NEWBORN FAVORITES

Now that I have been a mom for almost two months, I wanted to share my newborn favorites. There’s a lot of options when it comes to parenthood especially for first time moms. Personally, I did some research and received  recommendations from my friends and family. I am grateful to have so many gifted items especially through my baby registry. But at the end of the day, know that you’re not going to use everything. It’s all about trial and error. It’s true that they say no pregnancy experience is the same and this is applicable to your baby too. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

When it comes to motherhood, it’s definitely a trial and error process. And sometimes you don’t realize what you need until you’re looking for it. Here are items that don’t necessarily fall into a specific category, but have made my life easier. 

NEWBORN FAVORITES

• Ergo baby carrier: I learned all about the benefits of baby wearing when I was at Boram. Keeping baby close to you actually decreases the time they cry and increases the time they sleep. I thought my newborn would be too small for a carrier. But actually, there are different types of carriers for different stages. I love the embrace carrier due to the cozy and snug fit. It did take me a while to get comfortable in putting it on but it’s all about practice! This was a game changer because my baby loves it and I was able to do other things while having him close to me.   

• Motorola nursery monitor: A baby monitor is essential especially when baby is growing and may be in a different location than you. My baby sleeps in the bassinet right by bed at night, but I like to have the monitor when he is taking naps during the day in his crib.It’s extremely comforting to see his movements and activity especially when I am doing household chores and don’t have direct contact with him. A baby monitor helps to ease my worriness. The Motorola VM50G-2 5″ Video Baby Monitor includes a 5″ screen with split-screen viewing and a camera with remote pan, tilt & digital zoom and night vision. I love the features and know I will be using this as my baby grows.
• Ergobaby Evolve 3-in-1 Bouncer: I never thought I’d be such a fan of a bouncer, but this Ergobaby Evolve 3-in-1 Bouncer has definitely been a life saver! We use it everyday for playtime as well as a calming mechanism. My son loves to hang out in here and it’s a good way to also put him down while I do other things around the apartment. I highly recommend putting this on your registry!

• Hatch rest: When babies are in the womb, they were used to sound that resembled white noise. The Hatch rest is one of my favorite items because it serves as a night light as well as a sound machine. I always put the white noise at night and it helps my baby to know it’s nighttime. The nightlight is great when I have to wake up to feed or change his diapers. 

• Frida humidifier: It is common for babies to be a little congested so having a humidifier in his nursery was a game changer! The Frida humidifier helped my baby breath better, especially during the first month. Since I have the hatch rest in my room, we have this humidifier in the nursery or I will sometimes put it in our living room. This is also equipped with a color changing nightlight. As a result, I don’t wake my baby up when and if I bring him there to feed or change during the day.
• Swaddles: I don’t know anybody who hasn’t swaddled their baby at least once. There are many benefits to swaddling and the feeling resembles how babies were in the womb. I don’t mind swaddling with a blanket but my son always breaks free since he likes to sleep with his hands either up or out. He is a huge fan of the Love to Dream swaddle because he loves the starfish position. Honestly, we’ve had great luck with him napping and sleeping every time he is in it and we now have two of them! Another option Hunter loves is the sleep sack swaddle from Halo. It helps to prevent the startle reflex. The adjustable velcro swaddle allows you to swaddle baby three ways; arms in, hands-to-face, or with one or both arms out. I am also a huge fan of the inverted zipper for easy diaper changes. My partner and I are also potterheads so of course we went with the Harry Potter enchanted design!
• Baby shusher: Another mom recommended this to me and at first I thought it was a silly product. However, after using it countless times, I now understand why this is genius! Babies love the shushing sound as it calms them down. Instead of shushing yourself, this baby shusher does the job 10x better. It’s also portable so I take it with me for walks or leave it at his bassinet so he can fall asleep quicker. 

 If you are looking for something specific, you can check out my other blog posts on breastfeeding essentials, postpartum must haves and diapering favorites.