***I am not getting paid for any of these products, and I am not affiliated with anything shown here.***
Congratulations! You’re expecting, or maybe a friend, family member, or daughter is, it’s so exciting! You want to give them the perfect gift, but what? The $600 jogging stroller on the registry is just too steep, but the $20 diaper caddy just seems unnecessary. I hear you, it can be overwhelming! So, below I am going to break it down for you. This isn’t going to be a list of all the most important things; you won’t find clothes or diapers on this list. You will only find my list of absolute baby MUST haves. Don’t worry twin mamas, I didn’t forget about you, check out my stroller section!
PARENTING RESOURCES
They say it takes a village, and that could not be more true. But, a big chunk of my village is from those I’ve never even met! Having a new baby is terrifying, but the good news is there are now so many resources that parents can easily access through Instagram or by purchasing a course. If you don’t know this about me by now, I am very Type A to a fault, and I am extremely particular about who I get advice from, especially when it comes to my kids. With that being said, these four resources below are top notch! You will be hard pressed to find anyone better than them in their respective fields! In fact, when people ask me what they can give someone who is expecting, I 100% of the time recommend they immediately follow this group of amazing ladies! Each one of them will give parents the peace of mind that they so desperately need. For your convenience, I have linked their courses in their names and added their Instagram handles.
Shannon – Pediatric ER Nurse
Instagram: @ShanTripp
Meet Shannon, the person you never knew you were missing from your life. Not only is she seriously the happiest person on Earth, but she is saving lives our kids’ lives by giving parents the resources they need for medical emergencies. Do you know what to do if your baby chokes, what about gets burnt, or hits their head? Don’t worry, Shannon has you covered!
Michelle – Carseat Expert
Instagram: @safeintheseat
Did you know that car accidents are one of the leading causes of death in children? On top of that did you know that 95% of parents use their child’s seat incorrectly? Yep, 95% of us. I’m pretty well versed in this and following Michelle, I have found that I’ve made multiple mistakes. Most of those mistakes were when I brought my first home from the hospital. I wish I had Michelle as a resource then because she has a newborn carseat safety course so new parents know exactly what to do to keep their new babies safe.
Judy & Megan – Baby Led Weaning Experts
Instagram: @feedinglittles
Scared to introduce baby to solids once they’re old enough? What if they choke, what about allergies? I get it, been there and dealt with both of those issues. This team will help you gain the confidence to provide your child with good eating habits, along with teaching you how to properly provide them foods to minimize choking hazards.
Instagram: @takingcarababies
Neonatal Nurse & Pediatrician’s wife this lady is not only the sweetest person, but she is phenomenal at baby sleep advice!!! Following her advice, my twins were sleeping through the night at 6 months! Our firstborn was a HORRIBLE sleeper, so when I found out we were having twins I thought, “welp, there goes my sleep!” Until I found Cara. Regressions, teething, and sickness, we’ve conquered them all with very little disruption to our sleep.
STROLLERS & CARSEATS
Arguably, one of the most important purchases you will make for your child is what carseat you are going to purchase. Don’t worry! That does not mean that you need to go buy a carseat that costs $1,000 to keep your precious cargo safe. Carseats are required to pass certain safety guidelines, which means any of the carseats you purchase from a reputable store are going to be safe for your baby as long as they are being used properly. My favorite carseats, for my family, are on this list, but I highly recommend doing your own research as there are many aspects that go into picking the best one for your family. Michelle, the carseat expert I mentioned above would be a great resource to help get you pointed in the right direction!
Diono Radian 3RXT All-in-One Convertible Car Seat 2020
Pros: Can be used Rear & Forward Facing
Rear faces up to 50lbs
Folds for portability when traveling
Extremely narrow for backseats that are small or need to fit multiple carseats across
Cons: HeavyNeed to purchase separate wedge for rear facing ($20)
Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat
Pros: Extremely easy to install
Affordable
Cons: Can be heavy
Taller/Longer babies could outgrow quickly
BOB 2020 Revolution Flex 3.0 Duallie Double OR Single Jogging Stroller
Pros: Easy to Maneuver
Ride is gentle, even over rocky terrain
Folds down easily
Tons of Storage
Extra Family Member – we don’t leave home without Bob 😉
Cons: My husband would tell you the biggest con is you have to buy the cup holders separately.
It’s BIG
Pricey
Joovy Twin Roo + Car Seat Stroller Frame
Pros: Folds flat & easily
Multiple different adapters can be purchased depending on carseat
Nice storage & cup holders
Cons: Only works for a stroller while in Infant Carseat
Heavy
Long to Maneuver through doors by yourself
NURSERY
Baby Monitor: Infant Optics Video Baby Monitor DXR-8
Pros: Clear Picture
Doesn’t use Wifi
Can hook up more than one camera
Can talk through monitor to baby
Cons: Battery did not last a year and a new one needed to be purchased
Sound Machine: HoMedics SoundSpa Sound Machine
We used the same monitor for our oldest, as the one we do today for our twins. We keep it on the white noise option, and they sleep through anything.
