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Starting a registry is HARD. I spent HOURS researching products and still have a ton of regrets on the choices I made - there is just no way to know what you and baby will actually love and use!
I want to help ease your registry stresses a bit by sharing my top 5 baby products I have absolutely NO regrets about. These will be in reverse order ending with my #1 recommendation.
I’m not sure if this is the case for all kids, but my baby has not been the biggest fan of tummy time… This was hands down the best $9 I have spent on him. It’s two-sided, one side has high contrast black and white pictures, the other has baby faces. Both sides have a reflective mirror if your baby is entertained by their reflection! The coolest thing is the book folds out like an accordion. I set it in front of him and I swear he forgets he is unhappy in tummy time for at least a solid 3 minutes... I’ll take it!
Let this also be a reminder to start tummy time as young as you feel comfortable! Newborns can lay on your chest to work these muscles. They don’t have to be on the floor to do good work. If you start them young, it can become a routine they are used to!
Honestly most diaper bags come with a changing pad, but this one has pockets!!! (and some extra cushion) We use this if we need to change baby in a public restroom, idk about you but I’m not trusting those old changing tables without laying something down first! We also use this to change Silas at other peoples’ houses. No need to risk baby making a mess on Aunt Ruth’s rug… We’ve also laid down the back seat in the car and used this to change baby there. Much better than a germ-y gas station bathroom! It was a little cushion for their head and pockets for wipes, diapers, diaper cream, you name it! I will say I do wish it was capable of more storage. A fresh pack of water wipes will not fit. Since you can store everything you need in it, it’s so easy to just grab this one thing out of the diaper bag instead of trying to hold everything and a baby!
as for the diaper bag dispenser, bottom line... you don’t want to throw away a dirty diaper in your friends’ trash cans. Be a better friend than that! This comes with arm and hammer bags to mask the smell. I have a clean conscience throwing away a diaper tied in one of these.
3. Stroller Fan
We live in Houston & it’s hot as heck. We use this all the time! It was one of the first things I added to my registry because my Miami friend told me it was a must-have, and she was right! (They know a thing or two about heat over there as well.)
I’ve used this fan on multiple occasions.
Attached to the stroller for walks of course, propped on the table if we sit outside at a restaurant, it’s also perfect for the pool or beach! I always bring it while traveling. (Does anyone else need a fan to sleep?) If we are ever staying somewhere that doesn’t have one I am prepared! This was also a must in my hospital bag. I hooked it to the bed because I had the worst hot flashes and night sweats after birth. It lived on my nightstand at home postpartum! The possibilities for uses really are endless.
All of our babysitters agree this is the best thing we bought because it’s super helpful for them. It’s definitely better than a standard bottle warmer because you can take it with you and don’t have to worry about finding a plug. I’m not sure about other models, but this is the one we use and it has the best reviews! (Munchkin has a similar style for cheaper, but I was unimpressed by the reviews.) Baby’s Brew fits almost every bottle type. If it doesn’t fit yours, there is a cheap adapter you can add in addition. We use MAM bottles for example and use an adapter for those.
I will say the charge doesn’t last long. It has 1-2 good uses when it’s fully charged, but after that it takes a long time to heat up so it’s best to charge it before it’s next use.
I could write a whole post on this one - and might in the future! I’m sharing my experience and how this has helped me, but encouraging you to ask yourself if this is something that would help you or add extra stress. For me, when Silas was a newborn I was terrified of SIDS (note: owlet does not make claims that it is able to reduce the risk of SIDS) and I would obsessively check to make sure he was breathing. I would place my hand on his chest multiple times a night, sometimes waking him up! After we got the owlet sock monitor set up, my anxiety relaxed a bit. Instead of touching him every time to check for breathing, I could open an app on my phone and clearly see his heart rate and oxygen level. I knew if it dropped too low or his heart rate got too high, the charging base or my app notifications would alert me. Now, some people suggest that the owlet causes harm because it makes parents less vigilant if they are relying on the technology. Silas didn’t need me to be as obsessively vigilant as I was. The Owlet should not be used to become lax on safe sleep practices. I have also had friends who told me it raised their anxiety instead of lowering it because they would constantly check the app and obsess over slight changes in heart rate, etc. I just want to reiterate that for me personally it has been my most favorite baby item and extremely helpful, but it might not be something that works for you.
(I don’t necessarily recommend the camera as well, but if you are going to be out of ear reach of your sleeping baby, you should get some sort of camera monitor in addition to the sock so you can lay eyes on baby without them being right next to you.)
I would love to know your personal favorites for baby below! Please comment & share with others!
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