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I get questions all the time about what baby products we’re loving and which ones we could do without. I set out on this third baby journey intending to parent with as few products as possible. I remember being so overwhelmed with stuff with our first two and I didn’t want to feel like we were living in a giant baby storage container this time. We’ve managed to end up with far more than I intended — we bought a few things, got plenty of gifts, and received quite a few promotional products to review — but after a few months of heavy use, it’s easy to see where the winners are.
Instead of writing a review post every week for the foreseeable future, I thought it might fun to share everything that’s working (and what isn’t!) in a single post. Hold onto your pacis — this is going to be a long one!
Eat
I plan to write more about my breastfeeding journey in a later post, but the short version is this: I had lackluster experiences with the big girls and was determined to make it work, long term, with our Polly girl. If you had asked me early in our pregnancy, whether I was planning to nurse this time around, I would have given you a hard no. I decided that, at almost forty, I had plenty of other things to stress and worry about, so I was choosing the easy way everywhere I could. Josh is the one who convinced me to try and I will forever be grateful. His point was that I didn’t have to make a decision right away, but could wait and see how things would go. Polly proved to be an excellent nurser and before I knew it, I couldn’t remember a time when feeding her was difficult or painful at all. Now, four months strong, I can’t imagine doing anything different.
Spectra S2 Breast Pump | I knew that insurance provided breast pumps these days, so I inquired about what exactly would be covered. While I would have preferred something hands-free, or at least more portable, this one got great reviews. I have been happily pumping with this model since Polly was a few weeks old and it is a dream to use. I haven’t had any problems with the pump and they auto-ship new supplies every three months (check with your insurance provider).
Freemie Collection Cups | Returning to work was a little stressful and I was so worried about keeping up my milk supply after I was back in the office full time. I was convinced I would need to pump in the car, coming and going, so I ordered this hands-free system to maximize my commute. Guess what? This $75 purchase is still in its original box, unopened, in a kitchen cabinet. It turns out, pumping three times a day in the office was plenty to maintain my supply and provide breast milk for our sitter. If I had to do it over again, I would save this money for diapers.
ComoTomo Bottles | I was also a little stressed about transitioning Polly to bottle feeding. I had heard horror stories about nipple confusion (it turns out that’s not a thing) and wanted something that was as close to breast as possible. I remember her struggling to drink out of these in the beginning, and making the most adorable squeaky sound as she tried to latch, but now she takes them like a champ.
Comfort 360 Plus+ Silicone Bottle (gifted) | Nuby was kind enough to send us a package of these silicone bottles and we love them, too! They have a slow flow nipple, so they are perfect from birth, and we find that the soft, silicone body and wide nipple makes transitioning from breast to bottle a breeze. I was a little worried that the extra parts (there is a detachable filter inside) would be difficult to keep clean, but it isn’t any more difficult than the pump parts I’m washing every day. These are comparable in price to the ComoTomo bottles, but I prefer the white collar and the tapered bottle fits a little better in my diaper bag than other bottles this size.
Muslin Burp Cloths | Several friends recommended the Aden + Anais muslin burp cloths, but I couldn’t justify spending over ten dollars apiece on something we would be using to mop up spilled milk. I found these knockoffs on Amazon and the reviews were great, so we ordered a few packs the week before Polly was born. We have LOVED these and I wouldn’t recommend anything different. I love that they aren’t goofy prints and colors and the layered muslin soaks up even the biggest messes.
Bandana Drool Bibs | All bibs are created equal, right? Not so much. We only had a handful of bibs before the holidays and they were in heavy rotation, because this girl is a drooler! My mother-in-law gifted us this set in Polly’s stocking and we were so excited to discover this new-to-us baby brand. The bibs are perfectly neutral and match everything in her closet, plus they are the softest cotton. We might get tons of questions about “him” since they aren’t pink, but I’m totally okay with that.
Reversible Muslin Teething Bib (gifted) | I tucked this bib into Polly’s stocking and she is a huge fan! It’s made from 100% Natural Cotton Muslin and the natural fibers are perfect for Polly’s sensitive skin. While our other bibs have a snap closure and require two hands to open or close, these Nuby bibs have a Velcro tab for all the times I only have one hand available. I love that they are reversible — one side has plenty of pink, while the other is a perfect grey — and the teething corner is easy for Polly to get into her own mouth when her toys are out of reach.
