Sponsored by Cetaphil Baby.
Having a baby is scary, but what can be even scarier at times is the amount of stuff that comes with her. Over the last few months, I’ve tried to navigate the mommy must-haves scene and everywhere I looked, I read something different. It’s overwhelming and confusing!
I decided, instead, to defer to my mom friends and make my list of must haves based on their recommendations. You can see my full registry list here, but today I wanted to share the six most recommended products by the moms I trust the most.
1. Rock ‘n Play
I always heard moms talking about rock ‘n plays, but had no idea what they were until now… I’m still not entirely sure why it’s so important, but I guess I’ll find out soon enough!
Basically it’s a swing that rocks the baby to sleep during naptime and soothes them when they’re cranky. We ended up buying this one on the recommendations of our friends. It’s not an eyesore and comes at a pretty good price.
2. Nourishing Baby Skin Care
Obviously every mama wants to wash and moisturize her baby’s delicate skin with nourishing products that are both safe and gentle. I’m no different, but had no idea where to start.
Then I learned that Cetaphil, a brand that my family and I have used forever, makes a line of baby products that are all paraben, colorant, and mineral-oil free. Um, yes please!
Many of the washes and moisturizers are made with organic calendula (an extract from marigold flowers), an ingredient that has been used literally for centuries to soothe sensitive and/or irritated skin, making it perfect to help soothe diaper rash and maintaining that soft baby skin that everyone knows and loves.
They sent over the line and I tried it on my own skin and liked what I felt. Trying out baby products made me so excited for bath time with our little one when she arrives!
3. Stroller/Car Seat Combination
At first we had registered for a stroller by UPPA Baby and a car seat by another brand. When I told one friend this, she explained that you often take the baby out of the car and click the car seat directly into the stroller.
I quickly updated my registry to change our car seat and now we’re UPPA Baby all the way! The two specific products that my friends seemed to love were:
Stroller: UPPAbaby Vista. It’s light, easy to break down, and looks quite chic
Car seat: UPPAbaby Mesa. It works with the stroller system and is rated well for safety and comfort.
These products are not cheap but we were lucky that family members bought them for us as baby gifts.
4. Carrier
We walk/hike in the woods multiple times a week, and we’re hoping we don’t have to stop once the baby comes. My friend Bailey sometimes joins us and brings her son, Davis, in a carrier. He falls asleep and she can walk with her hands free (great for me when I need to have Boots on leash).
Although I’ve gotten mixed messages about which direction to go in here, she swears by the Baby Gemini Cool Mesh Carrier. I can attest firsthand that it’s easy to put on and take off, and the baby seems to love it.
I also like that it has cooling fabric for summer days that can get super hot and humid around here.
5. Serious Sleep Solution
Every baby sleeps differently and therefore needs a different sleep solution. One girlfriend of mine has three little boys and each one slept in a different bassinet. One solution didn’t work for all three of them.
That being said, there is one product, new to the market, that has come so highly recommended that I couldn’t not have it. My friend Arielle’s baby slept through the night at six weeks and does so every night still (she’s 15 weeks now).
So what is this magical sleeping trick? The SNOO, made by the doctor that brought us The Happiest Baby on the Block. It’s a chic-looking bassinet that shushes, swaddles, and rocks the baby all at once.
The price tag is no joke, but if there is one thing to splurge on for your own sanity and a well-rested baby, apparently it’s this. I’ll report back once I actually use it to see if it works as well as they say it does!
6. Hospital Grade Breast Pump
All breast pumps are not created equal. That’s one thing I’ve heard time and time again from my doctor, doula, friends, and the lactation consultant who teaches our parenting classes.
The hospital grade pumps help you create more milk in the beginning and keep the flow sustained for longer. They are bigger and have different suction settings than “over the counter” pumps. And they’re just much stronger in general.
There are two main brands, Medela and Spectra, and it’s pretty split down the middle with my friends on which one is the best. We went with the Spectra S1 just because it was more affordable. I’ve heard great things about it, so am excited to see it do its job.
FYI the Spectra S2 is also great but doesn’t have a rechargeable battery. I liked that the S1 would be easier on the go.
Ok so what am I missing? What would you recommend as a must-have to a new mama like me? See my full registry list here.
I just had a baby 4 months ago. I highly suggest getting a ton of side snap t-shirts. Cute onesies, sleepers, and gowns are great but you will quickly start to detest them in the middle of the night! Also the baby bjorn bouncer is wonderful!
