I can’t believe it’s almost been a full two months with Charli! Time is seriously flying, and so is the newborn stage – wild! It’s been so much fun chatting with the other expecting or new mama’s in this community…it truly makes a world of a difference when you have someone to talk to or connect with that is also going through the thick of it! One of the things I’m talking about frequently with mama’s in my DM’s: products we are actually using! It’s been fun (and interesting) to see which things Charli takes to, and which things she doesn’t want anything to do with! I remember thinking she would LOVE her swing + bouncer…and we are just not there yet, haha!
But, there are tons of other products that she’s loved that have made life so much easier the last two months – and that’s what we are covering today! I’m walking you through all of the baby items we have used the most in months 1 & 2 with Charli. I talk details about each of these products & link everything down below for you!
I’ll try to do these round-up posts every couple of months to keep y’all updated. Hope this helps! xo
Snoo Smart Baby Sleeper Bassinet // We are two months in to the newborn life and I can officially say, for us – the Snoo was WORTH IT, y’all! So worth it, I could cry – because it’s given us the blessing of SLEEP! We knew going into this *investment* purchase that Charli could very well not like it, and it would be a total waste. But, I had so many girlfriends rave about it…and I know we’ll have more babies, so I figured if Charli doesn’t like the Snoo, hopefully one of our future babies would. It turns out, Charli loves it & has slept long stretches (6-7 hours) through the night since 4.5 weeks. I love how safe it is & I love all of the data it gives you with the app! She seriously loves it – I can place her in awake but drowsy and she self soothes to sleep. We just started using it for one daytime nap (around 7 weeks) and she’s been actually taking a substantial nap during the day, which she hasn’t been doing. The Snoo is magical and worth every penny when it comes to our family! I know it’s a huge splurge purchase, which is when the renting option comes in handy. That way you can try it before you buy it & make sure you baby takes to it before making the commitment. You can also get them discounted on Facebook marketplace!
Nanit Pro Smart Baby Monitor with Travel Multi-Stand // Originally, we had the baby monitor set up in her nursery over her crib – which she obviously hasn’t been sleeping in! I tried a few naps in her crib, and the monitor came in handy then, but the naps were few and far between (and like 20 minutes long , haha). Once we started using the Snoo for naps (which is in our bedroom), this is when the monitor and travel stand came in handy. I didn’t even know this existed until my girlfriend told me about it – and I love it because it makes the Nanit monitor totally portable and travel friendly, so you don’t need to buy a second monitor to use when your baby isn’t in their usual crib. I love that it connects to my phone (your phone literally becomes a baby monitor, even when you are in other apps!), the quality/picture is phenomenal, the data is super useful & it’s also a nightlight and sound machine! This will be so clutch when we travel with Charli.
Tommee Tippee Extra Slow Flow Bottles // We started incorporating a bottle of pumped breastmilk a few days after we got home & settled from the hospital. I knew that I wanted to get Charli familiar with a bottle ASAP so Nick could help with feeding her from time to time & so that I could get a break and get out of the house without worrying about her getting hungry! She’s done great with bottles, and these are the ones that both her & I love the most. They are slow flow, which makes her still work for the milk so she doesn’t struggle or get frustrated when I breastfeed her. The nipples are “breast-like” which I know has helped with transitioning from the boob to the bottle without any challenges. They don’t leak are super easy to clean, too!
Snuggle Me Organic Infant Lounger // This lounger has been great to set her in when we need our hands, or for supervised naps! It makes me feel better having her snuggled in this rather than just on the couch or bed – it gives her extra cushion and support and she’s been comfortable in it since day one of being home!
Babybjorn Baby Carrier Mini // I’ve tried so many carriers over the past few weeks, and while I truly do love most of them – I put this one on the list for most used in the first two months because it’s the easiest to slip on and off when you are alone and don’t have assistance, or have a not-so-happy baby waiting on you. I will say that the cloth wraps like the Baby K’Tan & Solly are more comfortable, but not the easiest to put on in the first few months where your baby isn’t very patient, lol! The Bbaybjorn is lightweight, can be put on in SECONDS & has been great for me when it comes to getting things done. Not a day goes by where I don’t babywear – Charli loves it & so do I! I also just started using the Artipoppe carrier, which I will say is my *top* favorite so far, but she just got big enough to fit into it. The Babybjorn mini has been perfect for the itty-bitty newborn stage, and Nick still prefers it over all fo the others! (yes, it fits him, too!)