Sleep
Dock-a-tot (gifted) | I owe you a full post on the Dock-a-tot, as a part of our Disney travel experience, and it’s coming to the blog next week! The short version is: this adorable dock is pretty much perfect. We have used it for naps, night time sleeping, and maintaining our good habits while we travel. I honestly didn’t expect to depend on it so much, but we have all been pleasantly surprised. It keeps her nice and snug, while keeping her from rolling around on an elevated surface. It isn’t recommended that you use it in a crib or bassinet, but it’s been great for napping on mommy’s bed and staying put while I fold laundry. We do have a second cover (this makes laundry day much easier), so if you order one for yourself, I definitely recommend picking up an extra. Save $10 off your Dock-a-tot purchase with the referral link above.
Dohm White Noise Machine | We’ve now paid cash money for two of these babies and I highly recommend. We first experienced the Dohm when we traveled to San Francisco several years ago and found one in our Air BnB. In fact, we loved it so much, that I emailed our host months later to ask what brand it was. They also make a travel version, just for babies, if you need one on the go.
The Ollie Swaddle (gifted) | I will be honest — if you had told me to purchase this swaddle six months ago, I would have scoffed at the price and found a cheaper alternative. Now that we’ve been using it, consistently, for over three months, I can see what all the hype was about. I blogged about it in detail here, but the fabric is magic, it fits almost every baby, and she’s only managed to break free from it once. We tried so many swaddle blankets for the big girls and this one is worlds better than anything we found. Save 10% off your purchase with the referral link above.
Bath & Body
Infant Bath Sponge | I never had a fancy bathtub situation with the big girls, so I decided to add this bath support to our baby registry, and give it a try. While it did exactly what it was supposed to, I wouldn’t spend money on it or request it a second time. I found it frustrating to use and now I have to figure out how and where to store it?! A few weeks ago, I ordered an inexpensive sponge to lay her on in our bathtub and it was so much easier to use. Polly loves laying down in the water and it’s much easier to roll her onto her side when she’s laying flat. We just keep all of her bath products and sponges in a plastic basket in our bathtub, so it drains and the sponge dries easily before her next bath.
Hippo Spout Guard™ (gifted) | This is another item that Nuby sent us for Polly’s stocking and I am a huge sucker for how adorable it is. The plastic is firm, but soft, and his little snout is the cutest. It’s the perfect cover for hard faucets and will protect your little one from bumps and bruises on the head. Also, you can close the mouth to make water spray out of its nose! The guard is designed to fit over most faucets with diverters, but I’ll warn you that it’s pretty snug on our old bathtub fixtures. We’re planning a bathroom refresh in the next year, so I’m planning to make sure it works with our new fixtures, but for now we just use it as a toy after our evening bath.
SkinSoother Silicone Bath Brush | I picked this little brush up on a whim, but it has been great for dry and flaky skin. Polly never had a bad case of cradle cap, but her eyebrows get especially dry and this helps to comfortably scrub off loose skin. I bathe her with a washcloth first and use this to give her a good rub down, right before bath time is over.
Honest Bath Products | You know that I’m a huge fan of natural products for our entire family, so I’ve been on the lookout for the gentlest baby products for Polly. We’ve tried a few different brands (and still have a holiday gift box we’re planning to try soon), but the Honest products are our favorites, so far. I love the lavender body wash and gentle body lotion for bath time and the all-purpose balm is a great substitute for petroleum jelly and has worked wonders for Polly’s excema.
Muslin Towel & Washcloth Set | My mother-in-law gave us these as part of Polly’s Christmas gift and I went straight home and threw away all of our terry cloth towels and washcloths! These are so soft and super absorbent. I kind of wish they made them in adult sizes.
Pampers Pure Diapers & Wipes | I read something the other day about how first time moms always go for the organic diapers and wipes, but that for subsequent children they tend to use store brands. I understand the sentiment and there are plenty of things I’m not brand specific about, but my philosophy is anything that touches your bum should be the best quality possible. This goes for toilet paper, tampons, diapers and wipes. My aunt gifted us a huge package full of diapers and wipes and we have loved them. I actually just purchased my first box of diapers, but I’m predicting that I won’t have to buy wipes a single time until after we’re out of diapers — my stash is huge. I think the quality of these products is superior to anything we tried with the big girls and I’ll happily make sacrifices in other areas to spend my money on better products.
