eventually, he will come around to it. But he doesn’t “need” anything before bed. The thought of him not getting a bedtime “baba” really worried me. He had a bottle before bed his entire life, how would I just take that away?

That night, I told myself, this is it. We just have to do it. It will get harder and harder the older he gets, so let’s rip the bandaid off with the one bottle a day he’s still getting. So that night I did not offer him a bottle before bed. I offered him a sippy cup of milk, mixed with some warm water. He took a few sips and then was done, and I put him to bed. And guess what happened?

Nothing. He was totally fine. He slept through the night, completely unfazed.

The next few days I was on egg shells. I didn’t speak of what had happened. I didn’t tell anyone we dropped all his bottles. I didn’t tell anyone we switched to milk. I didn’t want to jinx it. I waited a solid 72 hours before even speaking of what we had done. If you’re a mom, you get it. If something is going well, you do not speak of it. You will jinx yourself!

We have now been a bottle-free house for a month and I can say with a good deal of confidence that it was a much bigger transition for me than it was for him. I was so worried about him being okay, that it took a few weeks for me to realize he was perfectly fine. I have stopped offering milk in a sippy cup before bed at all, as most of the time he just throws it and it leaves a mess. If he has an early dinner or is acting hungry, I will offer it, but it’s VERY rare for him to finish more than a few sips. Milk is offered at mealtimes and there is a sippy cup with water available to him all day and before bed. He now drinks more milk with his meals, but other than that, I don’t offer it. Mainly because it’s a mess.

And guess what? He’s fine. He’s better than fine. He’s also eating his meals way better now that he doesn’t get bottles too (jinxing myself here).

His bottles are now packed away with the clothes he’s outgrown. They are no longer on my kitchen counter drying on their designated Boon drying rack. There is no longer a can of formula on my counter. I thought I’d be excited about this, but it breaks my heart a little. My baby isn’t such a baby anymore. But as bittersweet as it is, I’m so happy and proud to see my little guy becoming more independent and growing, just like he should.

3 Simple Activities for Littles

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As if being a parent doesn’t come with enough pressure to be the “perfect” mom as it is, throw a pandemic into the mix and that pressure is now through the roof. The same roof of your house that you can not leave and has now become your office, gym, school, restaurant and playground.

Although doing activities with your little one is not something to do only during a pandemic, there seems to be more pressure to do them now. Also, the days can be long so incorporating a little activity for the kids can be something to look forward to and help pass the time while being somewhat educational.

I’ll keep it real, I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a “lazy mom” when it comes to activities. First of all, my baby is barely a year old, so it’s not like I can sit him down with some crayons and let him have at it. He’s not quite old enough yet to do arts and crafts or make me macaroni necklace, so we’re kind of in that in-between stage where he’s not a baby but not quite a full-on toddler either. But, I do like to find things to do with him that he will enjoy, don’t break the bank, may teach him a thing or two and most importantly, not make a huge mess.

So, I thought I’d share three simple activities for toddlers that are simple, inexpensive and not incredibly messy.

1. LAZY MOM’S WATER TABLEIMG_5815

This can also be dubbed the poor mom’s water table, but whatever you want to call it, it’s a fan favorite in this house! We live in New England, so it’s still too cold to play outside, so having a full on water table (like this) in my living room doesn’t seem like an option right now. However, one inch of water in a plastic tub did the trick just fine and kept my one-year-old entertained for a solid 25 minutes. (Anyone with a toddler knows that’s a pretty good stretch).

What you’ll need:

  • A plastic tub, bowl, or anything that can old some water in it. We actually used the plastic tub from the hospital!
  • Some household items or toys. I chose a whisk, a small bucket toy with holes that drain out, a measuring cup and a foam bath toy! Some items that sink and some that float keep it interesting.
  • Warm water
  • Towel
  • Optional, bubble bath or soap to add bubbles

Lay down the towel, fill the tub, strip them down and let them have at it! The floors will get wet, but hey, it becomes a 2-for-1 because the floors get a washing too!

