As most of you know who have been following our adventures on our Instagram by now, we had our second baby boy! Our little boy cannot be more different from our first in terms of his personality and even the baby items he likes! I wrote this massive best baby shower registry list for some friends after my first son and decided to update it and finally add it to the blog! I’ve literally been working on this blog post since right before the baby was born and now he’s almost ONE! 

Every baby is so different and they all like different things, but these are items that did or did not work for us, and also things that I heard from friends that were good. Personally, I think being minimalistic is best because babies use most of these items for a really short time. Although, I know this list is anything but minimalistic!

Truthfully, what works for me may not work for you, but I hope sharing this guide will give you some ideas on what items to research. Many of these recommendations have been given to me by my own friends. Everyone will have different priorities of what they are looking for whether it is compact and lightweight vs. more storage, larger, etc. 

If you don’t mind second-hand items, you can find some amazing deals at consignment shops, Facebook marketplace, and Craigslist. You can sometimes find NEW items in a box so definitely worth checking it out. I would also take anything that anyone is willing to lend you!

This is my comprehensive baby shower registry guide – hopefully, its the best baby registry guide you find!

WHERE TO REGISTER

Amazon has an easy return policy on baby items sold by them as long as it is within 90 days of shipment date so just keep that in mind if you put something on there you aren’t sure about or don’t know when you will use it. Buy Buy Baby and Target has a return policy of up to 12 months from the baby’s expected arrival date for items purchased off the registry (for the majority of items, some exceptions would be breast pumps).

Buy Buy Baby and Target both price match from select retailers so make sure to take advantage of this! You can also use non-expired Bed Bath & Beyond coupons at Buy Buy Baby.

AMAZON BABY REGISTRY GUIDE ITEMS

BOTTLES

 

CURRENT BOTTLES – AVENT & LANSINOH

We used the Avent bottles for Baby C. Now with the new baby, we are using the newer version Avent bottles and Lansinoh mOmma Breastmilk Feeding Bottle with NaturalWave Nipple. I would recommend at the very minimum of at least 3 smaller bottles and 3 larger bottles.

Other Bottle Brands with Good Reviews:

1. Dr. Brown’s – This bottle is known to be great for reflux and gas issues. We decided not to start with this bottle because there is an extra piece to wash. I didn’t want to add one more thing to clean. However, several of my friends swear by Dr. Brown’s bottles.
2. Comotomo – My cousin tried pretty much every single bottle on the market for her daughter and this was the ONLY one she will take.  It is a little pricey per bottle, but hey you use what works! Plus, its a pretty cute design!

We used the Avent starter kit until about 5 months old with my first son. It was great because the set we had came with 2 smaller bottles and 2 larger bottles, which is all we needed initially. Once we started getting to 5.5-6 oz per bottle, we switched over to the larger 9 oz bottles.  This was helpful for us because I would prep three bottles for my mom/mother in law who was taking care of the baby, while I was at work. I liked to make sure everything was already ready so they didn’t have to measure out the breastmilk when the baby is crying to eat.

I don’t think you need THAT many bottles. I felt 3-4 larger bottles and 3 smaller bottles were enough for us. Baby C was mostly breastfed when I was on maternity leave so we only used bottles if we went out for the first 3 months.  At 6 months, we were still using size 2 bottle nipples with the 9 oz bottle. We didn’t change the nipple size any further only because the baby gobbled down his milk so fast. I didn’t really want him to drink faster than he already was!

We also have Medela bottles, which we liked since it worked well with the Medela pump that I had for the first baby. It made things more seamless since I could just put a nipple on the bottle after I pumped if we were somewhere or traveling. Luckily, our baby took to any bottles and did not have issues with being colic so we could use pretty much anything.

For Baby #2, I switched over to the Spectra breast pump so I would recommend getting extra bottles (small bottles) for whichever pump you end up getting. The Avent bottles also work with the Spectra breast pump so you may be able to get away with just extra Avent bottles if you currently use those bottles. 

Sterilizer:

Tommee Tippee Electric Steam Sterilizer

Is a sterilizer really necessary? Probably not, but it is definitely easy to use and a HUGE time saver instead of boiling water and sterilizing your bottles.

