6 Must Have Baby Products To Keep You Sane
/At some point most parents expecting their first child ask, “What do we need to be ready to bring this baby home?” Having never done this before you rely on friends and family to steer you in the correct direction. Between Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby and your friends and family, it can be overwhelming to sort through the mountains of baby products. However, what a second time parent will tell you is that a baby actually needs very little, it is the parents who need help!! Below is a list of items you may not have considered, but are must-haves for parent sanity, besides the obvious coffee and wine ; ).
Must Have Baby Products
Sound Machine
For the first month as new parents we struggled to put our daughter to sleep, then we discovered that the sound of a hair dryer would put her to sleep in just a couple of minutes. I am embarrassed to say we did that for another month before my mother-in-law bought us a sound machine. Problem solved! Invest in a good one from the start and save yourself some time and headache.
Here is the one we have used with our kids:
Back-seat Mirror
Your baby will be in a rear facing car seat for two years!! You’re going to want to turn around every two seconds to check on them to make sure they’re okay which is not safe for anyone. Get this back-seat mirror. This mirror made it ten times easier to see what my little ones were up to while I drove.
Baby Sling
Everyone talks about baby carriers like the Ergo 360 seen here:
These are great for older babies but truthfully, I always found the sling to be much easier during infancy. Your baby is able to remain curled up in the sling in a way they are most comfortable and as they grow and stretch out you can change their positioning. I used it from the beginning of my kid’s lives when being close to me was what they wanted most. The larger more traditional carriers can’t be used without an infant insert until they’re several months old and the insert can feel a bit cumbersome. I loved using the sling to remain hands free so I could prepare and eat a meal or to turn over a load of laundry. There are several different kinds of slings and I recommend the Baby K'Tan because it is easy to put on and comfortable to wear. Buy based on the size of the wearer.
Carabineer Stroller Hook
You’re going to have no shortage of stuff you’re toting around, especially as you learn what you do (and don’t) need to bring with you on each outing out of the house. This carabineer was great for hooking a bag onto my stroller. And here is a tip, get two. I put them about 12 inches apart on my stroller push bar and hooked the bag on both of them so it didn’t twist around all over the place and hit my legs when I was trying to push the stroller.
Drink Holder
With the late nights, early mornings and everything in between that you’re now going to experience as a parent, you’ll need somewhere to put that latte. And believe it or not most strollers do not automatically come with a place to put your drink. Get this handy drink holder for your stroller that also has a pocket in the middle where you can store your phone and snacks.
Diaper Clutch
The diaper bag industry has boomed as designer names have gotten into the mix and I am not generally one to deny you a designer bag, but just because it is called a “diaper bag” does not mean it will solve all of your organizational problems. I ditched the diaper bag almost immediately in favor of something that was more versatile. Instead, I used a diaper clutch. A clutch allows you to carry the diapers, wipes and changing pad you need and pair it with a bag that is actually functional and has things like an appropriate space for baby bottles and breast milk.
Pick and choose what works for you and don’t be afraid to try something different. When you go shopping I encourage you to try to imagine what life will look like and how each product fits into that lifestyle to determine if each product is the right product for you. Every new parent, however, should find the above products helpful.