Play
Polly’s just now old enough to play with toys, so we’re still getting to know a few items in this category. We’re having fun exploring new things and already have a few easy favorites.
Jellycat Bunny | We have a medium sized Jellycat lovey in two different colors — Woodland and White. One we got as a baby shower gift and the other was in Polly’s stocking at my mother-in-law’s house (Are you sensing a them here? Wait, there’s more!). They are the perfect size for little hands and are the softest. We’re all secretly hoping this becomes her lovey, since Ella was always partial to a tiny bunny. We’ve been tucking it in her stroller and car seat and she loves snuggling with it during floor time.
Sit Me Up Floor Seat | This might be an unpopular opinion, but I think we might have wasted our money on this one. I grabbed it as a last minute Christmas gift (I found it at a Bargain Center for less than half price) and, since several of my friends recommended it, I thought it would be perfect for playing in the floor with us. Even though it folds flat, it’s kind of bulky and I hate not having anywhere to store it. We already have a bouncer, swing, and bumbo seat, so it just feels like overkill to have one more place for her to sit in the house. Maybe it will prove useful in the coming months, but for now I’m advising you to pass.
Wooden Play Gym & Silicone Teething Toys | I’ve seen these wooden play structures all over Instagram and thought they were adorable! My dad offered to build the frame as a part of Polly’s Christmas and I ordered the toys from an Etsy shop. Polly loves these so much and even though she can’t quite reach the toys, we’ve used plastic links to add a few closer to the ground and we’ve found that she can reach them even better in her bouncy seat. I think the kind of play gym you get is totally up to you, but I would highly recommend finding one that you love.
Teething Trends™ Beaded Bracelet (gifted) | We have several small teething toys in our arsenal, but this one is an easy favorite (You can see exactly what ours looks like in the second photo under “eat.”) It’s BPA free and soft enough for Polly to chew on without hurting herself. I love that I can throw it on as jewelry and we always have a toy within reach. Even funnier, sometimes when Polly is playing on her blanket, she’ll manage to get it on her own wrist. She’s a fashionista in the making already!
ComoTomo Baby Teether | My sister actually bought this for my nephew, but neither of her kids ever liked it well enough to use. She brought it by in a bin of hand me downs a few weeks ago and Polly is obsessed. The ring shape is really easy for her to grip and the prongs are just long enough to get deep in her mouth, but not long enough to gag her. I also love that the tripod legs let you stand it up — that always gets her attention and has her reaching for it time and again.
Little Feminist Board Book Set | While technically not a toy, we all think these books are the cutest things ever. We aim to make this girl a reader (everyone else in our house adores books) and these were a last minute addition to her Christmas gifts from mom and dad. They are so cute and feature some amazing women in history.
Gear
Evenflo Pivot Modular Travel System | This is the infant seat and stroller that I registered for back in the summer and my mom and sister were kind enough to gift it to me before baby’s arrival. I wanted a stroller that would work with our car seat, but also something that had a bassinet attachment or rumble seat. I didn’t want to spend the money on a pricey travel system, so this one seemed like a great compromise. I’ve been using the stroller frame, exclusively, since Polly’s arrival and I think it is such a great option if you want to save money. We used the bassinet attachment in Disney World (seen above) and it was great for a napping baby. I love that both the attachment and the infant seat can be locked in facing forward or rear, so you have plenty of options for strolling baby.
BOB Revolution Flex | I haven’t talked much about this on the blog, but I had to cancel my gym membership this month. It’s been really hard to fit the gym into my busy schedule, so I traded my pricey monthly membership for this fancy stroller. I did manage to find mine more than $100 off when I purchased it, so keep your eyes open for price drops or shop your local BST sites for a deal. I’ll admit to only using mine once, so far (it just arrived on Monday), but it was a dream to push and Polly loved being outside. We’re planning to jog a few days a week for now, but as soon as the time changes, I’m hoping we can make it a part of our daily routine.
