DISCLAIMER: These are all my opinions and what work's best for us. All baby's are different and certain things might not work for everyone. I will update this post with items as we move through different stages with Mary.
Favorite Maternity Stores
- ASOS
- Pink Blush- I ordered some shirts & dresses from here and everything fit good and the quality seemed good. Their yoga pants are SO soft and stretchy!
- Tank Top - I lived in these tank tops and I think I had one in almost every color.
- Bra- I just wanted something comfy and I started wearing these towards the end of my pregnancy and they are amazingly comfortable. A huge plus is that you can use them for nursing too!
Hospital Bag- I gave birth at Kaiser so this list is based on that hospital
- Items I'm so thankful I packed-
- snacks (especially easy things to eat while I was in labor such as crackers, grapes), little couch pillow (I love this pillow), nursing bras, good camera, chapstick, slippers, baggy comfy clothes
- Items I wouldn't take next time -
- cup with straw (they provide one), packed way too many clothes (I wore the hospital gown until the last day)
- Items I wish I would have packed in my hospital bag...
- Boppy, baby wipes (they only give you dry paper towel like towels, more caffeine drinks for hubby (the hospital did not sell anything with caffeine like Soda.), another pillow, eye drops (my eyes got really dry while in labor and the nurses wouldn't give me any), big hair bow for Mary :)
Feeding/Nursing
- Bra- my favorite nursing bra
- Gel Pads - I didn't even know these existed until I started looking for something to ease the pain from the cracking and bleeding. These gave me so much relief. I highly recommended getting a set or two. One set actually lasted me a long time, I just made sure to keep the covers on them when I wasn't using them.
- Bottle Drying Rack
- Philips Avent Glass Bottles -I love glass bottles because they warm up faster and are easier to clean.
- Boppy- A boppy really helped us when we were nursing. Mary also likes to use it to help her sit up.
- Bottle sanitizer - This item was handed down to me from my cousin, I wasn't going to buy one, but I'm glad I had it. If you are soley nursing it probably wouldn't but useful, but I was primarily pumping and giving Mary my milk through a bottle so we had lots of things to wash (pump parts & bottles). I like that I can quickly sterilize everything without having to wait to boil water.
Diapering --we buy most of our diapers on Amazon or Walmart. Make sure to check both places, plus they both offer two day free shipping!
- Pampers Swaddlers - Our go to diaper brand. Make sure you don't accidentally by the stay dry version. Always buy the swaddler option even if its in the Huggie brand. I made this mistake because the other version is cheaper and it led to many blowouts.
- Honest Diapers- I love the honest diapers. They just fit really good. But they are pricey. I usually only buy them if I can get them on sale.
- changing pad liners - we use these on top of the changing pad to catch all the accidents. They wash up easy, just don't put in the dryer.
Baby Things!
- Fisher Price Rock & Play -This is my number one recommended item. My Aunt who runs a daycare told me I needed to get one of these. I added it to my registry but wasn't sure I would actually use it. Boy was I wrong. Mary slept in this for almost the first 4 months of her life. There are different versions, ours just vibrates, but I'm positive those vibrations helped keep her asleep longer. It is easily movable (even when she's sleeping in it) so I could move it from room to room. It washes easy. Mary sleeps in her crib now but sometimes when she is just having a hard time staying asleep I will still put her in this.
- Solly Baby Wrap - I started following this company long before I was pregnant. I thought the wraps looked so stylish and loved the idea of baby wearing. When a coworker purchased the wrap for me off my registry I was so excited. This item is not the easiest to use at first. There is a learning curve. I watched the tutorial video's many times. After I got the hang of it, Mary and I both LOVE it. We use it a lot when traveling (I don't have to take her out of it while going through airport security). I also use it when we go to events and I know she is going to get sleepy or if its just one of those days where she wants to be held and you need to get stuff done. Make sure to read ALL the tips here.
- Stroller hooks -Great for shopping because you can attach your diaper bag for easy access and add all the shopping bags!
- Laundry Bags - so nice for putting all the little socks and other baby items in.
- Bumbo seat - We use this seat almost everyday. We feed her in it, and it is a great option to use while they can't sit up on their own.
- Portable Electric Heater-We didn't have one when Mary was born, but my mom had one in her RV that she let us use. It was very convenient during bath time. I could move the heater to a specific room to get it nice and toasty without running the house heat.
- Favorite Bows -so soft and they don't leave marks on Mary's head.
- Favorite 1st Christmas Ornaments
- Carters Sleepers - I really like the fleece carters zip pajamas. Anything that zips is a plus! Snaps can get annoying especially in the middle of the night.
- Carters Sleep Sack- After Mary started escaping from her swaddles in the middle of the night I started using these sleep sacks to keep her warm.
- Lamp-We use a lamp that has a dim option, great for those late nights.
Bath time
- Tubby Todd - I started following this company on social media when I was pregnant with Mary. At first I thought it was overpriced for baby soap/lotion. I mean what's wrong with Johnson&Johnson or Aveno? For some those products probably work great, but Mary has sensitive skin like her mama and once I finally took a chance and purchased their products I decided I would never go back. I use their hair/body wash, everyday lotion, & all over ointment for Mary and I's eczema. I even started using the body wash as face wash and my skin is no longer dry and flaking and it actually takes my makeup off. Oh another plus is that it lasts a long time. We have been using the same bottle for about 5 months now and I'm only half way through. A little dot goes a long way.
- Bath Water thermometer -I didn't have this item at first, but was so excited when I discovered it. I was always second guessing myself on the water temperature because I like hot water. Trevor wasn't much better since he doesn't have much feeling in his hands. I still can't trust him to test bottle temperature.
- Baby Bath tub - this is the tub we use with Mary. I like this item because it can fold up flat and doesn't take up a lot of room. We also used this sponge with it during the first month of baths.
Mary's favorite toys
- Activity Walker
- Toy Remote
- Nuby Teether ring
- This is one of the first toys she really liked playing with Snuggle teether toy
- Mary uses this Activity Play Mat at Grandma's house all the time. She especially loves the mirror and moving mobile.
- Crib Mobile -Not a must have but we like this item because it keeps her entertained while she is in the crib. I like it because I can control it from my phone, it has multiple types of music/sounds, it has a timer, and the lights keep her interested
Products I would like to try next time around
- Dock-a-tot
- I haven't needed to use diaper rash cream on Mary too much, but if I did I would buy this cream brush .
- Breathable Crib bumper - So I haven't used this yet, but I have already ordered it. With Mary learning to roll and move all around I wanted something to keep her arms and legs from getting caught between the bars. This crib bumper is breathable so that is a huge plus for me! I'll keep you updated on my thoughts.
- Swaddle Sack
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