I may not have earned the title “expert mom” yet, but I have long been an expert when it comes to finding the perfect products. Sure you’re going to need the basics like swaddles and burp towels, but here are the 10 surprisingly helpful items/product features I thought were particularly helpful during Baby Jacks’s first 3 months.
(And stay tuned! I’ll be dishing on some of the bigger items we chose and why in the next couple weeks! A Baby Breeza review, a 4Moms Mamaroo review and why we chose the SnuggleMe over the Dok-a-tot all in the works!)
[TOP, BOTTOM, LEFT, RIGHT]
1. Medela Hydro Care Pads: As I’m sure you’ve heard (or have experiences first-hand) breast feeding hurts like nobody’s business. Eventually your nipples toughen up for the challenge, but in those first few weeks these pads saved my life. They not only sooth the pain but they help prevent it from worsening by eliminating any friction your sore boobies might encounter while covered up. Pro tip: Put them in the fridge so they’re chilled before you put them on.
2. ADEN + ANAIS Classic Bib: Whoever started making bibs that snap or secure in the back didn’t have a squirt child with no neck in her lap. Side snaps and Velcro make it SO MUCH EASIER to get on to the babe.
3. WubbaNub Paci: As you may have seen on my IG stories, Jacks poo-poo’d the paci for hist first two months. He just wasn’t into it at all. So when my girlfriend gifted him this bestfriend-paci combo I felt guilty at first – thinking for sure he’d throw it over the SnuggleMe and continue enjoying his fist. Turns out he actually loved it! The next day it got us through a whole baptism without a peep. WIN!
4. Coconut Baby: Actual question: Do you think people in their office say instead, “COCONUT, BABY!”? No? Okay… well anyway this stuff is bomb. Its 100% organic and while perfect for cradle cap, is also good as an all-over moisturizer. You can even add a little to bathwater! Just be extra careful cause it gets slippery in there.
5. Itzy Ritzy Milk Boss: The neck, shoulder and back tension from breast and/or bottle feeding your babe gets real – this helps SO MUCH!
6. Baby Bath Silicone Brush: Not going to lie, I didn’t think I’d feel comfortable using this because I was afraid it would be too harsh. It’s not at all and it the best at exfoliating little babes head.
7. Dapple Soap: I know it seems weird to include a soap but this one is actually so good! It has a very baby friendly ingredient list and it actually washes off SO easily – I’ve never worried about soap residue being left on the bottle. Better yet its so effective at getting films off the nipples and bottles.
8. Blooming Bath Lotus: Listen bathing a baby did not come naturally to me. I must’ve watched like 10 YouTube videos!!! So this soft little number come in handy when I was trying to figure it all out. It basically makes the bathtime routine less terrifying for you and the babe – it helps knowing he’s at least laying on something soft and squishy while I google once more how to get all the soap off the baby (no seriously how do people get all the soap off the baby… I’m still figuring that one out.)
9. SwaddleMe Pod Swaddle: If you’re LO is anything like mine than he or she will bust out of a swaddle in 4 minutes flat without even breaking a sweat. Impressive as it is, it is no fun when they wake up due to knocking themselves in the noggin. Enter, the no escape swaddle. A swaddle that zips up fully were the only ones that worked for us. I fact, the velcro ones that everyone raves about were my least favorite. After one wash they get super tense and are hard to align + the rough side has too much exposure and your babe can scratch themselves on it. These were the perfect solution.
10. Zip-Up Onsies: Last but certainly not least ALL THINGS ZIP-UP! No one has time for snaps and buttons at 3am. Not you, and definitely not your hungry/cranky/sleepy/teething babe. Zip-up onesies are both life and sanity savers. And no – you won’t zip the baby! Doing so is actually harder than you think! Think about it – when you zip something you’re usually pulling towards yourself to create a tension. This is why we sometimes zip ourselves OUCH! But when you’re zipping the baby’s onesie, that natural lift pulls the zip away from the babe’s skin. Trust me. You’ll wonder why they even still make buttons and snaps.
