Top 5 Baby Products

When it comes to Baby Things, I want exactly as much as will make my early-baby-raising life as sweet and easy as possible, and nothing more. I’m interested in products that do their job reliably, are easy to store/maintain, and are pleasing to my baby. You may want to buy the top of the line or the cutest design, and to that I say blessings on your head. But these may not be the products for you.

They are my favorites because they are affordable and functional for my life and family dynamic. Maybe you will find some things you like too!

Soft, breathable blankets

I know, I know, you’re not supposed to put blankets in a crib with a baby, because suffocation. VALID. But have you ever laid a tiny newborn in a bare crib? Just… floating out in the middle of the mattress all tiny and cold looking? There is nothing more pitiful.

Good news. These thin, muslin blankets are soft and cozy (warm too, if you fold them over themselves a couple of times) and won’t choke your kid. The first thing I did when I got a set was stuff one in my mouth as far back as it would go. You’ll be relieved to know my breathing was hardly affected. Tons of brands make these, but some are softer than others. These are our favorites.

A pacifier that won’t break or smell bad

We are a pacifier family. With our first I bought Nuk brand pacis, and they were fine. They came in fun colors and seemed to have a shape that was easy for our son to hang on to. But after a couple months they started to stink. All manner of bodily fluid residue easily embedded itself into the cracks in the plastic design, and somehow some unidentified liquid found it’s way inside the nipple. No matter how meticulously I scrubbed or how many times I ran them through the dishwasher, the grodiness never went away.

Then a friend told me about Ryan and Rose pacifiers, and I’ve never looked back. One solid piece of silicone + a larger, more baby friendly handle makes them super easy to clean and keep track of. They’re pricier than the Target go-to, but well worth it.

Huggies wipes with the refillable tub

Diapers are kind of un-recommendable because every baby is so different. When my babies are tiny, Huggies Lil Snugglers work the best, and once they get a little chubbier we switch to the cheapo Target brand. I know that Luv’s are worthless on my kids, and other brands are just meh. You’ve gotta figure out diaper brands for yourself.

Wipes are another matter. These are the best ones. They are soft, thick, non-irritating, they don’t tear, AND they have a slight embossing pattern that really grabs onto the stickier messes.

Infant bath

What I want is to give my baby an enjoyable bathing experience without ruining my back or drowning them. I also want something that will last until they are reliably sitting up before they outgrow it. This is the bathing tool for that.

Jellycat stuffed animals

My kids don’t actually play with stuffed animals until they are about nine months old, but they get a snuggle buddy of their own before they’re born. Not everything is 100% practical all the time, and I’m okay with that as long as it doesn’t make noise or take up huge amounts of space. Jellycat has a wide selection of animals that strike the perfect balance of squishy-enough-for-snuggles and sturdy-enough-to-sit-on-their-own, all in varying sizes. We’ve had several sizes, both in plush and corduroy, and we love them all.

No matter what you like or how much space and money you have, these are the main things to remember:

1) You don’t need to have everything the infamous They says you need to have. Your baby really just needs you.

2) You can always buy what you’re missing when you realize it would be helpful. You can always return extra stuff once you realize it’s not helpful. Nothing is set in stone.

Go forth. Have a baby. You’re doing great.