my top baby must haves

The world of baby gadgets is forever changing and I am in shock by how much new must-have items come out every year!! I knew nothing about anything with Laken. Fast forward two years and I suddenly needed it all. Baby goods can be very overwhelming….and extremely expensive.

Everyone’s idea of a must-have is also very different. For instance, I think having a changing table is an absolute waste of space and money. We used ours for maybe two weeks with Laken and never touched it again. I also hated the diaper genie because it was costly getting refill bags when we could empty our trashcans every other day and be just fine. I also hated the Boppy Pillow EVERYONE raved about. It made nursing uncomfortable and Kyler used it as a pillow more than I used it haha. I’m sharing our absolute favorites with you today and kept it simple by sharing the ones we use daily!

Fabric Baby Carrier

If you are a mom of multiples, or a mom going from one to two, I highly suggest looking into a fabric carrier, or just a carrier in general. This has saved our butts on multiple occasions when I couldn’t put the baby down but needed two arms. This was also an item that I was told with Laken that I didn’t need and would never use when I asked around (see what I mean by everyone is different?!). This time around we got one and we ended up getting the Solly Baby wrap! I don’t want to go too much into detail because I’m actually planning on writing a whole post on my view and Kyler’s view of carrying, but we love it.

You can find it here for $65.00

Baby Sushser

I cannot say enough amazing things about the Baby Susher. I don’t know if it would be considered a sound machine because it only makes a single noise, but it makes a rhythmic shhhhhhhh to calm down a baby. I purchased this when Laken was 4 months old when she started developing night terrors in hopes of her being able to calm down quicker. It eventually became an immediate soother for her and we took it everywhere. We actually freaked out if we didn’t have it because we knew we would be screwed. We now have two Sushers and keep one in the car while the other stays inside. The Susher has a controllable volume and a 15, 30, and 45 minute timer on it.

You can find it here – $34.99

Hatch Night Light & Sound Machine

This item was actually sent to me and I kinda turned my nose up to it at first because I had the mindset of this machine only making ocean sounds. After about two weeks of staring at it in Chloe’s room I started to see ads for this pop up and reviews from people I knew pop up and I took that as a sign. I now know why this machine is on so many baby lists. Unlike the Baby Susher that soothes crying babies, this puts baby to sleep and keeps baby asleep. Again, I can only speak for myself but we have used it every single night. The many sounds it makes is actually extremely peaceful to where I don’t mind it being on when I’m sleeping. When we went on a little getaway I actually had to bring it with me because I was afraid of Chloe not being able to fall asleep without it. The light isn’t super bright either and the design of the machine blends in with the room. Not that that should matter, but there are some sound machines that really stick out. The cool part is that you can control the whole machine from an app. That feature has come in handy quite a few times when I’m comfy in bed and don’t want to move.

You can find it here – $59.99

DockAtot

This item is pricy but I couldn’t imagine a day without it. The DockAtot comes in two sizes and we have both! We use it for Laken for lounging around and Chloe uses it on the daily for naps and sleeping. When grandparents watch the girls we will send the DockAtot with them because it’s so easy to have them sleep wherever. We’ve taken Chloe’s to the pool with us and I also carry it around the house with me if I plan on being in one room for a long period of time and want to keep an eye on her. Laken just recently outgrew using it every day but for the longest time it was the only way she would nap and the only way we could get her to go to sleep. This is an item that I couldn’t imagine going without but totally not a necessity to others.

You can get the DockAtot Deluxe here – $175

You can get the DockAtot Grand here – $275

Owlet Smart Sock

Another pricy item that isn’t a necessity but I love how much it has eased my mind. This was another item that we were gifted (you’ll never catch me lying about what I’m given/purchased). I developed a little bit of anxiety with Laken and got supper anxious when I wasn’t there to see her sleeping and would think of the worst case scenario until I was able to lay my eyes on her. I made myself sick on some days over it when I was at work and now have no worries with Chloe. The sock keeps track of her heart rate and oxygen levels and if it dips below the ‘normal’ zone then an alarm will go off. I am so thankful for technology and all that it’s able to do for us. I wrote a blog post over why I was most excited to use the Owlet Sock and you can find that here if you want to read why.

You can purchase this here – $295

Portable Carseat Fan

I don’t think I have ever shared this item but I would consider it to be more of a need if you live anywhere that gets above 85 degrees and don’t have ac in the back of your car. I told Kyler that I think hospitals or pediatricians should hand these out during the summer if you have a new baby. I also get stopped at least once each outing asking where I’ve purchased it. The fan that we have has three settings and is chargeable. It’s been incredible.

You can purchase this here – $16.99

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xx-Kendra