We have an older version of the Tommee Tippee sterilizer, but the updated version of this one looks a lot more compact. I would recommend buying whatever the corresponding sterilizer is for your bottles. Even though we didn’t use the Tomee Tippee bottles, the sterilizer fits the Avent and tall Medela bottles. It only took 5 minutes to clean everything! You can also use microwave reusable sterilizer bags (Dr Brown’s or Medela) if you want to save on space. 

Bottle Warmer: SKIP

Is this necessary?  Also, another item that is probably not, but a lot of people use them for ease. We purchased the Kiinde Bottle Warmer, but after a month, it stopped working. I think I just got a dud because I know others who have this sterilizer and didn’t have any problems. The Avent Baby Warmer wasn’t much better for us either. 

We just didn’t have good luck with these bottle warmers so we gave up and went old school — boiled some water and warmed up the bottle in a cup of warm water on the countertop. Make sure the water isn’t boiling hot and definitely do NOT heat the bottle in the microwave or a pot on the stove. It only takes a few minutes and you don’t need any fancy contraptions!  This has honestly been the quickest and easiest.

A bottle warmer is supposed to warm up everything evenly. I know plenty of people who use them, but it just wasn’t one of the things we felt was necessary for us. You can consider using a hot water dispenser, kettle, or using a thermos to keep hot water ready. Most of the time if we are out, we just ask for a cup of hot water to warm up the milk if needed. 

Bottle Cleaning & Storage

Boon Bundle Feeding Set – This is a drying rack for your bottles as you will definitely want to separate your regular dishes.

Oxo On-The-Go Drying Rack with Bottle Brush – My friend used this when we traveled and I thought it was so perfect.

Munchkin Latch Bottle & OXO Tot Bottle Brush – Both these brushes are good. I’ve used both of them.

CAR SEATS & STROLLERS

Car Seat

My top choices for car seats are now Nuna Pipa Car Seat (Lite LX Version) and UPPAbaby MESA Car Seat as our current car seat, the Cybex Anton 2, is no longer my top choice.

The Nuna Pipa Car Seat has a stability leg, which I think is a great feature, and side impact protection. It is well made and I love the dream drape canopy, which shields the baby. The UPPAbaby MESA car seat is an easy choice if you choose an UPPAbaby stroller. It is well made and also well reviewed as well! Both car seats can be used without the base, which makes it great for traveling.

I have not personally used either of these car seats, but I do have friends who use them and love them. Please leave a comment if you guys love either of these car seats too! 

Cybex Anton 2 Infant Car Seat

I really loved this car seat when we first got it, but 3+ years later, the straps are difficult to tighten. Because of this, it is no longer my top choice recommendation. What I do love about this car seat is the extra safety features such as a load leg at the base and linear side impact protection. You can also use the car seat without the base. In Europe, the bases are sold separately as many car seats use a European belt path to safely install the car seat. I love having the feature of being able to use a car seat without the base, but still being very safe in case we were traveling. Another downfall is that I wish the shade was larger. I’m not sure if this is a common experience with all Cybex car seats, but the car seat has not reached its expiration date, but I don’t think I would feel comfortable with someone who doesn’t have sufficient arm strength to pull the straps tighter.

Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Car Seat

This is a very common car seat that a lot of mommies get due to its high safety ratings. My friend loves hers and has not had any issues with it. Worth checking out if you want something that is less expensive, but still highly rated.

Strollers

My current recommendation would be UPPAbaby MINU for a lightweight single stroller as you can use it with a car seat with adapters and it is small and compact. If you want the option for a double stroller, I love the Baby Jogger City Select Lux for the option of the bench. Our kids are 3 years apart and it was the perfect option to have a bench for my 3-year-old to sit on and be able to carry the car seat, which we will later change into a seat.

We are a suburban family so we drive to most places and we tend to travel a lot so I’m personally am looking for something lightweight vs. more storage and larger. If you are a city family, you may want something with studier with larger wheels and storage.

Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller

You don’t have to use the matching stroller and car seat. We got the Baby Jogger City Mini for our first and used adapters to attach Cybex car seat.

I removed the seat for a sleeker look and since there was no need for the seat at the moment.  Once the baby is able to sit up on his own and use the stroller without the car seat, usually past 6 months, I would put the seat back on. This also made the stroller just a tiny bit lighter as well. They no longer carry a 4 wheel version (pictured below), but they have a three-wheel version.

I was definitely happy with this stroller with my first kiddo. It is very light and the one handed fold is SUPER convenient (more than you realize sometimes). We put the seat back on around 8 months or so since Baby C was big enough to sit in the seat and didn’t really need to be in the car seat anymore. 

The stroller is safe, lightweight, and very easy to use. We do a lot of walking outside and I have had no problems with my stroller so I don’t know if the Baby Jogger City Mini GT version is necessarily worth the price unless maybe you are city living and need sturdier wheels. 

Although I initially loved my Baby Jogger City Mini, I prefer the UPPAbaby MINU because it is more compact (narrower to steer into small spaces), lighter, and stands on its own. It does have less storage space, however, so if you need storage, the UPPAbaby MINU may not be the right choice for you. Overall, the City Mini Baby Jogger is a great stroller at a less expensive price point. 

If you think you will have two kids close in age, you might want to consider a stroller that can convert into a double – the most popular ones are Baby Jogger City Select Lux, Baby Jogger City Select and UPPAbaby Vista.

Baby Jogger City Select Lux

We recently got the Baby Jogger City Select Lux and I totally love the option for the bench. It’s such a nice looking stroller with upgraded materials and options such as magnetic closures, study wheels and more compact for a double stroller. The bench is perfect for my toddler and for vacations, we will likely use the second seat for increased comfort

• Over 20+ configurations
• Able to add second seat, attach infant car seat, pram or add a bench
• Compact fold – 30% smaller
• All-wheel suspension
• Decelerating hand brake and adjustable stroller handle

The configuration we currently use is the baby car seat with adapters and the bench. Once the baby was born, my toddler wanted to sit in the stroller with him. He didn’t like sitting in the seat as he kept wanting to move around. Once we put in the bench, that was the perfect fit for our age gap of 3 years. He would sit on the bench whenever he was tired, but he would be able to jump off easily and walk around if he wanted to. For our family, this was the best fit. I absolutely would recommend doing a car seat/ seat + bench combination if there is a little bit of a larger gap between your kids.

It is a double stroller so it is definitely quite a bit heavier than our UPPAbaby Minu or the Baby Jogger City Mini. The attachments for our Cybex car seat seem to move a little bit more than I would like. The car seat does stay and we don’t have any issues with safety, but I wonder if that’s the case with other car seats as well. It’s definitely important to check out strollers in the store before purchasing!  

Lightweight / Umbrella Strollers

I absolutely love our UPPAbaby MINU. It is definitely our GO-TO stroller. Check out my more in-depth review HERE.  I have an older model of the UPPAbaby G-luxe, but I much prefer the UPPAbaby MINU as I love the one handed fold and I prefer one handlebar. 

I’ve had friends who love the Babyzen YOYO+ stroller. It is lightweight, compact, and you can attach a car seat to it as needed, which makes it a great multipurpose travel stroller. The Babyzen YOYO+ stroller is unique in that you can attach a Ride Along Board for a toddler to sit on.

Some of my friends also used a stroller caddy, which is pretty much made just for the infant car seat, but if you go this route, I would recommend forgoing the regular stroller and then getting a good umbrella stroller. Once we moved onto an umbrella stroller, we stopped using our regular stroller.

Strollers to check out:

1. UPPAbaby MINU
2. Baby Jogger City Select Lux (double stroller capable)
3. UPPAbaby Vista (double stroller capable)
4. Babyzen YOYO+ Stroller
5. City Mini or UPPAbaby Cruz for a single stroller option that has more storage and studier wheels, but less compact than the lightweight options

I would definitely go to a baby store like Buy Buy Baby or even Nordstrom to check out strollers to see what may fit your lifestyle best.

