My Top 10 Baby Products: Newborns

Before I had Victoria I was lucky enough to be the beneficiary of two baby showers. I didn't have a choice but to become the owner of what seemed to be every baby gizmo and gadget on the block (the simple side of me balked, but they have all turned out to be very helpful).

I actually registered for many of the items I have based on other people's experience or recommendations, and I've been very happy for the most part with everything I have. So I wanted to return the favor and tell some of my favorite product recommendations. I decided to make this a Top 10 for the newborn stage, as my little one is only 9.5 weeks old, and I am sure some things will be retired and new things brought out as she gets a little older.

***Just a forewarning: I am a very thrifty person, but I am not a cheap person. I will spend more money for better quality things that will last, especially when I hope to use things I own for multiple children, God willing. So some of these items are not cheap, but I have found them to be of superior quality.

1) Aden+Anais Swaddle Blankets

If I only registered for one item again, it would be these. I love them! I actually registered for two packages of them and wondered if 8 blankets would be overkill, and it isn't. I might even buy another package someday. These blankets are 100% cotton muslin and very thin and breathable. I can swaddle Victoria with them or even just cover her with them when she sleeps without worrying that she will suffocate if she pulls them over her face.

I always have one of these with us in the car so she doesn't get cold from the air conditioning, or I will use it to drape over her car seat to protect her from sunlight or over-stimulation. All the while I never have to worry about lack of oxygen or her getting too hot. These also make the perfect nursing covers because they hide everything without her getting too hot. They are so soft and wash well.

Did I mention yet how much I love these?

 And did I also mention that these blankets are great for babies to munch on?

Also, don't buy the generic version of these. I own two of them and they are not as big as these, so they are impossible to use as swaddles. They are also not as soft

2) Aden+Anais Burpy Bibs

These were recommended to me by another woman and I balked a bit at the price, but ended up purchasing a few with gift cards just in case. And I am so glad I did. These are also made with muslin and are so soft and absorbent. They are long and kidney shaped and are multi-purpose. They can either be used as regular burp cloths, or snapped around your little one like this

This is particularly useful if you are bottle feeding or wanting to protect against drool (plus you can use it later on as a bib when your little one is eating solids). I have since gone back and bought a few more of these, as they wash up so well and are well made. I know they will last a long time, and the absorbancy is amazing.

3) Aden+Anais Easy Swaddle

 Miss Victoria needs to be swaddled at night and during naps in order to keep her from waking herself up with her hands. This won't always be necessary, but it is for now (by the way, if your little one isn't a fan of swaddling, try to do it anyway! Victoria used to hate it and people kept insisting I keep trying. Now she loves it and sleeps SO much better). During naps we just swaddle her in her blankets (#1), but she has become a pro at wiggling her way out of even the snuggest swaddle. So when we received money back for having a Babies R Us baby registry, I bought this, and am so happy I did. It snaps shut and Victoria has to really work to get out of it, so she sleeps better for longer periods of time.

These are 100% muslin again and very soft. What I like about them is they are not too hot compared to regular cotton swaddles (we have one of those too), so she can still wear pajamas under it. I also like that it snaps shut instead of velcro, because she cannot get it loose.

4) Seventh Generation Baby Wipes

I use cloth wipes as well as disposable wipes, and I never thought I'd have an opinion about which disposable ones I like. But these are by far the best wipes EVER. They are thicker than any of the other types of used, and they pick up more with one sheet. I also don't have to worry about any chemicals or alcohol on Victoria's bottom. I purchased a big case of these and am so happy I did. They are worth every penny if you use disposable wipes from time to time.

5) A Good Stroller

My sister-in-law who has twins told me to invest in a good stroller, because it really makes getting out of the house with a little one easier. I have found that to be 100% true. I don't really have a place to store it in our apartment, so it is stored in the trunk of my car. I registered for this stroller (Baby Jogger City Mini GT) because it is very light-weight, high quality, and closes so easily (literally the pull of a strap and it collapses). Shopping is so much easier with this, as it is smooth and easy to zip around the store and grab what I need. Even my finicky little one will sleep in this easily (see shoe shopping below, and notice she is cuddling with her Aden+anais swaddle blanket #1)

While this stroller was pricey, I definitely saw it as an investment, as I wanted something I could use for multiple children (God willing). It also has big solid tires that allow me to even push her around easily in the grass. I have tried to use friends' and relatives' strollers that are so difficult to close and clunky, so I knew I wanted something sleek, light, and easy. This stroller fits the bill and has made getting out and doing errands with a newborn so much easier. 

