My Favorite Baby Things
Here’s my roundup of my favorite baby things so far! I remember feeling so overwhelmed when I was pregnant and preparing for the baby/putting together our registry. It was so helpful when parent friends shared their recommendations with us (special shout to to my friend Sharon who sent me a comprehensive spreadsheet with her recommended items by category).
Before I begin, I want to make sure I note that every baby is different, so YMMV on any of the below products. There were some products that were highly recommended to us that we ended up not liking. There were others that friends said they couldn’t live without that we ended up not getting or needing. At the end of the day, none of these items are “must-haves” of course in the strict sense. All baby really truly needs is you, the parent, your love, and breastmilk/formula; these items just might make your life a little easier, and of course having the access to such items is a privilege. I have organized this post by category. Each product is linked in the carousel of thumbnails below each section. For some of the products, I include the age range for when I used the product. Please note that the age range might vary for you based on whether they were a preemie or not, their height, weight, etc. Finally, this post does contain affiliate links. This means that we may receive a small commission if you purchase a product I’ve linked to, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are 100% my own, and all products recommended are things I truly like or use.
Enjoy!
SLEEP
Sleepwear
Z was a little Houdini who broke out of his cloth swaddles with a quickness, so we needed a stronger velcro swaddle basically as soon as we got home from the hospital. We liked the Halo sleepsack we got as a gift from the hospital but loved this one because it had a much stronger hold. Middle-of-the-night diaper changes were easier too because we could leave the velcro and just unbotton the bottom part of the swaddle for diaper access.
3-4 Months - Transitional Sleep Suit
At 2 months, Z starting breaking out of the velcro swaddles, so we transitioned him to this suit because it gave him the same secure and cozy feeling of a swaddle while allowing his limbs to be free.
It was time to transition Z out of the sleep suit once he 1) outgrew it and 2) he started rolling *in* the sleep suit. We transitioned him into a sleep sack, which is basically a wearable blanket that is a safer alternative to a loose blanket in the crib. The sleep sacks we purchased were highly recommend and pricey, but Z clearly preferred them to the hand-me-downs we received which were not as soft and temperature regulating. It was totally worth the value because it can accommodate a much wider age range than most sleep sacks (6-18 months), and the fabric is SO soft (Z loves to self soothe by stroking the fabric). The sleep sack was also super helpful during sleep training because putting him in it was a sleep association.
We got the 1.0 TOG for summer and plan on continuing to use it throughout the winter since Z runs hot. For the winter, we plan on just making sure Z has on his thermal zipper footies, but I might update this post if we end up getting a warmer sack.
Pajamas
In the summer, I would just had Z in his diapers on super hot days and on milder days in any short sleeve onesie. For colder months, I recommend the following under the swaddle/sleep suit/sleep sack. All of the below recommendations are from GoumiKids, and while I’m a partner with them now, I bought Z’s first batch of clothes from them with my own money and was so impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness in design. Use my code ETTIEKIM for 15% off (even on discounted items)!
We use this for every single nap and at bedtime. Z likes several of the sounds and it's become a handy sleep association for him (and us lol). It also doubles as a night light if you need it.
We took this on our first family vacation, and it was super portable (packs up as a backpack!). Z slept just fine in it despite being in a different environment. You can also purchase a bassinet conversion kit to convert it into a portable bassinet, which we did. We loved that you can flip the legs, so it becomes a rocking bassinet if desired.
BATH
Bamboo wash cloths - To prevent baby from getting cold in the bath, we throw one of these on his belly and use another to gently wipe him down.
Hooded towel - To prevent baby's head from getting cold post-bath. Also just adorable.
DIAPERING
Diaper bag - This isn't an actual diaper bag, but I've loved using it as one because it's 1) waterproof; 2) unzips all the way around so you can access everything in the bag easily; 3) big enough to carry baby's essentials for a day trip; 4) has a leather attachment on the straps so you can easily hang it from the stroller, etc; and 5) gender neutral so mom and dad can carry it.
Diaper pail - Incredibly odor blocking and I love the child proof lock
Changing pad - We love that this is stain proof, so we can wipe any messes right off and don't have to worry about a separate changing pad cover. It can get cold in the winter though, but we just layer a burp cloth over it and wash the burp cloth.
Playtime
Bouncer - We have used this so much since Z was born, and it was nice to have a safe place to put Z down while keeping him upright after a feed (he was a happy but prolific spitter). I would recommend combing through Facebook marketplace because that's what we did and were able to get the bouncer for a great price.
Toy Kit - We chose starting from 5 months to purchase a toy kit subscription. We are enjoying our first kit so far and love that we don't have to worry about researching and purchasing any other toys for baby. You can get $20 off your toy subscription with my code SAR7YQO6.
On the Go
Stroller - This stroller is large but provides Z a smooth ride along the very bumpy city streets. We liked that it could seat two if we decide to have another baby in the future.
Baby on board/tiny human on board decal - Shameless plug alert! I designed this decal because I searched and searched but couldn’t find one I wanted to slap on my car.
Baby carriers - We have had three on heavy rotation:
Baby wrap - A softer, cozier carrier that Z was obsessed with and was great for contact naps and shorter walks. I also used it at home when newborn Z wanted to be my little barnacle all day, but I needed my hands free.
Structured carrier - We love that you can adjust the fit easily and that it accommodates inward and outward facing positions for Z. It also has convenient compartments for stowing away your phone and our essentials.
Hip carrier - You cannot be hands free with this carrier, but it's super useful when you need to on and off the baby frequently. Z is also now much more curious about the world and wants more mobility while I'm holding him, so I think he prefers this carrier over the others. It has saved my back and posture.
Hello, I’m Ettie, a graphic designer based in Philadelphia, PA. Welcome to my blog!