BABY MUST-HAVES

I can't believe our sweet little miracle baby is 6 months old! If you've followed us for a while now, you know that we struggled for years with infertility and did IVF to get pregnant. To say that we were excited to become parents is an understatement, but we (ok mainly just me) were also VERY nervous.  I felt so unprepared and inadequate to take on this new, incredible role!  I talked to everrryyyone (like really, truly, everyone) I knew to get recommendations on the best baby products out there, and now after 6 months of trial and error, I'm here to spill the beans on the baby must-have products that have saved my butt and helped me to be the best mom and business owner I can be.

1. The SNOO Bassinet by Happiest Baby. Okay, I know this is an expensive item, but it is also the one thing that has helped me the most by FAR. I was first drawn to this bassinet because of it's beautiful, modern design and how I felt like it actually enhanced the look of my bedroom rather than being a huge eyesore, like so many baby products can be.  But this bassinet is so, SO much more than that. 

The SNOO reacts to your baby's cry and provides white noise and rocking motion to calm them down. It's straight up INCREDIBLE. I remember the first day home from the hospital, being SO exhausted. We put Ezra down for a nap in the SNOO and hoped to catch a nap ourselves. Just 5 minutes into his nap he started to cry and my heart sank. But the SNOO responded and within 30 seconds he was back asleep! Our little guy was sleeping nice long stretches at night by six weeks old. It can be controlled by a user-friendly app so you never have to get out of bed to put your baby back to sleep, and has a swaddle that clips right into the bassinet so you don't have to worry about your baby rolling over or wiggling into an unsafe position. Plus, their customer service is amazing. Ezra's battled a 4 month sleep regression, and the Happiest Baby's sleep specialist was so helpful via phone and email to help us get him through it. Oh, and the app has a wean setting so you don't have to worry about transitioning into a crib. I was skeptical about how that would go, but it was honestly such an easy transition!

If you're like me, getting good sleep is priceless. I can't recommend the SNOO enough. They have 0% interest payment plans, and often have 30% off sales. With Black Friday coming up, I would bet they will have some killer deals going on!

2. The DockATot. Another pricier item, but one that has been worth every penny. The DockATot is a portable baby lounger. It allows you to be hands free to work, cook dinner, exercise, and have your baby laying safely near you without the risk of rolling or falling off of a bed or couch, or even just to comfortably rest on the floor without having to be strapped into something. It also mimics the womb so it feels safe and cozy for babies.  It's travel friendly-we used it for naps at the beach, the park, and at friend's and family's homes, and, it washes up like a dream!

3. The Ollie Swaddle. This is hands down, the BEST swaddle out there. I gave up on every other swaddle and just used this one all day erryday. The velcro keeps babies safe and secure and means you can swaddle in literally seconds. The elastic band at the base makes diaper changing a snap. This is literally the only swaddle that felt secure and that Ezra didn't just bust out of in 30 seconds. We used the Ollie Swaddle with the DockATot for naps and it was the best combo ever! 

4. The Boppy Nursing Pillow. If you're nursing, this really is a must-have.  I take my Boppy Pillow with me everywhere, and it makes nursing so much easier and more comfortable. The few times I've had to nurse without it, my back has paid the price.

5. Speaking of nursing, I think it's worth investing in a few nursing-friendly pieces of clothing. After 9 months of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the craziness of new motherhood, you just want to feel like you look GOOD. Madewell has a lot of beautiful button down blouses that are quality, timeless pieces. I also got a few super cute and affordable blouses from Old Navy and one of my favorite online boutiques, ROOLEE has a whole section of their shop devoted to nursing-friendly blouses and dresses. I got a few of their dresses and LOVE them!

6. The Windi.  This little invention is absolutely brilliant. It helps relieve your baby's gas pains. You can literally hear it whistle as the gas is released and can feel their tummies soften as that pesky gas pain leaves their body. It's crazy and fascinating and works SO well. Total life saver.

7. The Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock. Another really brilliant invention! This hammock is really compact, safe, and easy to use. You can stick your car seat in it securely, which is what I did when Ezra was smaller, or you can place your baby straight into the hammock, which is nice to use now that he's older. No more heaving his heavy carseat around when we shop! 

8. This bouncer is the bomb. It's only about $20, and has provided countless hours of entertainment. When he was really small, Ezra didn't love this bouncer, but as he's gotten older (especially once he was able to grab at things) he has come to really looooove this thing. 

9. I mentioned this in our Nursery Reveal post, but Ezra is OBSESSED with his mobile from Pehr.  Laying under that mobile is his favorite place to be haha! Whenever he's been really fussy, we'll set him down under his mobile, and I swear to you he stops crying and starts smiling and babbling every time! Plus, their mobiles are absolutely adorable. Everybody wins!

10. Every baby needs a good set of blocks, preferably beautiful wooden ones! I love ours from Little Sapling Toys. Everything they make is gorgeous. Their quality is unparalleled, and who doesn't want some toys that are fun AND look good?!

11.  I love this Tassel Basket from Lorena Canals. A lovely neutral color, great texture, MACHINE WASHABLE (woot woot!) and big beautiful tassels- need I say more?? It's perfect for storing anything like toys, blankets, books or shoes. 

12. Finally, our very own Pom Pom Baby Kantha Quilts from the shop are the PERFECT baby accessory. They're soft and snuggly, machine washable, and look so cute and stylish hanging over a crib, draped over a glider, or peeking out of a basket. My friends who have older kids tell me that even now, years later, their kids still use and love their quilts every single day! 

There you have it, feel free to ask questions about any of these products and I'll try to give you as much information as possible!

xo,

Ally