byJamieJune

Hey everyone! I have a lot of relatives and friends about to have babies and so I thought it would be helpful to share this with you all! By no means do you ‘have to have’ all these things (obviously), and their are lot’s of good products out there, but I know I would have loved to know more about which specific products were helpful and which ones were REALLY helpful! But also don’t break the bank. Things can really add up after all is said and done.

So I have created this list of things that I would say that you ‘need’ and other things I really have loved although not ‘necessary’ by any means, but I REALLY enjoyed having. I hope that it’s helpful to you all and gives you ideas you might not have thought of. I like to be prepared, especially when it comes to babies!

Without further ado, here are the recommendations! We’ll start with the essentials first!

• Hand Sanitizer – Ok, if you are going to have a baby, hand sanitizer is a MUST! And this stuff is the absolute best. This is the same stuff the doctor’s use at the hospital. I highly recommend having a few of these on hand when guests come to see the baby and for your family. You can buy these on amazon or before you leave the hospital. My favorite thing about this is that it doesn’t dry out your hands! I am so glad we had it when we left the hospital.

• Owlet Baby Monitor – I didn’t know about this when we had our baby, but you can bet your bottom dollar we are going to get this for our next one!! I can’t tell you how much this would have eased my mind. I remember waking up at night in a panick because I was worried she wasn’t breathing (which she was totally fine!). I know it’s pricey, but if you can afford it, I think it’s well worth it.

• Car Seat Canopy/ Nursing Cover – Even if you aren’t planning on breastfeeding, I would highly recommend getting at least one of these. I got two from my baby shower and I used them EVERYDAY and loved them! It helps shield the from sun, bugs, and wind when you’re out for walks. Although, sadly it won’t it still won’t deter some nosey strangers from peaking at your baby haha.

• Burp Cloths – If you’ve ever had a baby before, you know you’ll need these. Your clothes will thank you later haha! You don’t need to go fancy with these (but not to thin to seep onto your clothes), these get great reviews on amazon and are only $10.

• Desitin – Sad to say, you’re baby new fresh skin might get burned by their poop and get rashes :(. This stuff worked the best for us, although there are many brands out that will do the job too! But bottom line, make sure you have some of this stuff on hand.

• Bathtub – I know some might debate me on this but, I didn’t want to wash my baby in the gross sink! Haha. This tub is awesome and I gave Navy a bath almost every day. I honestly think it’s made her love the water, and got her used to it. It’s also a good solution if your baby is gassy! We put Navy in this tub and she’d instantly settle down.

• Wash Cloths – You also don’t have to go to fancy with these, but it’s nice to have something to cover and keep them warm since they can’t be full emerged in water yet. They make specialty ones too if you like, but these work just as good! I would always keep some type of wash cloths on hand though!

• Carrier – I really like having my baby close to me when I was up and about doing things! It’s actually really good for their development to. Whenever I would make dinner or do something that needed two hands, I would through her in this and most the time she would fall right asleep!

• Body Wash – There are a lot of good soaps out there, but I have always been an Aveeno gal. My grandma actually introduced it to me and I have loved it every since! And it comes dermatologist recommend (usually most soaps only say ‘dermatologist tested’). It’s my favorite lotion! I use pretty much all Aveeno products too.

• Lotion – This is also self explanatory and I love it for all the reasons I love the body wash. This keeps my little girls skin nice and smooth! I always put it on after she has a bath and I absolutely love it. It doesn’t really have a smell which I like!

• Sunscreen – I love this sunscreen! I like how it’s formulated without: PABA, phthalates, parabens, fragrances or nano particles. It’s also plant derived and certified organic ingredients. It’s perfect for high exposure areas and targeted protection SPF 50+ UVA + UVB protection Water resistant (80 minutes).

• Car seat + Stroller – We have this stroller/ carseat and it’s the best! I looked and it’s only $130.99 right now for both! It’s a great deal and I think you can still find these at Walmart too. The stroller does really well in the outdoors and glides right over bumps!

