My Favorite Baby Gear

As I’m trying to finish up the final preparations for the arrival of my baby boy, I thought I’d post a list of my favorite baby items. This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of everything you need for a baby (in fact, there are things on here you don’t “need”), but rather some of my favorite things. Here’s my list from after Ella was born.

1. Swing. Despite Troy not really loving the swing like Ella did, it is still one of my favorite baby gear items. I will say not all swings are created equal, and I definitely prefer one that can swing in both directions.
2. Boppy. Great for nursing, holding the baby, and propping the baby up. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how well my boppy has held up over time.
3. Swaddling blankets. Our babies have always loved to be swaddled. I really like the Aiden and Anais brand of swaddling blankets (easy for me to swaddle), but my husband prefers smaller blankets (he is the master swaddler too!).
4. Sleep sacks/swaddle sacks. I like these and these (I find each has its advantages and disadvantages).  This follows in line with swaddling. I particularly like to use the sleep sacks at night because it is easier to wrap a baby back up in them after a feeding when you are totally out of it in the middle of the night.
5. Boppy waterproof changing pads. My mom got these for me (something I would have never thought to buy myself), and I really like them. I like to have one in the room I’m in with baby to use as a changing pad, as well as one in our bedroom (for when the baby still sleeps in our room at night). They are also great for their “intended” use as far as laying on top of a changing pad to be rotated out rather than having to change the changing pad cover.
6. Pack and play. Good for lots of things, from using as a bed in our room when the baby is little, to using as a travel bed. We had a Graco one with Ella, and a Baby Trend brand with Troy. The Baby Trend one has held up a lot better.
7. Moby wrap. I love being able to wear my baby, and this is a great option, particularly for when they are little. It can be a little tricky to get the hang of wrapping it, but once I figured it out, it wasn’t hard. I will say it gets warm, and isn’t something I’d use in the summer in Texas.
8. Ergo baby carrier. I did not have this for Ella, but I did for Troy, and I loved it! I only used it once he was bigger, although you can buy an insert to use with it for when the baby is little. By the way, I’ve seen these fairly often on “deal” websites, so if you are in the market for one, you might keep an eye out on those sites to snag a better price.
9. Sound machine. I did not have a sound machine with Ella, but I did with Troy, and it was great. I particularly like the one I linked (we also had a different one, and it was a piece of junk compared to this one).
10. Bath tub seat/ring. I can't find the one I have (it is older), but I really like have a seat for the baby when they are big enough to be in the big tub, but not super sturdy yet.