A bassinet for us is essential and especially for safe sleep. We use the Halo Swivel Bassinet and absolutely love it. It is pretty pricey but if you plan on having more babies it is totally worth it! Some things I love about it are:
Swaddling in the first couple of months is so important. Baby is used to a tight swaddled feeling from being in the womb. The Moro Reflex is an infantile reflex normally present in all infants/newborns up to 3 or 4 months of age as a response to a sudden loss of support, when the infant feels as if they are falling. Swaddling helps baby feel secure and safe while also helping with longer stretches of sleep. There are so many different swaddles out there so let me tell you about my favorites.
The Ollie Swaddle is a velcro swaddle that I love for nighttime swaddling. It is very secure and stays in place perfectly so I don’t have to stress in the middle of the night that the swaddle will come undone and cover baby’s face or they break free and are woken up by their crazy flailing arms! One downside to the Ollie swaddle is how loud the velcro is when it’s being undone. Thankfully my daughter doesn’t have a problem with loud noises but some babies do and this could be a deal breaker for you especially at those nighttime diaper changes. Although the bottom is easily accessible without unwrapping the top.
Loulou&Company Swaddle Blankets are amazing & I would say everyone should own at least one! They’re soft and super stretchy and my favorite swaddle blankets as they are formfitting but not restricting for baby’s movements. I like to use these swaddles during the day time as I said before the velcro seems safest to me for nighttime sleep. These swaddle blankets are perfect toddler blankets as baby grows too!
Nanit Swaddles- Also great for nighttime sleep because they have that velcro option. This swaddle is more of a sleep sack that goes right under the neck like a t-shirt and has a double zipper function making nighttime diaper changes quick and easy. The velcro is extremely hard to get undone in my option and I feel it jerks the baby around a little too much when you are trying to undo it. This may be because it is brand new or I am just weak haha. I do like the that the velcro strap is separate from the sleep sack part but still attached. This swaddle also connects to the Nanit Sleep Monitoring System if you have the Nanit Camera.
Love to Dream- This swaddle is a less tight option that still helps with the Moro Reflex but I found my baby has better sleep periods when wrapped nice and snug in the Ollie swaddle at night in this newborn stage. This is a great transition swaddle around the 8-9 week mark starting at nap times is what we are doing.
Dock-A-Tot vs. Snuggle Me Organic- The Dock-A-ToT is a lot more versatile with padding on the bottom which allows for easy use anywhere including hard surfaces. The removable tight fitting cover also gives it that edge over the SnuggleMe. Dock-A-Tot has handles on all sides and clip to open up the bottom as your baby grows taller. The SnuggleMe is more of just a pillow lounger with a piece of fabric where the baby lays. The reason I am happy to have both is because the Snuggle is perfect for newborns and lounging on the couch, bed or any soft space. It is a bit less bulky than the Dock-A-Tot but like I said the Dock-A-Tot comes with many more useful features. Remember these loungers should only be used when baby is supervised and not for nighttime sleep in order to follow the safe sleep guide.
The Nook Boppy Pillow- This boppy pillow is so soft and comfortable. I am so happy we decided to go with this brand. This is a high ticket item BUT it does come with a cover where as other boppy pillows you have to buy them separately. This pillow comes in handy for more than just propping baby up for lounging and feedings. I also used it to sit in during postpartum recovery when sitting hurt. I know we will keep it around as baby grows! The one thing I will say about the Pebble Pillow Cover is that although it is so soft and comfy it pills and snags easily. They do have another type of pillow cover called the Cool Touch Dimple which may be better. Overall, still worth the buy.
