My Favorite Baby & Postpartum Purchases I Made After Baby Arrived
- Katie Stevens
- May 13, 2020
- 5 min read
Starting that baby registry is DAUNTING. I remember my husband and I walking into Buy Buy Baby thinking, "We rocked our wedding registry, this will be a piece of cake." And boy, were we wrong. After the associate handed us what seemed like a mile-long list of all the things we should have on the registry, the room started spinning.
As first-time parents, we had an idea of how we wanted the nursery and how we wanted to dress him, but were clueless about what breast pump to get or how many bottles we'd need. We received amazing and generous gifts for our shower, but there were also a few items that I found we needed after Donovan arrived.
So much of shopping for baby is trial and error to see what is right for you and your family. Hopefully this list will provide some suggestions or ideas for what you may want to add to the registry or even pick up after baby arrives.
1. WildBird Ring Sling
Finding the right carrier for us was a journey! We tried all the wraps, carriers, and shirt-like wraps and none of them were quite right for us. Wraps were super great when Donovan was little, but as he got bigger they became more difficult to use. Then, WildBird released their Joshua Tree line (which got me immediately since that's where Kyle and I met) and I decided it was time to give their ring sling a try.
Let me tell you, I am obsessed! They are soft, beautiful, and exquisitely made. I find them to be the easiest to use and the comfiest. WildBird is also a family-run company that puts thought and uncompromising quality into everything they make. Plus, you can wear baby all the way until they're a toddler. Their ring slings have absolutely made day-to-day life easier while keeping my baby oh-so close.
2. Ryan & Rose Cutie Tensils
There are SO many baby feeding products out there! I was so excited when I found the Ryan & Rose Cutie Tensils. They make feeding so easy for us and they're just so cute! What I'm so excited about is the longevity they have! When the time comes for Donovan to feed himself, these will make the transition so smooth. They're just the right size for his little hands to hold and make grabbing the food super easy.
Also, I truly love this company. We use their Cutie Pats, Cutie Clips, and I even use their Cutie Bands for my hair (which are amazing too!). Everything is made so well and looks beautiful.
3. Simba Baby Safety Scissors
Oh my goodness, these are life-changing! I ended up buying these after Donovan was born and was so, so happy I did. Let me tell you, cutting baby's nails is a daunting task. There is so much stress in this one little activity.
These little scissors helped us out so much! They make cutting his nails a breeze and provide so much more control than normal clippers.
4. Snuggle Me Organic
When I went back to working after my maternity leave ended, my dad graciously agreed to watching him during the day. While I was off work, we had built a great sleep routine, but the change of going to my parent's house and sleeping in a pack and play instead of his crib threw his schedule off for a bit.
A big helper was the Snuggle Me Organic! It acts like a big hug for babies during supervised sleep. It helped my dad out so much.
Now that he's gotten used to his sleeping arrangements, he doesn't use it for sleeping, but does use it for tummy time and lounging.
5. Jolly Jumper
Not only is this an amazing product, but is it also so. much. fun.
The best thing about the Jolly Jumper is that it comes with a stand - so you don't have to try to attach it to a door jam and run the risk of it not being secure enough. We actually ended up getting it because we realized our house doesn't have any door jams in a central location where we'd be able to supervise his jumping.
The Jolly Jumper has been the perfect solution! You just set up the stand, secure baby into the jumper, and hook baby at the right height. Then, depending on your music preference, blast some "Jump Around" or "Jump" and enjoy!
Not only is it so entertaining to watch baby have so much fun, but it's so great for their development. We LOVE this one!
6. Rumina Seamless Pump and Nurse Hands Free Pumping Bra
I had a few nursing bras before going back to work, but quickly realized that in order to pump, I'd need a bra that made pumping life as easy as possible. So many pumping bras are just not practical - you either have to change into it or unclip parts to use the pump. I wanted one that wouldn't require a lot of work and that I could easily wear under clothes. It also needed to be comfortable.
I ended up trying out one from Amazon and couldn't believe how amazing it was. It was comfy, seamless under clothes, and made pumping a breeze! This pumping bra is just awesome and it's one of my favorite purchases I've made.
7. Posh Peanut Bibs
Not all bibs are created equal. We thought the silicone ones were super cute, but Donovan thought they were a toy and tried to chew on them during mealtime. Generic cloth ones didn't cover enough and food still got everywhere.
Posh Peanut's bibs turned out to be the best ones we found. They're big enough to cover everything and don't distract Donovan while he's eating. They are also super absorbent for when teething rolls around - and they're crazy stylish too!
8. Frida Mom High Waist Disposable Postpartum Underwear
I will tell you, the postpartum underwear they give you at the hospital are crazy uncomfortable. Frida Mom's c-section underwear is so comfortable. It was the first thing that made me feel a little bit normal after Donovan was born.
The best part about these is you can actually wear them with leggings without a hideous panty line. When pretty much all you can/want to wear is leggings, this is a game-changer. I adored these and was so happy I ended up making this purchase.
9. SwaddleMe Original Swaddle
Donovan could escape pretty much any swaddle when he was a newborn. We'd think we just did the world's greatest swaddle - and two seconds later - he would already have a hand free. We tried both bamboo and muslin swaddles to no avail.
I decided to give the SwaddleMe swaddles a try and they worked so well! The Velcro kept the swaddle just as tight as we needed and he couldn't get that tiny hand free immediately. They were also great for transitioning out of the swaddle once he started to roll (we'd purposely keep an arm out).
10. Milk Snob Car Seat/Nursing Cover
We have loved our Milk Snob Car Seat and Nursing cover! Not only is it great for those newborn days where you really don't want people touching your baby, but it's also great for nursing! Donovan is now 8 months old, and I still use this on a daily basis.
I have tried other brands that look similar to Milk Snob, but I will tell you that none of them are made nearly as well! Milk Snob's coverage and fabric is superior to the other brands I have tried. The quality is fantastic and the prints they have are stunning. We especially love the Star Wars prints! (And get a load of those cute little toes peeping through the fabric!)
Please Note: All opinions are solely my own. I am in no way affiliated to the companies/products mentioned. No compensation has been received for these reviews and all products were purchased at retail price.
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