In My Girl's World

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Here are the specific products we purchased and used/loved!

Crib- We went with this Babyletto 4-in-1 crib. I liked the style, the price and the fact that it will grow with her. I couldn't find our exact crib, as it's sold out, so I found a similar one here.

Mattress- We were given a new mattress from a friend. So I have no suggestions on brand/type. Keep allergens and your baby's comfort in mind. This might be something I spend a bit extra on.

Sheets- We had some sheets we started with, but once Ella was done being swaddled, I realized the softness of her sheets mattered. We ended up purchasing these, soft/neutral and Ella loves them. I recommend having at least 2 in case of leaks!

Waterproof cover- We got ours on discount at Baby's R Us before they went out of business. I think 1 is enough, but it depends on how easily you can do laundry.

Bassinet- We loved this bassinet. It was HUGE and can grow with your baby. It folded easily and had a by-hand rocking option.

Velcro swaddle- We loved these swaddles at the beginning and eventually got the Halo swaddles as Ella grew. 

Warmer blankets- Any cozy fleece blankets will do. We had 4 or 5 but I think 2 is plenty unless you live somewhere really cold! We use them now after baths (warmer than towels) and to do quick changes on.

Thin blankets- We liked the muslin swaddle blankets and use them for everything. 3-4 is a good amount! 

Black out shade- Never knew how important this is for a baby's sleep! We just grabbed cheap ones off Amazon.

White noise machine- Also essential for baby's sleep. We like this one. Ella likes the rain setting.

Breast pump- Please check with your insurance company on coverage. Some may pay for it 100%. I didn't have the best health insurance when I was pregnant, but we did get a breast pump with no fee. We had the Medela, which worked fine for us. Although I only used it for the first 3 months.

Nipple pads- I wanted to do washable and reusable nursing pads because it's more eco-friendly. However, we have shared laundry and I knew this wouldn't be realistic for our family. I went with the Lansinoh pads and was happy with them.

Cream- We got the Motherlove nipple cream and loved it. It was extremely soothing and effective for sore nipples when nursing. It's safe the your baby to nurse after applying as well. 

Hand pump- The Haakaa hand pump was something I did not originally purchase. I realized when I was nursing Ella that I would leak out of the other breast and that was such a waste of breast milk aka liquid gold. I would use the Haakaa pump to catch this milk while she nursed on the other side. It was messy and a lot of work, but you do not want that milk going to waste. I wish I had known about this pump from day 1 and I think we would have had a lot less wasted milk.

Milk storage bags- I would recommend getting milk storage bags that are compliant with your breast pump. I know you can use a lot of the bags with other pumps as long as you have proper attachments. I recommend doing this research once you select a pump!

  

Bottles- We used the Dr Brown bottles when Ella was first born, and always had great success with them. Ella had gas issues so the Dr Brown's helped with that. She never had any issues with nippled confusion either! We eventually converted to the Comotomo bottle, which was SO much easier to clean. We liked these once Ella was around 4 months and her gas issues settled down. 

Formula mixer- We loved the Baby Breeze Electric formula mixer. My inlaws got this for us when Ella was a bit older and when we were no longer nursing. It was such a life saver. We could pre-mix a day worth of formula and store the bottles in the fridge. By pre-mixing, it eliminated the number of bubbles in the bottle and helped with her gas issues. Highly recommend this product just for convenience.

Bottle warmer- We love our bottle warmer. We still use it to heat up Ella's milk in her cup. She prefers it room temperature or warmer in the mornings. This warmer doesn't come on a timer, so you do have to pay attention to make sure you don't heat the milk too hot. We like how large the opening is, so it will fit almost ANY bottle or cup.

Burp clothes- I would just recommend having a lot of them. We used them for everything at the beginning and we liked all sizes/shapes. We used a lot of wash clothes too. 

Dish drying rack- We liked our Boon drying rack but it was hard to clean. I think most dish drying racks will serve the same purpose. We liked this one because it was stylish. You will see after week one that function > style/looks.

Bottle brush- You can literally get these at The Dollar Tree. We ended up getting a more durable one at Target that has removable heads, but I can't find it anywhere. As long as it will clean the inside of your bottle you are fine. I recommend getting straw cleaners too!

Laundry detergent- Any free & clear will do. We love the smell of Dreft, but it's not worth the $ if you are worried about finances. We just buy Free & Clear detergent at Costco and use it for all of our clothes. Ella's had never little issues with her skin being sensitive.

Dish soap- We did use a separate dish soap for Ella's bottles and cups, and we still do. I love this brand. We use their surface spray and laundry stain spray as well! 

Changing pad/cover- Most generic pads and covers will be fine. We honestly did 99% of diaper changes on a blanket on the floor... It was just easier for us. I do recommend at least 2 covers in case of poop explosions.

Diaper caddy- We love this caddy and use it every single day. I hold all of Ella's diapers, wipes, creams and daily "get ready" items in there.

Diaper cream- Triple Paste has been our favorite for serious rashes. It's expensive but smart to have at least one on hand.

Carseat/stroller system- I really think having a combo system was so helpful at first. We loved our Chicco Bravo travel system. We were able to use our infant car seat and click it directly to the stroller at first which was so nice. Her stroller grew with her and now we use it when we are out and about. The wheels aren't the best quality but I think it was perfect for the beginning stages and once and a while when we are out. It's a great price if you are financially conscious.

Swing/rocker- Every baby is so different. Ella loved her Rock & Play which is no longer considered to be safe and was recalled recently. We never tried another type of swing/rocker, so I have little recommendations on this. I do think having SOMETHING you can safely place the baby in to give your arms a rest is helpful!

Boppy lounger- The boppy lounger was our most used item when Ella was a newborn. It is an absolute must!!! We had an additional cover, which came in handy because of spit up and such.

Pacifiers- I recommend getting a few of each brand. Ella preferred some over others and it was nice to have a few options to choose from. Pacifiers are a life saver! Our favorites were the MAM Pacifiers.

Medical set- I love this medical/grooming set. It comes with everything you need. I do recommend investing in a quality thermometer as well.

Monitor- We purchased this cheap monitor here, and it has worked well for us. However, we live in a very small apartment and don't need much range. I found this monitor on Amazon that has amazing reviews and is probably a better investment if you want a quality video monitor. If you're in small quarters like us, go with the cheap one!

Tub- Some people think the infant tub is not necessary, but I found it incredibly helpful when bathing baby Ella. You could make a sink work if you are lacking space... We just stored our infant tub inside our bath tub when we weren't using it, and that was fine for us. 

Soap/lotion- We went with Mustela products and have been sooo happy. Ella has no skin issues and the smell of the Mustela products is really out of this world. I love these products and plan to use them for a long time!

Diaper bag- This was one of the hardest decisions, and I am so happy we chose the diaper bag that we did. It's a good size but not SO big that you clutter it up. It has pockets and zippers for organization and was just what we needed. We barely use it now, just because Ella isn't nearly as needy. It's always packed with the essentials just in case.

Portable changing pad- We loved this portable changing pad. It comes with the wipes container. I highly recommend throwing some disposable bags inside the zipper pocket to toss yuck diapers in!

Something I got as a gift that I think was a game changer during our newborn days was our rocking chair/ottoman. I used to be a nanny for a family, and they purchased the chair for me. It still sits in Ella's room, although she doesn't let me rock her in it too frequently anymore. 

There's sooo much more stuff that you need/could purchase, but those are my favorites!!! 

Enjoy xoxo