1. Rock and Play sleeper-
This this has been one of the most valuable and used items we got from our registry. She still sleeps in this thing most nights. (we are transiting to crib-but that's another story) This thing is great! It is lightweight and portable fits right beside your bed so baby can stay in the room with you good for those late night feedings. It is in a reclined position so it keeps the baby on her back slightly elevated. She sleeps so well in it I am dreading the day she outgrows it. It is around $80 but well worth it in my book and a cheaper alternative to a pack and play as it can travel very easily.
2. Gripe water- This is not normally something you see on one of these lists but it was a God send for us especially in the beginning. Gripe water is a homeopathic remedy for gas and other stomach problems in case you didn't know. Addie had such a problem with gas from the beginning, and I just felt awful for her we tried gas drops but they did nothing. A friend recommended gripe water and it was awesome! It really seemed to give her relief and it is all natural an added bonus in my book :) I have had friends say it didn't work for their babies and gas drops did Addie was the exact opposite. My advice is to get both and try them separately. Trust me you will want something when your poor baby is screaming from gas pain.
3. Nursing tanks- Ok I know this isn't really a baby item, but as you will see several of my must haves are items for mom that help take care of babies. If you are breastfeeding (and you really should if you are able) these are must haves. They are super confortable at a time when wearing a bra (even a nearsing bra) is supper uncomfortable if not down right painful. They are a simple one click access to feed baby (you only need one hand which is great!). I lived in these the first few weeks. I even sent my husband to target to get more a few days after we got home from the hospital. I got all mine at target they have good prices and are just as good as the more expensive brands. Stock up!
4. Nursing pads- I don't know if I am just weird or what but I went through at least a thousand of these. Trust me you will need them once your milk comes in. I prefered the Lansinoh brand and the disposible ones. I bought a pair of washable ones but they were aweful! I don't see how people stand that. Also stock up on nipple cream while your at it that is anothr necessity you will need but I wont make a seprate post for.
5. Baby Swing- This is probably a controversial one because some babies don't like them, but my husband especially says this one is invaluable. Addie loved to swing and it would put her to sleep when nothing else would. We were lucky and someone gave us ours so we didn't have to front the hefty price tag for this one, but if we did I think this would have been a good investment. We used it that much. I will say try to burrow one and see if your baby likes it before you make the investment or buy second hand. I also recommend one that plugs into the wall. Ours ran off batteries and it cost us a fortune in D batteries, but we kept buying them because we loved it that much.
6. Boppy- I still use this for feedings. It comes in handy and I love that the pillow cases can be removed and washed. I recommend getting two cases if you can so you can always have one to put on while the other is washing. Regular pillows can work, but this thing is just so handy I would definitely put it on my list especially if you plan to breastfeed.
7. Medela Brest Pump- If you are going to have to go back to work like I did after 7 weeks, and you want to breast feed this is a must. I have totally gotten my money out of this one. It was an over $300 investment, but when I did the math it paid for its self in three months by avoiding formula costs not to mention I was giving my baby way better nutrition than formula can offer. Considering I am still using it I think it was well worth the investment. This is great for working moms who breastfeed. If you are staying home full time you night be able to get by with just a manual pump. I also recommend waiting to buy this until after you have established breast feeding and are sure you will use it. I mean I have heard stories of women spending $300 or more and only using it once. This is not something you can return so keep that in mind. I bought mine a couple weeks before I returned to work after I had gotten the hang of breastfeeding and knew I was going to stick with it.
8. Carters or other soft blanket- OK this blanket is the softest one I have ever felt. She loves this thing heck I want one in an adult size. Addie was born in November and so this thing was great to put in her car seat went we took her out and really to snuggle her anytime. I think any baby would love it. Addie got tons and tons of blankets but this one was by far her favorite and pretty much the only one we use.
9. Stroller frame- We were given a car seat and travel system from Michael's dad and step mom. We were so grateful we would not have to fork out the big buck for that investment, but the stroller would not fit in my trunk and plus it was burly and hard to get in and out. I knew I needed something I could operate easily. I found the answer in a stroller frame. This thing was super easy to get in and out of the car very lightweight. The car seat simply snaps right just like a travel system but much easier for a momma on the go.
10. Bottles- Even if you are planning on breastfeeding you will still likely need bottles at some point. Mainly for when you pump or can't be with baby. We orignally bought Dr. Browns bottles. Mainly becasue I loved how they were glass and had the device that kept lots of air from getting to the baby. I never really used the bottles too much becasue when I am with her she obviously breastfeeds so I am going mostly off what my husband says. He liked these alright but did not like the fact that they were glass making them heavy and impossible for Addie to hold even once she got to the point she could hold other bottles. (Can you tell my husband is all for independant feeding lol) I really like a brand my mom bought for us called breastflow by the first years. I think its the fact that the nipple looks more like a breast and it also has a airflow system. Addie would take these bottles when she wouldn't take any other kind. Did I mention she did not like bottle feeding? She has always known the difference between the real thing and a cheap substitute. Anyways that is why they were my pick but Michael did not like them becasue it was had if not impossible to get all the milk out of these. Over all we tried lots of different types of bottles. These were the only two types we liked enough to mention. Maybe I will do a separate post on bottles later. Bottom line you will probably need them so pick up a few. I recommend buying a small pack in case your baby doesn't like them. That way you don't waist a lot of money on one kind.
11. Diapers and wipes- This is a no brainier everyone knows you will need tons of these. You can not have enough diapers or wipes trust me, and walmart will exchange unopened packs of diapers for a bigger size if necessary so stock up! We loved papers swaddlers when she was newborn. They have this great indicator that turns blue when she is wet and are super soft. Papers are still our favorite but we have tried and liked lots of other cheaper brands. Luvs, huggies, and target brand work just about as well and so we usually just get what is on sale or a have a coupon for. The only brand we have not liked is walmats generic. You could tell they were very cheaply made (they felt like plastic) and they leaked several times. Targets generic on the other hand are great my 2nd favorite and considering the fact that they are a lot cheaper most of the time they might be my new favorite :) As far as wipes go I really have no preference I buy a different kind every time and they are all about the same to me.
12. changing pad and cover- So you could probably get by without this one but we have loved it. Makes changing time easy and comfortable. We have two of the covers so when one gets dirty we change it out for the other while we wash the first one. I honestly thought about buying three, and there were some days when it would have been handy to have another.
13. Nail clippers- now if anyone finds a good easy to use pair of these for a baby let me know. The ones I bought are terrible, but they are necessary. We use them all the time, and even as a newborn they have fingernails and will scratch their face. You probably want to invest in a pair or two of those mittens for newborns as well becasue if you are like me your probably going to be too scared to clip your newborn baby's fingernails. Here is a hit I got from a friend though- when they are really little their finger nails are paper thin so you can basically tear them down to size. Much easier than clipping!
14. sleepers- these are great for newborns becasue you don't have to put anything over their head (which is quite a feat early on). Adelyn wore these all the time. I especially liked the fleece ones becasue it was winter time and they kept her warm and were so soft. Of all the cute clothes Addie got she got the most use out of these in her first few months. I would buy a few of these in all different sizes.
That's all I can think of for now, but I am sure there are things that I am missing or forgot about. What would you add?
stay tuned in for my next post on Baby Items to Leave Off the Registry.
