Hey-O! First time mom here. I know you fellow mamas feel me when I tell you I had NO CLUE what I was doing when we brought our triplets home. It’s a miracle that we’ve all survived these past 9 months, and I’m a firm believer that it was by the grace of God that we did! And while I’ve only been a mom for 9 months, I’ve learned A LOT through trial and error over those months. Specifically with certain baby products that work/don’t work. There are 10,000 different brands and types of baby products, and it’s daunting to try to figure out what you actually need/don’t need. I’m here to share those revelations with you. You’re welcome.
- We all know that sleep is the best. You need it. Baby needs it. We all need it. So, naturally one of my favorite baby products is one that aids sleep for your newborn. SwaddleMe sleep sacks are amazing because they are super easy to use and they really work. I think we started using them around 4 weeks old. No joke, the first night we used them, our girls began sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches as opposed to 3! I didn’t do anything different to their schedules or feedings, so I’m convinced these swaddles are something special. All three of our girls used these for the first few months until they were strong enough to wiggle out of them and/or roll over. This brings us to my next fave….
- Merlin Magic Sleepsuits. Yes, they really are magic. These funny looking suits make your baby feel like they are inside a warm fluffy pillow. We started using these once we transitioned out of swaddle sacks, and these suits made the transition very smooth. They don’t necessarily keep baby’s arms and legs constrained, but they do provide some resistance just by mere thickness. Baby still wears pajamas underneath the suit, and surprisingly doesn’t get too hot. We used them from about 3 months to 13 months.
- Fisher Price Sit-Me-Ups. These collapsable seats are perfect because they offer more support than Bumbo seats, so your baby can use it much sooner. This allows little ones to sit up and see the world around them while also playing with the attached toys on the front! We loved taking these seats outside on the deck on pretty days, and they fold flat so they’re easy to pack for a trip!
- Zoli Bot Straw Sippy Cups These cups are amazing and everything I wanted in a transition cup! For some reason, my girls did better with straws than having to tip their cups up enough to get the liquid out. It took me a long time to find a cup with a straw and handles that didn’t leak! Finally, dreams came true. The handles are easy for them to grip, and the straws are leak-proof so liquid only comes out when they suck on it. Also, the weighted straw makes it so that no matter how the cup is tilted or angled, the straw is always in the liquid. Life saver.
- When you have three babies, and a normal-sized house, you really don’t have the space for three high chairs. So how do you feed your kids?? Bumbo seats! These seats have foam inserts to fit your small baby more snugly, and can be removed once they get bigger. They also have a removable tray which is great for Puffs and sippy cups. However, these seats are so easy to move around, you can use them anywhere for any purpose. You can put toys on the tray, take it to the park so baby can watch older brother, cut baby’s fingernails in it, the possibilities are endless! While the girls were still small enough, we sat the Bumbo seats on the table to feed them. We were ALWAYS watching them and never left the room while they were in the seats. Once they got a little bigger, we strapped the Bumbo into a chair so that we could still easily feed them. Still using at 15 months!!
- When you change as many diapers as I do, a wipe warmer is well-worth the $20. Those tiny baby bums will appreciate your splurge 🙂
- Okay, one of my absolute favorite baby products!! I discovered these little carseat magnets that are shaped like hands. They hold the metal clip from the strap so that when you set baby in the carseat, the straps are already out to the side. This prevents you from having to dig underneath baby’s back and legs to pull the straps out. I can’t tell you how many times we woke babies up when they were really young before we had these. Not only do they hold the straps for you, but I had several people ask me if they were meant to keep people from touching your baby! (The magnets are bright orange and shaped like hands.) While I found this amusing, I actually appreciated the appearance because it really did cause people to think twice about sticking their dirty hands all over my babies!
- Groceries. delivered. to. your. door. Need I say more??? You totally need Amazon Prime Pantry. Also, AmazonMom has great deals on diapers and wipes. Free if you’re already a Prime member! Holla!!
- Another product to help with sleep… Fisher Price Rock n play. Our girls slept in these for the first three months. They are more ‘snuggly’ than a big, wide open crib, and they rock! In addition, they are elevated so baby isn’t laying flat. I liked this because our girls were spit-up queens, and being elevated seemed to reduce some of it (as opposed to laying them flat after eating). PLUS, if you have multiples, these are great to have one (or two) babies in during feeding time. Baby is seated in position for feeding, so you can hold or prop the bottle for them.
- Bath time! This tub by 4moms is incredible. It has a temperature gage to make sure water is just right for baby, and has drains at different levels so you can keep the water running while only filling to your desired level. It’s comfortable for baby to sit in, and helps keep his head above water. We used this for about 7 months. It fits on a single sink, double sink, or in the bathtub.
What are YOUR favorite products??