Stroller Accessories

Milk Snob Infant Car Seat Cover – We use this regularly. I would definitely recommend this car seat cover. It is so great for privacy for the baby.  If he’s sleeping, it’s perfect to shield him as he sleeps.  I also love how soft it is and it can double as a breastfeeding cover! There are a few different options, but going with the original style would be my recommendation. 

Stroller Organizer – Not a necessity, but can be helpful!

Car Accessories

Britax Back Seat Mirror – Easy, basic to use, would recommend.  

Our car windows are tinted so we didn’t buy a window shade for the car.

SLEEP OPTIONS

Crib

Pottery Barn Kendall Crib

The Pottery Barn Kendall crib has been great. We haven’t had any problems with it at all and I like the fact that it can be converted into a toddler bed in the future. I chose the low profile model because I’m only 5′ tall. 

I think honestly any crib that is up to standards would be fine. We converted it into a toddler bed once Baby C looked like he was going to climb out of his crib. He sleeps in it and loves his toddler bed.

Mattress

I read about this mattress on the Baby Bargains book, which helped me choose a lot of the items with input from friends and family.  Again, no noticeable problems with the mattress. We also used a waterproof mattress cover over it. Baby C started sleeping in his crib starting around 3-4 months.

Don’t forget about crib sheets! We use aden + anais and pottery barn crib sheets.

Crib Mobile

Baby C loved this Fisher Price Projection Mobile. If he cried before bedtime, we would turn it on and he would look at it for a while sucking on his favorite Wubanub pacifier (our most used baby item!)  I like this one because it has music, projections, and its easy to turn on and off. We only used it for a short time because once he started standing up, he would reach and try to pull it down.

For our second baby, we didn’t even bring this out. We used less stuff with our second, so I wouldn’t say a mobile is a necessity. However, there are some cute mobiles out there:

Knit Animal Mobile

Pom Pom Mobile

Graco Pack ‘n Play Playard with Reversible Napper and Changer

We received a Pack ‘n Play that was similar to this one. The Pack ‘n Play is really versatile as the baby can sleep in it or you can use it as a play yard, and we used it as a changing pad station for a long time even once our baby stopped sleeping in it. We have a super basic Pack ‘n Play at my mom’s house that my toddler slept in when he’s at her house.

We used the newborn napper/cuddle cove when Baby C was a newborn and he slept well in that instead of using a bassinet, but only for a very short time. I don’t think you need all the bells and whistle like the vibrating/music option etc. since we never really used those options. We didn’t even use the newborn napper with our second baby, so the only option I would recommend is the changing table with the Pack ‘n Play.

We did have a bassinet, which I will review below, but it didn’t work out for us. The Pack ‘n Play was a better value since we could use it for napping/sleeping, changing table station, and playpen if needed. It pretty much held all of Baby C’s stuff in our living room. We put his extra clothes, bibs, burp cloths and use the changing table, and toys in there.

Travel Option:

Consider Lotus Travel Crib if you are looking for a Pack n Play alternative, but don’t need the extra bells and whistles. This can be be great for traveling and a much lighter option. The benefit of using the Lotus Travel Crib is also that if your baby wakes up easily from being put down, it has a side zipper door for you to lay next to them or slide them into the crib! 

Halo Bassinet: SKIP! Use Pack ‘n Play

This bassinet has some nice features, but ONLY worth it if your child likes it. It was not worth the money for us especially since Baby C had some slight reflux issues in the beginning. He slept in it occasionally, but we definitely did not get good use out of it. Due to the tilt of the bassinet, he started to roll onto one side and would get smushed close to the meshing, and start to cry.  It was nice that you can move the bassinet and adjust it to different angles though. The bassinet is used for such a short time, so my personal opinion is that it is not necessary.

SWING: Fisher Price Swing

Cooper loved his swing as a baby! That thing could lull him to sleep so easily! I would definitely recommend a swing.  It gives them something to look at and they love the rocking motion. They grow out of it quickly, probably by around 3-6 months or so, but it is so worth it during those three months IF your baby likes it.

