OUR FAVORITE BABY PRODUCTS SO FAR

You can browse our baby registry in its entirety here, but I wanted to share our favorite baby items for Teddy so far. I don’t think we’ve come across any products that Teddy really doesn’t like yet, but all of these get particularly enthusiastic rave reviews from me and Will. 

nanit plus baby monitor floor stand review design darling

1. Nanit Plus baby monitor

Will and I are obsessed with this thing, hence its spot at the top of the list. We have the floor stand version because I wanted it to be portable and didn’t want to nail the wall version into the newly wallpapered nursery. The camera gives us a perfect aerial view of his bassinet (and eventually his crib) and syncs to an app on both of our phones where we can access a live view, an insights tab with all the times he went to bed and woke up, and saved video clips of every time he falls asleep, wakes up, or is attended to by one of us. The live view shows a temperature reading of the room (very helpful in our very old house) and we use the insights tab to keep track of the exact time I last breastfed him (usually immediately after removing him from his bassinet). The app also generates an update every morning with how long he was in his bassinet, how much of that time he was actually asleep, and how many times we visited him — if you like data, this is the baby monitor for you. The one downside is it’s completely reliant on wifi, so we should probably get a handheld backup to use if we ever lose power (any recs?).

halo sleepsack newborn review design darling

2. Halo sleepsack

Teddy resists being swaddled just about every night but he sleeps infinitely better once his flailing arms aren’t constantly waking him up. We brought a couple of these to the hospital because the velcro closure makes them so much easier to use than swaddle blankets and we’ve since ordered a couple more to have on hand when the others are in the wash. Seriously I don’t know how parents get any sleep without these.

uppababy vista stroller review

3. UPPAbaby Vista stroller

We’ve been taking Teddy on afternoon strolls around the neighborhood and I’m convinced there’s nothing this stroller can’t handle. I swear the more uneven the terrain, the faster Teddy falls asleep! We’ll definitely buy a more compact travel stroller the first time we travel with him, but for everyday use we’ve found the Vista exactly as good as everyone says it is. 

uppababy mesa review

4. UPPAbaby Mesa carseat

Knock on wood but Teddy occasionally fusses for a minute after we put him in his carseat and promptly falls asleep the second the car is in drive. I’m sure that won’t last forever but it’s made our first few trips to the pediatrician a breeze! 

babybjorn bouncer bliss review

5. Babybjorn bouncer

We haven’t used this a ton yet but it’s been a godsend when I need to put Teddy down to grab a bite to eat or take a shower. I think as he gets a little older he’ll catch on that he can make it bounce by kicking his legs, but for now it’s nice just to have a spot where I know he’s safe if I need to turn my back for a minute. 

oxo tot wipes dispenser review

6. OXO Tot wipes dispenser

I’m all for anything that makes diaper changes a tiny bit easier and this weighted wipe dispenser means I can grab a wipe with one hand while holding Teddy with the other. Cheap, simple, and kind of genius.

comotomo baby bottle review

7. Comotomo 5 ounce baby bottles

We’re feeding Teddy every three hours around the clock and recently I started pumping during the first middle-of-the-night feed while Will gives him a bottle. We’ve had zero issues with nipple confusion so far so I’m calling these bottles a big success! 

spectra s1 plus breast pump review

8. Spectra S1 Plus breast pump

While we’re on the subject, so many of you recommended this breast pump and I have zero complaints so far. It’s easy to set up, easy to clean, efficient, and can either be left plugged in or charged for portability. I ordered mine through Aeroflow where our insurance covered ~$60 of the cost.

angelcare infant bath tub review

9. Angelcare infant bath tub

I will never forget giving Teddy his first bath and watching his face light up the second he settled into this tub in our kitchen sink. He is genuinely so happy in the water and giving him a bath is now the highlight of my night! We use this baby shampoo and this rinser cup and the whole routine makes him so relaxed. 

lovevery play gym review

10. Lovevery play gym

We’ve started incorporating 15-30 minutes of playtime after all his daytime feeds and while Teddy’s too young to really appreciate all the bells and whistles of this play mat, he loves staring at himself in the (unbreakable) mirror when we place him down for tummy time. He’s started turning his head from side to side to face me or Will and it’s just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I also appreciate that this is one of the more attractive play mats I’ve seen — it’s not so loud that I want to hide it when people come over (I know that will eventually be a losing battle but we’ll hold off as long as we can!).

What were/are some of your favorite baby items for newborns? We are all ears! 

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