I use and LOVE the Nanit Baby Monitoring System. There are so many amazing great aspects to this camera that I believe are super helpful. The Nanit offers a Sleep Monitoring System that coincides with the swaddles and belly straps to track baby’s breath per minute and sleep habits. I only tried this out when my baby turned 6 weeks and it seemed to work great. I think I will benefit from that more when she sleeps in her own room but right now she is next to me in her bassinet so there is really no need for the the sleep monitoring as of now. I will like this for nap times in her crib and nighttime when she is older to track her sleep patterns and learn how much sleep she is actually getting. This is a pricey monitor but I do think you get what you pay for with this. We purchased the travel mini stand separately which has come in handy as it is easy to stick anywhere she is sleeping. I wish this had the capability to run on batteries for a little while as well but now I’m just being picky. I love that I can connect this to my phone and you can still hear the baby if you are in a different app on your phone unless you close out of the Nanit app. Some aspects I love about the Nanit are:
Tula: $130-$160 I have used and loved the Tula Baby Carriers for years with my nephew and many other children as well. When it came to choosing a carrier for my own baby I knew I had to have a Tula. Tula has a Free To Grow Carrier that can fit a baby from 7-45lbs! This thing will last and you will not regret this buy. You can front and back carry and the Tula is perfect any and everywhere you want to wear your baby! I have tried the Moby, Ergonomic, and Ergobaby and nothing compares to the Tula when it comes to comfort, style, durability, and longevity. Click to Shop Tulababy.com
WildBird Ring Sling: $70-$80 There are many ring sling options out there and I have only tried and own one WildBird Ring Sling so I don’t have much to compare it to but I will say WildBird Ring Slings are top notch in quality. They have a wide variety of adorable patterns and solid colors to choose from on their website. I will say the RingSling is a bit difficult to get the hang of but once you do it’s a breeze! Holds baby from 8-35lbs. Click to Shop Wildbird.com
The breastfeeding journey is no joke! And now that I think I have the hang of it and a great system going I want to share the products that I could not live without when it comes to breastfeeding.
Keekaroo Peanut Lounger- This changing pad is easy to wipe clean and take from one room to the next which I love. It isn’t too cold for baby to lay on which is something I wondered before trying it out. I like that I don’t have to worry about washing a bunch of changing pad covers especially for those nighttime changes.
Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad & Scale- This changing pad stays in baby’s nursery unlike the Keekaroo which is perfect for changes in any room in the house. I love having this changing pad for the scale feature and tracking baby’s weight as she grows. Especially for breastfeeding mama’s it is impossible to tell how much milk they take in. Keeping track of their weight will give you peace of mind. Once baby hits 1 month the pediatrician appts become more spaced out. I love being able to watch her weight right at home. This changing pad is also easy to wipe away anything that may get on it with a modern design coming in white or grey colors!
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We went with UppaBaby as the brand for both carseat and stroller. I am happy with how compatible they are with one another. The UppaBaby V2 set up is amazing and perfect for a growing family as it can transition into a double stroller. The bassinet is perfect for the newborn age because they cannot sit up on their own yet. I love swaddling my daughter and going for walks with her in the bassinet.
The UppaBaby Mesa Carseat is lightweight and extremely comfortable. One of our favorite features is the buckle holders on each side. This allows for a quick and easy buckling set up without having to reach under baby to grab the clips each time. The carseat and base are very easy to use and have a nice modern look to them. This infant carseat is not bulky at all which is a huge plus!
Loulou&Company is my FAVORITE shop for baby clothes especially for newborns. The fabric is buttery soft & so stretchy! Their top&bottoms sets are easy day-to-day outfits that are comfortable for baby and super cute to look at. Loulou has a great variety of patterns to choose from and they are always coming out with new designs. Honestly, I would not want to dress my baby in anything else the majority of the time.
Kyte Baby makes the best PJ’s and onesies. The double zipper feature is perfect for those night time diaper changes. I love that their products are made from organic silky smooth bamboo material making them breathable and perfect for newborn skin.
SpearmintLove has a large selection to pick from and their outfits with matching bows are our favorite. I love Spearmintloves’s clothing because of the great quality. With their season changing categories it is easy to shop and find cute unique pieces for baby to wear!
This shop is great for their cute phrases on organic cotton onesies. Amazing quality and durable makes sure a happy mom and happy baby!
This is another great shop for PJ’s. They feature the double zipper as well as a lightweight cozy feeling fabric with fold over hands & feet mittens. The cute prints make it fun to shop LittleSleepies. I will say this shop runs extremely big so just keep that in mind!
Great idea! But honestly the second that wipe hits the air it turns cold and maybe even colder than the ones just in the package. In my opinion they are a waste.