You know you are officially a parent when your home has been taken over by baby gear! We have some type of baby swing/bouncer/rocker in every room of our house. It’s a bit excessive! You can definitely tell I am a first time mom…

After a little over one month with baby Ford, I thought it would be fun to share the top baby products that we absolutely cannot live without. These are the products we use daily - multiple times a day! The products I would buy over and over again. Here it goes, in no particular order.

Swaddles -
Our hospital actually gifted us a HALO swaddle and we were hooked. After late nights attempting to re-wrap the muslim blankets (that are so soft and cute, btw), we made the switch to using only HALO swaddles. Even though our little man is a Houdini and likes to wiggle his arms out of the swaddle, these keep him nice and secure. I’ve tried other brands of swaddles for naps and he never sleeps as long or as comfortably when not wearing the HALO. I love that there are a variety of fabrics in all weights, so we have a few lightweight ones for now and will switch to a thicker material as it gets cooler out. These are a MUST for any new mom as they are easy to use and helps baby feel secure and cozy during sleep time. I would highly recommend adding these to your registry! Plus, the price point is so affordable!

Side Note: the other favorite is the Love to Dream Swaddle. I tried this brand because it lets baby have their arms up, which he loves. But I do think he still wakes himself up when wearing this one and doesn’t sleep as long as when his arms are fully swaddled down. We are starting to transition into this swaddle for daytime naps and I plan to use this brand more as we get ready to move from the bassinet to the crib! More on this soon.

2. Baby Shusher -

This Shusher was one of our first purchases when we got home with baby. Even though we have a sound machine in the nursery and our bedroom, we realized we needed a portable option. I remember a friend using this one and thought we could give it a go. You guys, it’s a miracle worker! I’m convinced baby likes the “shush” sound more than the white noise from most machines because it’s the sound we naturally make as a parent! We use this so much we even downloaded the app (only $4.99) to never be without it. We use the Shusher for naps and to help Ford get to sleep - or when we are too tired to shush anymore. I also throw it into the car seat for outings. It’s a definite must and will save you from constantly shushing yourself.

Side note: This shusher does not stay on all night. For evening, we use the Hatch Baby Rest Night Light & Sounds machine, along with the Shusher app playing on my phone.

3. Keekaroo Changing Pad-

This Keekaroo Peanut was one thing I knew I wanted for baby and decided to purchase myself instead of registering for it. When planning the nursery, I wanted to stick to a minimal and neutral theme. I didn’t love the cloth changing pads and covers because that sounds like a nightmare and extra laundry, so this seemed to fit all criteria! It fits perfectly on our Ikea dresser and is both beautiful and functional! Plus, Ford absolutely loves it! He lays comfortably on it during diaper changes and even will relax on it (it helps that we hung a mirror on the wall, so he can look at himself!) Its not too cold for changes and is just soft enough. Best of all, it’s so easy to clean! We already have so much laundry, so it’s nice to just wipe this clean after changes or any messes. Highly recommend, especially for little boys!

4. Boppy Nursing Pillow -

The Boppy is one of those items that had mixed reviews, so I didn’t register for it. Some mamas swore by it and others said it was never used. For me, it’s one of my most used baby items! I bought it last-minute before being induced and am SO glad I did. As a breastfeeding mama, I use this day and night to prop up the little guy as he nurses. It helps my back and keeps him cozy when nursing. He has fallen asleep so many times while laying on this! Plus, it saves as a flat prop for holding my random things - iPhone or even a plate…because let’s be real, some days it feels like all you do is breastfeed and you need something to do! The Boppy helped me those first few weeks as I was getting used to nursing and positioning the baby. I would definitely recommend one of these if you plan to breastfeed.

5. Baby Carrier -

If you aren’t baby wearing, you need to try it! Baby wearing has helped me SO much these first few weeks and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. I started baby wearing with this Infantino Carrier once Ford was around 8lbs for a daily walk and even doing errands around the house. He loves being in this carrier and will look around if we’re outside. If he’s cranky or needs to sleep, I’ll put him in it and go for a long walk because 9 times out of 10, he will fall asleep in it. I think it’s because he loves being close to me (tip: wear a lower cut shirt so he can feel your skin when being worn) and it reminds him of being safe and cozy in the womb. He also loves the movement of being worn as we take our walks, which also has helped my sanity and to lose the baby weight! I use this daily and I am so glad I got this carrier because it’s lightweight and so easy to snap on and off. I did also get a wrap-style carrier, but it doesn’t feel as secure and takes forever to get on and off, which is not convenient if baby is getting fussy!

I also use this carrier in lieu of the car seat for running errands. For some reason, Ford doesn’t like being in the car seat for long and will fuss in the store if he’s trapped in his seat. If I put him in this carrier, he can remain calm and content for my errands! I’ve even worn him to client meetings and photo shoots in this! Basically, this is my favorite thing ever and I would highly recommend for any new mom.

6. Swing or Bouncer (or both!) -

When making our registry, I had no idea which type of swing/rocker/bouncer to get. So, I ended up with several! Again, total first time mom move. I figured it would be better to try a few than to end up with one that baby didn’t like. I am glad I went this route! My little guy does NOT like the Rock ‘N Play, which is one of the top recommended products by most mamas. He won’t nap in it, which my pediatrician loves (it’s not made for unsupervised sleeping), and has maybe spent 10-minutes in it at a time before wanting out.

But he does love any type of swinging motion! This Graco Swing has been his favorite contraption followed by the Mamaroo. He will enjoy the swing or Mamaroo (in Kangaroo motion) while I get ready in the morning or fix myself food. So, I placed one upstairs and one in our living room. I am so glad we ended up with both of these because I think it helps not to have to move them around our house. I do think he will quickly grow out of the swing, but for now love watching him enjoy it and it’s the best place to put him when I just need a break. I know the Mamaroo is more pricey (mine was a gift), but I do see him growing with this and using it for longer. I love that the motions and sounds can be controlled with an app and all of the different movement options! If you’re torn on which to try, I would suggest buying a Mamaroo (better quality and will last longer) and borrowing a swing or Rock ‘N Play from a friend or you could try Facebook Marketplace!

Finally, our little guy LOVES his Skip Hop Activity Mat. He loves using this for tummy time and will spend 15 or more minutes staring at the toys. He’s now at the age where he can grasp the dangling toys and look at himself in the mirror! I love this as another option that is interactive and helps with his development instead of just sitting and bouncing in his swing. If you don’t want to invest in an activity mat, you could easily make your own with a soft mat and fun toys.