Amazing thank you! We have side snap onesies already but only a few side snap shirts. Will stock up 🙂
Oh you’ll love it! Get the toy bar for it once she’s a little bigger! The t shirts are also great till the cord comes off too!!
And my friend gave me her baby bjorn bouncer too! Excited to have that.
I second the side snap clothing comment. We’re expecting our first little one in 3 weeks, and all my mama friends have been on my case about side snapping shirts, onesies, etc. – especially with a newborn, as the last thing you want to be doing is constantly pulling bodysuits and onesies over their heads. H&M has some great, cute (and affordable!) options.
I never thought I could be so excited about a baby stroller but I’m obsessed with our Uppababy Vista/Mesa. So worth it! Also loving Magnificent Baby magnetic pj’s/footies- genius & makes nighttime changes so much easier.
I will 100% co-sign on the UppaBaby Vista! It’s the BEST stroller and we love ours so much. Worth the cost, for sure. I will give a gentle warning to not rely on the vibrating settings on the Rock and Play. It makes it much harder to transition babies to a crib if they rely on vibrations to fall asleep. We LOVED our RnP, but only used as a place to put the baby down while we got other things done.
we love our uppababy! good pick! that snoo is so intriguing- can’t wait to hear if it works!
xo, brittany
http://www.notablob.com
Will definitely be sharing more about it after we use it!
My daughter swears by NoseFreda! It sounded a bit gross at first, but isn’t and works like a charm!
We have one! Good to know!! Definitely sounds gross haha
I also liked having a portable crib/playpen in my living room. They sleep so often in the beginning it was convenient to have a place to lay him down during the day without putting him in his room.
You can also rent a hospital grade pump from the maternity ward. I rented the Medela for my first baby. Insurance may also cover the cost of the rental. It was nice to give it back once I was done with it! Pumping isn’t so fun.
My insurance ended up covering the entire thing which was amazing!
The SNOO is so pretty and sleek, but my sister swears by the Baby Merlin Sleepsuit – not quite as elegant, but a cheaper solution to try for sleep troubles!
Good to know! We will try anything 🙂
The Magic Merlin sleep suit is pretty magical, but can’t be used until the baby is at least 3 months old and can’t be used when the baby can roll. I have only been able to find it on Amazon. It’s worth every penny!
This is beautiful!! Husby splurged on the hospital grade Medela pump for me, saying we could always Ebay it after (they are meant for multiple users after all since hospitals rent them out and no fluids ever go into the permanent part) but we ended up keeping it just in case I need it again 🙂 Totally agree it’s the way to go!
Oh good! So glad to hear that!!
Hi Julia,
I remember years ago in a post about natural products that you had mentioned how many chemicals Cetaphil had. It’s stuck with me because I suffer from acne/rosacea and it’s something my dermatologist firmly recommended – and it’s worked but I always remembered you pointing out its flaws. Do Cetaphil’s products now contain fewer chemicals? Or was this post baby-product specific?
Hi Kristen! The baby products are formulated differently and I’m super excited about them! Have you found a product that works for your acne/rosacea yet? If not, I recommend Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean Cleanser with tea tree oil.
First – where is your tunic from in this photo? It’s really cute on you. A great color.
I fail to believe that a $1200 bassinet is the miracle sleep solution (and I’m not a big fan of Dr. Karp), but I’m interested to see how it works out for you. I’ve got 6 months to go so you’ll have plenty of time to test it out for me. 😉
Thank you so much! I bought it at a little store in Charleston called Madison Matthews (http://www.madison-mathews.com/).
I’ll keep you posted on the SNOO and plan to write a full post about it once we’ve fully tried it out. My friends who use it swear by it so we’ll see! The price is insane, I agree… but apparently worth it.
The miracle blanket was our favorite swaddle. It’s not as cute as the others, but really lives up to its name. 😉 Weeks 7 – 9 were the most challenging for me and this swaddle was the only thing that could get my little guy down for a nap.
Also, I use the Medela bottle soap to prevent the bottles from absorbing the perfumes of dish soap. The perfume can then alter the taste of the milk. I even use the Medela soap to clean my water bottles and parts.
I also love the Ergo baby carrier. It’s pricey, but so so comfortable.
If you aren’t a member of Amazon Prime, join now. Dragging an infant out to a store is a lot of work. 🙂
Overall, babies are so picky. My little guy didn’t like they flashy and trendy items, so I was really grateful that I had hand-me-downs for things like the Mom-a-roo and rock-n-play. These gadgets really add up. Let me tell you, I got over my fear of second-hand shopping really quickly! Ha!