My second baby, of course, was opposite from my first so he didn’t really care for the swing! We used a mamaroo for a short time period, but overall the second one wasn’t into the swing. Make sure you buy a swing that has an A/C adapter. 

Before my second baby, a swing was a MUST have for us, but every baby is different and you never know. 

Fisher Price Newborn Rock ‘n Play Sleeper: AVOID

I have SO many friends who have used the Rock ‘n Play and swear by it like myself. Due to the recent coverage of infant deaths that occurred when babies rolled in this sleeper, I can no longer recommend it. This is a reminder to always use a product correctly and discontinue sleeper devices when babies begin to roll. Babies should be placed on their back on a firm sleep surface without any blankets, etc.  

I would consider a bouncer like this one – Fisher-Price Rocker. I’ve seen my friend bring this to parties with her baby who slept in it so well. It is a nice option to have something portable to use. 

We also have a DayDreamer Sleeper who is another lounger that doesn’t move. I like the fact that it is elevated, but again, its just ONE more thing for the baby to lay in. 

DockATot Baby Lounger

We used the DockATot for the first few months and I would definitely recommend it, especially if you cosleep. This wasn’t popular or existed when I had my first. By the time I had my second, I feel like every mommy I knew had one and gave me favorable reviews on it. Read more about my REVIEW HERE.

 

There are so many things for the baby to sleep in and lay in. I would just think about what would be best for your household, if you have a larger home, you may want more than one thing or if you want to bring things to Grandparent’s house in the future, it might be worth it.

Bumbo : SKIP

Baby C’s legs didn’t fit well in it and I don’t really think it’s necessary or useful anyway.

Swaddles

We have the aden + anais swaddle in Around the World, Moonlight and Sahara Motif (SO SOFT), and then another no-name brand swaddle which isn’t as soft. We definitely love the aden + anais ones the best. Everyone raved about aden + anais swaddles when I had my first, and it was definitely an item I used for both babies. I loved how large and soft the swaddles were and also the cute designs!

Swaddles are great because they have so many uses from traditional swaddling, blanket, breastfeeding cover, burb bib, etc. 

Bibs & Face Cloths

You need tons of bibs and face cloths. Babies spit up EVERYWHERE! A bit pricer, but definitely worth it in my opinion: aden + anais Bibs.  We love these bibs because they are so soft so you can wipe their faces without worrying about roughing it up.

My friend also bought me a bunch of little washcloths (similar) from the Korean store. They were so soft and so incredibly useful. I think she gave me like 10 and I was like why do I need this many?!?! … YES, you totally do! You will do so much laundry for such a little person, it is crazy!

Using the bibs do help with all the spit up so you don’t have to change their outfits 10x a day 🙂 The burpy bibs help so you don’t have to change your outfit too! 

Baby Wearing

A LOT of people to wear babies because it’s great to be hands-free while carrying the baby. This is especially helpful when traveling too! Unfortunately, Baby C didn’t really like being inward facing when carried. He loved being carried by someone but not in the carrier, unfortunately. I would try to start them early in the carrier if its something you want to use.

For the second baby, we used the Beluga Baby wrap, which was a great soft wrap to use. I loved carrying him at home in the soft wrap when he was so small. As he got older, the Ergo 360 was a little easier to use. Being hands-free with two kids was a must!

The soft wrap looks a little bit intimidating at first, but once you learn how to wrap it, it becomes really easy. It really helps soothe the baby to be so close to you and allow you to be hands-free. Another soft wrap to consider would be a ring sling.

Carrier to check out:

1. Ergo 360
2. Beluga Baby 
3.  Tula carrier [One of my friends who baby wears all the time swears by her Tula carrier]

EATING

Food Bibs

We started with this Bumkins bib for eating solids at 6 months.  We liked the Bumkins bib since it was so lightweight, but once the baby learned how to take off the velcro, we couldn’t keep it on much. We also have the JJ Cole bibs, which I like slightly better than the Bumkins one. For the messy eaters, I’ve seen kids use a large bib/smock.

I would recommend trying silicone bibs. I’ve seen a lot of people buy this Baby Bjorn set for their baby as well.