Solly Baby Wrap | This was my favorite of the soft baby carriers and worked so perfectly when Polly was a tiny nugget. I loved how soft and stretchy this was and it provided perfect coverage to nurse and nap. It’s a little complicated to get on the first few times, but with a little practice, it becomes second nature. I can still get Polly comfortable in the Solly, but since it takes longer to get her inside, I only use it for longer carries when she’s really happy. I do think it’s a great option for when your little one is still sleeping more often than they’re awake!
Wildbird Sling | Here’s the last item gifted by my mother-in-law, but it might be my favorite! I was looking forward to trying something new, now that Polly is a bit bigger, so Nana offered to gift this as part of Polly’s Christmas. We’re still breaking it in and getting used to getting it on and off, but I think we’re going to be using this baby carrier for a long time. It’s a lot sturdier than the softer wraps, and with Polly already approaching 15 lbs, it feels more secure. I love that it’s not nearly as complicated to get on and we can comfortably do a hip carry now that she’s a little older.
Baby Bjorn | Josh has only recently started baby wearing, but the original Baby Bjorn is his favorite. He has no patience for complicated wraps and since he prefers to wear her forward facing, this is much more comfortable for them both.
Ikea Antilop High Chair | We have now used this high chair with all three of our girls (granted this is a newer version that the first one we bought) and it is worth so much more than the twenty dollars you’ll spend. The tray is a single piece with no hard-to-reach cracks or crevices and there is a very inexpensive cushion you can purchase to make it even comfier. We haven’t tried it for meal time yet (we aren’t introducing solids until six months), but it’s the perfect height to play while I cook or wash dishes.
Eufy Spaceview Baby Monitor (gifted) | Granted, I have nothing to compare it to, but we are loving this video monitor that Eufy sent us back before the holidays. Since Polly is still sleeping in our room overnight, we only really use the monitor for weekend naps, but it does everything a good monitor should do. Since we ended up with two of these, by accident, I’m planning to link the second camera once we move her upstairs. Is it creepy that I can’t wait to use the two-way radio function to chat with her?
Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Hammock (gifted) | Now that Polly is a little older, we can easily grocery shop without all the extra help. I usually wear her in the sling during short trips or just use grocery pickup to avoid taking her in at all. Binxy Baby gifted us with this hammock and while it is amazing and was so helpful during our maternity leave, I’m not sure that it has staying power. I would say that if you can justify spending $50 for the first 10-12 weeks of your baby’s life, then this is great to purchase and later share with a friend. Save 10% off your purchase with the referral link above.
Pello Floor Pillow | I had never heard of the Pello before getting this as a gift at our baby shower, from — you guessed it! — my amazing mother-in-law. Maybe we should take a break here to discuss what a fantastic gifter she has been this past year. In the beginning, I wondered if it would be too similar to the Dock-a-tot, but we actually use them for completely different things. The Pello is much larger and heavier and it does not come with a removable cover. It’s less for sleeping and keeping her safe, than a comfy place to play in the floor. When she was tiny, it was a great to put her right in the middle. Now that she’s a little bigger, we can use it for tummy time — it has loops around the perimeter that are perfect for attaching toys. This should last us quite awhile as a floor pillow or lounger, since the big girls use it almost as frequently as Polly does.
SkipHop Greenwich Backpack | There is a fine line between too structured and too flimsy, and this bag walks it almost perfectly. I knew I wanted a backpack — I love throwing it over my shoulder and the kids can easily help by carrying on their back it’s sturdy and stands up, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. The main compartment is large, but has plenty of pockets and pouches to keep you organized. My only complaints are, I wish it was a little less stiff and the bottle pocket isn’t quite wide enough for our bottles of choice. It IS perfect for mama’s water bottle, though.
Keekaroo Peanut Changer | I thought this was pretty frivolous in the beginning and only purchased it because it looked cool and I had plenty of gift cards. It turns out to be totally worth the price tag. I love never having to wash a changing pad cover and the sloped design keeps any accidents from looking under baby. I like that it’s easy to clean and not fussy looking. We do keep a Muslim blanket on top, because the keekaroo is pretty cold on Polly’s back, but that’s easy to throw in the wash on laundry day.
That is a comprehensive list of everything we’ve used, worth noting, over the last several months. I’m sure our preferences will continue to change as Polly gets older, but I hope these recommendations make it easy to shop for your own baby or to gift something truly amazing for your expecting friends or family.
