As first time parents, we’re totally learning on the fly. If you’re also a new parent (or about to be — congratulations!), I thought it might be helpful to share the products that we have found to be super helpful and most effective for our family in these first few months as a family of three!
SLEEPING
Halo Bassinest
I love the swivel feature of this bassinet because it makes it easy for me to get in / out of bed, but keeps Sophie super accessible. It has an adjustable height so you can have your baby within arm’s reach of wherever you are.
*Top Tip: get multiple newborn inserts and pad covers! There will be spit up.
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Dock-A-Tot Lounger
This item is so great for setting Sophie up so that she can sleep near us wherever we are in the house, like on the couch next to us as we watch a movie or something (we never leave her in it unattended!). She is starting to outgrow the Deluxe+ so we may need to think about ordering the Grand for her in the near future!
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Lou Lou & Co Swaddle Blanket
I love this stretchy, soft fabric for swaddles and they double as light blankets which makes them great multitaskers when you’re on-the-go / traveling! These were so great when we first brought Sophie home and for the first ~month and now I toss one in my diaper bag for a little comfort when we’re away from home ( like the doctor’s office!).
*Top Tip: get multiple swaddles because you’ll want a spare (or two!) when one is covered in spit up and in the laundry.
If you’d like a discount on your first LouLou purchase, click here!
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Miracle Swaddle
If your baby is an escape artist like ours, this swaddle is essentially a baby straight jacket and will prevent them from getting out of their bundle! 🤣 It’s what we used until she started showing signs of rolling over. It’s been the best swaddle for soothing Sophie and keeping her arms contained!
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Portable Nightlight
Wow, this has come in so handy for our overnight feedings. Bright lights can be stimulating for baby, making it harder for them to fall back to sleep. This soft glow gives us illumination to see what we’re doing without fully waking us up. We love that it’s portable (with a LONG battery life!), the brightness is adjustable, and you can choose from multiple colors / modes (solid, color changing, etc.).
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Spotify White Noise Station
I love that this makes white noise portable without needing an additional device to take with us when we travel. I just plug my phone in to a power source and let the station play on loop all night and it works like a charm.
FEEDING
BabyBrezza Formula Mixer
Ever since we made the decision to exclusively formula-feed Sophie this purchase has been, hands-down, the biggest gamechanger for our family. Bottles made with the push of a button? Such a dream.
*Top Tip: Since the funnel needs to be cleaned every 4 bottles, we recommend getting an extra one to pop into the machine as soon as the other one is dirty. This isn’t necessary, but they’re affordable and it makes life easier. We also recommend the sterilizer which can be configured a couple of ways and used to sterilize bottles, pump parts, and various other items such as pacifiers.
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Boon Nursh Silicone Bottles
Bottles really come down to your baby’s preference, but we got lucky and Sophie isn’t picky so these were the bottles that I chose for her. What attracted me most to these bottles was how multi-purpose they are. The nipples can be replaced as Sophie graduates beyond the slow-flow and even into sippy cups further in the future!
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Boppy Pillow
Could I manage without this pillow? Sure, but feeding the baby wouldn’t be nearly as comfortable if we just used a normal rectangular pillow. Even my husband enjoys using it when he feeds Sophie! It can also be used (with supervision) as a lounger — we prop Sophie up in it when we’re reading to her in bed or we’d place her on it on her belly to get some modified Tummy Time in!
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HYGIENE
The Laundress Baby Detergent
We love this brand for everything laundry-related so it was only natural that we add the baby detergent to our stock, especially since we’re doing a lot more laundry ever since our little one arrived!
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Silky Tots Silk Bassinet Sleeve
Sophie has managed to rub a lot of the hair off of the back of her head, creating a rather large bald spot. 😩 She doesn’t have a ton of hair to begin with and now there’s even less! To prevent more hair loss (and hopefully promote regrowth? 🤞🏼) we bought these silk sleeves for her to sleep on. They’re also machine washable which is totally ideal, especially with the imminent threat of spit up. lol I’ll keep you posted on how the silk is working for Sophie in a month or so when her body has had a little time to (hopefully) regrow some hair.
*Update: it totally worked like a charm! The silk is so much more gentle on her tiny peach fuzz and she is no longer rubbing her hair off in the bassinet.
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Keekaroo Peanut Changing Pad
OMG this changing pad has been an absolute lifesaver during diaper changes. It’s cushioned for Sophie’s comfort and I’ve lost count of how many times Sophie has gotten it dirty so I am infinitely grateful for the easy-to-clean material.
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Collapsible Bath Tub
We live in a small house with minimal storage options so we needed a bath tub that would give Sophie safety and support, but would also be easy for us to store. This tub delivered on the ease of storage because it collapses, but we will also be able to use it for quite a while as Sophie grows because the other side of the tub can be used once she is sitting up on her own.
All of our favorite bathing products can be found in this post!
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Electric Nail File
Clipping a squirming baby’s fingernails is so nerve-wracking, so I bought this gentle nail dremel to take the stress out of trimming Sophie’s fingernails and it works great! Not only is the file part effective and easy to use, it’s super quiet and has a helpful little light on the end to illuminate the tiny fingernails as you work.
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MISCELLANEOUS
Solly Baby Carrying Wrap
I love this carrier for short trips or for toting Sophie around the house when she wants to be held, but I need the use of my hands. It’s super soft so it’s great for everyday wear and since it folds up within itself it’s great to toss into your diaper bag for travel!
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Ryan And Rose Pacifiers
I love that these pacifiers were designed with babies in mind, specifically because the nipple isn’t too long which will avoid choking (especially for premies!). The silicone is safe and easy to sanitize since it’s all the same piece (no inaccessible nooks and crannies!). Every baby’s pacifier preference is different so if you’re unsure which style your baby would like I recommend getting the kit that includes all available options! I shared in this post how I sterilized the pacifiers before Sophie was born. I also purchased some coordinating Cutie Clips to match her pacifiers that are so necessary, especially when out of the house.
If you’re interested in a discount on your first R&R order, click here!
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“The Story of You” Baby Book
I love the pages and prompts in this book for capturing all of our memories with Sophie. You can get your photos professionally printed by the baby book company, but I also wanted to be able to print my own photos to add to the book (instant gratification, you know?) so I bought a portable printer (+film) and it’s been perfect for adding visuals to the written memories! I also used a no-mess ink pad for including her footprints in the book.
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Activities
Aside from just reading, singing, and talking to Sophie, we’ve loved using these Visual Stimulus Flashcards & Baby Activity Ideas with her. She really focuses on the flashcards as I explain what each item is or count the number of shapes on the card; it’s so cute. We also really appreciated having suggestions on how to interact, engage, and “play” with our newborn from the idea “playbook”.
EDUCATION
TinyHood
Childbirth & Infant Classes + CPR!
WonderWeeks
Tracking and guidance for baby’s developmental Leaps
(useful throughout baby’s life!)
@safeintheseat
expert advice around car seat safety
@karrie_locher
her courses and guides are so approachable & helpful
(re: postpartum, newborns, etc.)
@mommy.labornurse
watch her IG Highlight titled “Breastfeeding” for a demo on how to hand express breast milk!
(I wish I had seen this before having Sophie and maybe our breastfeeding journey would have unfolded differently)
@the.peaceful.sleeper
for baby sleep assistance
@momsoncall
for a great daily baby “schedule” to get into a rhythm
@themovementmama for motor milestones
I am still in total disbelief that we’ve officially been parents for more than three months now! I hope these suggestions are helpful for you! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have a question or a product / resource to share with other readers!
You’ve got this!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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