Utensils

I would recommend just getting a pack of baby spoons similar to these Nuby spoons. We also used the OXO tot on the go feeding spoon – we used this spoon as a travel spoon in our bag, but probably overkill honestly.

EZ PZ mini mat – We received this as a gift for his first birthday. It is cute and worked well for a plate. We use this all the time so I would definitely put this on your registry! 

Snack Catcher  – A few people recommended this to me so your child can feed themselves cheerios etc. without the mess.

High Chair

Graco Blossom 4-in-1 Convertible High Chair

I like the fact this Graco high chair has a removable tray, it has wheels so it can be moved easily, and the chair can also lean back. The only downfall is that the straps for the version we had were a little difficult to put on and take off so we didn’t use it that often (could be because its an older model now so I would definitely check the straps in the stores). We ended up buying another booster chair/tray combo, so we didn’t really need the 4-in-1 option.

My other friend recommended the OXO high chair, which is another option if you don’t need a 4 in 1 high chair.

PORTABLE OPTIONS

Fisher Price Booster Seat – This is a great option when the baby is starting solid foods, but still too small for the high chairs at restaurants. I love the fact it has a removable tray. This was perfect when we would go out to eat for dinner and would give the baby finger foods to keep himself busy, while we ate. We would also use this booster seat at Grandma’s house. This is very similar to the model we have.

Inglesina Fast Table Chair with Dining Tray Plus – I haven’t personally used this one, but this would be a great space saving option, which can be used at home and on the go.  This is the perfect high chair option for someone who is looking to be space saving and its portable! My cousin uses this one, which is where I got the recommendation from. 

My recommendation would be to find a high chair that has a removable tray that you can easily wash, easy straps, and wheels to move and have a secondary booster you can use while out. 

Food Blenders

We steam all of baby’s food and blend it in our Vitamix. We tried a little bit of baby led weaning with steamed carrots, but the grandmas weren’t a huge fan of it at 6 months. I don’t think you need a baby bullet or anything specific for baby food – just use a food processor, Nutribullet or whatever blender you have.  We like to put everything in glass jars so it is easy to heat up later. We don’t freeze his food since we typically make it fresh every other day or so.

BATHING

Baby Tubs

We got this 4moms tub initially because it had some good reviews. But Asian grandmas just put him in a little washing tub and it has honestly worked out so don’t feel the need to buy the fancy tubs with all the features.  They really don’t need any of those bells and whistles.

We use this Stokke flexi bath tub, which folds up if you need something that is space saving. We still use this even though C is 4 years old. There is an infant insert you can use when the baby is smaller, but honestly, we just held him in the tub. I’ve seen friends use this First Years Tub and this fun rubber ducky one too.

Towels & Wash Cloths

Target Hooded Circo towels –  We used ones similar to these and they were soft. We also used washcloths similar to these and also the aden + anais washcloths. 

The cutest hooded towel: Shark Hooded Bath Towel

Bathing Toys/Items

• Puj Ultra Soft Spout Cover – We like this one because it was soft compared to the Skip Hop version, no complaints.
• Rubber ducky that changes color when the water is too hot. We didn’t use it, but we were gifted this, but could be useful.
• Battat Sea Bath Buddies: Cooper loves his bath toys, but over time they get really gross and you have to replace them so now we use Elegant Baby bath toys and Munchkin Float and Play Bath Toys

Shampoo/Lotions

We have received products from Honest, Mustela, and California Baby at our baby shower. However, due to Baby C’s eczema (he had such bad eczema from 4-10 months old), we just use Vanicream, Cerave, and Aquaphor mainly. I don’t think you need any fancy baby products, but if your baby doesn’t have any allergy to it, then go for it!

If your baby has eczema, feel free to email me to see what worked for us, but I hope none of you guys have to deal with it! The pediatric dermatologist recommends anything without dyes, fragrances, etc. so actually buying Vanicream lotion and Cerave Body Wash has been cheaper than doing California Baby/Mustela/etc.

