Being a first time mom is a roller coaster journey full of ups and downs. You’ve never done this before right, so of course it’s only natural to feel completely lost and double guessing yourself with every decision you make. With all new things, it takes trial and error, figuring out what works and what does not work. Being a mama ain’t easy…let me tell ya but during my journey of navigating my way through being a first time mom I discovered products that made the journey a lot easier. Below is a list I put together of products that I couldn’t have lived without and made my life just a little bit easier and from one mama to another I hope it can do the same for you.
Please note that I would never recommend a product that I didn’t love or haven’t used myself. These are products I will use and buy again for my second boy.
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Swaddles: From the newborn stage and beyond, swaddles are a game changer. From the newborn stage to about five months (at least for my little guy), the moro reflex is full-fledged and will wake up your baby almost every time and believe me when you spend an hour getting your little one to finally fall asleep just to wake up from that darn reflex, it can be so frustrating. Swaddles help mute that reflex and keep your baby snuggled warm and tight just like the womb. My little man always slept better swaddled. When he started to roll over, we dropped the swaddle at night but continue to use it for naps of course with arms out so he couldn’t get stuck and still able to roll over. For him and us, it works as a cue for nap time. We loved this brand of swaddles, SwaddleMe Original Swaddle 3-PK, SuperStar (LG).
White Noise Machine: We got a small one with our bassinet so from the very start our baby boy grew accustomed to it and helped block out all the background noise. It also was a cue for him that it was time to sleep. When we moved him to his crib, we bought a fish one ( Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother Crib Toy with Remote, Lights and Melodies for Newborns and up ) that plays music and has white noise that we play every time we put him down for bed and naps. He can turn it on also during the middle of the night to put himself back to sleep. It’s worked wonders for his sleep and is a part of our routine which is vital for our little man.
Pacifier Wipes: I know this one seems like another little gimmick but this little invention is a life saver. It’s an all-natural cleaner which is important to me. It’s perfect for when you are on the go and the pacifier goes on the ground, it’s a quick easy wipe and let it air dry for a couple minutes and give it back to baby all clean. I also used it on toys for the same purpose. Basically anything that goes in baby’s mouth, I would use it for! We use this brand: Munchkin Arm & Hammer Pacifier Wipes (4 Packs of 36 wipes each).
Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat: I can’t say enough great things about this product. My son loved it and was actually so content in it for awhile. Whenever I had things to do like the laundry or dishes, I’d set him in there and he would just watch me. He loved the toys it came with or I’d include him in what I was doing and he would just be so happy and content. It also was handy for when we were on the go. He loved sitting outside in it. We also used it as a highchair from time to time when we went camping. And it also helps build muscles for sitting up so win win.
Cozy Cover: This product is perfect for winter time and also rainy weather. I live in Washington and I had my son in December so this product was perfect for us. We’d zip him up and he stayed nice and warm to and from the car and of course when we had to stay outside longer. Also, we never had to worry about him kicking it off like he did with blankets.
Nursing Cover: So this specific cover from Amazon, Car seat Canopy Nursing Cover – Multi use , is a must have for sure. My friend actually got it for me as a baby shower gift because she loved it. It’s great for breastfeeding and for a car seat cover. It’s light weight and doesn’t fall off your shoulders like other nursing covers I have had. It’s also breathable fabric so I never had any issues with my son overheating. For that reason, it was a great car seat cover during the hot summer months. And bonus, it’s pretty cute!
Munchkin Fresh Food Feeder : This is the perfect baby item for when your baby is starting out on solids and it’s also great for a teething baby. You can put fruits in it that babies can suck on and not have to worry about it being a choking hazard. I would always put frozen mango or blueberries in ours for my son and he loved it. It also kept him busy so mama could get some things done which is a WIN.
Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer: From the newborn stage and beyond, this has been one my husband and I’s favorite buys. We keep it right next to Luke’s changing table so when we are done; we simply put it in the diaper genie and move on with our day. Especially in the newborn stage, when you are changing diapers in the middle of the night, it’s nice to not have to walk the diaper out and put it in the dumpster. Also, it is great at keeping the smell out even now that Luke eats solids and has WAY smellier poop. You can put arm and hammer scents of your choosing in the diaper genie so you get a fresh smell every time you open up the pail.
Bottle Warmer: We used this a little later but man did it come in handy. It’s fairly inexpensive, way more efficient, and less time consuming than warming up the bottle under warm water. It works for breast milk too if you breast feed and can fit large or small bottles.
Receiving Blankets: I love items that have more than one purpose and this item is it for sure. We used the blankets as swaddles, burp rags, for my leaking breasts when I breast fed, and as blankets. They have so many cute designs too. It is definitely an item we used every day. We really liked the Flannel Receiving Blankets (really warm if used as a swaddle).
Breast Pump: This is an essential item if you plan on breastfeeding and especially if you plan on going back to work and you want to maintain your milk supply. Also, I used my breast pump a lot to help build my supply. I used the medela brand (Medela Pump in Style Advanced ) and never had any issues with it. It was easy to use with a manual that was easy to read and all the medela pumping supplies were very reliable and durable. Also, I got mine free through insurance so check your insurance first to see if they will cover it! Every penny saved counts!
Mommy’s Bliss Gripe Water: My little boy had tummy problems like no other. I was struggling trying to figure out how to help him get a better night’s sleep and feel better in general and this product really helped with that. We would give it to him at night usually when he was extra gassy and he always slept better and it also seemed to help him poop too.
Boppy Nursing Pillow : This was my best friend in the beginning when all my little man wanted to do was nurse. It kept my arms from falling off and kept him nice and close to me. It made both of us comfortable for those long nursing sessions which are important in establishing breastfeeding. Also, when I was done breastfeeding I would use it to sit him up and talk to him. We also used it for tummy time which he loved.
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Diaper Rash Ointment : Thankfully we didn’t have to use this often (maybe because it worked so well) but when we did have to use it, we would only use it for maybe a day and it took Luke’s diaper rash right away. I’m pretty sure we still have the same tube because it only takes a little so it lasts for a long time.
Infantino Twist and Fold Activity Gym: Luke loved his activity mat. He would be so content for so long under there looking at all the colors and when he discovered how to grab the toys, it was a whole other ball game. He couldn’t get enough of the mirror also. This activity matt is where he rolled over for the first time. It’s great…that is all.
Pack N Play: Another dual purpose baby item. He would play in it while we went camping or to the beach and we didn’t have to worry about him eating grass or sand. He also would sleep in it for naps and at night. It’s easy to pick up, set up, take down, and take wherever. We loved it!
Web Cam monitor: If you have already been searching the web for baby monitors then you know how expensive they can be. With me going down to part time after Luke arrived, my husband and I had to be on a budget. We found this webcam monitor below on Amazon. We bought it initially because it was inexpensive for one and it had good reviews (important). I love it because it’s so easy to set up and use. You can use it on your phone (thru an app) and it’s a really clear image. It has night mode, you can talk to baby through it, take pictures and even record. The audio comes in really clear also so you can listen to baby. It’s so wonderful that we bought another for our second little man coming in June. It is through wifi but we have never had any issues with hacking and connection issues have only happened a few times. When we have connectivity issues, we just reboot our router and it works just fine after words in a matter of minutes. I use it several times a day for naps and at night. I can’t tell you how much of a peace of mind this baby item has given me! BONUS: We will use them as security cameras once the boys are older.
These are items I’d buy again and again. It takes a village to raise our babies’ so any help I’ve found along the way is definitely worth sharing. If any mamas have items to add, I’d love to hear it! <3
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