(and all of my recommendations!)
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Becoming a new mom is chaos. We buy and receive so much stuff and yet SOMEHOW, things are missed. We end up with so many things we don’t need and yet don’t have things we do, or things we at least find ourselves wanting.
As a mom of three under three, there are STILL things I know I’ve said I will have on stock from one baby to the next but still haven’t but find myself wishing for. I also have things that I’ve used from baby #1-#3 that are my hands down cannot do withouts.
So today, I’m sharing my top 5 baby gifts. Are you a soon to be new mama or soon to be attending a baby shower? If so, this list is for you and I promise, you haven’t yet seen them all in one place!
1. A quality baby carrier. Baby carriers are amazing for carrying around fussy babies. Whether you want to be handsfree so that you can do things or so your arms don’t feel like they’re going to fall off, having a baby carrier can be extremely helpful on many occasions. Keep in mind, some babies may not like them at first, especially if they are not used to one and you decide to try one later on. I wouldn’t toss the idea out the window at this point and would try to get them used to it, it could turn into a lifesaver for you.
My all time FAVORITE baby carrier is the Tula Free to Grow and I’ll tell you why! First of all, it’s extremely easy to put on and take off without any help. If you decide to wear baby in the grocery store or anywhere you might go alone, this is important. Second, it doesn’t require an infant insert so is good for babes 7-45 pounds and finally, it comes in an assortment of beautiful beautiful patterns! The Tula Free to Grow can be used on your back or facing you. If you are looking for something that can be used forward facing, my favorite forward facing carrier is the Ergo Baby 360 – another option that will not disappoint!
2. GOOD swaddles. Swaddling helps little ones feel like they’re being hugged and helps keep their reflexes from startling them and waking them up when they are sleeping. In order for swaddling to actually work for my babes, they had to be swaddled NICE AND SNUGGLY.
I do love the Swaddle Me Swaddles which you can find HERE. They’ve done amazingly with all of my kids but they can be a little loud. My number one swaddle is the Nested Bean Zen Swaddle which has a little weighted belly area and weighted sides to make baby feel hugged and all of my kids have been major fans of this one. They also have velcro but it’s a bit “softer” which creates less noise. I also love that Nested Bean has a sleep sack to transition to once your little one is ready to have their arms free. This keeps the little weighted area on the belly for that extra feeling of support! You can find that HERE.
3. Lightweight Muslin Blankets. I don’t think I could ever have too many of these bad boys. From swaddling early on, to covering a changing table, to a car blanket, nursing cover, carseat cover, blanket on the go- the list goes on. These blankets are just the best and I always have one in my bag and it always gets used.
My favorite muslin blankets are Aden + Anais which you can find here. I’m sure there are less expensive brands out there but I haven’t found any that I love quite as much as theirs. If you plan to have more babes, definitely hold onto these!
4. SOLIDS. Do you know how many pattered tops and bottoms I have that would look absolutely ridiculous with every other piece of clothing my kid has?! Too many. We all see the adorable patterned onesies and bottoms without thinking about what’s going to go with it or maybe it came with a top and that is the only thing that will ever work. Almost everyday I find myself looking for a solid top or bottom for my daughter and I usually fail, putting her in a mismatched pattern outfit that thankfully no one will see being that we’re locked in our house due to Covid.
Solids can be found in a lot of places, but here are a few sets of onesies: girl long sleeved, unisex short sleeved and boy long sleeved. And of bottoms: girl leggings and boy leggings.
5. And for my ultimate baby gift for that special someone who you definitely don’t want to give a repeat gift to, my all time favorite Baby car monitor. Now, you might be thinking this is crazy – won’t a mirror do? I can’t tell you the amount of times people have commented on my baby car monitor, you can see my babes face up close and personal. Choking sounds, no sounds, screaming – whatever! You can only see so much in a mirror and when I tell you that this thing has kept me from jumping out of the car to make sure my little one is breathing more than a handful of times, I am not kidding.
I have been using the Yada Baby Car Monitor since Liam, moving it down the row for each new rear facing babe and it has been an absolute lifesaver. The camera and the monitor talk to each other wirelessly while both parts plug into the car through 12V power. I promise you won’t regret this one.
Now my friends, are there other things you will need? Of course. These are just my top 5 and things that I as a mama ALWAYS use. Another favorite gift of mine to give a new mama is a diaper caddy with some other useful items that you will also always need! Here are some other things that a new mama will always appreciate and can be thrown into a super cute bin like this one from thirty one: Double Duty Caddy
* I do not sell thirty-one but have several of these around my house and love them!
Baby socks
Baby Aquaphor
Cloth Bibs (babies spit up a lot)
Boogie Suckers – My absolute favorite is the Bubzi Nasal Aspirator – I have 1 in each room at all times!
Crib Sheets
Diapers & Wipes of course!
I think I’d like to start doing top lists more often, what else would you like to see?
Top 5 Things to Bring to….
Top 5 Gifts for…
If you found this list helpful, I’d love to hear about it in the comments and if you know someone who might benefit it, please share it! I know I have been TOTALLY slacking on my learning at home series, we’ve put a lot of things into place here and I’m excited to share what’s been going on at the McLellan School of Crazy!
XO,
Work at Home Chaos 