With our second baby, we used all the same products, but also included Baby Dove. I really liked the Baby Dove lotion and it also is recommended by the National Eczema Association. Our second baby didn’t have eczema so we could use pretty much any lotion. 

Top Products:

1. Vanicream
2. Cerave Body Wash
3. Aquaphor 
4. Baby Dove

Diaper Rash

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste Max Strength worked really well when the boys had diaper rashes. It was more effective than Destin for us. 

We ended up putting Vaseline/Aquaphor on his bum after each diaper change to help prevent diaper rashes. Diaper rashes can get worse fast so if you see the baby’s bum getting red, you will want to treat it quickly.

We would actually do a warm water rinse to wash the baby instead of diaper wipes to help prevent diaper rashes when we were home. If your baby is sensitive, I would recommend trying the WaterWipes Sensitive baby wipes or Pampers Pure baby wipes.

Changing Pad

Summer Infant Contoured Changing Pad – We used a simple, basic changing pad with a cover.

A fancier option that doesn’t need a cover would be the Keekaroo Peanut Changer.

Portable Changing Mat – Definitely necessary if your diaper bag doesn’t come with one. It is nice to have a portable one to use in public restrooms. 

Diaper Bags

I had a Skip Hop diaper bag, which was a great bag, but I grew out of it quickly. The diaper bag becomes way too bulky once your toddler is running around everywhere. I would definitely recommend getting a backpack. I’ve used regular bags such as a Hershel or Under Armour backpack with extra pockets. Just make sure they have side pockets to hold bottles for easy access.

My current diaper backpack is by Twelve Little, which is great because it has so many pockets everywhere and they really thought about the little details. 

Diaper Pail

Ubbi Diaper Pail  – I liked this diaper pail only because you don’t need to buy special trash bags or liners for it. You can use your own trash bags, which makes it easy. The only downfall is when you open up the trash can, it does smell, but when closed, it does the job of keeping the smell out of the room.

Medications & other items to have on hand

• Baby Tyenol
• Saline drops
• Pedialyte
• Nail clipper/filer
• Nose aspirator bulb (we got one from the hospital) – we never used the NoseFrida although a lot of parents swear by it
• Brush/comb
• Thermometer: I have the Exergen Temporal thermometer, but I don’t love it. I would try this brand as it has good reviews on Amazon or consider the Vicks rectal thermometer (supposedly more accurate)

CLOTHING

Make sure you have little socks and mittens/gloves since they scratch themselves so easily. Some people like the gloves with the velcro: Goumi Mitts, but I found that these gloves got dirty easily so I preferred to have something easy and lightweight that can be thrown into the washer quickly. We received lightweight ones that look similar to these from Asia.

Baby clothes shrink and they grow so quickly so keep that in mind when buying anything. We always buy bigger and let him grow into his clothes.  I found that Carter’s runs a little small, while Gap runs a little larger. If an outfit is for instance labeled 6 months, once he reaches 6 months — he can only wear it for a little bit longer (at least true for Baby C, but smaller babies usually will wear that size labeled. Baby C was between 50-75 percentile in height/weight for reference.

I would only honestly buy very few newborn size outfit unless you have a very small baby. Baby C was born 6 lbs 14 oz and he only wore newborn size at the hospital and into the first week.  I found most people will buy you 3-month baby clothes for your baby shower — babies live in onesies for the first 3 months, save the cuter clothes for when they are older, like 6-9 months and older.

I personally like the button-up onesies over the zipper onesies. I didn’t like the zipper onesies because the baby is more exposed when you are trying to change their diaper. You can just unbutton the buttons you need when using the button ones up, but the zipper ones you have to open the whole bodysuit. When the baby was very small, I also wasn’t a huge fan of the pullover onesies as I found it easier to slip them their arms into the onesies vs pulling it over their heads. 

My preference for at least the first two months would be a long-sleeved, long footed onesie. Cooper lived in a 3-month onesie until he grew into it.  The best ones we got were the ones that had optional hand mittens you could fold over, similar to this one – someone bought this one for us and it had magnets instead of buttons so it was super easy (although definitely a more expensive onesie).