I didn’t even realize until I was on a hunt for really snug crib sheets, that Burt’s Bees sold them. These sheets are amazing! They will not budge, even if you have an extremely active baby, which is how we stumbled upon them in the first place. They also have so many different colors and patterns to chose from, along with being incredibly soft and cozy!
Also, buy several sheets, that way when your baby has a middle of the night accident and you have your spare already unwashed in the laundry room you have yet another sheet to throw on. New parents are tired and typically, laundry is not on the top of the to do list
Sleep Sack: Love To Dream Swaddle Up
Did you know that infants should not sleep with anything in their cribs until they are a year old? This includes: crib bumpers, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, etc.
When we had our twins, we were extremely over tired, but this sleep sack was a GAME CHANGER for us, until they were old enough to begin sleep training.
The way that there are little pockets for baby’s hands/arms makes it so that they are less likely to startle themselves awake, as infants so often do. It also is a slightly form fitting sleep sack so that baby feels comforted.
The sack shown is for a newborn, but I have also linked the transition swaddle for once your baby is getting close to being able to roll over here.
BATHROOM
Okay, I know this one seems ridiculous, why can’t I just use my finger like a normal person?! I get it, because I thought the exact same thing. This thing is so nice if you have diaper cream in a container, because then your whole hand doesn’t get dirty once it’s almost empty. Not only that, but it transfer to the baby’s tush better so you don’t waste as much product.
This is something you need to test for yourself, but it’s definitely a must have!
Diaper Caddy: Parker Baby Diaper Caddy
This particular one is what we have used for our twins, but there are so many to choose from, and as long as it’s a decent size and you can fit diapers, wipes, and diaper cream I don’t think you can go wrong. Pick one that you think would be cute!
This would also be a great gift bag for a baby shower, you could stuff it with a bunch of baby items!
You want me to use a straw to get boogers out of my baby’s nose? Yep, I sure do! Listen, you will thank me when you have this instead of a bulb syringe that doesn’t work and your screaming congested baby won’t sleep; therefore, neither are you. There’s a filter that you replace after every use. I’ve used this on 3 kids, and have yet to get a mouth full of snot. It’s also been proven not to pass on germs because of said filter.
Honestly, I rarely ever used the Boppy to nurse, I just didn’t really like it for nursing. I did love the Boppy for so many other things though. It’s great for tummy time, supporting baby while learning to sit, laying baby down (supervised of course) while you fold laundry. We used our Boppy pillows daily for the first year, maybe even year and a half of our twins’ lives. There are also so many different color and pattern options to choose from.
KITCHEN
Bibs: Bumkins Long Sleeved Bibs
So, no these won’t work for your newborn, but they will be so nice to have once your baby starts eating solids. They tie in the back so they don’t pull on baby’s neck, but it’s also harder for baby to rip off or wiggle out of. Additionally, they are also great for arts and crafts once your baby is old enough.
I have tried SO many different high chairs through the years with our kids. This one is HANDS DOWN THE BEST! So easy to clean, light weight, looks nice, and it’s only $19.99!!!! Don’t even waste your money on a super expensive fancy high chair, baby isn’t supposed to eat solids until they can sit up unassisted anyway. Plus, the fancy ones come with so many hiding spaces that get DISGUSTING over time. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to scrub a screw that’s in a hole covered in who knows what kind of baby food, but it’s not easy!
Plates / Bowls: Bumkins Silicone Grip Dish
There are so many different suction plates and bowls on the market. I have tried multiple different brands, and the Bumkins suction plates are my favorite. They’re easy to clean, come in a variety of colors, are on the cheaper end of this type of plate, oh, and they actually suction unlike some of the other brands.
MISCELLANEOUS
We are an extremely busy family, and if it’s nice out we are always outside. We also spend a little too much time at ball fields watching baseball or soccer. With that being said, these fans were fantastic when our little ones were really little and it was hot out. They are rechargeable, and the clip is sturdy. We tried multiple stroller fans before finally coming across this one, it holds a battery longer than the rest and is shorter, which means baby can’t reach it as easily as some of the longer necked fans.
Let’s be real, babies don’t need a whole ton of toys. These make the perfect newborn gift or shower gift though. They are small and lightly stuffed so they fit perfectly in baby’s hands once they are a little older, not to mention they are really adorable. We have four of these, and we have had to secretly repurchase “elephant” after he was lost. (Shhhh! Don’t tell Jamison.).
CONCLUSION
Like I said in the beginning, this isn’t a complete list, but it is everything I swear by. I have used all of these items personally, and would only recommend the things that I feel are worth every penny. If you’re looking for a shower gift, but trying not to break the bank you could definitely fill the diaper caddy with the BabyBum spatula, diapers, and wipes. Or give a stuffed animal and sleep sack. You really cannot go wrong with any of these items, I promise you!
