Disclosure: Thank you to Babylist and Collective Voice for sponsoring today’s post. All products were selected, used, and loved by yours truly [and Crew] 😉
I can’t believe that little Crew has been with us for 4 months already. While it was so unexpected and scary at the time of his arrival [a whole 2 months early] I can’t imagine not having that extra 2 months of “bonus time” with him here. The last 4 months have been the most precious, joy-filled, smile-induced months of my life. Sure it’s come with its moments of of tiredness, heightened stress, and a whole lot of figuring it all out, but I’d take all of those things over and over again to have him here with us.
I so vividly remember laying awake at night [thanks, pregnancy hormones] stressing over every single thing that I needed to add to my registry. While I am so thankful I took the time to think comprehensively through everything, it is true what so many moms told me — you’ll figure out what you actually need and use once they are here.
Thankfully, I had turned to Babylist to create my registry [it’s the best one-stop shop!]
Here are the top 10 items we wouldn’t want to live without for our newborn! If you’re either creating a registry, or shopping for a new mom-to-be, these are great items to either add to your own list or buy for somebody! Down below I’ve outlined why Babylist is the best registry platform to create your registry on!
It took Crew a month or two to get in the swing of things with this one [pun intended ;)] but now that he’s gotten used to it, boy does he love it. This swing has been the biggest blessing when it comes to Shawn or me being able to shower, or simply have a little hands-free time to fold laundry, clean up the kitchen, etc! Note: If your baby doesn’t seem to love it, try removing the balls overhead or keeping the music turned off. Too much stimulation can be a little overwhelming – we typically only have the movement on with no music or toys overhead!
I wasn’t sure if I was going to love this monitor at first, but it turns out I need to trust the pros at Babylist more! I love that Babylist puts together the “best of the best” guides for every category! When I saw the Nanit listed at the top of the list for monitors, I decided to go that route! It turns out, it is the best! I love that I can view Crew from my phone regardless if I’m home or not, see how long he’s been sleeping, turn on white noise, make sure the temperature is good, etc! I also love how it puts together sweet milestone videos for us! Bonus: the floor stand model is easy to move all around your home, I would recommend going this route!
My biggest sanity [and time] saver – this Baby Brezza Bottle Washer. Before delivering Crew I was fully planning on primarily breastfeeding, so this item wasn’t on my registry initially. However, once he came and spent weeks in the NICU learning how to feed, it became very clear very fast that he was going to be a bottle feeder so that we could track exactly how much he was consuming, be able to add a few extra calories through formula, etc! Needless to say, he’s taking around 10 bottles every day which makes for a lot of washing. Thankfully, there’s this machine for that. We run it several times daily and I love that it washes, sanitizes, and dries 4 bottles at a time.
The hype is real. I went back and forth on which diapers we’d want [so we tested several – thanks to Babylist’s “Try-it Kits“] and figured out our favorite. We noticed a big difference in the absorption level when it came to Coterie diapers vs the others. Crew stays so much more content in these for longer, they have the handy stripes down the front which will turn colors when they are wet, and knock on wood – no blowouts outside of the diaper have happened in these! We’re a big fan and will continue to use Coterie for all of our diaper needs!
Little Crewbie loves bath time – I’m not sure if it’s because of the warm relaxing water or the fact that he gets to chill in what seems like a hammock floating in his nifty little bath tub! I love that it grows with him through all of his different sizes ranging from 0-6+ months and you can customize the seating position accordingly!
Again, another great item to have to be able to be hands-free when needed! We keep this lounger on our kitchen counter and every morning after he wakes up, he lays as we have our morning coffee, breakfast, and conversations and it’s great to use during dinner prep! Pro tip: Have a balloon next to it and it will entertain them for hours [or at least 30 minutes ;)]
There were so many perks about being in the NICU and one was being able to learn what Doctors and Nurses deemed “the best”! When it came to bottles, Dr. Brown’s was the only bottle they ever recommended for Crew. Since then, it’s the only bottle that we’ve used with him. The internal vent-flow system prevents babies from getting too much air which helps decrease spit-up, burping, and gas! I’ve now told several pregnant friends about these and they all have them on their Babylist registries as well!
Oh, does Crew love his tummy time. This mat is one of his favorite parts of the day – whether he’s laying on his back looking up at the balls that he loves to knock around, or on his tummy checking out his cute face in the mirror that the mat came with, it’s a great tool to have around to help him gain neck strength, hand and eye coordination, and visual stimulation! Bonus: It looks aesthetically pleasing lying on your floor!
We can’t say enough good things about all of our Cybex products – from the stroller to this rotating car seat with the SensorSafe feature, Crew loves it just as much as his mama. It makes for the easiest in and out and I love that I have constant peace of mind that my phone will alert me if I accidentally left him in the car, if he somehow unbuckled the belt, or if the temps got too hot.
Last but certainly not least, my other favorite way to be hands-free but feel intimately close with little Crew – this Egobaby carrier has been such a helpful tool either around the house or days on the go. It is very supportive and keeps my body comfortable for hours of wear. I love that it has a built-in sunshade for bright days and enough pockets to hold the essentials! When it comes to a carrier, this one checks off all of the boxes!
- First up, it’s a universal baby registry, meaning that you can add ANYTHING and EVERYTHING from any retailer onto one registry for your shoppers to view and buy from! They don’t have to go to individual websites to find your specific registry, but rather just go to your one registry through Babylist and see it all! That means everything you’re loving from Etsy, Amazon, Pottery Barn Kids, Crate & Barrel, Target [and the list goes on and on], is all in one spot. Even better? It will show your shoppers the price of each item at all retailers it’s available at, so they can decide where to shop!
2. Second, the Babylist Guides are a life saver [or at least a registry building saver!] These were instrumental to me in building my registry. Overwhelmed by the best stroller for your little one? Simply read their “best strollers of 2024” guide and then decide for yourself! Just today I was curious about what nursing bra[s] I may need once the baby is here and voila, this article about the best products for postpartum recovery appeared and I’ve already added several items to my cart. These guides are so helpful as you walk through ALL stages of pregnancy [and motherhood]!
3. Third, the Try-it Kits from Babylist are such a genius idea that you can register for! What better way to try out different products because not all items work for every baby? These custom Babylist Try-It Kits allow you to test out your options to make sure you find exactly what your little one needs! I took advantage of both the Bottle and Pacifier Try-It Kits as I’ve heard both of these items can be tricky to find out which one[s] your kiddo will love!
Founder and creator of LIY, Erin turned her dream of a hobby blog into a full-time career which she now runs alongside the LIY team! When not in front of her computer screen [with a La Croix or wine in hand] or in front of a mirror taking mirror selfies, you can find Erin spending time on the water, cuddled up with her two pups and husband most likely watching the latest Shark Tank episode, or getting lost in an easy beach read.
