Now that Miles is over the 3-month hump, I figured I would write up some of our favorite products that we’ve used since he was born. These are things that we use daily and have become part of our routine. It’s not a huge list and I expect the next post like this to have more due to his abilities increasing, but these have been lifesavers for us during his first three months!

Keep in mind that this may not be an exhaustive list for your own baby simply because there are some variables that we don’t have to worry about such as living in a small one-bedroom condo that makes a baby monitor unnecessary, so assess what works for your situation and add or subtract as needed! I also stopped breast feeding pretty early on, so I don’t have many recommendations for things such as nipple creams or breastfeeding pillows.

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Feeding

Bottles: I decided on these Avent bottles because I had a friend who had used them. We are still using them and they work great. If you decide to get them, make sure to order these newborn nipples because the ones that come default on the bottles are one level up and the flow will be too fast.

Formula: This is always going to be a personal preference for you (and your baby), but we started out with the regular Similac formula. I did my research between that and Enfamil and liked what I heard about Similac better. THEN I found out that the Kirkland brand formula (found at Costco) is exactly the same and simply manufactured under the Kirkland brand. So I was able to get almost twice the formula for half the price. It’s been an amazing discovery.

Formula dispenser: Since it’s the summer and I take him out for long periods of time, I needed something to carry his formula in. Based on a bunch of recommendations, I bought this holder which holds three separate doses and also comes with a separate container to hold a larger dose if needed. It’s been so great and hasn’t given me any trouble when I’m out and about.

Burp cloths: I ended up following my friend Kelsey’s recommendation and ordering these cloth diapers to use as burp cloths. They’ve been great and I use them everywhere. He tended to spit up a bit in the beginning, so they were great to have around. Now I carry one around with us everywhere, but also keep one under his head in the crib because he is sometimes prone to spitting up when he takes a nap.

Sleeping

Swaddles: One of my friends is a NICU nurse and gave us one during my shower. At first we were just wrapping him in the blanket we took home from the hospital, but once we started using it, it was amazing. I also realized after spit up and stretching of the fabric (they tighten up again after washing) that we would need more, so now we have four that we rotate through. My recommendation is the SwaddleMe swaddles, but another popular brand is the Ollie swaddle, although at $65 a pop, I’d start with SwaddleMe. You can also find them at Target.

I got the original (size S) and I’d suggest that. They make pods that are advertised for newborns, but I ordered some and they were super stretchy which led to him not being securely swaddled and waking himself up. With the regular ones you can adjust how tight they are and they don’t stretch nearly as much.

Wubbanub: This has been so incredibly helpful. A Wubbanub is basically a pacifier with a stuffed animal attached. We also have a bunch of the same pacifiers (minus the animal) that were sent home from the hospital and work great when I am wearing him, but if he’s in his stroller or the crib they tend to fall out easily and could get lost. I’ve linked a giraffe, but there’s literally so many different animals to choose from!

Sound machine: A white noise machine is a pretty necessary purchase in my opinion. Luckily, we have two Google Home devices that I just use to play Spotify white noise sounds, but there are baby-specific ones that you can buy. I liked our method because 1) I didn’t have to buy a new machine and 2) I was able to experiment with different sounds to see what he liked (hair dryers were a big hit). I did buy this small travel one to take with us when we traveled and I didn’t want my phone monopolized, but I actually ended up leaving it at home because it didn’t seem to get loud enough for me.

Changing

Diapers: We took a bunch home from the hospital and ended up sticking with the same kind when we restocked. We use these Huggies and have had no problems with them! He’s still in newborn size but maybe one day he will get bigger ones. 🙂

Changing pads: The changing table we have comes with a plastic covered pad on top and I didn’t want to invest in a separate changing apparatus to put on top. We were sent home with a ton of these from the hospital and they were so convenient that I just ordered more when we ran out. When at home, we just reuse the same one unless it gets dirty or it’s been a little while and he’s kicked and wiggled it a bunch. They’re great to put in his diaper bag too in case we are out the bathroom doesn’t have a changing table (or even if they do). They’re basically puppy pads, but they work great.

Diaper Genie: This was one of the few things I put on my registry and I’m so glad I did. It’s been great to put right next to his changing table and I only have to empty it maybe once a week. There’s no smell and it’s super easy to change the bags. Make sure you grab some refills for it too while you’re at it.

Bathing

Bathtub: I didn’t start using this with Miles until maybe a month ago and up until then we would alternate between wiping him down or one of us taking him in the shower with us. Now that he’s a bit bigger I feel better about him being in this and we make it a part of our nighttime routine every couple days.