 

2. TOILET PAPER ROLL SHOOT

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Especially because toilet paper is such a prized item these days, why not let that empty roll get the proper send off before it make’s its way to the recycling bin like the hero it was. We’ve done this one a few times and sometimes Emmett cooperates and plays and sometimes he just plays with the tape, either way it occupies him for a little and it’s something different than his toy shelf.

What you’ll need:

  • Toilet paper or paper towel rolls, or a few of each!
  • Painters tape, or tape that won’t damage walls
  • Cotton ball, craft pom poms or even Cheerio’s or puffs if your little one tries to eat the cotton ball!

Tape the roll to the wall, show them how to put the ball through the toilet paper roll and let them have at it! I like to roll up a few pieces of the tape and stick that to the wall too. He loves to play with the sticky, crinkly tape balls too!

Don’t get frustrated if your little one gets more excited to rip the roll off the wall and run around with it, or to play with the roll of tape. Let them explore and be grateful you didn’t spent too much money, time or mess on this one!

 

3. BABY VAN GOGH MESS-FREE FINGER PAINTING

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I will say this one was the least successful as far as keeping him busy for an extended period of time, but it’s still cute and he liked it for a few minutes. Plus, it’s easy and mess-free so I still consider it worth sharing! I think next time I will tape it to his high chair tray so he can’t run away! But we’ve done this twice and Em has played around with it both times.

What you’ll need:IMG_5822

  • Paint. I used a some old acrylic paint I had laying around.
  • Cardstock or photo paper. Regular paper ends up getting really wet.
  • Two zip top bags (You could always use Saran Wrap too and saran wrap it down to the table, floor or highchair)
  • Tape to secure

 

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Put a few generous dollops of paint on the paper and slide into a zip-top bag. Then slide that bag into another bag. Trust me, the first time I did it with one bag and it ripped almost immediately. Then tape the bags down to the floor or their high chair and let them have at it!

 

As I mentioned, I think next time I will tape it to his high chair to keep his attention longer, but he did move the paint around so I don’t think it was a total loss. Plus, you can leave it there for him to come back to later, the paint won’t dry up right away inside the bag.

So no hard feelings if he runs away from it for a little while!IMG_5828

I can’t take credit for any of these because I found them on the internet somewhere, but I wanted to share my experience making easy, cheap and mess-free little ones in hopes to inspire you to do the same!

Happy playing!

-HMB

Easter basket ideas for a one year old

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Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays. The pastel colors, the spring dresses, the Cadbury eggs… It’s just a cheerful time that signifies new beginnings, rebirth and maybe even a Honey Baked Ham.

Last Easter, our baby was only 5 weeks old and we had just returned from the hospital for his pyloric stenosis surgery, I did a post on his surgery so I’ll tag that here in case you’re new to HMB. But, we weren’t feeling very festive last year, but instead exhausted, worried and emotionally drained. So last year wasn’t much of a celebration, although the Easter Bunny did visit him in the hospital! So even though this technically isn’t Emmett’s first Easter, we’re celebrating like it is.

Once again, this won’t be a typical Easter as we are smack dab in the middle of the Covid-19 Pandemic. However, it’s given me something to look forward to and I got excited thinking about putting together Emmett’s first Easter basket! Yet again, I was having a hard time deciding what to include gift wise, because he’s still a little young for a lot of things and I hate collecting plastic crap toys in our already small house! He’s too young for Peeps and Ring Pops, so what could I give him that isn’t just silly toys or candy he’s too young for? This would be an ideal time to search the Target Dollar Spot, but since we’re on “stay at home” restrictions, I made his basket virtually and ordered everything online! This is what I decided on for his “first” Easter!

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  • Egg Maracas – I’m particularly excited for these! He loves holding little gadgets and gizmos and he definitely loves a noise maker! Plus these are in theme for Easter so they’re a win win!

 

 

  • Toy Indoor Basketball Hoop Set– 61y1lMsW1oL._AC_SL1200_ this says it’s for the bath, but I plan to suction cup this to one of our indoor glass french doors and let him have at it!