Fisher-Price Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym // My sister recommended this and WOW I’m so glad she did! Charli is *obsessed* with this toy and I love how interactive it is for her. It’s musical, colorful & can truly keep her busy for a good amount of time, which is game-changing for me! As soon as I shared it on social media, so many other mamas said this play gym was their baby’s favorite too. I guess it at 44,000+ reviews on Amazon for a reason! The price point is amazing too!
High Contrast Baby Flashcards // Okay, these are also magical! I would say around week 3, Charli really started to take to these high contrast flashcards. They are great for visual stimulation in the early stages – I would set them around the backs of the couch and she would gaze at them, and can even follow them with her eyes now if I move them around. There’s tons of benefits when it comes to brain development and function!
Tubby Todd Regulars Bath Bundle // This has been our favorite line when it comes to skincare & bath products. They’ve been gentle on Charli’s skin and leave her smelling so yummy and fresh! I love that they come in fragrance-free options, too.
Faux Fur Elephant Baby Hooded Towel // Who knew babies could be picky about bath towels, right?! Charli LOVES her bath time more than anything – so much that we literally give her one every single night (only using soap/shampoo 3-4x a week though). I had a few different baby towels, and I noticed that whenever we put her in this one after getting out fo the bath, she was way less cold & fussy than when we used the others. This towel is sooo plush, absorbent and warm – and not to mention SO adorable! This would be a great gift for any mama with a newborn!
Jungle Safari Musical Baby Crib Mobile // I initially didn’t have a mobile over Charli’s crib, but my mom *insisted* that she had one – so she found & bought this one on Amazon and wow I am so glad she did – Charli is obsessed with it! It’s been life-saving for me if I need to take a shower or get something done and I need to set her down for a few minutes. She is instantly mesmerized and it keeps her distracted for a long time! It goes around in a circle and plays nursery rhymes.
Coterie Diapers + Wipes // I didn’t want to love these bouji diapers, but here we are! Again, a recommendation from a girlfriend that was totally worth the hype. We’ve used a couple different diapers on Charli and these have trumped all when it comes to leaks, blowouts & sensitivity! They are sooo soft and flexible – and I’m having to do way less laundry than I thought because these diapers hold it all in! Also – the wipes, are GIANT! You can get the job done (most of the time) with just one wipe, which I love. I use their subscription service so I don’t even have to think about buying or ordering more, they just show up on our doorstep every 30 days!
Little Sleepies Bamboo Zippy Pajamas // We got our first pair of Little Sleepies as a gift from a friend and I was instantly HOOKED! They are bamboo, which makes them sooo soft. I love that they have the double zipper for easy changes, too. Both the hands & feet have fold-over options so they can turn into mitts/footies in seconds. It’s like having two pajamas in one that can really grow with your baby! They also are constantly releasing new fun, seasonal prints too.
Portable White Noise Machine // We first used this in Charli’s hospital bassinet to drown out all of the hospital noises. Now, I have one of these attached to her carseat which has really helped soothed her and allow her to nap when we are out and about. It stays charged for a long time, too – which is great if you want to use it overnight!
UPPAbaby Vista V2 Stroller w/ Bassinet // This is our “primary” stroller system and we have loved it for the newborn stage. The bassinet is as functional as it is stunning – it’s great for walks and I can tell Charli really feels comfortable in it. Now that she’s fitting into the carseat a bit more comfortably, we are using the bassinet less – but of the first few weeks that bassinet really comes in handy. The whole stroller system is so high quality & easy to operate and maneuver around. I love the versatility of this stroller, too – it has a ton of configurations that will grow with your baby and family as it grows, too!
Skip Hop Baby Bath Tub // This has been the bathtub we have been using for Charli. We still bring it out to our kitchen and prop it on the island to save our backs – and it’s been perfect! I love the soft, mesh sling on the inside – it’s very supportive and comfortable for her! The tub itself is lightweight, easy to clean and doesn’t leak at all! The perfect size for the newborn stage.
Doona Car Seat & Stroller // This was a product that we were not initially planning on purchasing – but I’m so glad we did! I’ve heard so much about the Doona – and the hype is real! It’s a stroller + carseat in one, and is extremely convenient if you are an on-the-go or traveling family. With both of our family’s living out of state, I knew this would be much easier to tackle an airport with than the UPPAbaby system for quick trips where we didn’t really need the under storage. It’s also been our stroller of choice when going out to dinner or running a quick errand!
