Here are things I will definitely use again for Baby #2, and would buy again if doing it all over with Baby #1.
Sections
2
Infant
Medicine Cabinet
Infant
Things I can't imagine life without during the newborn phase.
Obviously a very fancy stroller, but we've loved ours.
Vista V3 - Callum
A fully breathable mattress makes me feel so much less worried about baby sleeping overnight. Baby 1 loved sleeping on his stomach once he was allowed to, so this was huge for peace of mind. Also easy to wash.
Safe & Breathable Crib Mattress
We buy these as baby gifts for everyone now – they are so easy, last forever, and can be used all year.
4 Season® Ultimate Baby & Toddler Sleep Sacks
Baby 1 doesn't mind brushing his teeth at all, and I think this probably helped make that happen!
Baby Teething Toy
Baby nails are so soft, I couldn't imagine using clippers on his tiny hands. This was so gentle and easy.
Electric Nail File
Copied our friends who had this. Used this a ton in the later baby months!
Baby Gate Playpen Wooden
We've bought this 3 times over. The only downside is it's hard / impossible to truly clean when there's a huge issue, but it's worth it because of how plush it is.
Thick Memory Foam Baby Play Mat
We used these and also tried the Dr. Bronner's bottles. These were our favorite, and we loved using glass over plastic.
Philips Avent Natural Glass Baby Bottles
This is likely overkill for a pack-n-play. But I love the Newtown breathability so much that this was useful to me when I was concerned about breathing/positioning. It's very hard to take apart and set up.
Travel Crib & Play Yard
Seems silly but this thing kept Baby 1's attention like nothing else. And it's not annoying.
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy
Sheets for the Newton mattress, super breathable.
Newton Baby Fitted Crib Sheet (2-Pack)
Fragrance free soap is essential for bottles, and this worked well for us.
Foaming Dish & Bottle Soap, Fragrance Free
This thing was on constantly during the first 6 months. The songs haunt me a bit since that time was challenging, but I swear Baby still recognizes the songs. It's all classical music.
Baby Mobile for Crib, 3-in-1 Take Along Mobile
Perfect for traveling/storing the Spectra.
Travel Case for Spectra Breast Pump
I was worried about pacifier use but these seemed to cause no problems for Baby's teeth/bite.
Orthodontic Pacifier, 0-6m
Simple, they work great. We use them still for lunches/snacks for toddler.
Breast Milk Cooler Bag with Ice Pack
Weirdest design ever but this this was absolutely game changing. It's a bit creepy at first but it works so well.
Baby Shusher Portable Sound Machine
Light carseat was so necessary for me.
UPPAbaby Aria Lightweight Infant Car Seat
We used (and still use) this for washing bottles. I read that you don't want to wash bottles in the regular sink basin due to potential bacteria from other things. Probably not true but I still liked using this thing.
This thing works well. The reason I recommend it even though the inside of it is difficult to deodorize is that it's easy to use – I've tried diaper genies and they are just a pain.
stainless steel diaper pail
You just need a billion of these.
Comfy Cubs Muslin Burp Cloths 20x10, 10-Pack
We sterilized all bottle parts and pacis for probably 6 months and this thing was great.
Papablic Baby Bottle Sterilizer & Dryer Pro
I tried every possible nursing pillow and this was the one I always preferred.
My Brest Friend Super Deluxe Nursing Pillow - Platinum
I exclusively pumped after about 3-4 months, and these were my MVP.
Momcozy S12 Pro Hands-Free Double Pump 24mm
I love everything Cerave baby – nothing funky in there.
Baby Skincare | Baby Wash, Ointment & Moisturizer
We tried every swaddle imaginable and we always came back to these in the early days!
SwaddleMe Original 100% Cotton Swaddle 3-Pack
Cheap, easy, needed the foldover hands because Baby 1 would otherwise wake himself up with his hands.
Aablexema Baby Footie Pajama with Mitten Cuffs
Needed to ensure that baby bathwater wasn't above 100 degrees
Dreambaby Duck Bath Thermometer - Digital
The best diaper rash spray. We've tried them all.
Boogie Diaper Rash Cream Spray - PARENT 3pk
We bought these over and over again in all sorts of sizes/lengths.
Simple Joys by Carter's Baby Boys 6-Pack Bodysuit
Extremely helpful book.
What to Expect the First Year (2025)
I got this as a gift, and we still use it everyday.
Nursery Storage & Organization | Diaper Caddy
We tried many diaper bags and this is by far the GOAT. Easy to clean, extremely lightweight, fits everything you need without being too big.
Diaper Bag Backpack
Medicine Cabinet
Stock your medicine cabinet now and it will be in great shape through the toddler years!
Essential. They make an electric one if you don't want to do it manually, but this is easy and not as gross as it seems.
NoseFrida the SnotSucker
Used this constantly to help us unstuff our baby's nose
Little Remedies Saline Spray & Drops 0.5 fl oz
Extremely necessary!
Frida Baby Accu-Dose Medicine Pacifier
Seems like an unnecessary product but we used ours constantly.
oogiebear Baby Nose & Ear Cleaner Tool
We had these in all our diaper bags in case of an allergic reaction. As Baby 1 has been a toddler, they've come in handy multiple times. I need them everywhere!
Dr. Kids Allergy Relief Diphenhydramine Vials
We only use rectal temp because it's the most accurate by a long shot, so this is essential.
Digital Rectal Thermometer – Frida
Our go-to, always on hand. Husband prefers this to Tylenol bc of dyes and such.
Genexa Infants' Acetaminophen
Always good to have on hand. We used it a lot.
CVS Petroleum Jelly, 13 OZ
Helpful for stuffy noses before using the Nose Frida
Frida Baby NoseFrida Saline Mist Inhaler
So much easier to apply in a stick form than liquid and we've been using Sun Bum since the beginning.
