favorite things | newborn edition
In honor of Owen being two months old today (yay!), I thought I'd share some of my favorites things for newborns. I'm certainly not an expert on baby gear, but doing this for a second time has made it really clear to me which items I use everyday and which things I can live without! I haven't included things like diapers, wipes, a carseat and feeding stuff.
Our choices (and yours!) for those items really depend on personal priorities. For example, Ben had severe eczema so we used "sensitive" everything, but he didn't have any tummy issues so I had no need for a fancy bottle. Bottom line: I won't wade into those choices since they're really family-dependent. I'm a big believer in doing what works best for YOU, especially when it comes to parenting.
That said, I wanted to share some fun things that have made my life a little easier these first two months!
| 1 | Ergo 360 baby carrier
We have the traditional Ergo in navy blue and I love it. We used it for Ben forever, but if I were registering for one today, I'd pick the 360. The biggest difference is that the new carrier allows the baby to be front-facing. My favorite thing about the Ergo is that all the weight is distributed on my hips as opposed to my lower back. Super functional and comfy.
| 2 | Flat crib sheet liners.
I got this idea from one of my sister's friends. We put a regular fitted mattress cover over the crib mattress and then I put a fitted crib sheet around it. THEN, on top of the fitted sheet, I put one of these flat liners, which is waterproof on one side and soft on the other, and on top of that I put another fitted crib sheet.
I repeat the layers so I have three fitted crib sheets around the mattress, each separated by a flat liner. Why so many sheets? Because when our teensy baby spits up or blows out a diaper at 3:00 in the morning, we just pull off a fitted sheet and the flat liner and there's a clean sheet ready to go underneath. Easy breezy.
| 3 | Swaddle blankets and | 4 | muslin blankets
My little sister gave me a set of these swaddle blankets from giggle to use with Owen and I absolutely love them. They have some stretch in them, so if you're into swaddling your kiddo, you can get what I like to call an aggressive swaddle :) That little guy isn't going anywhere! I fold one into a triangle and wrap him up super snuggly.
Once he's wrapped in the first blanket, I wrap him in one of these muslin blankets from Aden + Anais. They're light and soft (and Owen can't wriggle out of both blankets yet!). I have two sets left from Ben's newborn days, and they're all still in great shape. I use them for swaddling, burp cloths, stroller blankets, sunshades for the carseat and more.
| 5 | Magnificent Baby sleepers.
These were another gift from my sister for Owen and they're genius: they're little sleepers that fasten with magnets. No snaps, no buttons, just little magnets sewn into the fabric. They're a dream at 2:00 in the morning. Probably not something I'd buy for myself, but they make a great little gift for a new mom.
| 6 | Baby Bjorn bouncer.
This was the major gift we received for baby #2. My mom was generous enough to buy this for us (it's pricey), and I use it everyday, all day. I love the simple design: no batteries or lights or toys and it bounces as the baby kicks and moves. It's easy to clean and it's really light so I carry it up and down the stairs throughout the day, depending on where we're hanging out.
I held baby #1 a lot, but let's be honest: I'm in the middle of potty training my toddler, and it's really helpful to be able to set Owen down so I can help his brother get to the bathroom in time!
| 7 | White noise.
To get a bit more specific, we use a white noise machine that doesn't shut off! If we're out and about when the baby has to nap, I'll use a white noise app on our old iPhone. A fan, an app, whatever. We're big believers in a little noise for the newborns.
| 8 | City Select bassinet (and stroller)
The stroller is another choice I think really depends on your circumstances. We have this stroller, which converts into a double, and the Bob for running. I love that the City Select has a bassinet option. Owen spent a lot of time napping in this during the day and it connects to our stroller along with a seat so I could stroll both kids around the neighborhood (or Target, obviously).
Do you have any tips, tricks or favorite products for baby's first few months?