7 Must-Have Baby Products

For the first several weeks of Lyric's life that was exactly how she felt.  (Thanks for sending me that magnet, Mom!)

It took a long time (8 weeks and counting) to get into a routine and learn her cues.  Obviously I expect her to change it up on me once I finally think I have it "figured out" but such is life with a baby!  Once I think there is something that works wonderfully, it loses whatever magic it had.  Like the swing.  It used to help calm the crying but now it just makes it worse.

Here are my top 7 baby products (for now), in no particular order:

Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets

I was given a 3-pack of these as a baby shower gift and I. LOVE. THEM. They are soft, lightweight, stretchy, and once you learn how to properly swaddle, they work miracles for a baby who likes the comfort of a nice tight swaddle.  I use these multiple times a day as part of our sleep/nap routine.  As soon as I get Lyric wrapped up she calms down almost immediately so I can work on getting her to sleep.

Nuk pacifiers

I always agreed with Dave when he said 'no pacifiers' but for a baby who like to suck, they are a must!  After two weeks of being a human pacifier I figured it was worth a shot.  I tried multiple brands and the Nuk 0+ month size ones fit well in her mouth.  She's still learning to hold onto it but it helps calm her down and makes her sleepy within minutes.  Plus, once she spits it out, I take away rather than jamming it back in.  As long as she doesn't NEED it to sleep, I'm ok with her using it once in a while.  Luckily, she is an amazing night sleeper so I only use it for naps.

Itzbeen Baby Care Timer

This timer follows me everywhere.  It was such a lifesaver in those first few weeks when sleep deprivation was at it's peak.  I couldn't remember to look at the clock when I nursed or would forget the last time I changed Lyric's diaper.  This little gadget has two different ways to track the time between feedings, diaper changes, etc. 1) when you press the button on the right once it starts a timer OR 2) you can hold down the button and can set an alarm to go off in a certain amount of time.  (Like if you want to feed every 3 hours, you just set it to go off in 3 hour increments.)  I don't use the alarm function at all, I find it's easier to keep track using the timer function, but that's just me.

Tiny Love Developmental Mobile

I read a lot about mobiles and this one got great reviews.  It's baby oriented, colorful, has multiple moving parts, plays music, has cute characters and is gender-neutral.

I don't use it a lot, maybe once or twice a day to entertain a happy Lyric when I need to put away laundry, change clothes or run to the bathroom.  But I love how it captures her attention and I don't feel as guilty for leaving her alone when she's watching it - at least it stimulates her brain.

Boppy

Support for bottle or breastfeeding, useful for tummy time, functions as a baby seat or a donut for a sore bottom...what can't this pillow do??  A must have for sure.

Washable Waterproof Pads

I was gifted a 2-pack of these waterproof pads and while they can be used for any surface (crib, pack and play, etc), I like to use them for diaper changing.  They are machine washable and large enough that they catch all the fluids that happen to escape.  It only took a few small "accidents" before these became a permanent fixture on our changing stations.

Healthy Baby Bottom Cream

We've been lucky so far when it comes to diaper rashes (or I should say Lyric has been lucky) and I credit it to two factors: 1) this cream and 2) drying off her bottom before putting a new diaper on.  I keep a clean soft cloth at each changing table and I pat her bottom dry each diaper change so her sensitive skin isn't always wet.

Any moms out there want to share must-have items for your baby?  Recommendations are welcome!