6) Fisher Price Swing

I was not planning to get a swing for our baby, but ended up being given this one by my in-laws who have twins, as they don't need it anymore. When I asked my husband what product he thought should go on this list of top baby items, he immediately said "the swing". While some babies don't like swings, most do, and they can be an indispensable tool in keeping your little one occupied in a safe place for a bit or for helping your little one sleep. Fisher Price's swings are so soft and calming, so they are perfect for newborns.

Victoria is a finicky sleeper, and naps were a chronic issue. When we could get her take one, she would wake up after a short time just as cranky as before. Then we realized that the swing soothed her, and she would actually nap in her swing for hours. I fought it, not wanting her to get used to the swinging motion to nap, but I've since given in. She naps often in her swing, or we use it to extend her naps when she wakes up too soon, and it has been a gift from God. We will work on getting her out of her swing for naps soon, but in the meantime we are happy she is getting sleep.

She also loves being in her swing! I took this today after she woke up. She was cooing at her reflection in the little mirror on the swing's mobile (and notice her Aden+ swaddle blanket? #1)

7) Video Monitor

That is my Motorola video monitor sitting next to me as I type this, and that is my little one (in her Aden+anais easy swaddle #3) fast asleep for the night. Video monitors were on my list of "totally unnecessary" for the long time. Then I babysat my twin nephews, who have this very monitor, and I realized this is a totally amazing product.

This particular monitor can scan between 4 cameras, which is great if you have more than one child. It also makes it possible for me to respond to her cries and movements without potentially waking her up by entering the room. Newborns make tons of noises when they sleep. In fact, my little one just cried out right now. One look at the camera and I can see she is still fast asleep. If I had only an audio monitor, I would probably feel the need to go into her room and THAT would wake her up.

This has been especially useful for me since we have had to move Victoria into her own room much earlier than I anticipated. She is such a light sleeper and would wake up at the slightest movement or noise. Now that she is in her own room, I feel so comfortable being able to see her and check on her without disturbing her sleep.


8) Arm's Reach Co-sleeper

I do not own this. I have it on this list because I wish I did own it, and I am mad I talked myself out of it. When Victoria was born at 8:30pm, I had a really really hard time a few hours later when we went to bed for the night. I had planned to put her in a pack n play a few feet away from me, and I couldn't do it! I needed her right there next to me. I needed to feel her movements and hear her breathing, and she seemed to need that too. The only solution was to have her in bed with me, and I wished so badly at that time that I had something like this, where I could keep her next to me without worrying my bed is too soft, or freezing because I couldn't pull blankets up over myself, or my side getting sore because I had to lay facing her the whole night between my husband and her so she is safe.

I already have my eyes out for a second-hand one for our next baby.

9) Norwex Baby Cloths

I have written before on my Love of Norwex, which allows you to clean your home with only water and microfiber. These baby cloths are so soft and allow you to clean your baby with only water. I hate looking at the ingredients of baby washes and seeing all sorts of unpronounceable chemicals going onto my baby's skin. No-tears really means your baby's tear ducts are being numbed with a numbing agent. I just love that these cloths allow me to bathe Victoria without anything but water. They are also great for keeping in the diaper bag for clean-ups on the go.

10) Boppy

This handy pillow is such a great investment. It can be used in so many different ways from birth all the way through toddlerhood. I used it in the early days to nurse, or I would put it around my waist and Victoria would nap on it. Now I use it for tummy time

Or for letting Victoria hang out while I fold laundry or get ready for the day

It is great for allowing her to lay on the bed without worrying about her rolling off. It will also be great to put around her as she learns to sit to protect her when she falls over. My good friend's toddler uses it to snuggle while he looks at books in his bed.

Definitely a "bang for your buck" kind of product.

So how about you? What is one of your "Top 10" products for a newborn? I have others I love, but these 10 are definitely my favorite.