 

  • Stainless Steel Sippy Cups – 41jA+c1NIYL Summer is coming and I can’t wait to make him fresh fruit smoothies served in these awesome cups! Plus, keeping him healthy is more important than ever right now.

 

In addition to these, I’m going to “regift” some birthday gifts we haven’t given him yet, including a stuffed Baby Shark and some Easter books! I wanted to get a customized Easter basket for him too, but with the pandemic, the one I wanted wouldn’t arrive in time for Easter, so hopefully next year! This year, we’re repurposing a soft laundry basket, don’t judge.

Happy Easter, Happy Spring, Happy Passover, Happy Whatever everyone! Stay healthy and STAY HOME.

-HMBIMG_5921

They say it takes a village but mine lives in my phone.

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They say it takes a village to raise a child, but I’m here to correct that phrase. The truth is, it takes a village to raise a mom.

The phrase “It takes a village” never truly resonated with me before I had a baby.  Back then, I thought it meant you’d probably need some friendly faces to bring you a casserole during the sleep-deprived newborn stage, or a few trusting pals to help pick up your kid from daycare. I learned very shortly after giving birth that you need people in your corner for things far beyond the occasional favor. You need a village. A village of gracious, trustworthy souls that can help guide you through the foggy world that is motherhood.

A lot of lucky mamas live near family and friends that can step in and act as their village. But what happens if you don’t? You can do one of two things, navigate that shit alone or find yourself a freakin’ village.

I’d like to strongly encourage doing that later of those two options.

Realistically, not everyone lives near their friends, family or people they can count on. Military families for example, are likely going to be displaced when they and add a tiny new member to their tribe. In our case, we had just moved hundreds of miles away from “home” when I found out I was pregnant. So when the baby came and my husband went back to work, I was pretty much navigating those murky waters on my own.

A few exhausting and overwhelming weeks into new motherhood, it became very apparent to me that I needed support. I found myself wishing so badly I had a readily available “village” nearby to support me and my new little family during one of the most difficult and to be frank, lonely times of my life.

It was during those very foggy weeks that I learned they didn’t need to be physically present to be my people. They didn’t need to ring my doorbell with a lasagna in hand to be exactly what I needed. I realized that a “village” for me was just people to talk to. I’m not talking about chit chat about the weather, I mean, people to really vent to—without judgement. People to be there to listen when I was ready to share my struggles. True conversations about the hard, messy, motherhood stuff you can’t talk about with just anyone. Like true confessions to a therapist at the other end of your fingertips. But on the same token, like-minded individuals to talk about the mundane, boring stuff too. So much happens in the nothings.

Aside from the obvious group of lifetime besties and family, my “village” expanded to include old friends I hadn’t spoken to in years, friends of friends I’ve never physically met, and even strangers I “met” on Instagram. Without even realizing it I was talking to these people nearly every day, because they too were in this weird new club we all somehow knew the password to. That club was motherhood and we were all dazed and confused and in it together. We were all just searching for our tribe.IMG_0633

Before I knew it, I had grown to find my village. But there was a catch—they didn’t have an address nearby. They lived in my phone. This random assortment of humans I would likely never see in person, filled a void in a way I never expected.

As months went on, I found myself texting these new found village people before anyone else. Why? Because they too were in my shoes, and maybe they found their village in me also. They too just wanted to vent that their husband “did it wrong” or that their baby wont nap. They too just want to know they’re not the only ones that have days of anxiety and self-doubt. They too just want someone to send pictures of their babies doing baby things back and forth with without worrying that they’re being annoying. They too love to share their baby’s milestones but also share the days their little ones are pushing them closer and closer to insanity. They too want to share easy recipes because they’re exhausted but also want to feed their families. They too, just want someone to talk to. They too, speak the language of a voice text gone wrong, and actually understand it.

They say it takes a village and maybe mine doesn’t live next door, but I’ve got one and a damn good one at that. I’ve got people in my corner. Motherhood can be isolating and lonely, but it can also make you feel like you’ve never been more connected or understood.

When you connect with women in a way you never thought possible, over this one thing that you have in common, that’s when you’ve found your secret society, your support, your village.

