There are A LOT of products out there that advertise themselves as essential for parents, here are 9 that actually were must-haves for us:
Top Row
Mini Bassinet Co-Sleeper – Both of our kids slept in our room for the first few months of their lives. Our first used a pack-n-play, which worked but bending down to get him out of it several times a night was kind of a nightmare on my back and just a general pain. With our second, we tried out this co-sleeper and I loved it! It was a lot smaller than the pack-n-play and snuggled right up next to the mattress. Once I was done breastfeeding (side note: side-feeding is awesome for the middle of the night) I just had to slide baby girl over a bit and I could go right back to sleep – it was heaven.
Pikkolo Baby Carrier – I really liked our Babybjorn carrier at first, but once baby was bigger than 3 months it just didn’t give my back enough support. Friends recommended the Ergo but mentioned they didn’t like that baby couldn’t face outward in it. With baby #2 we discovered the Pikkolo, which is pretty much like an Ergo with the added option of facing baby outward – score! (Writing that just made me realize I’m at a point where I may never use a baby carrier again… sigh.)
My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow – Cheesy name aside, I thought this was such a great nursing pillow. It was recommended by my lactation specialist and was way better than the Boppy which was too flat. My back thanked me (are you starting to notice a trend in these recommendations?). P.S. I love this cover – comes in lots of fun colors.
Middle Row
Snack Traps – These are fabulous for snacking on the go. They’re also great for preventing spillage.
Space-Saver High Chair – I don’t know why anyone buys full size high chairs when this is available. It sits on your chair so it takes up less room, it’s less expensive, and it even reclines to work for the littlest babies. Plus, it’s not too hard to take with you for dinner at a friend’s house (although for serious travel we used this). We’ve had ours for 4 years and it’s still going strong.
Leak Proof Stainless Steel Straw Bottle – A durable, leak proof and BPA free bottle with a straw is a definite must for hitting the town. Again, there are lots of cute colors and designs available.
Bottom Row
Skip Hop Duo Deluxe Diaper Bag – A few essentials on my diaper bag list are: a clean look (so Dad will carry it too and you can use it for other stuff down the line), lots of pockets and space, good construction. This one hits them all.
Baby Trend Sit-n-Stand DX Stroller – If you’re looking for a stroller for more than one kid, this is it! It’s perfect for young kids who sometimes want to walk, sometimes want to sit, sometimes want to stand, etc. We bought one off of Craiglist and took it with us on a recent trip to California with our 2 and 3 year old. It was SOOO convenient at places like Sea World. Both kids took turns sitting in each spot, it wasn’t too heavy to push, and it had lots of storage space.
Lock & Lock Lunch Box Set – Thousands of play dates and trips to the park have taught us the importance of an insulated lunch box with lots of compartments to keep things separate and tidy. This one is great.
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