DO I REALLY NEED THIS?

It happens to all of us at one time or another. You find out that you have a little one on the way and you instantly think of all of the different products that you’ll have to purchase to care for this small human.

But then as you are standing in the Baby Department oohing and ahhing at all of the cute little things you would love to have for your baby, reality sets in and it starts to become clear that you don’t need every single item on the shelf.

I may or may not know this from experience….and tons of practice.

(THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS HOWEVER, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYTHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN OR USE MYSELF. YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT MY DISCLOSURE POLICY HERE)

Fortunately, I have been able to divide every unique item that insists on coming home with me into three categories. Necessities, Extra Sanity Saving items, and lastly, things I would be perfectly happy living without but am attracted to.

Now, of course, we all know about the products that you absolutely have to have for raising a baby, also known as necessities. But this list contains all items that you and your baby can live without but would save your sanity in the end.

So again, the question above asks, “Do I really need this?” I would say if you want to give yourself peace of mind and save yourself tons of frustration…..YES! Whether you are a first-time mom or a mom of many, these items are a huge lifesaver.

And without any further explanation here is a checklist of my favorite must-have gear for taking care of you and your baby for the 1st year.

1. Ergo Omni

Okay, let’s first talk about a baby carrier. Baby Carriers are devices that either wrap or buckle around your body to support your baby against your body while allowing your hands to be free for other tasks you may need to get done.

Ergobaby sent me the new Omni 360 baby carrier to try and give my honest opinion on.

After going through several baby carriers I have to say Ergo really hit the nail on the head when they created the Ergo Omni Carrier.

With its soft and adjustable design, I have never worn my baby so comfortably. I personally love to wear my kids in the Ergo Carrier once they are 6 months old and able to be carried on my back.

Having them secured safely to me allows me to get dinner prepared, do grocery shopping, and even tend to my other child who may need me.

I also love that the Omni is able to be used with a newborn without a newborn insert making this a true all-in-one baby carrier.

Ergonomic, forward-facing option (and easy to switch!)
Adjustable from newborn to toddler
Lumbar support for extra back comfort
Includes detachable storage pouch
Crossable straps
No infant insert required for newborns

2. Bath Toy Organizer

So in absolutely no way is a bath toy organizer a must-have but let me say, the one I have has saved me tons of time.

For example, at the end of bath time for my kids, instead of having to lean over to pick up every single bath toy one by one, I am able to remove the scoopable part of the bath toy organizer and scoop all of the bath toys up at one time.

And the best thing about this bath toy organizer is the holes at the bottom that allow airflow to dry the kids’ toys and keep them from getting gross and moldy in the tub water.

3. Boppy Pillow

Can I just say how much I loved having a boppy with both of my babies?

Yes! I really do love the Boppy Pillow. Now at first glance, you may think that the boppy pillow is only useful for breastfeeding moms who need to have their baby supported and even with the breast. But this simply is not true.

Even though I was unable to breastfeed my daughter and had to formula feed, I still used a boppy to support her and my poor tired arm that was holding her head.

Dads also love boppy pillows. In fact, my husband used it every time he fed our kids a bottle.

And lastly, if none of these reasons are enough, I also love having the boppy billow against my stomach after having a C-Section Delivery.

The Boppy Pillow created a soft barrier between my baby and my incision and made me much more comfortable.

4. Electric Breastpump

Wait what about manual breast pumps???

Yes manual breast pumps are useful and to be honest I loved my Manual Medela Breastpump, but when I finally broke down and got a double electric breast pump, I was in heaven.

The biggest pro of having an electric breast pump is the electric part of course. With manual pumps, you have to sit there hand pumping and let me tell you that gets tiring after 10-20 minutes on each breast.

But with an electric breast pump, you simply turn it on and let it go to work.

What’s even better is the fact that most insurance now pays for breast pumps for expecting and new moms. Find out how to get a FREE Nuk Breast Pumps Through Insurance!

5. Sit-Me-Up Chair

If you are a new mom, you will love this chair. The Sit-Me-Up Chair helps your baby to sit in the upright position without falling over. I cannot tell you how much I used this chair.

But I do know that my son sat in it daily at least 2-3 times a day. And he loved it. Who else has a chunky legged baby? I know I am not the only one.

And I know some of you may say but what about the Bumbo Chair? Doesn’t it do the same thing?

And for my kids, the answer is no. Since both of my babies had huge chunky thighs their legs would always get stuck in the Bumbo and I would have to practically pry them out of it.

6. Video Baby Monitor

Of course, you don’t have to get a video monitor but let me tell you this.

With my first child, we only had the regular baby monitor with sound and my husband would constantly go in and check on my daughter if we couldn’t hear her? Or we would be sitting there wondering if she ever fell asleep.

After having our second baby we finally invested in a video baby monitor and have never regretted the purchase. Having the ability to see and hear him gave us peace of mind that he was safely sleeping.

7. Muslin Blankets

Muslin Blankets have become very popular today and almost everyone knows about them and how extremely soft they are.

Although I did not know about these blankets when my daughter was a baby, I was given a few at my son’s baby shower and have loved them ever since.

Not only are they amazingly soft and comfy, but they also are huge, which makes swaddling much easier. Like much bigger than a receiving blanket.

They are also the perfect blankets during summer months when it is a little warmer at night.

8. Sound Machine

The sound machine in my son’s room right now as he is sleeping has saved us tons of sleepless nights. Although we do believe he can sleep through a lot, he seems to sleep much better with the sound machine on in his room. Especially with a noisy sister across the hallway.

I for one am one of those people that cannot sleep without the stand-up fan going and making that whirring noise so I can understand how the sound of rain or the ocean waves can help him get to sleep and stay asleep through the night.

9. Moby Wrap

Trust me having a baby carrier that is a wrap for the first 6-8 months of baby’s life is truly a lifesaver. While you can use the Omni Baby Carrier for a newborn, the Moby Wrap holds your baby perfectly when they are small and also wraps them in soft fabric just as they were snuggled tight in your tummy.

After using my Moby Wrap for both of my babies I truly believe that it reigns supreme over all other baby carriers for newborns.

10. Pacifiers

Although not all babies will take a pacifier, I have been a mother of two huge pacifier babies. The paci has saved me in getting my little ones to sleep and also buying me a few moments in between nursing sessions.

So for me, the paci has always been a huge sanity saver.

11. Swing

Who doesn’t love baby swings?

I for one have had two babies who suffered from acid reflux and could not sleep on their backs. And my solution for this problem was pretty easy....let them sleep in the swing. My daughter actually slept in the swing from the time she was around 6 weeks old up until she became 6 months old.

And my son slept in his swing for all of his naps and it seemed to reduce his reflux along with providing that motion of movement he had gotten used to from me.

12. Baltic Amber Teething Necklace

Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces are becoming more and more popular in the US. With all of their benefits and teething pain relief, it’s no wonder so many parents are giving them a shot.

And I can definitely tell you that I have noticed a tremendous difference between when my children have and have not worn their Amber teething necklaces.

13. Baby Tracker App

Baby Tracker apps are used often by breastfeeding moms to track when their baby last breastfeed, but the truth is you can actually use these tracker apps to record so much more than feeding times.

You can also record when your baby had wet, dry, or soiled diapers. Sometimes this information can be good when your baby becomes sick and you need to make sure they are getting enough fluids and wetting enough diapers during the day.

13 Essential Baby Items for Surviving the First Year