First Year Favorites

It’s hard to believe that Elle is already one. It seems like just yesterday we were nervously bringing her home from the hospital, unsure of how to care for a newborn. With (a lot!) of help, we figured it out and settled into our new normal. As the year unfolded and Elle grew and changed, it became clear to me that I hadn’t realized just how many phases of babydom there truly are. As much as I read about babies (which was not enough, btw), prior to having one of my own, how quickly they change didn’t really register.

So, when people ask me about the “things” that got us through the first year, it’s a bit of a loaded question. Do you mean the first six days, six weeks, six months? And then, of course, much of the answer is dependent on the individual child (do they sleep well, eat well, nurse well, etc.). Alas, for those still asking (slash trusting my judgement…as I have a lot left to learn), here are our favorite things from the first year. I broke it up into categories as this was helpful to me when I registered (though I still am not sure, in retrospect, that I truly understood half of the things I was buying).

Eating

• Nipple Shield
• Spectra Breast Pump
• Hands-Free Pumping Bra
• Non-Lanolin Nipple Cream (For Those, Like Me, Allergic to Wool)
• My Breast Friend Pillow
• Gerber Baby Bottles (We Tried A Lot and These Worked Best); These Worked Well While Pumping
• Drying Rack
• Aden + Anais Bandana Bib
• Gerber Cloth Diapers (We Used These At Home and Saved Our Pretty Burp Clothes for the Diaper Bag)
• Oxo Bib
• Plum Organics Pouches
• Spoons
• Svan High Chair (Ours Was a Hand Me Down)
• Bloom Fresco High Chair
• Portable High Chair (Our House Doesn’t Have The Right Counter Tops, But I Would Love This)
• Sippy Cup + Snack Holder
• Shopping Cart / High Chair Cover 

Sleeping

• Pacifier
• Aden + Anais Sheets
• Bla Bla Kids Sheets
• Crib (Check The Nursery Post For Decor Inspiration)
• Organic Mattress
• Towel (To Roll Up + Put Under the Crib if Your Baby Has Reflux)
• Bassinet (We Didn’t Use, But This One Seems Great)
• Monitor 
• Miracle Blanket (Get a Few)
• Halo Sleep Sack
• Aden + Anais Sleep Sack or This One For Cooler Temps
• Sound Machine
• Humidifier (We Used This One For a While, But Just Got This One Too)
• Breathable Bumper (Elle Moved Around A Lot + Once Unswaddled, Would Get Her Arms Caught!)
• Lovey (For When They’re Older)

Bathing

• Tub Seat, Though We’ll Probably Get a Bath Liner Soon
• Little Giraffe Towels + Washcloths
• Bathrobe (For When They’re Older)
• Noodle + Boo Wash / Lotion
• Mustela (For Cradle Cap)
• Rinse Cup
• Kneeler Pillow (Trust Me!)
• Brush + Comb (Brush On Its Own Works Too)
• Safety Q-Tips
• Post-Bath Chair (Helpful When Giving Solo Baths)
• Bath Toys
• Snot Sucker (We Usually Try to Get This Done at Bathtime Since the Steam Helps)

Diapering

• Pampers Swaddlers
• Kirkland Wipes (You Can Get These on Amazon, Don’t Need a Costco Membership)
• A+D (Every Diaper Change!)
• Aquaphor
• Diaper Pad Cover
• Munchkin Waterproof Changing Pad Liners 
• Munchkin Arm + Hammer Diaper Pail (Though Apparently, This One Is All The Rage Now)
• Rubbing Alcohol + Sterile Q-Tips (To Clean Cord Area)

Resting

• Fisher Price Swing
• Dockatot (We Didn’t Have This, But I’d Like to Try It)
• Baby Bjorn Chair, Similar Here 

Living

• Totes Savvy + Your Favorite Tote = Diaper Bag
• Uppa Baby Mesa + Extra Base (Don’t Forget to Take the Infant Insert Out After Baby is Over 8 or 9 Pounds!)
• Car Seat Canopy + Bunting
• Uppa Baby Vista (We Got This Color, Which I Love For Its Neutrality…But People Will Wrongly Guess the Sex of Your Baby as a Result)
• This Bag, If You Plan to Check Your Stroller When Traveling
• Stroller Blanket (I Seriously Wish This Came in Adult Size and Love It So Much I Bought Two)
• Stroller Arch (A Life-Saver for Us)
• Uppa Baby G-Luxe Umbrella Stroller
• Baby Bjorn Travel Crib (They Make a Special Sheet For This, But A Normal Crib Sheet Works Too)
• Ergo Baby Carrier

Playing

• Fisher Price Mat
• Boppy (We Used This for Aided Tummy Time…This Works Too)
• Colorful Rattles
• Mobile + Activity Gym (We Didn’t Want to Attach the Mobile in Elle’s Crib)
• Bumbo (We Used This For Sitting Up During Playtime), Similar Here 
• Interactive Toys Like This and This
• Musical Story Books
• Books on Books on Books (This is Elle’s Favorite and This is Mine)
• Baby Dolls, Especially This One That Pays Each Purchase Forward By Giving a Doll to a Child in Need
• Fisher Price Jumperoo

I’m sure there’s something I’ve forgotten, so if I’ve missed a first year item you’re curious about, feel free to ask away! I’d also love to know your favorites. Coming soon…our favorite clothes!