I have a few friends that are becoming first time parents in the next nine months and have asked what to put on their registry. First off, everyone has different lifesaver from what I can tell. The trick is finding out which one will work with your little one. Second, there are plenty of lists that contain all the necessities, but the items below are things that we love and worked for Claire. Are they necessary? Nope, they just made our life easier during the first three months. What new parent couldn't use a little bit of easy?
There are items on the list that Claire grew out of at three months. This may seem like a short time, but in baby parent time this is a lot! A fussy or trying phase may only last a week, but it feels like it's been going on for a month. Again, this is just a list that worked with our little girl and we all know each baby is different.
Rock'n Play
Claire slept by our bed in the Rock'n Play for the first 2.5 months. To add, she was back in it for a few nights while we were troubleshooting a safe sleeping option once she learned to roll. It's lightweight, easy to pack up and go and it's the baby is on an incline so it helps with reflux. I think it should have been called a Rock n Sleep. Not really sure where the "Play" comes in, but for us we loved it as a sleeper.
Small portable changing pads
I did not have these on my registry. My friend Amy, also a new mom, mentioned how much she loved having these around. On her recommendation, I got them a few weeks before Claire arrived. They have been wonderful. I put one on top of the changing pad and it's saved me many times from having to strip and wash the changing pad cover. Also, when she slept in our room I kept one on hand to change her in the middle of the night on our bed. This saved us from having to change our sheets in the middle of the night many times! Lastly, I always have one in her diaper bag just in case.
Gripe Water
Supposedly this product is a hit or miss with many, but it was a true lifesaver for us. We buy the Little Tummies brand. During the first month of her life our little one had major tummy issues. She screamed throughout the night in pain. I don't know if her digestive system matured or if it truly was Little Tummies, but this got much better when we used this product. It has also worked 50/50 on the hiccups, which can really put a kink in your bed or nap time routine.
Miracle Blanket
Claire must have been working on her swaddle breaking skills in the womb because that girl could break out of a nurse-wrapped swaddle in 8 seconds flat. We tried the velcro swaddle blankets, double blanket swaddling, different swaddling methods, etc. Finally, we threw in the swaddle blanket and called it a day. Swaddling just didn't work for us. Then my friend Liz, a veteran mom of three boys, suggested the Miracle Blanket. We were skeptical, but that first night in the Miracle Blanket Claire slept 6 hours straight! We bought one in every color.
Sound Machine
We have three. Two travel machines and one that stays in her room and plugs into an outlet. The travel machines are perfect for helping her sleep while we're running errands and drown out the noise. The travel machines both have timer settings and as they are battery operated they will turn off after a certain time. The one that stays in her room doesn't have a time limit. Prior to having the latter, we would have to sneak back into her room to turn it on.
Flannel burp cloths
This is just a short and simple reason: I like 'em and they don't slip. They stay on your shoulder so you don't get slobber or spit up on your shoulder, thinking you're covered only to find that your burp cloth has fallen away.
Puj tub
We loved this tub! It probably wouldn't work for everyone as it depends on the type of sink you have, but it's great for a number of reasons. First, it saves a lot of space and you can fold it up and put it in the closet. It's great for travel for the same reason. Second, it fits in your sink (in our case we used the bathroom sink) and allows the water to cycle out so that the water stays clean. Third, you don't have to hold your baby to keep them steady while bathing. Claire just outgrew the Puj (she's longer than average) and we have use the standard baby tub. My back wishes we would not have outgrown the Puj.
Aden & Anais blankets
Who doesn't love these? They are the perfect weight especially if you live in the South. I use them to keep her warm or just to keep the sun out of her eyes while in her stroller. Also, the prints are so cute. I have two with us at all times.
Boppy
Yes, it saves your arms while holding your baby, but we use it as a baby recliner. She hangs out on the couch or bed with us and it's usually where I put her when she's in transition time between playtime and getting ready for a nap. Having two covers is also helpful.
Sidekicks
I got these as a shower gift and had no clue what they were. How frustrating is it for both you and your baby to have to pull the car seat straps out from under them or detangle them before strapping them in? These little guys hold the car seat straps to the side while you put your baby in the car seat. They just made things less frustrating.
Sturdy blankets
You can probably register for blankets similar to this, but one of our favorite blankets was handmade by our friend Lauri. It's made of sturdy flannel material that's machine washable. It is the perfect play mat and I always know we can throw it in washing machine and it won't be phased. Lauri picked out fun patterns and colors and Claire loves focusing in on a different square each time. We call it our Lauri Blanket. I'll let you know if she decides to put them on the market.
Again, these are just our personal favorites and we've had one baby so take that for what it's worth! If you have any items you were especially fond of during the first three months please share in the comments for my new mommy-to-be friends.
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