The village of motherhood.

Our Must-Have Baby Items for Surviving the First Six Months

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When I was pregnant, I scoured the internet for all the “must-have” baby products. I followed mom forums and asked all my mom friends what I needed to register for or purchase! Ultimately, it got pretty overwhelming and I ended up with a huge amount of baby stuff in a not so huge house.

Now that my little one is  8 months old, I’m starting to put away and purge some items Emmett has outgrown or no longer uses. I look at all this stuff like a staple in my home now, but know it wasn’t always that way. So I figured I’d do a round up for any expecting parents who might be interested on what worked in our house and what we could have skipped.

I’m going to go beyond the obvious car seat, stroller, high chair, crib… All these items have paid for themselves already. (I linked the ones we use in case you’re interested, and we’ve been happy with them overall!)

ITEMS THAT WE COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT (I mean, we could have, but these made life a whole lot easier) 116490561239272p

White Noise Machine: Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine – We’ve been blasting this white noise machine + nightlight since night one. You can control it from your phone so you don’t have to sneak in and disturb a sleeping baby if you need to adjust it. It plays a ton of different sounds, has many different nightlight color options and honestly, just get it.
I asked 5 of my friends what their must-have baby item was, and this was in the top 3 for all. Honestly, I want one for my room too.  AND on the topic on noise machines, get a portable one for on the go. We have this one and it works great. Perfect for drowning out the sound of a waitress dropping a glass just as your baby falls asleep when you’re out to dinner. TRUSTTTT.

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Owlet Smart Sock:  Okay, this item was a major splurge, and at first I really didn’t like it. Because he was waking up ever 2 hours and sleeping 1 foot from my face in a bedside bassinet, (we had this bassinet that we got secondhand, but honestly we moved him to his crib after 3 weeks and wish I would have moved him sooner) so what was the point? I’d also forget to put it on before I put his footie pajamas on and I wasn’t going to get him undressed to put it on after the fact. But once he was in his crib, sleeping long stretches and I remembered to put it on right after his evening bath, this thing became my best friend, especially after some health scares. You can’t put a price tag on peace of mind, and being able to check my baby’s vitals easily (without hovering over him to see if his chest is rising and falling) was/still is priceless to me. We also have the Owlet Cam which we also love, but it was brand new to market when we got it, so there have been some glitches to work through. (They have great customer service!)

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Zip Up Swaddles – Love to Dream Swaddle Up – I’ll admit I spent a lot of money on swaddles that we barely used, until we found this one. Emmett preferred to sleep with his hands up and would bust out of every other kind of swaddle, so this one was a total game changer! GAME. CHANGER. Plus, it’s cute and made him look like a flying squirrel. There is also a transitional one for when they’re ready to have their arms free, which made the transition to a sleep sack so much easier. You can find the transitional one here.

BURP CLOTHS– ALL THE BURP CLOTHS – DONT GET CUTE ONES. GET ABSORBENT ONES… Like these. Even if you don’t have a baby with reflux, babies are still messy and drool a lot. Just get a pack.

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Bottle warmer: Philips Avent Fast Bottle Warmer – obviously, if you are solely breastfeeding, this won’t be necessary, but we were a pumping, bottle-feeding family pretty much from the start, and this was a necessary item for our family. (Used 8x a day for the first 4+ months) Even when we switched to formula, we had a special formula with mix-ins that we always prepped ahead of time. We pre-made bottles and stored them in the fridge for the day, and popped them in this thing to warm them up quickly and safely.

Play Gym Activity Center– This seems silly, because it’s just a mat with some dangly things, but we’re on month 8 and Em is STILL using this. We have this one by skip hop and he love, love, loves it! Plus the toys can come off and they can play with those as they get older.Unknown-3

Bouncer Seat– I’d like to promote the Rock ‘n Play as it was the only thing my child would sleep in the first few weeks, but it has been recalled so I will move on to the next best thing, a bouncer seat. We had this one by Ingenuity and at nearly 8 months are still using it. Bouncers (as opposed to a swing which is huge and my child hated) have a small footprint, don’t require an outlet and are portable. A lot of babies have some level of reflux and need to be propped up to help keep them from spitting up, so a safe space to place babe other than your tired arms is such a mom essential. You can also strap them in to the seat and bring them into the bathroom with you so you can take a shower. Besides, who doesn’t love showering with a tiny cute audience?