• Bottles – These are obviously a necessity! I got these as a gift and we used them all day and all night! They are an ideal starter set for the new mom with multiple bottle and nipple sizes and bottle accessories; and the wide shaped nipple promotes natural latch on. These are the only nipple that she liked and I love them. We never went anywhere without them!

• Pack n’ Play – This isn’t the exact one we have, but you defiantly will want one of these! It’s perfect for traveling and can even work as your full time crib if you want want to save costs and skip a crib. We love ours and it gets used for all our trips!

• Baby Monitor – Everyone needs a baby monitor but they can get really pricey, so we just use these Wyze Camera’s. It connects through the app on your phone and they are only $25… that’s right! Such a good replacement instead of a $100 dollar monitor.

• White Noise – With a dog who loves to bark in the house, this thing was a life saver! Plus babies just love white noise because it’s what their used to. This can also be a bluetooth speaker which comes in handy! You don’t need to buy a separate speaker though, you can use your phone… but I did because I also wanted to use mine while she was asleep haha!

• Constipation Ease – Sadly your little one might get constipated, especially when you start introducing solid foods. This stuff ALWAYS worked when I gave it too her. It helped so much when she was constipated and usually pooped within 24 hours after that!

• Diapers – Diapers are diapers, you can’t really go wrong! But if you’re looking for the best diapers, huggies are where it’s at. They are also pricey, but Navy’s diaper’s would always leak at night and get all over herself and the bed. But these diapers saved us from washing her sheets every night! However now that she’s on solid foods, we don’t have also used Luv’s too!

• Wipes – These are my FAVORITE wipes! My sister introduced me to them and I’ve tried other and these are better than huggies in my opinion. They are strong and durable and super soft. I won’t buy any others!

When Baby’s Sick

Sadly, there’s not a whole lot you can do for when babies get sick 🙁 that’s why it’s so important that people sanitize and what you can to keep the germs away when you have your baby. Navy got sick at two month old and it was the HARDEST thing to watch! So I want to share what I found helpful and things you can do for them.

• NoseFrida – This thing is a life savor. I know what your thinking… puke! haha I thought the same thing. But when your little one is having trouble breathing cause of a cold, trust me you’ll do anything to make them feel better. Even if that means sucking out snot! Ps this has over 10,000 reviews with almost five stars.

• Humidifier – If you don’t already have one of these things, you’ll need it. It helps so much with coughing and making it easier for them to breath while they sleep. The humidifier automatically turns off when water level is low or the water tank is removed and it even has a night light in it! You’ll defiantly want one. This one also has over 14,000 five star reviews.

• Breathe Easy Kit – This kit has three essentials, vapor rub, vapor drops, and wipes to tackle snot and congestion so baby can breathe easy! The BreatheFrida baby nose and chest wipes help soothe little noses and sensitive skin – plus hypoallergenic. The Vapor Rub is a soothing no-mess chest balm for baby, made with organic eucalyptus and lavender oils for sensitive skin. The Vapor Drops can be added to bath water or diffuser as an organic essential oil for sick day comfort. I love using this stuff in the humidifier! I love that it’s organic too.

• Ibuprofen – This is a given, I like Ibuprofen better than Tylenol because it lasts longer through the night. I don’t get this brand though, I just get what I can usually find at your local Walmart or Drug store! Your doctor will tell you how much to give your little one!

• Saline Drops – You’ll want to have these on hand too! These will help you suck out the nose along with the NoseFrida. Love the little remedies brand!

• Thermometer – This isn’t the exact one we have (I couldn’t remember where we got ours) but it’s SO important to have! You don’t necessarily have to spend lot’s for a nice one, but I will tell you that it’s been the nicest thing not to have to pin my baby’s arm down and make her sit still while I take her temperature. I love the ones that can go in the ear because that gets you the best reading. This one is defiantly a must, because sadly, your little one will probably get a fever at some point.

