Most Useful Baby Items (Part Two)

Now that I am finally out of my new mama haze (and have a one year old- eek!) I thought I would share a few baby items that I found to be super helpful during my first year of parenthood.

So here’s some items that your baby needs during their first year and items that will make new parenting easier.

Baby Bjorn Bouncer

The Baby Bjorn Bouncer was a godsend to us for many reasons. First it felt comforting to know there was somewhere safe where we could set the baby down if we needed to (remember it’s advised to never leave the baby unattended in the Baby Bjorn Bouncer). We didn’t want to put our son on a blanket on the floor as we have a small dog so we always opted for the bouncer. It also came in handy when we were traveling.

We opted for the Baby Bjorn brand as some of the cheaper brands had many reviews of them tipping over frequently.

Any of the Bjorn bouncers are a must have but another thing to note is that the jersey fabric ones are way easier to take the baby in and out of as the material has a little extra stretch.

7AM Infant Wraps

During the cold weather these infant wraps by 7AM are a godsend. They are super easy to use in the stroller and will keep your baby super warm. Do be careful thought not to overdress your baby when using these wraps, you will be amazed at how well they keep the heat in! They are also super easy to take on and off.

The Breathable Mesh Portable Sleeper (That Is Perfect For Newborns) by BreathableBaby

The Breathable Mesh Portable Sleeper by Breathable Baby

This was an amazing crib for our baby boy. The mesh sides of The Breathable Mesh Portable Sleeper by Breathable Baby offered us great reassurance that our little guy was safe. We didn’t need to worry about him getting his little legs stuck in between slats or hitting his head on anything hard when he began to explore rolling. We used this Breathable Baby Sleeper during the transition of our son’s mini crib to full size. You can also move the sleeper around easily as it’s lightweight and foldable.

You can read more about the sleeper here.

Cybex Beezy Stroller

Yes yes, everyone loves the Babyzen Yoyo. And when you travel every airport worker you encounter will ask if your stroller is a Yoyo but did you know that you need two hands to fold a yoyo? So if your baby is in your arms and you’re trying to fold it up, you’re screwed. So let me rave about the Cybex Beezy. You just need one hand and boom it folds. And it folds small enough to fit into the overhead compartments on planes. It’s also a pretty comfortable ride for both baby and parent. See more here.

Pacifier Holder Clips

Please remember to keep checking on your little one if you use any sort of pacifier holder clips! This being mentioned, any type of pacifier holder clips are a godsend for preventing any loss of pacifiers or teething toys when on stroller walks. We also would attach one to the Baby Bjorn Bouncer for his pacifier when our little guy was in it.

Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy

Let’s be honest, this is one of the ugliest toys out there (my husband finds it terrifying) but our little guy loves it! This was one of the first toys we introduced him to. And even around 3 months old his little face would light up in response to this Puppy’s songs and lights. Once he was old enough to push the buttons himself, he loved it even more. My friend got her little girl one and she loved it too! So even though it’s not a looker, the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy is definitely a winner in the fun and entertainment department.

Baby items that are not worth the splurge in my opinion are:

The Dockatot; they are not safe to let the baby sleep in and your baby will outgrow it pretty fast. Although ours has become a very fancy dog bed.

We did not use the Snoo, as we had heard mixed things about it. I believe that some folks love it but did have issues transitioning their baby out of it. Something else to keep in mind is that if you have a ‘long’ baby they will grow out of their Snoo, bassinet or mini crib pretty quickly.

The Elvie pump was a waste of $400. It does not allow for much more freedom as it spills, it’s suction is pretty weak and the amount of technical issues I had with a lack of support from customer service is just not worth the stress. Who needs more stress on their plate when they are trying to navigate being a new parent? So skip the Elvie pump.

Lastly, there are now E-strollers out there. Personally I say give these a miss. Part of the fun is pushing your new bundle of joy in the stroller! And honestly, I’m not sure I would feel comfortable leaving my babies safety up to a fairly young innovation… but these are just my opinions. We all parent differently and have to do what’s best for us.

Feel free to check out more of my posts here. Thanks for reading and hope to see you on the gram!