Zip Up Jammies– do yourself a favor, skip the snaps. No one wants to deal with lining up snaps in the dark at 2 am. We love the jammies from Carters. They fit him the best and wash well! These are also a great gift, because you can never have enough. Get all sizes, they grow so quickly! But be sure to keep the seasons in mind—fleece generally is not necessary in August.

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Moms on Call Books– I did a post all about how this book helped get Emmett sleeping. I won’t go into detail, but they are a great resource regardless on your view on schedules and sleep training. Great gift idea too!

Diaper Rash Cream–  This seems like a given, but it was one of the things I didn’t have stocked in the nursery. Newborns have super sensitive skin, and they also poop a lot. BAD COMBO. Grab a few tubes for the nursery before baby is born, so you don’t have to panic at 3am and send your sleepy spouse to CVS when your week old baby looks like they just sat on lava rocks (seriously, it’s terrifying and heartbreaking how bad diaper rash can get). We use A&D daily and Desitin when a rash flairs up.

Boon Drying Rack – A clean, designated place to dry baby’s bottles, baby bowls, pacifiers, etc. A tiny life hack, just get one. Plus there is a cute travel one too! Unknown-2

Blackout Curtains in the nursery or wherever the baby is sleeping– When baby sleeps, you sleep, and all is right in the world.  Be like NIKE and Just Do It.

GIANT WATER CUP WITH A GIANT ASS STRAW– This was something I Amazon primed for myself about 5 days postpartum at 3 in the morning and still use every day. I ordered this cup with these ridiculous 15″ straws. When you have a newborn, you won’t have free hands or free time to refill your water, and probably won’t have free hands to pick it up and drink from it either. And you’re going to be thirsty AF. Get a giant straw and a cup that won’t need as many refills. I will honestly gift these to all my pregnant friends from here on out.

 

Things we probably could have lived without.

Honestly, we’ve used everything we got for baby! Even the list below…  We got A LOT of stuff, but if I had to make a list of things we could have skipped, this is what I’d say:

Baby Swing – We had this one, every baby is different, but Emmett never loved it. We had high hopes for this item and it was one of the first things we registered for! But it’s big and we definitely didn’t use it as much as the bouncer.

SnuggleMe Lounger– I don’t know why I felt like I HAD TO HAVE this thing. I did so much research and heard so many great things about this and the Dock-a-Tot, but went for the SnuggleMe because it looked cozier for a new baby. (It’s supposed to mimic the feeling of being held) We used it a few times, but it definitely did not get it’s money’s worth.

Boppy Breastfeeding Pillow – My breastfeeding journey didn’t last long, but for the few weeks I did breastfeed, I found a regular pillow from my bed was a lot more comfortable and stayed in place better. However, now that he’s older, we brought it back out for him to lounge on and help him sit up!

Bottle Sterilizer and dryer– So, I did use this a lot, and still do because I have it and got it as a gift, but if I wanted to save money, I definitely don’t think this is a necessity. I feel like running bottles through the dishwasher with “sterilize” works fine and doesn’t take up counter space. You can also just just boil the bottles to sterilize. I felt like washing his bottles well with hot water and soap has sufficed most often.

All the breastfeeding tops, bras, etc…. I wish I would have waited to buy all these things as the whole breastfeeding thing didn’t work out for us. I’m not saying they’re not worth it, I’m just saying make sure you tackle breastfeeding before spending the money! Besides, I spent those weeks topless or in a robe anyway.

At the end of the day, a baby doesn’t NEED much.  They need to be fed, snuggled, changed and loved. However, a lot of the gadgets on the market these days sure make parenting a heck of lot easier.  I hope this list was helpful, and if you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment!