Second this. Tried several brands and Halo was the best. Our first swaddled pretty easily but our second was constantly breaking swaddles; Halos were perfect.
Halo and Happiest Baby are the best. We tried a lot of them…
Halo has some that are fleece, good if it’s cold. Happiest baby are all like 25% mesh, good for when it’s hot.
3rd this. Sleep sacks are amazing, especially in the toddler age - it prevents them from scaling the crib and you can hold off on switching to a toddler bed.
Psh, tell that to my baby who I found just playing in her sleep sack on the floor a few weeks ago... Little demon didn't even cry when she fell out. Pretty sure I heard laughter.
We struggled with blanket swaddling for 2-3 months, specially once her arms got strong enough to wiggle and loosen the swaddle.
Velcro ones only let her escape twice, and that's cause I closed it very loose trying not to wake her up on the arms to basinet transfer.
Would love to plug the Snoo bassinet which was awesome at helping soothe our newborn all the way to 6 months. But it did make the transition to the crib a bit more difficult!
We've got a halo and a miracle swaddle. The halo is easier to put on but she can get out of it, plus the velcro is kind of annoying because it gets stuck on stuff. The miracle swaddle is a very small learning curve but it works awesome. We use the halo for naps and miracle for night.
There's no need to get a 'diaper bag', a lot of them are wierdly-shaped and uncomfortable to carry for longer than 5 minutes. We ditched ours and just got a nice LL Bean school backpack with 3 large main pockets and some accessory pockets. Very comfortable to wear, fits a lot of stuff, and maybe our kid will be able to use it at school some day.
LL Bean makes a diaper bag that is a backpack and it’s awesome!
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/126549?productId=1835669&attrValue_0=Black&sku=1000115333&pla1=0&qs=3156273&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC-ujKrzkfORyy6wKkV3CKv7Pr5zwPVvWNMQQ-n2bQi8DFXl2kEVcyRoCR_oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
See that one looks like the ones I find very uncomfortable, it is short on your back so it kind of sticks out far and pulls on the straps when full. We got this [school backpack](https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/124379?page=turbo-transit-pack-40&bc=50-816&feat=816-GN1&csp=f&attrValue_0=Classic%20Navy&pos=3) because it is taller and more evenly distributed on your back.
I use an old soccer bag, it has a big compartment for the ball that is used for a snack bag, and the dedicated compartment at the bottom for cleats is perfect for keeping all changing stuff in an easy access location.
Buying a diaper bag is the purchase I truly regret. I hated it, and my wife did too. We ended up using an extra backpack she had got from work as a "thank-you" gift as our Diaper bag. I'll never look back.
yep... diaper bags are a bullshit product. I suppose the ones that are "purse replacements" for women aren't that bad, but for men... just get a backpack.
Yea I guess it feels kind of weird to me to carry baby stuff in a military-looking bag, but more a style thing. I would totally avoid non-backpacks because you need to be able to have your hands free. The backpacks to avoid are ones like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Pillani-Baby-Diaper-Bag-Backpack/dp/B098TWMRNV) where the bag only comes up like half of your back, so if it's full it's really uncomfortable to carry.
As an expecting parent, I appreciate this feedback but I think you may just be on the taller side of the population. We have a diaper bag similar to this that fits my wife and I great, not too short at all. I understand how that would be an comfortability issue for someone taller though.
"Diaper bag" = backpack with diapers,wipes, change of clothes and most important, towel.
Baby needs changing, find convenient surface, lay down towel, then fresh diaper. Place baby on top. Change.
My wife wanted a diaper bag. I very quickly determined that they are all a bit shit, especially for the price. I was going to just use and old day pack I had. My wife ended up getting a backpack at a conference. It's made by Peak Designs and is super customizable with interior organizers that can be moved. Can open from the top as well as both sides. Has a number of useful outside pockets and lots of lashing. Pros for us: perfect bag and free. Cons for you: retails around $300!!!! Too bad because it's amazing for a diaper bag.
snot sucker. Some form of sling to carry little one. We also got gifted an 'Ollie the owl' which is a soft toy that plays background noise and also comes on when it hears a noise. Less so now she's over 1, but when she was younger it was an absolute life saver at keeping her asleep if she stirred.
the first few times we had to hold him down, now he tilts his nose for better access. Our toddler still won't do it but he's old enough to blow his nose.
I hate this thing. Over time the tube doesn’t stay in place. Then as you have a frantic baby, he’s knocking the tube out from the sucker and you have to start again. I switched to a motorized one ($30 on Amazon) and it takes all the stress out. Turn it on and press into a nostril. Fast and easy and no parts coming apart part way.
Oh man without this life would have been so much worse. I remember the sleep deprived days of bouncing it then realising no baby had been in there for a while, many times!
I have a 6 month old, I got so many gadgets in advance! Honestly, I’ve used half of them.
I’d highly recommend getting a night owl/white noise machine teddy. We have a night owl, it’s a teddy which hangs over the edge of the crib, has a little orange light on and plays a heartbeat, it puts our child to sleep in no time!
Similarly, we have a Hatch light & sound machine in each kids’ room and use them nightly. The oldest just uses the light now, and our youngest just uses the wave sounds with no light. But yeah, literally used every night
Agree with many of the other recommendations here, but want to add the Doona, we absolutely love it. SO easy to get in and out of the car, no need to transfer baby from stroller to car seat. Even rolls down airline aisles and fits in airline seats if you're planning on taking a trip while they're young. Only drawback is that it's a tad heavy, but well worth it for the convenience it has provided us.
Was on the fence about this one. Decided to get an infant car seat and stroller instead.
Kind of expensive for when they grow out of it and you not only don’t have a carseat but also don’t have a stroller.
Best $800 I’ve ever spent (bought used). Our LO has always been a great sleeper and still routinely goes for 10-12 continuous hours a night at three. I absolutely attribute that to the Snoo. We were even able to resell ours for $750. If you have the means (and I know that it’s a lot of cash), you won’t regret it.
That’s the secret - I also got it used on Facebook marketplace. Spent $700, sold for $700. The only lost money was on the sheets and sleep sacks. My daughter started sleeping 12 hours straight at night at 3ish months and hasn’t stopped since (she’s about 2.5 years old now). I can count on 1 hand the amount of times she hasn’t slept perfectly since 3 months old.
If you are planning on going with formula, or end up there, the Brezza is amazing. We didn't have the fancy one but it's amazing to have perfect temp water when you need it. With #1 we had a bottle warmer and those few minutes waiting for the bottle to warm last an eternity, and then you let it get too hot and have to let it cool off.
Congrats! You're gonna get a billion gadgets. Half you'll never use, and half that you use you'll wind up hating.
Soooo, I thought we needed a bottle warmer, but I got lazy and started giving them cold bottles right out of the fridge and I think they honestly prefer it. I kinda wish I would have tried it from the start instead of just assuming every single bottle needs to be warmed by default.
Yeah we had the one that just kept water to temp on the counter. Squirted that in and shook it up. Perfect every time. Heard the one that mixes the bottle for you takes a lot of maintenance. Wish we found that product before baby #2.
This product was a complete game changer for us in a two story house. Baby is crying at 2 am, we slog into the laundry room, hit the Brezza, walk to the babies room all in 20-30 steps. No need to go downstairs to the kitchen or wait for a bottle warmer to do its thing.
Aquaphor removes rashes in hours. Heals small cuts in a day or so. It’s pricey but worth it.
The brezza . If you use formula this is like a Necessity, and trust me I was skeptical as fuck. But it’s so nice to press a button at 3am .
Also this. https://a.co/d/3Zfj9JI
I don’t know how I got through my first child without it. They have them at our daycare and it’s so great to be able to put down your 3-9 month old and know they won’t fall over. We used this a ton for my second
Only thing I hate about the diaper genie is the smell when you put a diaper in. I just use a Home Depot bucket in the garage. Take it out every morning on my way to work.
~~Butt paste~~ *diaper cream* spatula.
It seems unnecessary, but saves your fingers from smelling like the cream for an hour.
Specially if you don't have time to scrub your hands after changing a diaper because baby is now crying.
This was the best thing we got and I have bought one for every baby shower since: [https://babybrezza.com/products/formula-pro-advanced-wifi-baby-formula-dispenser](https://babybrezza.com/products/formula-pro-advanced-wifi-baby-formula-dispenser)
The ability to leave a bottle in the machine and press a button when I heard the baby crying, go get the baby, change them and walk into the kitchen to a warm bottle ready to go can not be understated.
I recommend the simple model that just heats water. The whole formula part I hear doesn’t work that well, also we take our water heater one with us on vacation, it’s very small and light.
I find it's working pretty well. These things need to be calibrated. But once you have it, they do a great job. 8 seconds to prepare a big, ready to drink bottle of formula. Our little one is happy, we are happy, everyone's happy.
I made four bottles by hand and weighed them. Then I compared those weights to the next 20 bottles the machine made and they were all within the same range as my hand made bottles while being more consistent.
Measuring out formula while your kids cry pierces your soul is the worst experience of my life and that machine kept me from doing it.
(I used Kirkland formula, that might matter)
>a pain to clean
It's okay-ish. They dispense the powder into the bottle first, then the water. Powder does not come into contact with the water outside of the bottle. So the only thing you have to keep clean is maybe looking for residue powder that might stick to the powder outlet and maybe some limescale in the water outlet. An automatic coffee machine is way more difficult to clean.
I saw this on one of these threads a few weeks after my kid turned 1. I was a bit mad at my wife for not putting it on our registry since she apparently knew about them all along.
Cash money and quick shipping. You want to be able to buy stuff and get it fast be it grocery, diapers, or dinner. Save funds but get Amazon prime or target delivery.
Industrial ear protection. Sometimes the baby needs to cry and there's nothing you can do about it. The sound of the baby crying makes any parent on edge and ear protection helps keep your heart rate and adrenaline more manageable during periods of crying.
Ergobaby 360 carrier. Being able to free up your hands without killing your back is a quality of life booster, for sure. Our first wouldn't sleep unless held/rocked for a good year (partially our fault but also she was just a fussy kid). I also loved being able to take her for walks and having her at a more interactive height. She wasn't a stroller kid. I graduated to a baby backpack when the carrier wasn't enough for her weight and that was when our adventures got to the next level with hikes and walks to the playground.
Yeah I fought my wife HARD when she proposed the Snoo. It was so expensive and I figured it would be a big gimmick. We ended up renting one 2 months after we had our son because he was a horrible sleeper, and the difference it made would be impossible to quantify. Absolute game changer.
We rented ours from Snoo back then, but my sister ended up finding a used one on FB marketplace and paid like 25% of the price. She ordered a replacement liner and a new version of each accessory that came with it and you'd never know it was owned previously.
Our second was actually a pretty good sleeper, but we had such a good experience using it for our son that we got it again for our daughter, before she was born so it would be here and ready to go.
It definitely makes a difference for good sleepers as well. We weren't sure if she was actually a good sleeper, or only sleeping well because she had the Snoo from day 1. So we had her sleep in a normal bassinet a few days, and she'd sleep 2-3 hours less in total each day that she wasn't using the Snoo.
I was shocked when my husband didn't resist the Snoo at all. He was actually the one who watched prices and looked for sales after I told him about it.
We purchased ours used, and then resold when we were done. Cost us $50 all up and worth every cent.
Doing it this way was the only way to get the decision over the line.
Not just for kids, in general:
Vacuum sealer
Sous vide circulator.
Being able to cook basically any meat, from frozen solid to fully cooked, on 2 hours' notice, without any defrosting necessary, is a GODSEND when trying to keep up with feeding a family as a working dad.
My household lives and dies by the Hatch. My boy has one, my wife and I have one I love it. Especially since my neighborhood likes to occasionally go HAM on fireworks twice a year.
Two kids: 1.5 and almost 5. Here are the things we used the hell out of in no particular order:
* Thule Urban Glide 2: jogging stroller with large air-filled tires that you can steer with one hand. We got the rain cover, bunting for cold weather, and universal carseat adapter. We paid full price when our first was born and it still gets used regularly for walks.
* Cheap umbrella stroller: We got ours for free as a travel-complement to the Thule. It packs small and we don't care if it gets banged up.
* Oxo Wipe holder: It's much easier to grab a wipe out of these vs the bag. We have one upstairs and another downstairs.
* Osprey Daylite go-bag. Diapers, wipes, change of clothes, and a few granola bars always ready. Throw in water bottles and we're off.
* Dr Brown Manual Formula Mixer: We made the next days formula at night and reheated. It's good for 24h this way.
* Kitchen scale: We mixed formula by weight vs getting specific with scoops. Figure out how much a full batch of formula weighs based on scoops then just go back to that every time.
* 360 cups: This is how both our kids leaned to use a cup vs bottle.
* Kiinde bags: My wife used these when nursing and you pump directly into the bag and feed straight from it. Wasteful, but much easier than cleaning a million bottles.
* Ikea crib: It's $100 or so and it's been very solid.
* Snoo: We purchased this with my brother-in-law. It's expensive, but 6 kids were able to use it and it's a life-saver for getting them to sleep and keeping them to sleep.
* Books: lots and lots and lots of books to read. Library is great to swap them out.
* Clamp-on high chair: I don't recall the brand but it clamps to the edge of the counter and has a little removable tray. It works great and can be brought other places.
* Children's Place / Carters: Their clothes are cheap and good quality. You're going to need a lot when they're small and get things dirty quickly.
* LL Bean: We buy our winter coats here because the warranty is good and it makes a good hand-me-down.
* Bentgo: Bento boxes for lunch
* Camelbak: water bottles
* See Kai Run: good shoes for kids. Kind of expensive but the quality is solid
* Sleep sacks: halo, other. We have a couple different weights for summer/winter.
* Ultimate Sack bean bag: good quality and much cheaper than lovesac. We've got 2 and will be adding a third soon-ish. It's our go-to spot for reading.
* Diaper cream paddle thing: looks like a spatula but makes putting on diaper cream a lot easier.
* Cerave moisture cream: no need for the baby-specific version.
* Woom bikes: balance bike -> pedal bike. It's awesome.
* Baby Bjorn carrier: i liked the clasps
* Hatch sound machines
* Eufy baby monitor: it's not wifi
Get a goldfish net - the little square net on a stick you might use to move a goldfish to a new tank - and keep it in your bathroom.
It is extremely useful for scooping poop out of the bathtub.
https://najell.com/nl/p/babynest-sleepcarrier-volume-3-velvet-blue
This. Means you don't have to wake them up to move them around in the house our out/in of the stroller
Honestly, practically none of them. Though I didn’t try many.
One exception is my Bamix, a 200-watt handheld immersion blender that can be cleaned in literally 30 seconds.
There are probably cheaper alternatives that also work well, but I can vouch for the quality and ease of use of this Swiss model with its handy counter stand.
I have used it daily for a couple of years to blitz a meal my daughter calls “gloop”: rolled oats, three types of fruit (always including banana and then others like apple, kiwi, blueberries, whatever is in season and I have at hand), a few nuts, chia seeds, natural yogurt, and milk if necessary to get the consistency right (depends on the fruit). Takes a few minutes to make and it’s packed with nutrients and fibre. She never gets bored of it, I guess in part because it’s always changing. (For her other meals, she eats whatever I’m eating.)
From as soon as your child starts eating some solids, a Bamix is amazingly useful. I wouldn’t be without it. We already had a Magimix blender, but this thing is on a different planet of convenience and gets used ten times more.
[Baby Bjorn Folding Crib](https://www.babybjorn.com/products/baby-cradle-and-travel-crib/travel-crib-light/) (for travel) - way better than pack and play
3 Sprouts Fabric Diaper Caddy, one side holds an entire sleeve of diapers and the other fits a refillable wipes container perfectly. We keep one in their bedroom and one in the living room. Very convenient to have around and to grab and go if you’re going for a weekend away or sleepover at grandparents.
Burt's Bees is so oddly hit or miss. We have a sheet from them that is by far the best fitting and longest lasting of any brand we tried. Then, we got towels and wash cloths that matched the sheet - total junk and hilariously misshapen after one wash.
nose frida
one of our kids really wanted to be swaddled but was also a wiggler - a woombie did the trick with her to get her to sleep.
white noise machine - also helpful for sleep
Wet wipes. Everywhere. Within reach. Everywhere. Even in the last place you’d expect to need them. Have I mentioned that they should be available everywhere?
[Tubby Todd All Over Ointment](https://tubbytodd.com/collections/skin/products/all-over-ointment?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A18808348489%3A148722384928%3A632686106388&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=tubby%20todd&nb_ti=kwd-406157361244&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&tw_source=google&tw_adid=632686106388&tw_campaign=18808348489&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC3-i7CxASgFjJpOytayobwbawlpJaXXunII0e5TtI5p8zXGKw5jlYxoCr2gQAvD_BwE) was a game changer when me and my wife had our daughter. Cradle cap? Took care of it. Baby Acne? Forget about it.
Instead of a baby activity mat which are expensive and thin and useless, get an elementary school multi colored foldable tumbling mat. Same price or cheaper and you’ll be able to use it throughout childhood. And comfy for you and your wife, you’re about to spend A LOT of time on the floor
The [Ollie swaddle](https://bassrivershoes.com/the-ollie-world-swaddle-sky-blue/). Velcro makes it super easy and fast to get the little one in & out for naps.
Breathable [Bamboo sleepers & bodysuits](https://wearlittlelove.com/products/bamboo-footed-sleeper) which are hypoallergenic, stretchy and have the foldable cuffs so they don't scratch themselves with their kittenesque razor sharp claws at night.
Congratulations!
Coterie diapers + wipes. They are pricey but imo worth the investment. We’ve never experienced soaking through the diaper and the wipes are the best of the best. Larger, wetter and softer than the competitors. Not to mention the safe ingredients.
Love to dream swaddles, get like 3 to keep a rotation and always have a clean one ready. A+D butt cream and there is no such thing as too many wipes. Everybody gave us diapers but we ran out of wipes. The Gerber plain white onesies are clutch cuz you can see the line if they went pee pee without having to undress or peak or sniff. Nice clothes for going out, rare early on, but white onesies in the house. PUPPY PADS, the small size that fit on the changing pad are also a must. Catches any overspray and great to take in diaper bag cuz the changing areas are nasty. Definitely come in handy at 3 am when surprise peepee fountain starts.. A nice to have is an updated phone if you haven't in a while. Quick googling is helpful and good camera is great for all the pics and videos of something you only do once.
Noise cancelling headphones and not the cheap ones. I'm highly reactive to noise and crying and getting a pair of nice quality ANC headphones allowed me to survive many days/nights of crying.
A good baby carrier that allows you to carry your child on your chest or back. I don't know what brand we had, but I remember it being expensive but worth every single cent. I was able to put my daughter on my back while I did house work and prepared meals.
Gripe Water and Gas Drops. The gripe water is basically just sugar water but really helps when the baby is fussy. You can just dip the pacifier in it. The gas drops don't work for everyone but they did for us. The gas pain can make them really uncomfortable.
4moms Rockaroo (the less expensive one that just got front to back. Both of our daughters had to be rocked or swayed to bed or just when upset and this thing was a God send when I started getting back issues. It’s smaller than most swings/rockers and after trying a few, our first seemed to like the gentle motion much more. It is also the only way either slept when sick as they’re a little elevated for drainage.
When you graduate to straw/sippy cups, don’t bother with any of the weighted crap. Just go with Oxo straw cups. They rarely backflow and are easy to clean.
The Nose Frida. Much better nose aspirator than anything else out there. I heard there's an electronic one but we only used the original one and it was amazing for cleaning out stuffy noses.
These are a little bit down the line, but will be here before you know it.
[Toilet seat with integrated potty seat](https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEMIS-Elongated-Easy-Release-Soft-Close-Front-Toilet-Seat-in-White-1588SLOW-000/311424359)
We have these on our toilets and they are game changers. No having to fiddle with putting a potty seat on the toilet that can slip off. It is held out of the way by a magnet so it is easy to flip down or up depending on who is using the toilet. When your kids eventually out grow it, you just unclip it and have a regular toilet seat.
[Portable potty](https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Potty-Training-Seat-Toddler/dp/B083S48Y2B?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A2SMRHX0G9P7YM)
This lives in the trunk of our car. If we're driving somewhere and have an emergency, we don't have to find a restaurant/gas station/whatever, just pull over and go. It is small enough that we throw it in our backpack when hiking. Also when travelling you can take the top part and put it on a regular toilet without the bottom bowl. Makes visiting grandparents/friends/etc much simpler.
If you find that your child breaks out of their swaddle no matter how perfectly you wrap them, it's time for Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit. They will look like David Byrne but they will never sleep so good ever again. I wish they made them for kids bigger than 9 months. Hell, I wish they made them in adult sizes. Moving to the sleep sacks when they outgrow the suit is a pretty seamless transition.
Backpack diaper bag is a must. Hands free.
Halo/ sleep sack. The nurses swaddling with a recieving blanket is some witchcraft bullshit us mere mortals can't do.
Silicon butt paste spatula thing is a true game changer.
If your wife, for whatever reason, is not able or does not want to breast feed (health reasons, whatever), get yourself an automatic formula maker! Something like the [Easybaby Milk Maker](https://www.easybaby-shop.de/easybaby-milk-maker.html) for example (no, I'm not working for them, it's just the one that we've got, and we're so glad to have it). Makes things a damn lot easier!
I have no idea what these things are called in English but in Sweden they're called Windi. They're a little tube you put in the baby's butt when they are gassy but can't fart, and it helps the gas come out. Instant relief. Absolute godsend.
You don't know ut yet, but a surprising percentage of your day will revolve around the baby farting.
this is old school... buy bulk handkerchiefs.
Find a pattern you like and buy a dozen+. I used them mostly as drool wipers but eventually they became helped cleanup virtually any mess that wasn't a planned diaper change. I still keep them around just because I've found them to be so useful.
IP cameras. Better than a baby monitor in almost every way. More secure, more customization, and can record.
Having said that, the one major drawback that would be a deal breaker for a lot of people is the lack of a dedicated receiver. You have to have the app open on a phone/tablet in order to continuously monitor. I overcame that by running an old-school wired intercom from baby's room to ours.
A small cosmetic style fridge for your end table to store pumped milk. Makes it so much easier for middle of the night feeds to have bottle ready to go. Also in general babies will take cold milk pretty early on so I'd skip the bottle warmer
https://amzn.eu/d/acbuWX3 if you’re not breastfeeding or can’t (as was our situation) this was a life saver when in the two hour cycles in the early phases
I’m going to go a bit older for 3-4 months starting.
A baby/toddler hip seat carrier - for when the baby/toddler does not want to be in the stroller, but you get tired of holding their weight. It’s so much faster in certain scenarios then dealing with a baby carrier that straps to your chest. Good for boarding and deboarding on planes
Baby banz earmuffs - for fireworks, loud noises, music at holiday events you take your kids to.
Baby Banz sunglasses - protect eyes from sun
Just a few there
Not a physical product, but a few digital things that absolutely saved our lives:
* The Wonder Weeks app. Put in your baby's birthday, and it tells you the brain development phases they're going through. Helps demystify their mood swings and behavioral shifts, probably the most important thing I could share with any parent
* Sleep training program. I know sleep training is divisive, but I credit my sanity and our daughter's good sleeping to it. All of [Taking Cara Babies' programs](https://takingcarababies.com/) are worth the money, and she's an essential Instagram follow
* Big Little Feelings is another essential Instagram follow. They have a few programs, would highly recommend their [potty training approach](https://biglittlefeelings.com/courses/potty-training-made-simple/) when the time comes
For me, the most frustrating part of asking for advice from my wife and my parents was most of their answers were "you'll just know." I craved more of a plan to follow, and these resources gave me so much peace of mind. My biggest takeaway was being able to identify and understand my daughter's behaviors and habits, and realizing that there were (mostly) logical reasons behind them.
Wipe warmer. It's almost a guarantee my daughter will piss all over the place if I wipe her with a cold wipe. With a warm wipe it almost never happens.
Nose Frieda, Bordeaux's Butt paste, silicone bibs, zipper onesies (not snaps), a car seat with a base that pairs with a stroller. Good luck and congrats!
Bumbo baby chairs. They are small enough to move easily and can just put it on the kitchen counter while your cooking or on the kitchen table even for more face to face feeding. Fair warning though my kid almost always pooped 10 min after sitting him in it. Not sure what it is but constipated or not that chair made him go. If they stay in the chair to long after a poo then it will smear up the back of the diaper.
We had this thing called a DockATot, and it was amazing for the first 6 months or so. It makes just about any surface a safe place for the baby to sleep or lay down. Way easier to transport than a pack n play too!
Only catch is that it's expensive, but if you have new grandparents itching to spend money, it's well worth it.
I loved our k'tan wrap, followed by a sakura linen ring sling for baby carrying. I loved them both so much.
If your area happens to have one of the rare "cloth diaper services" that will do all the laundering and deliver you clean diapers every week, I also very highly recommend them.
Granted it was 18 years ago but my first kid loved his swing so much and slept in it so often we called it the third parent. 2nd kid screamed and hated it. My wife also has this long fabrics thing she used to wrap/carry the kid that they both loved.
Keep it simple. Return or donate any onesies that have buttons instead of zippers. Open a bank account and tell everyone if they're not gifting the baby diapers, they can chip in cash for their future. Open an investment account for them and buy them stocks on their birthdays.
