PC: Julia Rebecca Photography
Hey friends! I hope everyone is doing well given the current circumstances. In an effort to keep things somewhat normal, I wanted to put a brand new blog post out there but since sessions are few and far between this time of year, not to mention the stay at home order we are all under, I don’t have any new sessions to blog. However, I got a text from a sweet photog friend of mine asking about the main baby items we used for Grace. It gave me the idea to blog about it because if it can help at least one soon to be mom, then that’s good enough for me!
Below are the main items we have used for baby Grace since birth up until now. None of these are sponsored so you can be 100% sure that these items are all things I truly found such amazing use from! Some of these things she has gotten too big for like her Dock-a-Tot, while other items we only recently started using because she was finally big enough, like her highchair! I hope this list is helpful for those who may be putting together their own baby registry. Stay home and stay safe everyone! Oh and PS – these aren’t my images 😉
Dock-A-Tot (with an extra cover!)
We loved loved LOVED using this multipurpose item! Not only was it a comfy and portable place to set Grace down whenever we needed to, but it also allowed us to co-sleep safely which was huge for us. Now before you @ me, I was adamant about not co-sleeping…until we brought Grace home from the hospital and she would cry all night long. It got to the point where it was just easier and more convenient for me to put her down right next to me once she fell asleep and then pick her right up when she needed me the next time she cried. I don’t think Dock-A-Tot recommends their product to be used this way, but honestly, it worked for us and made me feel safe with her in between us in something that prevented either of us from rolling on her. As with everything, make your own decisions about what’s best for you! Also, don’t forget to have a spare cover on hand!
UppaBaby Cruz Stroller
This stroller gets an A+ from me in the style and ease of use category, but it gets a big fat F in the suspension department. I remember the first time I took Grace out for a walk, I ended up moving off of the sidewalk and walking on the road because it just could not handle the sidewalks in my neighborhood and honestly, some really aren’t that bad. I was a little disappointed because I had read so many rave reviews. If you want ease of use, top notch style, good safety ratings and know you will be walking on flat terrain, than I would highly recommend this stroller! If you’re going to be using this on bumpy ground I would highly suggest you look at other options that have better suspension.
Mesa Car Seat with Base
The ease of use and safety were the selling points for me on this guy, not to mention it works seamlessly with the stroller! The base came with the car seat which is easy to install in your backseat, and then the carseat clicks right in and out. There are even visual guides to tell you when the base is perfectly positioned so it takes the guesswork out completely. As a new mom, I so appreciated this!
Lots and Lots of Onesies (zip closure!)
Key words: WITH. ZIP. CLOSURE. Trust me on this one guys. You do not want to fuss with 8+ snaps at 2 in the morning when you’re running off of 45 minutes of sleep for the 6th night in a row. Our favorites are from Burt’s Bees Baby and Carter’s!
Bibs
It’s surprising how much drool such a little mouth can produce, but it does! Seriously, if we forget to put a bib on baby Grace, it’s guaranteed we will have to change her shirt, or entire outfit almost immediately. She can drool through in 15 minutes flat…not to mention the teething phase. It is somehow making her produce 2x the amount of drool she normally would, so that’s fun. I love the Copper Pearl brand and got these on Amazon!
Burp Cloths
You will definitely want a few of these lying around everywhere because spit up doesn’t discriminate and happens a lot.
Bottles
Keeping at least 3-5 of these guys on hand at all times was extremely beneficial for us. I had to start photographing sessions and weddings almost immediately after giving birth so these were a necessity. We tried a lot of different brands but ultimately, Grace preferred NUK bottles over any other brand. Also, don’t forget to pick up a bottle brush for easy cleaning!
Gas Relief Drops
I was skeptical with this product, until we tried it for the first time. It was almost immediate and our fussy baby went right to sleep. It comes with a little syringe that is easy to use and Grace really likes the taste of it which makes for easy taking!
Thermometer
This is a must and we have used ours a lot being first time parents, we are constantly checking her temperature. It’s super easy and quick, we just stick it right under her armpit and it gives us the reading in about 3-5 seconds which is great because the older Grace gets, the squirmier she gets too!
Highchair
Accommodates your growing baby by transitioning from a highchair to a booster seat to a toddler chair and EASY TO CLEAN. The end.
Car Mirror
I love being able to quickly check my rearview mirror to see what Grace is doing when I’m driving. Most of the time she’s just playing with whatever toy we have given her for the ride but other times I’ll look up and she’s just staring at herself in the mirror and it’s the cutest thing!
Pack ‘n Play (with change of sheets)
We slacked on getting this bad boy up and assembled but once we did, wow. It’s so handy and I love that it comes with a changing station and a portable bassinet! It was so easy to put together, too. It even has the option of raising the mat up to accommodate newborns which I didn’t even know was a thing Pack ‘n Plays did so once we found that out, we were even more mad at ourselves for not putting this together sooner. Now it lives in our kitchen filled with some of her favorite toys and I lovingly refer to it as a baby jail because it keeps Grace contained and entertained while I’m making dinner.
Baby Gate
We actually don’t have one of these yet but we have just reached the stage where we need to start looking for one! Grace is crawling around nonstop and wants to explore E V E R Y T H I N G, so this will be super helpful!
Nursing Pads
These things were such a saving grace for me on those rare nights when Grace would sleep through the night in the beginning, I would still wake up drenched in the middle of the night and let me tell you what, that is not pleasant. I found these to be the best and most comfortable and I got them on Amazon!
Hands Free Pumping Bra
If you’re planning on breastfeeding, you will probably have to pump at one point or another, especially if you plan on going back to work. Guess what? I don’t have one of these and every time I pump I ask myself why. Honestly, I didn’t know they were a thing until I saw an ad for them and then I debated on whether or not it would be worth the investment because I didn’t know how much longer I would be breastfeeding and pumping. Well that was like 4 months ago and I’m still breastfeeding and pumping and still asking myself if it would be worth it, especially now that we’re almost at the year mark. I probably won’t buy one because my goal was to start weening at 1 year if we made it that far, but if I would have known more about pumping in the beginning, I would have purchased one of these right after I bought my pump.
Breastmilk Storage Bags
You will need something to store all that milk that you pump and these Medela bags are my favorite. I had the Target brand to start with and those worked just fine too!
Comfort Height Bathtub
We don’t have a bathtub, only a shower stall (bathtub is next on our house renovation list!) So this baby tub was perfect for us! I had put a different one on my baby registry but didn’t realize you needed a tub to use it (first time mom, remember?) So when my good friend and fellow mommy offered me this one, I was so thankful. It has worked out perfect for us and you can get it right on Amazon!
Changing Pad with Liners
I’m going to assume most changing pads are the same but these are the items we have! The changing pad, a full cover that goes over it like a fitted sheet on a bed, and then the liners go on top of that to catch any accidents while changing. And you guessed it, all from Amazon!
Portable Changing Pad
This changing pad has gotten so much use! It lives in the diaper bag and gets used at the grandparents house, great grandparents house, and when we’re out and about and need a sanitary place for a quick change! You can get these online through Target.
Backpack Style Diaper Bag
I spent too much time trying to decide if I should go with a messenger (shoulder) style diaper bag or a backpack style diaper bag. I was leaning towards the messenger bag style until one of my best girl friends advised me on how easy it would be to just throw that on and still have free arms and hands to carry everything else I will have in tow, and she was right. I’m so glad I went with the backpack and honestly, it’s kind of cute!
Coffee Stash (for you, not the baby)
Does this even need any explanation? You are about to be the most tired you have ever been in your life, you’re going to need all the pick-me-up you can get and you can never go wrong with iced coffee in my opinion! Just make sure to check the caffeine limits for breastfeeding moms, if you do decide to breastfeed!
And that’s it! These are the items I have found we use the most! Obviously we own A LOT more than this to get by but I thought this would be a good place to start for soon to be moms who may be in the process of putting together their own baby registry. I hope you found it helpful! Take care and stay well everyone!
