Updated August 2, 2015
As a seasoned (ha!) mom of two, I have acquired so much baby crap. In the literal and not-so literal sense. It’s embarrassing how much gear we have, and I won’t even mention how many strollers we own. Okay, it’s five. There, I said it.
The “what baby gear do I need?” debacle can be overwhelming, especially as a first time mom. I remember being in Babies ‘R Us with Greg, holding that registry gun, and having no clue what I should do. So, of course, I had Katie join me. She helped me navigate the waters of baby gear for the first time, and now I walk those aisles with ease and confidence. (Insert hair flip emoji here.)
Throughout my just over three-and-a-half years of being a mom, there are items that have completely gone by the wayside, but there are things that I absolutely have used the heck out of. And today, I am imparting my infinite knowledge and wisdom upon you. Enjoy!
Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper – This is a must-have for a newborn. We used this with both girls until they were about 3-4 months old. Newborns are asleep for much of the day, and this was nice to be able to put them in and drag them around the house as we did stuff. I especially loved dragging it into the bathroom with me as I showered and got ready. (Side note: showers are gifts sent from God when you have a newborn.) Both of the girls did not use this as their bassinet at night – we had a separate one in our bedroom. In my head, this worked well for them to transition to their cribs easier because they weren’t used to constantly sleeping at an upright angle.
4moms mamaRoo – I really wish that something like this was around when Kennedy was a newborn. Maybe it was, but I hadn’t heard of it. All other baby swings and rockers cannot hold a candle to this thing. It’s the ultimate soother. We used it up until Caroline was a little over 8 months old!
Dr. Smiths Diaper Rash Spray – Another one of those things that I wish I had when Kennedy was a baby. Rubbing diaper ointment on baby’s bottom with my fingers feels really unhygienic to me now that I’ve used this spray for 11 months. It hasn’t been widely available, but they recently started carrying it at Target! Also, I think Dr. Smiths is an awesome company and I love supporting them.
Halo Sleep Sack – We swaddled both of the girls when they were newborns, but when they outgrew it, this sleep sack has been great. We keep our home pretty chilly at night and this wearable blanket keeps baby warm but not too warm. Caroline is still using hers.
Motorola Monitor – We made the rookie mistake of buying a video monitor that did not support more than one camera. After we had to shop for another one, we decided on this Motorola monitor when I was pregnant with Caroline. So far so good. It is compatible up to four cameras if we ever want to expand our family some more. (My goodness, I don’t even want to think about that right now.)
Bumbo – There’s a lot of mixed reviews of this thing, but let me tell you something. It is the absolute best bath seat for an infant. I don’t have the time to give two separate baths. Even though Caroline can most definitely sit on her own, letting her loose in the bathtub is a recipe for disaster because she will crawl around and splash into oblivion. I suction the Bumbo to the bathtub and we give baths to both the girls at the same time. I do not have a “safe” bumbo after the recall (which was in 2012 – they now are manufactured with lap belts), which is why we only use it in the bathtub.
Medela Breast Pump – This is the only brand of breast pump that I know, but I do own two of them. One I got as a registry gift when pregnant with Kennedy, and the other I got for free through my insurance (during my pregnancy with Caroline). I like Medela because I don’t have to order replacement parts (flanges, bottles, cords, etc.) online – I can just hit up Target. Two pumps may seem excessive, but I kept one at work and one at home for the pumping session before I went to bed. So hey, if you’re having another baby and you’re a working mom… get a free pump through your insurance, even if you have one. You won’t regret it.
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags – Simply put, these storage bags are the best, and you don’t have to search high and low to find them. In fact, you can hit up your closest drugstore and it is highly likely you’ll find them. It’s a working mother’s dream. I have definitely found myself in a storage pickle before at work and luckily was able to grab these at Walgreens across the street from my school. I like how they lay flat in our deep freezer, which makes it easy to build up your stash.
I’ll just leave it at that. People have very specific tastes in other items like carseats and strollers. While I can recommend a stroller until I’m blue in the face, it may not be the best fit for you and your needs. You know? These things are definitely my absolute baby gear must haves!
Moms of 2+, what have you used over and over? Moms, what do you wish you would have had when your child was an infant?
Colleen says
Yes yes yes! I couldn’t agree more with all of your great advice! We didn’t have a Mamroo with Owen and it would have made my life 10x easier. A friend of mine is lending me her’s for baby2 and I’m so excited! We have a Motorola monitor and like it so much more than the Summer Infant one we had at first. And sleep sacks!! Great piece of mind for moms who are always worried their babies are too cool and also great because I don’t have to put a blanket in the crib and worry my baby is going to end up with it over his head!
Kristen says
Two pumps are a must if you’re working! I had only one for a week and went out and bought a 2nd one so I wouldn’t have to drag it back and forth.
Darby Hawley says
I’ve got everything here except the mamaroo…..Is it really a must-have??
Shayna says
Too funny I just did a similar post but, of course mommy to one & more stuff we couldn’t live without early on! We looooved our rock ‘n sleeper though! Just can’t believe now they have one that automatically rocks!!! What!?!? Yes, the video monitor – a must! & that awesomely-terrible breast pump! Such a necessity but a hassle too! Lol!
Selena says
Loving all the pictures of the girls!! This post was so helpful, about to start registering for baby sutf!!!!
Tawnya Faust says
I’m in the market for a new monitor for baby #2 so I’m glad to hear you loved the motorolla one. I’ll have to look for one second hand maybe, I hate the thoughts of spending so much money on another one (our first one broke recently). I’m SO happy to hear you loved the mamaroo… I didn’t have it with Scarlett but we bought one for Baby B and I know it was a risk because apparently some babies don’t like them? Anyway, I hope ours does!! Haha!
Kristy Moreno says
I’m not a mom of two yet (or will be any time soon), but I love all of these things. We had the Rock n’ Play rocker, and now the newer versions have a vibrating option. (angels singing!) I don’t know which one you have, but that is an amazing upgrade.
I need to check out that Dr. Smith’s diaper spray. C still gets rashes every now and then, and that looks like something we could use.
We also have that same exact monitor, and it’s my jam. Although, I think using it for two and half years straight, it needs a new battery for the video monitor part. I can’t have it on without it being plugged in. Not a big deal though. Still love it.
I approve too! 😉
Meg O. says
We definitely have the old version of the Rock n Play, so awesome it does all that now!! And it’s funny I mentioned the Motorola monitor because the video camera went out last week. I called customer service and they are going to replace the entire monitor plus two cameras to an upgraded version (since it is less than an year old)! All I had to do was take a picture of the birth announcement, the unit and cameras, send it, and they are sending another one out and I send the old one back. Talk about awesome customer service!!