Baby Items We Swear By
Our Holy Grail Baby Products
When you look up what you need for a newborn baby, the list can be overwhelming. There are thousands of options out there and it's hard to tell what works and what is all hype. In some cases, I learned the hard way that paying more money for some items can actually be well worth it. Of course, the opposite has also proven true with some products. Here is a list of the products that I swear by and that I highly recommend you add to your baby registry.
NUK Pacifiers
NUK Pacifiers - $4.29 from Target
Nuk pacifiers have been the best brand for our newborn. The other options are too bulky and hard for her to keep in her mouth. However, the NUK pacifier is shaped more true to a nipple in her mouth, so she can keep it in her mouth comfortably. One of NUK's claims for this item is that it will not cause nipple confusion. For us, that is absolutely true.
Another huge benefit to these is that it has actually made her latch stronger. I'm not an expert on lactation or pediatrics, but I assume it helped due to the real, nipple-like pacifier nipple. All I can say is that these pacifiers were a lifesaver in the breastfeeding department.
This also comes with a plastic case that can be used, not only for storage but for sterilization as well. You will not want to wash these with soap and water unless you want to stand over the sink trying to get all the suds out for half an hour. There is a little hole at the top of the nipple. Soapy water will get in easily, but it won't come out easily. So, that plastic sterilization case is a lifesaver. Of course, it's also convenient to store pacifiers in your diaper bag without worrying about sanitation in your bag. Basically, I can't find a single downside to these pacifiers.
Huggies Little Snugglers
Though we haven't tried many brands of diapers yet, these have been the best so far. They are designed to prevent leaks and they have the wetness indicator on the diaper which is extremely helpful. Other brands, like Pampers, didn't hold up and leaked. These seem comfortable for our little one and she hasn't had any reactions from these diapers. However, our baby does not have any skin allergies or sensitivities, so we cannot say how these would do for babies with those concerns.
Note that when you use these, you will need to fold the front over to avoid hitting the umbilical cord stump. I believe that this is due to the varying positions that the umbilical cord can be in. So, I do not consider that a design flaw. In fact, the Pampers that we used in the hospital had to be used the same way.
Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System
Chicco Bravo Travel System - $379.99 from Target
This is one of those items that we learned about the hard way. When I was researching travel systems, I found the Chicco Bravo system and went right past it due to the high price tag. We found a different option that was over half the price and felt pretty proud of ourselves for making, what we thought was, a wise decision. Let me reassure you that this was by far the wrong choice.
When you are investing in something that is crucial to your child's safety, spending more money is easily justified. The travel system that we chose had no head support for a newborn. My poor baby's head just slumped over and we couldn't put anything in to support her head because that's a huge no-no (never put anything in the car seat that did not come with the car seat or that is not recommended by the manufacturer to add). We had to drive my precious newborn home in an inadequate car seat!
Don't make the mistake we made! We ended up having to buy a new travel system in just a few days so we would have a better car seat for our baby before her pediatrician appointment. That was a lot of money to throw down just a day or two after having a baby! This travel system is highly recommended by many moms and I completely see why.
It was easy to assemble and install. Opening and closing the stroller is a piece of cake and taking the car seat in and out as well as installing it to the stroller couldn't be more of a breeze. My daughter sits in this car seat comfortably and I feel so calm with her in this seat. I have an abundance of confidence in her safety and can now travel in the car stress-free.
Halo Sleepsack
Swaddling a baby is way harder than it looks. We watched the nurses in the hospital do it countless times, watched videos, and looked up step-by-step images to help us learn how to swaddle our baby correctly. Every time we tried to swaddle her, our daughter would wiggle her arms free and get fussy. This is even more of an annoyance at 1 am when you're trying to sleep before your baby wakes up to eat and now you are up trying to fidget with swaddling while you're half asleep.
Though I would like to get the blanket swaddling figured out one day, this sleepsack is a major help in the meantime. It's the easiest swaddle to use and it gives the baby room to move their feet. For our little one, she likes to have her legs less tight and her arms more restrained, so this is just perfect. I love the design of this as well. It's the best swaddle for a fussy baby. Other types can be just a little more tricky to use when your little one is wiggling around and feeling uncooperative. I would highly recommend this to anyone.
Ruvalino Diaper Bag Backpack
When I was first looking up diaper bags, I definitely gravitated towards the chic, feminine bags that were on the higher end of the price list. However, I also recognized that I will not be the only one lugging around this bag. Also, I had to ask myself if I really wanted something that would be more difficult to carry or if a backpack style would be more practical.
This couldn't have been the better choice! First of all, as far as diaper bags go, the price is extremely reasonable. Secondly, this bag holds so much! I'm able to put everything my baby needs into it as well as the things I need (i.e. my wallet, pads, an extra shirt for myself, etc). It's very comfortable to carry and it's gender-neutral for both my husband and myself.
I also love that there are a large number of pockets for organization. The last thing you want to do when you're out and about is tear apart your diaper bag because you don't have a good way to store anything. I wouldn't trade this backpack for anything! I've been asked a few times about diaper bag recommendations and I immediately send them a link to this bag because we love it so much.
