When it comes to baby products, brands are going to try and sell you things you absolutely don’t need. Or maybe don’t need for your particular baby. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and buy all the things or think you need to buy all the things. With Kaiden, we definitely took a very minimalistic route because we didn’t have too much space or money. Thankfully, he was easy in that way. He’s four now and thriving so there’s that! With Ms. Mila, we took a slightly different approach. My best friend gave us a lot of things she used with her daughter + as we got to learn Mila’s preferences, we definitely bought a few extra things we didn’t with Kaiden.
Parenting is all trial and error, my friends!
We have a pretty good sense of what really works for us at this point, so I thought I’d share our list of must have baby products we use everyday, mainly for anyone like me who felt overwhelmed when thinking about this and just wanted a list of things to buy!
Feeding
My Breast Friend Pillow – great for breastfeeding and feeding in general. Really helps you relax and get the baby into a comfortable feeding position.
Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter – when you’re breastfeeding and/or pumping, this stuff is gold! It really helps keep your nipples from cracking or getting too dry, which helps ease the BFing/pumping process.
Bottles – We had great success with the Avent bottles with K and are trying those out with Mila too. I’ve also heard good things about Dr. Browns and bought this newborn set on Amazon. And finally, a lactation consultant in the hospital told us about the Evenflow nipples which are apparently great for babies who need to transition between breast and bottle. Again…trial and error!
Drying rack – I know the green grass drying rack (don’t recall the brand) is super popular, but I read that it’s a breeding ground for mold, so I bought this one instead, and so far so good!
Bottle brush – LOVE this brush by Dr. Browns (works with all bottles).
Dapple soap – Again, used this soap with Kaiden, and we’re still loving it. Love how clean it is.
Medela Steam Bags – We haven’t used these yet, but I know they’ll be great for when we go to the grandparents house or on vacation (some day!).
Burp clothes – I know this is a given, but you have no idea how many burp clothes we go through in a day! I bought these recently and love how soft they are.
Pump – I got the Spectra S2 through my insurance and like it so far. I am officially an exclusive pumper again (more on this later) and am finding that it does a good job getting out as much milk as possible. And it doesn’t sound as annoying as the Medela pump I used with Kaiden.
Pumping bras – With Kaiden, I made my own bootleg pumping bras out of old sports bras. This time…I know better and got these based on a friend’s rec. Love them!
Bottle warmer – this isn’t a must have product for everyone, but it’s saving us with Mila because when she’s hungry, she’s hungry. And with the current set up of our home, we’re able to keep the bottle warmer upstairs so we don’t have to go back and forth. I also love that this device warms the milk to the perfect temperature. We didn’t have a bottle warmer with Kaiden (felt silly and a little bougie at the time), but for us know, it’s definitely a must have item!
Mini fridge – Ok, so before you LOL at us, listen! We keep this tiny fridge in Mila’s room along with the bottle warmer so we don’t have to go up and down the stairs at 1, 3, 5 am in the morning, and it’s been amazing! I prep her bottles the night before, put them in the fridge, and we’re good to go. This way, if Vishnu’s feeding her, he can just grab, warm, and go. I mentioned to Vishnu how a few friends of ours got mini fridges, and he jumped on it and got us this one right away. Life and time saver!
Sleep
Sound machine – We use Amazon Alexa as a sound machine in both kids rooms and our room. Vishnu did all the set up, so if you have questions, let me know and maybe I can get him to do a little tutorial.
Halo bassinet – My best friend let us borrow her Halo and I love it. With Kaiden we had a Graco bassinet that started caving towards the end of it’s life and I didn’t find it very comfortable looking. The Halo (while expensive I know if you were to buy) is fully mesh around the sides, it swivels, and it’s very roomy. So far so good with Mila but she’s a very sleepy baby so time will tell!
Halo sheets – Vishnu bought these extra sheets because the bassinet only comes with one. Trust me, you’ll need multiple! Babies spit up, pee, and poop A LOT! [Microfiber version | Jersey Knit version]
Eco Classica Baby Mattress – We got and loved this mattress with Kaiden and ended up getting Mila a brand new one too. It has an infant side and a toddler side, so it grows with your kid. I don’t think you can really go wrong with whatever mattress you chose but wanted to share our pick because both kids have had zero complaints!
Diapers
Wipe warmer – Again, one of those bougie purchases we didn’t even consider with K (poor guy), but also, he didn’t mind getting his diaper changed or cold wipes. Ms. Mila, on the other hand, goes crazy the minute we open up her diaper and start wiping with a cold wipe. Vishnu got this after recognizing that pattern pretty quickly, and I will say, it’s made the diaper changing process 3x easier.
Diaper Genie – Yet another purchase we didn’t consider with Kaiden. We basically DIYed the solution then and really shouldn’t have! I know the Diaper Genie gets mixed reviews, but we love it. It really does make discarding dirty diapers so much easier, and the set up is also very easy. But most importantly, it keeps everything smelling ok (which our DIY solution didn’t do so well despite our best efforts!).
Nails
Electronic nail filer – No one tells you this, but cutting your newborn’s nails for the first few times is the most terrifying experience as a new parent. With Kaiden, I definitely ended up clipping his skin a little (worst feeling ever!). A nurse at the hospital told us about electronic nail filers for babies, and let me tell you, it’s been a game changer. Mila still doesn’t love it, but at least there’s no risk of her getting cut! A must have in my opinion – thank me later!
Other things we love
Glider – This is the one we got, and we love it! Again, didn’t have this when we had K…such a missed opportunity. Both Vishnu and I love feeding Mila in this chair – makes the experience really comfortable for all of us!
Hanging closet organizer – We use this product (x2) for each kid and love how it keeps there clothes organized and easy to access, especially great for when you don’t a ton of other space and/or when you’re using the dresser for other items (like us).
Dresser dividers – Love these for when babies are little and you need to keep things super organized.
Pack n’ play – a classic baby/toddler product! A must purchase item!
Baby Bjorn Bouncer – We don’t put her in this too much, but when we have she tolerates it and we get 10 minutes to eat or check email. I’ve heard older babies absolutely love this little gadget!
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