Wondering what baby items you’ll actually end up using? I’m sharing the newborn baby products I actually found the most helpful and/or interesting things I found the first 6 weeks of having a baby. Check out my roundup of finds and favorites!
Prepping for baby #2 meant there were a few things I knew I needed to stock up on and that I would be using, and a few things made my list that I hadn’t tried the first time around. Others had just come out in the time since that I wanted to see how I and my newborn liked them.
So here is a glimpse of some of the things I liked best, used the most or found interesting to try out!
Newborn baby products worth checking out
Babywearing & the Lalabu Soothe Shirt
If you have been following along, you probably know how much I love babywearing and I am all for any type of carrier or product that allows parents and babies to develop a close bond. When I first saw the Soothe Shirt on Instagram, it caught my attention and I knew I just had to use it with Ensley.
The shirt has a unique design in that it can be worn as a regular tank top that has a built-in nursing bra (yay for ease of nursing!) but has a special kangaroo pocket to slip baby in for instant babywearing goodness!
I could hardly wait to wear it, though I did have to because it is recommended to wait 2-3 weeks after birth to provide the right secure fit. I love how easy it is to wear Ensley when she was fussy or my arms need a break, but do not need to put on/take off a carrier each time.
She has been tucked in there while I blog, play with Charlie, and hanging out with guests. She stayed cozy in there throughout an outdoor get-together and firepit later that evening too.
The team at Lalabu is incredibly nice and have some really helpful videos and advice to get the right fit too. There are even shirts for dad so he can feel that babywearing bond too! You can buy the shirts on their website or on Amazon.com
Babywearing, in general, has been a lifesaver having a newborn, and I’ve used all of my different carriers for different reasons over the course of the past two months, including my Baby K’tan, LILLEbaby Airflow, and Wildbird ring sling.
Since Ensley is a little chunk, I know I’ll be wearing her a lot going forward too!
RELATED: 15 Benefits of Baby Wearing
Med Kit & Health Essentials
Having a stocked medical kit filled with all of the trusty components from our first baby has definitely been a plus. I’ve used pretty much everything at some point already and added a few new things as I’m finding them.
Right now my health kit looks like:
- Digital Thermometer (I’m using the Termö – 4 in 1 Infrared Digital Thermometer from bbluv)
- NoseFrida—I had one with Charlie but bought a new one off Amazon (even though you typically just replace filters) because Charlie discovered it was fun to play/chew on.
- OogieBear Nose Cleaner—new find that I’m really loving how easy it is to use!
- Gas Drops
- Gripe Water
- The Windi—now I know it seems gross, but it really has helped so many times, especially lately because Ensley is so gassy (probably have to cut dairy out again, dreading that!).
- Saline Nose Drops/Spray
- Pacifier Wipes for when out (plain old water for when we are home)
This time around we also invested in an Owlet Smart Sock, and it definitely brought peace of mind. We had a sensor issue and the company was extremely helpful and quickly worked to resolve it by sending us a new one. Great customer service!
Breastfeeding Items
Breastfeeding is super time consuming and with a newborn is all day affair. Plenty of time to try out different nursing items!
I went through about 3 weeks where I was wearing reusable nursing pads 24hrs/day (I have and really like these ones).
I finally decided to try out the Haakaa Silicone Breast Pump after leaking too many times while nursing, and wish I had gotten it from the start—those few ounces saved would really have added up (and made my nursing pads last longer between changes!).
I got really lax about proper breastfeeding posture and positioning (because it is hard when chasing a toddler around), but after a visit to the lactation consultant, I decided to try to make more of an effort. I used my Bobby on and off, and also have been grabbing for a Nursie Breastfeeding Pillow, which works especially well when nursing while working on my computer at the table.Though most of the time I’m still just using pure muscle to hold her up and feed her—life with a toddler is demanding and does not stop for sister feeds!
I also got to try out the latest innovation in bottles—the very interestingly shaped Nanobebe breast milk bottles.
Yes, they look like a boob—let’s call it what it is! But the shape helps babies latch like on the breast and the design retains nutrients in breast milk better than other bottles.
It actually was surprisingly comfortable to hold. Ensley took them the first time without issue and had no issue breastfeeding after.
It was also easy for big sister to help feed since there was so much room to hold onto.
I need to figure out heating these up as I haven’t quite got that down (they do have a warmer designed for it if you end up choosing these as your go-to bottles), but it is fairly quick to just run a bag under warm water to bring it to temperature for the random times we use bottles right now (since I haven’t had to be away from her much at all).
One last thing for this edition of Finds & Favorites: Be sure to stock up on lots of footie pajamas. I ended up ordering a bunch more after the first 2 weeks because I was going through them too quickly between spit-up and lazy days where no one got out of their PJs (which are most days to be honest!).
Side note: I’ve never wanted a main level washer/dryer more than having a toddler and newborn. I feel like I can never get downstairs to do laundry!
I especially like the PJs that zip open from the bottom to keep baby warm during changes.
And rompers. Buy all the rompers! Babies are just too cute in them. This one was gifted from Feltman Brothers (their collection is a bit pricey comparatively as they are more heirloom pieces, but their clothing is perfect for special occasions and would be so sweet for a christening or dedication).
These are just a few of the things I’ve been reaching for over and over in babywearing, health and breastfeeding—there are definitely more things that have helped both in these and other categories, which I’ll keep sharing!
What are your favorites for newborns? Anything for 3-6 months I should be looking at for the next few months? Let me know!