My baby is two months old. Two months! Time sure does fly when you’re having fun! And also sleep deprived. ;) And spending most of your time snuggling a tiny baby. Yeah, life is good, that’s for sure. I thought since I’ve survived two months of baby, that makes me somewhat of an expert right? (Ha!) So I figured that I would share a few of my favorite things that have been literal life savers for us as new parents during that first tender month of a baby’s life.
Swaddle Blankets. These are a must, and the Aden and Anais brand are my favorite. They’re soft, lightweight and breathable, and HUGE. Perfect for even the most amateur swaddler (which we surely were at first!) Plus, they come in all sorts of cute prints. These are definitely worth the heftier price tag! We own 8 of them, and I’m thinking of getting another pack of 4, I just love them that much.
Pacifiers. If you’re breastfeeding, they don’t recommend introducing the pacifier until the breastfeeding routine is pretty well introduced, usually around the one month mark. We didn’t give him a paci until about the 3 week mark, and haven’t looked back since. It is magic when he’s fussing and just needs some non-nutritive sucking. Plus, pacifiers reduce the risk of SIDS and are AAP approved!
Mittens. Babies are born with surprisingly long fingernails! And Sam was very into scratching his face with said fingernails those first few days. These little mittens to protect himself from those scratches come in so handy. And they also fall off sometimes, so I recommend getting at least two pairs.
Cradle/Bassinet. We have the Babybjorn cradle and it has a great rocking feature, which I think is a must for a cradle! He sleeps in it in our bedroom right next to my side of the bed, that way it’s a quick and easy wake up at night when he’s ready to eat or just needs to be held.
Baby Monitor. Now, Sam isn’t sleeping in his crib yet, but I have put him in there for naps a few times during the day, and the Motorola Digital Wireless Video Baby Monitor & Binatone Babysense 5s Infant Movement Monitor have been invaluable. I love that I can go outside for a bit or in a different room while he’s asleep and I can have the peace of mind knowing that he is safely sound asleep and happy. Because, you know, I’m totally that paranoid first time mom who must watch him sleep and check up on him 10000 times. ;) I also love that it’s so easy to move to different locations, and if he’s sleeping in his bassinet or the swing in our room, I just set the camera up there and voila! The cool thing about this bundle pack is the Binatone Babysense is a movement monitor, meaning it alerts you if your baby’s movements stop or become irregular. Such a rad feature. Seriously, we’ll put Sam down and just sit out on the couch watching him on the monitor. Best entertainment ever. Who needs a TV?
Carrier. This thing is a GOD SEND. When he is inconsolable and we can’t figure out what to do, we simply put him in the Ergobaby and walk around and in a few minutes he is snoozing away blissfully. I love it, too, for the same reason he does: the closeness reminds him of life in the womb! Plus, dad can wear him too, and create their own special bond. And! It lets your hands free, which is great for soothing baby but still getting stuff done around the house! It’s a win for everybody, really.
Breast pads. Just trust me on this one. You’ll need ’em. Unless you want to walk around leaking/with wet spots on all of your shirts. Yeah. Not cute. I tried a few brands, and these Nuk ones are my favorite. Super absorbent and comfortable!
Lanolin. AKA nipple cream. Because if you’re breastfeeding, they’re going to hurt. A LOT. As someone 2 months in now, I can honestly say it does get better. But at first? Ouch. This cream helps. The nurse at the hospital put it perfectly: It’s like chapstick for your nips.
Swing and bouncer. Yeah, really. Both. We actually just recently have been putting Sam in this swing and it’s the most effective way to get him to sleep. So. I’ll be writing a whole post on that, because I’m beyond excited about it, but in the meantime just know. Babies love swings. And also bouncers.
Boppy. For breastfeeding, this pillow is a must. It makes for a much more comfortable time for you and baby. Plus, it serves as a great little lounger that you can prop the baby up on while he’s awake! And it’s also great to support dad’s arm when he feeds baby. :)
Diaper Bag. I loooooove my diaper bag (this Skip Hop one). I got it as a gift while I was pregnant, and it’s seriously my favorite thing. I do NOT like diaper bags that look like diaper bags- you know, little doodles and cutesy prints. Just give me a chic black or brown diaper bag that simply looks like an oversized purse and I’m happy. I love that Zack can carry this too and not feel like he’s lost any of his manliness. ;) Anyway. Diaper bags are important for carrying all of the diapers/wipes/burp cloths/changes of clothes that you will inevitably need while out and about. There is a reason they’re so big. ;)
There you have it! My favorites for the first month with baby.
What are yours?
xo
I received a Motorola wireless monitor and Binatone Infant Movement monitor to review but all opinions are 100% my own.
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat
Since I’ll be having twins in November, I’ll definitely be needing to refer back to this list! There’s so much stuff out there and I only want to buy the essentials and not all that extra stuff that I don’t need. This is perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
Ugh, don’t I know it- there is SO MUCH stuff out there that is totally unnecessary! And it’s hard to navigate the essentials sometimes. I’m glad I can help! Any questions, feel free to ask me! :)
xo
Ashley
My 100% must-have recommendation is the boppy lounger (http://www.boppy.com/shop/boppy-newborn-lounger/)! This was where my babe napped and hung out every single day in the beginning!
I agree with the monitor, boppy (for breastfeeding and when others hold the baby that don’t feel quite as comfortable), carrier and the breast pads/lanolin! ALL necessary!
Great post!
Katie
I LOOOOVE the boppy lounger! We have it too! Seriously, it’s pretty awesome. And baby is just so darn cute in it :)
xo
Chelsea @ A Fit LittleOne
I’ve heard and seen their nails, and those are not something you mess with. They are so so long, it’s crazy!! And they seem to grow back crazy fast.
Katie
Right?! I was so surprised!! I was like whattttt how did that happen?? lol
xo
Gwen
Bouncers/swaying bouncers…and swaddling…best calming baby and parents methods EVER. Through the years. YAY you for finding them early on! :)
Katie
YES, I agree!! I’m glad I found them out early on too!
xo
Jessica N
Ok, I feel pretty confident. I have most of these things all ready for baby. I still just need to decide on a diaper bag and monitor. I will check these out!
Katie
Woo hoo, you go girl! You’re so ready for this baby!! :) And I mean, reallyyyyy all you NEED need at the beginning is like diapers and swaddle blankets. lol
xo
Logan Cantrell
Oh my goodness! I could eat him up! He is so precious. We used a lot of these same things. Great advice! :)
Katie
Aww thanks lovely :)
xo
Niki
Sam is the cutest! I can’t get enough! And I love these types of posts – they are so helpful especially because I’ll start my registry soon!
Katie
Aww thanks :) And YES, I was obsessed with posts like these when I was pregnant, so I figured it was my turn to return the favor and help anyone I can :) SO excited for you!!!
xo