• Cough Syrup – DO NOT GIVE THIS TO YOUR BABY IF THEY ARE UNDER 12 MONTHS OLD! Babies aren’t able to digest the honey, so make sure that they are old enough before you give them this cough syrup. That being said, this helped so much with Navy’s cough’s. It was a life saver when she got older!

• Elderberry – I had never heard of Elderberry before this year, but this stuff is amazing! It contains flavonoids which act as antioxidants to provide immune support and maintain healthy cells. However this is only for ONE YEAR AND UP! Or how your doctor directions.

• Onesie Pajamas – These are the best pajamas! I love that they cover the feet and keep little ones warm! They are super soft and they are made from organic cotton. They also have a little button to go over the zipper to keep it from hurting the baby! Any would work, but these have by far been my favorite.

• Diaper bag – Ok everyone this is THE best diaper bag!! It’s SO cute and I absolutely love all the pocket and holders it has. It’s also super easy to clean if something spills. It looks just like the Fawn Diaper bags but WAY cheaper. In my opinion I even like it better than the Fawn because of the pockets inside. I cannot recommend this enough!

• Fleece Booties – I didn’t have these when Navy was born, but I wish I did! Winter babies can be hard to keep shoes and socks on, and these have a button to help with just that! Two adjustable snaps and a gentle ankle elastic create a snug fit for newborns, infants, and toddlers. Plus you can throw them in the washer!

• Swaddles – These are my all time FAVORITE swaddles. They are so soft and they stretch perfectly around your baby. They have all sorts of cute colors and have hats to match as well. I have three of them because I love them so much!

• Knotted Gowns – I LOVE knotted gowns on babies! They are easy to change diapers in and are so cute. The Lou Lou company has SO many cute designs and have lot’s of others items like bows, hats, and swaddles as well.

• Top Knot Turban – For all you girl moms out there!! Ok, I bought one of these when Navy was born and they are literally the stinkin CUTEST thing! I got so many complements when she would wear it. And the best part is you can get one too and match with your baby! There are other baby turbans out there, but these are the best quality I’ve seen.

• Baby bows – Sorry I have a girl so you get to see all the girly things cause I have a girl! haha. Bows are the best! They are a cute accessories and come in so many colors. Just make sure to buy bows that aren’t too constricting to their heads. There was one I bought that was too tight and would leave a ring on her head 🙁 Nylon stretchy ones are the best! There are so many bows out there I wouldn’t spend too much on them. If you’ve from Cache Valley Utah they have a cute spot called “Locals” that sells them!

• Blankets – There are tons of good blankets out there, and no doubt you will get lot’s of them. But these are the BEST blankets! If you are worried about the price they have a couple of really good sales every year so stay on the look out for those. But these are the best quality and are SO cute. I got Navy a two mini’s, a kid size, and myself a large cream plush for long nights when they had their sale and I am SO glad I did! The blankets are still like new and we both love them all. The mini’s are the PERFECT size for the cart seat too! Also a good little security blanket. My sister in law also got me a Minky Couture blanket which we love too!

• Baby Book of Firsts – I am so glad I had this to record things! Sometimes it’s hard to know what to write down or take pictures of and this let’s you do all that in one place! We have Navy’s all filled out now and it’s so fun to look back on. I love this one from amazon! They also have this one that is cute for boys too.

• Moses Basket – Ok for my next baby I WILL have this! hahaha. This is SO cute and I love having my baby while they are so new sleeping right next to me. I don’t dare co-sleep, so this is the next best thing! I love how cute it is and how you can get a rocking stand to go with it!

Aaand I think that’s it haha! I know it might seem overwhelming, but don’t worry you’ll learn plenty more as you go! And don’t be afraid to ask what other people do or use. I have found out more from asking others and learning what has helped them than I could ever learned by myself.

I hope this helps some of you nervous mamas! And just remember that you know what’s best for your baby, no matter what anyone else says.

Happy Baby Shopping!

xo, Jamie