If you’ve been following along with us, you know it’s no secret that we have 4 crazy kiddos that we absolutely adore. 2 of those kids used to be babies, 1 who is on their way to toddler-hood, and 1 who is still in diapers and nursing. With each kid and experience there have been some tried and true items that we have used for each of them or even bought more of. It’s no surprise we’d be sharing these baby must haves and we hope you enjoy the read more than we have enjoyed the products.
one | two | three | four | five | six | seven | eight | nine | ten
ONE | INDOOR CAMERA
Cameras. Cameras EVERYWHERE. We live in a 5 level split home which means when you walk in through the door you go up two half level of stairs to get to the second floor, but also down a section of stairs to a play/living area, and then more stairs down to get to the basement. So much space and that space requires a lot of monitoring when there’s lots of kids running and crawling around. We LOVE the Google Nest cams for this. With Mark being a tech nerd, you know these cameras have to be good. They are quick to buffer, easy to connect to each other, and can all be controlled and monitored through the phone. This is super convenient because when carrying Joey, it’s nice to just have to have a phone in hand or pocket vs. a phone AND a bulky monitor screen.
TWO | BABY CARRIER
If you’re wanting to the Ergo Baby carrier but not wanting to pay the steep price tag, then have no fear because we have found the perfect dupe and love it even more. This Gemini baby carrier is so comfortable and the wide padded straps make carrying the baby for hours feel effortless. The straps are super easy to adjust before putting baby in or while baby is in but one of the most convenient parts is the velcro pocket that’s in front!! If going for a walk or running a quick errand, the pocket is the perfect size for a credit card and keys. And since it’s velcro, it’s easy to access while holding baby vs. having to fiddle with a zipper. Can’t recommend this enough for moms AND dads!
THREE | THE HATCH
THE H A T C H ! *insert obnoxious you need this clap here*. If you do not have a Hatch you are 100% missing out on the best sleep assist. We have the original Hatch, but got so excited when they came out with the Hatch Rest+. Huge deal with your a nursing mom and needing to watch the time OR if you’re teaching your kids that they are to stay in their beds/rooms till a certain time (a sleep training trick littleZsleep taught us)! This is probably the most key item on our baby must haves. All of the kids rooms have one and we travel with them. We love how easy it is to control it from our phones and the customization and programing features. It’s basically our baby staple item. We gotta say it again, if you don’t have one… get one.
FOUR | BRITAX DBL STROLLER
With multiple kids comes the need for a stroller than can also fit multiples. But also a stroller that can store enough stuff for the family. After reviewing many strollers, we knew the Britax was perfect for us. It may seem on the steep side in terms of price, but this has held up after 4 kids and many many trips. Now to say our favorites things about it. We will make it quick. It can fit up to 6 years old or 50lbs which is amazing compared to some that only do kids up to 3 or 35lbs. It has POCKETS. You already know if something has pockets then it’s amazing. Might we also add that each seat can recline independently? Whether you’re sitting in it or pushing it, you will be comfortable. Comfortable babies = happy, and often sleeping, babies… the BEST.
FIVE | WEARABLE PUMP
Moms, this one is for you. Wearable breast pump. WEARABLE ANNNND without the crazy price tag of the Willow. This is an absolute baby must haves when you’re needing to get stuff done around the house. If you’re a working mom, pump without having to leave your desk. If you’re running errands and need to real quick, do it during the drive. This one is comfortable, quiet, and comes with everything you’d need, even an adjustable strap to help secure it to your bra.
SIX | BRITAX CAR SEAT
Every baby needs a car seat, that’s a given. Finding a car seat that fits all of your needs and just feels right, that’s where it’s hard. We can remember when Amelia was on her way stressing about car seats. There are so many brands and types… can get overwhelming. First we fell in love with Britax. Their entire AFFORDABLE system between car seats, boosters, strollers was impressive. With this car seat, you’re getting a sleek design for those who love a modern aesthetic. It’s light weight but also very durable which makes it comfortable to carry. Anddd if your stroller isn’t a Britax, no worries, they have adapters that easily fit this car seat! We love this one and as you can tell by the reviews, a lot of people do too!
SEVEN | SLEEP PODS
These Swaddle Me Pods are a little different than your usual sleep sack but it’s different in a good way. There’s no velcro so there’s zero startling the baby during a late night diaper change. There isn’t any straps, so no worries trying to contain your little houdini’s arms. It’s one solid piece so it keeps your baby feeling secure from the moment you put it on to taking it off. This is a necessity from the baby must haves list, especially when times comes to sleep train!
EIGHT | ACTIVITY CENTER
This activity center checks every box on the list. It’s montessori-friendly, includes zones, encourages exploration, and develops as your child does. Not to mention, it is very aesthetically pleasing with its wooden structure and bright color scheme. Something we also love about it is its portability. As a family that travels a lot and works in different rooms throughout the house, we wanted something that we could transport with us and be entertaining no matter the environment. This has so far been the only play mat to do that. Even our big kids love to interact with the littles while they play.
NINE | ALPHABET RUG
We posted a picture of our family and this rug by far got the most attention so we wanted to share it here. We can see how a rug doesn’t seem like something that would be on our baby must haves however, this acts as more than just a rug. We LOVE going through the alphabet with our kids and sitting on the rug doing it makes it something fun.
TEN| WIDE NECK BOTTLES
Not just ANY wide neck bottles, these wide neck bottles are our favorite because two words: THREE PARTS. We thought in the beginning of parenthood that we had to get the fancy Dr. Brown bottles that had the special anti-colic funnel system but guess what, that is insignificant. These bottles are anti-colic, slow flow, wide neck, and AFFORDABLE. But again, that’s not our favorite part, our favorite part is the fact it’s 3 pieces to clean. Nipple, holder, bottle, done. We went on a mission fast to find a simple bottle after spending what felt like an eternity cleaning a million bottle parts. Not only that, who has time to keep track of the specific little brushes that fit the tiny parts?! Raise your hand if you need a simple bottle solution!! And if you’re raising your hand, follow the link to snag these!
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