Nail clipper: As terrifying as it is to cut a baby’s fingernails, it’s a necessary evil or they will end up scratching themselves or you. I got this infant nail clipper and it’s worked just fine. I just need to make sure he’s not in a super active wiggly phase when I try and do it!

Playing

Honestly, it isn’t until now that he’s actually showing interest in many different things. He’s too small to sit in anything and play, so the best thing would be some type of play mat, which I haven’t bought because we just spend time on a blanket on the floor or on the carpet in the bedroom. He’s only starting to understand how to hold things, so the best you can do for them at this age is to show them things with contrast (black and white/dark and light) and just taking them out and about and showing them different things will give them new experiences.

Transportation

(AHAHAHA I LOVE THIS PICTURE)

Car seat: After a lot of research, we settled on the Chicco Keyfit 30 carseat. Apparently infants need a certain car seat until they turn one, when we will have to get a second one. They do make seats that convert as the child gets older, but from what I read it’s kind of like they try to do too much so that they don’t really do any one thing well — if that makes sense. So we decided to get one that’s good for him until he turns one, then another that’s well designed for that time period. We don’t drive a ton, but it’s been fine for us when we go places.

Car seat mirror: When you have a rear-facing car seat, you obviously need a mirror to be able to see your baby. I bought this one on Amazon based on the reviews and it’s been great! It has a nice wide mirror and is easy to attach.

Stroller: We have a City Mini G2, which was a hand me down from a friend. It has been AMAZING. I take it out with me pretty much every day when we go out in the city. It’s light and turns super tight so I can maneuver it any which way I want. Since he is still small and can’t sit up on his own, the seat reclines until he is able to do so, at which point you can simply increase the incline again and use it until he doesn’t need a stroller anymore. Some people have asked if you can run with it and while I haven’t, I’ve seen that some people do. I think there may be better jogging strollers, but I can’t recommend any based on personal use.

Stroller organizer: No matter what stroller model you have, this organizer should fit. The stroller doesn’t come with anything like a cup holder which really started to bother me after awhile. This organizer has a ton of great reviews, so I ordered it and it is really my favorite thing now about the stroller. There are so many pockets for things and I haven’t even unrolled the longer storage option in the back. My one piece of advice is to not put your phone in the very convenient phone-shaped pocket while walking in the city or there’s a chance someone will steal your phone like they did to me. Definitely not a reflection of the organizer but of the city where I live. Ha.

Blanket: This was a shower gift I received that I didn’t expect to use as much as I do. I literally use it in some capacity every day, mostly to cover him up in the stroller when we go out. Mine is from Monica + Andy, although I’m sure there are tons of great ones out there.

Ergobaby Omni 360 Carrier: There are a bunch of different models of Ergobaby, but after comparing them and reading reviews, I decided on this one. Some of the more basic ones require a separate infant insert, but this one doesn’t. I didn’t start using it a lot until more recently because I felt like he didn’t fit quite right in it, but then I realized that it’s for infants 7 lbs and up. I was trying to put him in it a week after he was born and before he weighed 7 lbs, so now that he’s over 10 I feel much more comfortable using it. He usually falls right asleep after fussing for a minute and it lets me take him and walk the dog at the same time.

Websites and Apps

Taking Carababies: I realized at about six weeks that babies don’t instinctually know how to put themselves to sleep. I kept wondering why he would be so fussy during the day and then I realized that it was because he was getting overtired. At the advice of SO MANY, I took the Taking Carababies newborn sleep class and it taught me a lot about what I needed to do to make sure he started getting a nap schedule (nothing concrete at this age, but just used to it) and really what I needed to know about his sleep cues, how long babies can normally stay awake at that age, etc. It was really helpful and it got him sleeping the first day I did it.

The Wonder Weeks: This is a paid app ($3.99), but SO helpful in figuring out when your baby is going to go through expected mental developmental milestones. This way you know when to expect certain behaviors from your child and what they are actually learning during this period. There’s a lot of info to read through and it’s so interesting to see what he’s learning as he gets older. The app is based on the book by the same name, which you can find here.

Someone also recommended a Facebook group by the same name and although I’m not one to readily join FB mom groups, this one has been a real delight. There is no mom shaming, and if anyone attempts it, comments are deleted and reminders are sent out that it is meant to be a supportive place. To find a group for you, simply search “Wonder Weeks” and then the month/year your baby was born. This way you’re part of a group where all the kids are around the same age and you can bounce questions and things off each other. I’ve found it really helpful!