Baby Product Essentials and Must Haves! (0-6 Months Old)

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Hi guys! So many of you ask me for baby product recommendations so I wanted to put everything in one running list for easy reference. This is not just a list of all of Carter’s things- these are the top products and toys that I swear by and will either keep or purchase again for my future baby/babies. As a first time mom I had no clue where to start and was totally overwhelmed so I hope this list can help some of you!

***This is the complete list for 0-6 months old (final updates made 7/11/17). I will be making a part two for 7-12 months*** 

ALSO CHECK OUT:

• MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL – I now post weekly vlogs on Wednesdays with lots of baby tips and recommendations! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVKFs0cesQUEGtn8gQmhbHw
• My pregnancy essentials (blog post) https://vasseurbeauty.com/2017/01/02/my-pregnancy-essentials/
• Baby products organization – How I organize Carter’s toys, books, clothing, diaper station, nursery, diaper bag etc (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUWD6CPilrg&t=25s
• How I get Carter to sleep through the night and nap during the day- it’s finally here!  https://goo.gl/UUDtdx

SLEEP RELATED PRODUCTS

Newborn Swaddle: The ONLY swaddle Carter couldn’t get out of. I tried 5 or 6 other types before I finally found this one! (zip up, arms down, 0-3 months) http://amzn.to/2rzKJev

Swaddle 2: Also zip up but allows baby to have arms in an up position. As Carter got older he wanted more movement with his hands and preferred this swaddle (zip up, arms up, 2-3 months) http://amzn.to/2r4rplP

Arm swaddle: This swaddle allows baby to be swaddled while strapped into a swing or rock and play (0-3 months) http://amzn.to/2sRoZbJ

Swing: This swing saved my life in the early days– I could write an entire blog post on why I love this. Read my blog post on baby sleep for why this is so amazing if you have a baby who is fussy and/or won’t nap http://amzn.to/2seFfH3

Crib soother: Now that Carter naps in his crib this hangs on the side and lights up and plays soft music that gradually fades. This thing is incredible, my current #1 baby product! When I turn it on he knows it’s time to sleep and goes down right away without a fight. I recommend getting this with rechargeable C batteries. http://amzn.to/2sepm3u

 

Dok a tot: This is where Carter sleeps at night with us in the bed for safe co sleeping. It’s expensive but worth it in my opinion. http://amzn.to/2rTjE6r

*My post all about baby sleep is now up, read it here (this is a must read for anyone struggling with baby napping or sleeping through the night!)

ACTIVITY CENTERS

Kick and Play Gym: This was the first toy/activity that Carter really loved, and he still enjoys it now at almost 5 months. This is great for younger babies because they can use their feet and kick before they can grasp/grab (back playtime 0 months+) http://go.magik.ly/ml/5bxq/

• *Now that he’s older and isn’t interested in the play gym anymore I detached the piano part and it’s one of his favorite toys!

Play gym: Neutral colors, soft and plush, good quality (back and tummy time play, 0 months+) http://amzn.to/2s2wZu5

Tummy time water mat: Carter hated tummy time until I got him this. This gives him something to do/look at to distract him from the fact that he’s on his tummy. He started to really get into it around 3 months. Make sure to fill with distilled water to make it last longer (tummy time play, 1 month+) http://amzn.to/2rKrs8r

Exersauser: By far the activity center I love and recommend most is this one. It’s so sleek looking and Carter’s FAVORITE thing. The activites are really engaging and interactive and he’s never bored. (stand up play, 4+ months) http://amzn.to/2r4cLet

Jumper: I prefer this door jumper because it’s inexpensive, takes up FAR less space and Carter can jump in it better. I regret buying a stand alone jumper (stand up play, 4 months+) http://amzn.to/2rzwPJc

TOYS (BY AGE)

*Carter has A LOT of toys, these are the top ones that he loves the most and doesn’t get sick of*

 

Frog Toy (for playgym): this is THE BEST, has rings to chew on and grab, taggies to chew, a rattle and a silicone disk to chew. His #1 playgym hanging toy. (0 months+) http://go.magik.ly/ml/5bs3/

Crinkle book: He’s loved this thing for months – loves the crinkle sensation and now also enjoys chewing on it (2+ months) http://amzn.to/2sRdwZy

Light up activity cube: Starting at 4months this has been a favorite. I lay him on his side and he goes to town on this thing! Once he is sitting up I think he will love it even more. (4+ months) http://amzn.to/2seFGkD

Pop up roll & surprise train: Starting at 5 months he’s really enjoyed light up/activity toys – he finds them more engaging. He loves to pop up and down the animals on this one (5 months) http://amzn.to/2u7qXcm

Sit to stand activity center: Oh my goodness does he LOVE this! We don’t use this as a walker but as an interactive activity center. Now that he’s sitting up he loves to grab at this & there is so much to do and he never gets bored of it http://amzn.to/2u7ppPl

Toy sanitizing wipes: Baby puts everything in his mouth so I wipe his toys down with these. They are natural and non toxic http://amzn.to/2sRnIRW

TEETHING

*Carter just got his first two teeth in on 6/6/17 at 20 weeks old!! I will continue to add to this list as he gets older and the teething really gets going. Update *his second two teeth came in the day he turned 6 months old, the top center two!