BABY MONITORS

Motorola 2 Way Audio Baby Monitor with 3.5 Inch Digital Screen

We liked this monitor a lot, but after one year of use, it broke. All the baby monitors we looked at had bad reviews. We tried other models such as Summer Infant, which we hated. The Samsung one we tried was good, but the model we looked at the time did not have a temperature gauge, which was important to us.

Definitely consider getting the protection plan with any baby monitor since they tend to break easily.

Some people like to have the wifi capability, but we were a little weirded out about someone hacking into my baby monitor. For us, it wasn’t an important feature, but most of my friends have WIFI cameras for their babies.

WIFI cameras to check out:

1. Arlo Baby Camera
2. Nest Security Camera

BABY TOYS

Rainforest Friends Jumperoo

I would definitely recommend getting either a jumper or an exersaucer ! Baby C loved this thing! It was only used for a short time, but he seemed to really enjoy it when he used it. It’s also great when the baby starts crawling and need a short break, you can plop them in there while you eat or do something quickly.

Play Mats

Infantino Grow With Me Activity Gym & Ball Pit

Definitely get a play mat for tummy time and to entertain the baby. I like the Infantino Grow With Me Activity Gym & Ball Pit because once Baby C got older, he actually played in the ball pit so we got more use out of the mat.

Honestly, any play mat will probably suffice. Something with music and lights like the Fisher-Price Rainforest Music and Lights Gym or the Piano Kick ‘n Play playmat. 

Here are a bunch of toys that people have gotten us and so far that both the babies liked:

• Vtec Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker – HIGHLY recommend > 6 months
• LeapFrog Learn & Groove Musical Table – Great option > 6 months
• Baby Einstein musical toy
•  Oball Rolling’ Rainstick Rattle
• Carseat/Stroller toys: Lamaze Freddie The Firefly 
• Little Tikes Baby Piano (he loves this thing now he’s 6 months!)
• Green Sprouts Stacking Cups

Baby C didn’t play with toys till past 4 months.

We also love this baby cushion play mat, which is great for the baby to crawl around. It is good quality and quite thick. 

Teethers

• Sophie giraffe – Everyone has one, it’s cute, but probably overrated 
• Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether– Has a lot of good reviews, but personally, I haven’t used it
• Baby Banana Infant Training Toothbrush and Teether – Teether, not a substitute for a real toothbrush once they have teeth

BREASTFEEDING

Breastfeeding is difficult for most people. It wasn’t bad for us until I went back to work. Once you go back to work, it is terrible because you have to pump at work and lug your things back and forth 🙁 I would recommend buying another pump AC adaptor just off Craigslist for cheap or borrowing one from someone you know if you do decide to pump at work. Just buy all the pump parts new because it is so much easier having one at work.  Your insurance will cover one pump for free so don’t buy your initial one!

1. Lansinoh Breast Milk Storage Bags: definitely a must have to store your pumped milk. Never had any issues with leakage, but we usually don’t warm up the bags. Typically, I would transfer the frozen milk bag into the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, it will be semi-unfrozen and I would transfer the milk into a bottle and warm up the bottle with the semi-frozen milk in it. 
2. Haakaa Breast Pump – I really wish I knew about this when I was on maternity leave. The Haakaa helps you express milk when you are breastfeeding on one side during the letdown of the other boob. It can help you build a milk stash without actively pumping.
3. Lansinoh Breast Therapy/Nursing Kit – Suppose to help with clogged ducts.  If you get any, they are pretty painful and you want to unclog it ASAP so it doesn’t get worse, decrease your supply or turn it into mastitis.  I never had this issue, but I figured I would put this out there just in case its something you might need. This set comes with some nursing pads, but you can also consider reusable ones if you find yourself leaking a lot.
4. Medela Hand Pump –  I wouldn’t recommend buying this ahead of time until you see how breastfeeding goes, but if you go on vacation or find yourself away from the baby, this definitely helps relieve you! I have found it pretty helpful when I couldn’t breastfeed the baby or pump!  Also, to have something spare just in case you don’t have your double electric. The only downfall is that it is manual, but it is small and easy to throw into your bag.