Drool bibs: Carter lives in these H&M bandana bibs. I like that they are solid colors so they don’t clash with his outfits. http://go.magik.ly/ml/5bs8/

Teething rings: The pink ring in this set is his favorite right now, he pretty much has it in his mouth all day every day. Pro tip: I attach this to him using a paci clip so he doesn’t drop it 500x a day!!

Teething Banana: This is a great teething toy he really likes & it’s easy for him to grab. (3+ months) http://amzn.to/2qUXZaR

BEST TEETHER!!! I found this one late and I wish I knew about it sooner! It’s a silicone pacifier that you can put food in. I put in cubes of frozen breast milk or chunks of frozen coconut (from Trader Joes) and he LOVES sucking on this.  http://amzn.to/2vb9qMZ

BABY CLOTHING

Cat and Jack brand at Target: Probably my overall favorite baby clothes. Super cute and affordable, I like their zip up long sleeve onesies the best. This is mostly what he wears in the house http://go.magik.ly/ml/5bt9/

H&M: Cute, affordable stuff. I like the side button short sleeve onesies because they are easier to get on and off . I also LOVE the baby bandanas/ bibs they sell. I like they are solid colors so they don’t clash with what he’s wearing http://go.magik.ly/ml/5bs8/

Burt’s Bees organic cotton zip up onesies: These are $12 each and good quality & really cute patterns. These are his “nicer” outfits he wears when we go out. They run a little large. http://amzn.to/2sBZvzP

Cute hats: These are baby hats I love, I have 4 of them. I recommend sizing up they run small http://amzn.to/2sBVuLD

GEAR

Newborn carrier/wrap: Baby K’tan. Disclaimer, I didn’t find out about this carrier until Carter was 5 months old and I SO WISH I had known about it when he was first born! Everyone told me how awesome baby wearing was but I could not figure out any of the wraps (I bought two) and they were just too complicated, took too long and I could never get it right. Well, the baby k’tan is ready to use and so SIMPLE. My friend let me borrow hers when she was visiting and I fell in love. So if you like the idea of baby wearing but not the complication of wrapping then I recommend this one. This would work best from 0-3 months then switch to the below carrier as baby gets heavier and needs more support http://amzn.to/2ucueqs

Carrier: I bought 2 other carriers (one of them was almost $200!) and this $25 one is my favorite. Easy to put on and use, lightweight, well made. LOVE http://amzn.to/2sBPjXV

• *Protip – any time baby is fussy, put him/her in this and start walking. Also, I attach car seat strap covers to the top straps to cushion them.
• *Update- starting at 5 months I now also use this front facing and Carter loves it. I now have two of these, one I keep in the car and one for the house.

Stroller: I did hours and hours of research before I picked this stroller. There is so much I could say but the key things I love are: sleek looking, easy fold, compact when folded, dual terrain suspension that you can adjust for sidewalks or dirt/trails (unique to this stroller), not bulky, large sun visor, shopping bag attachment, beautiful (I could go on and on). The 2016 model is now HALF the price I paid for it, but there is now a 2017 model available http://amzn.to/2sCzKPY

Car seat stroller: Despite how much I love my Jane Rider stroller, this is the one I use most often because it’s super lightweight and convenient. This is what I keep in my trunk and use when running quick errands, and the Rider I take when Ryan is with me http://amzn.to/2sC6sRq

High chair – portable: Carter is not currently eating solids but I got this to use as a high chair. I will keep you posted if it works out. I like that it’s small and portable & can be put on a table or be attached to a chair http://amzn.to/2rzKobL

High chair – main: I asked you guys for what high chair you recommend and the top two were the ikea and the baby bjorn. The ikea one is super cheap ($25!) but you have to go to ikea to get it and I didn’t have time to do that (read: lazy). So I let my fingers do the walking and got the baby bjorn high chair. (*Update 9/2 after using for 2 months) I LOVE THIS HIGH CHAIR! Sleek, minimal design (so many of them are huge, ugly and bulky), easy to clean (no fabric nooks or crannies), the tray is used as a harness to secure baby in and is tapered to his body so food can’t fall between the cracks which is an AWESOME feature that I haven’t seen in any other chair. The con of this chair is that it’s low to the ground and not height adjustable. Initially this was an issue sine we were using our kitchen island (which is higher up) to eat mostly but we now eat at our standard height dining table and it works great. I cannot emphasize enough how nice it is that his food can’t fall between him and the chair, supports him fully and is so easy to clean. This would be in my top 5 out of everything on this list.  http://amzn.to/2vbh1v7

BATH

Tub (infant): Initially I bought a super nice, over-priced tub with all the bells and wistles. You don’t need this. I wish I had just bought this blooming bath insert to bathe him in the sink http://amzn.to/2t2Tgc7

Ducky tub (sitting up): Once Carter started sitting on his own we switched to this tub- it’s SUPER INEXPENSIVE and we love it! There is an indicator that tells you if the water is too hot and it’s the perfect compact tub to fit inside a regular size bathtub. Bath time is 100x better and more fun now http://amzn.to/2t2DDkQ

• PROTIP: I highly recommend getting a small stool with this tub so that you’re not hunching over in the tub while bathing baby

Bath products: I use my own line of natural mommy/baby care products – they are gentle and safe enough for baby and completely natural and non-toxic. I use the body wash to bathe Carter and then follow with a baby massage using my body oil. It is THE. BEST. body oil you will ever try, just trust me on this. Carter has the softest skin I’ve ever felt and zero skin issues whatsoever (dry skin, eczema, hot spots, etc). You can use code YOUTUBE to get 15% off your first order https://vasseurskincare.com/collections/body-care

BABY SUPPLEMENTS

Probiotics: Carter had MAJOR gas issues the first 3 months of his life – these probiotics helped and also contain vitamin D (newborn+) http://amzn.to/2sR6QuH

CAR

Noogle air conditioning extender. This helps better cool baby in the back of a hot car. Something you didn’t know you needed but is extremely helpful in the hot summer months- SO glad I have this! You can get 10% off with this link -> shop noogle

Car seat. I started with the chicco keyfit 30 and it’s fine but I don’t love it. The problem is that it’s really hard to get baby in and out of and the straps are always in the way. I dreaded using it. So I just bought this new convertible carseat that works from infant to 65 lbs. The con of this is that you can’t take it out of the car to carry baby in, but Carter is too heavy for me to do that anyway. If I could go back in time I would have bought an inexpensive infant car seat to use for his first 2 months and then switched over to this one. I love that it has special pockets to hold the straps open while putting baby in and out – a feature I never would have thought to look for! It’s also a great price and amazing reviews. I just installed this yesterday so I will give an update later. http://amzn.to/2uhbSoM

NEW MOM/ BREASTFEEDING ESSENTIALS

Nursing tanks: I LIVE IN THESE. I have 9 of them that I switch out pretty much daily. Good price, good quality, built in support, easy closure, just the best http://amzn.to/2rKfLPa

Breastfeeding snack/bar. I just found these protein bars and I’m in LOVE! They are 10 grams of protein, low sugar, gluten free and VEGAN (I can’t have dairy because Carter has an allergy to it). They actually taste good and it’s an easy way to have a snack on the go. Let’s just say I buy these in bulk http://amzn.to/2u7qHd2

High waist leggings. Comfortable and well made – also high waist and hides the mom pooch well http://bit.ly/2yRqF7V

Natural deodorant: I tested a bunch and FINALLY found one I love http://amzn.to/2sBY7NF

Breastfeeding pillow: I tried 4 before I found this one, the WINNER. Back support, best position for baby. Around 3 months we stopped needing a pillow but for the first few months it’s a must http://amzn.to/2rTf7Ry

Shapewear for mom pooch: I wear this under clothes to cinch in my mom pooch. Keeping it real haha! http://amzn.to/2qZUeox

Post partum girdle: I like that this is black and adjustable. I wear this a couple hours a day to help pull things back into place http://amzn.to/2sRph2p

Breastfeeding cover: this one has a loop on the top so you can see what you’re doing. http://amzn.to/2rzKVu2

Mom’s one line a day journal: I’ve written in this every day since Carter has been born. I think we will both cherish this one day, I highly recommend doing this. http://amzn.to/2rTidVp

 

Okay so that’s it for now. Again, bookmark this page and CHECK BACK for part two favorite baby products for 7-12 months!

 

ALSO CHECK OUT

• MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL – I now post weekly vlogs on Wednesdays with lots of baby tips and recommendations! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVKFs0cesQUEGtn8gQmhbHw
• My Pregnancy Essentials (blog post) https://vasseurbeauty.com/2017/01/02/my-pregnancy-essentials/
• Baby products organization – How I organize Carter’s toys, books, clothing, diaper station, nursery, diaper bag etc (video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUWD6CPilrg&t=25s
• How I get Carter to sleep through the night and nap during the day https://goo.gl/UUDtdx

*Also, If you are enjoying my blog posts be sure to sign up for email notifications on the top right of this page!*

 

**FTC: Some affiliate links are used, which I earn a small commission from. If you would like to support me, thank you so much, otherwise please feel free to search anything mentioned in Google to find where to purchase them. Thanks so much!**