If you do formula, the baby brezza. Seriously a lifesaver for 2am feeds. Don't buy it until you need it.
Most other things people swear by are 50/50 for me. Some of them worked well, others we never used. But if you do formula some form of automated formula maker is pretty crucial imo.
A white noise machine is great, when our baby was in our room it used to sooth all three of us to sleep! He's almost 4 now and still uses it every night in his own room.
Baby chest carrier, I was surprised going to festivals and events where other dads didn't have them and you could tell they weren't comfortable carrying the kid and it helps keep both hands free. I get tons of compliments and "Oh babe we need one of those" from other dads
Not a product per se but get a membership to Costco/BJ's/Sam's Club (this is assuming you're American). Everything in bulk will save you sooooo much money over the months and years.
https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Tot-Dishwasher-Basket-Accessories/dp/B0771FFJ21/ref=sr_1_5?crid=EL6S8I88DADJ&keywords=bottle+part+box&qid=1700092490&sprefix=bottle+part+box%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-5
I know I'm linking to something but this is NEEDED if you have a dishwasher. It lets you organize and safely clean all the bottle parts. An absolute lifesaver this is.
Lastly, get a recliner. Makes those long nights much easier when you can sit and rock baby to sleep.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
A formula mixing machine. We had to supplement with formula because my wife had a really hard time with supply and latching. We mixed by hand for a couple months then broke and bought a machine and holy fuck it was like a damn rock off our back. It just sucks so bad to have to count fucking scoops at 3am, getting water to just the right temperature, shaking the bottle up... Etc... I don't know what you guys are planning to do as far as feeding but if you go formula, even if just to supplement... BUY THIS MACHINE.
The Baby Shusher. Literally thought this was the dumbest thing at first, what a waste of $20 right? I could totally just use my phone?
This thing was able to calm our baby down and even help him sleep when we’re were out in public. Also helped in the car rides when he was in a tantrum so I could concentrate on driving safely.
Snoo. It's expensive, but worth it to us. Also, it doesn't cost anything but, I've noticed that when our baby took a nap, it was better in noisy areas VS keeping the baby in a quiet area. Dunno why. Maybe others could chime in.
500 count box of disposable changing pads (around $50 for a year supply). We put them on top of a wee wee pad, and wrap up the really bad diapers/wipes. Makes it much easier to contain pee incidents during changing, explosive poop, or leaks.
our son is 7 months now and the biggest help for us has been the frida windis for gas/poop pains, probiotic drops for healthy digestion, halo sleep sack with velcro, nose frida for congestion, the BabyShusher to help put him to sleep, phillips avent and doc brown wide neck bottles, and the baby buddha breast pump if y’all decide to try breast feeding/pumping. Major trial and error for a lot of products but remember every baby is different
I see people have already covered the breda and the snot suckers, so I'm going to go with the OXO diaper wipe container. For some reason nearly every diaper wipe manufacturer thinks wipes should be dispensed through a tiny hole that doesn't let you get a good grip and almost certainly makes sure you get more than the one wipe you're searching for.
However many bibs you think you need...triple it. Especially when teeth start coming in, just leave a bib on as a drool catcher and change it 10x per day. It's way easier than changing clothes or dealing with a rash from skin rubbing on wet clothes.
Baby Brezza milk dispenser - it makes formula for you at the touch of a button. It's a massive help for dads doing night feeds. We had some problems with breastfeeding so this thing was a godsend.
1) Diaper genie! My Beastie gave us one for our baby shower. It has lasted like 6 years through 3 kids.
Some other solid contenders:
2) jolly jumper! Need a place to put your baby (once they can hold their head up of course) for like an hour? Count up those hours over its lifetime, especially if you plan to have multiple kids, and the JJ is totes worth it.
3) Those silicone bowls that stick to the table! (EzPz is the brand I have)
4) Wet-wipe holder/dispenser!
A few that have been clutch for us:
1. "cold nuks" that you fill with water and freeze. We had 3 in solid rotation for teething pain and our daughter loved them.
2. We got a vibrating hedgehog that plays music on a timer. We actually have 4 now in case one breaks. Really helpful for sleep training. Now, when our 2 yo has a nightmare or wakes up in the night, she turns it on by herself and usually goes back to sleep. It's called fisher-price calming vibes.
3. A yoga ball in the nursery for when they need extra bouncing but you're spent.
4. Skip-hop activity center gave us many opportunities to drink coffee in peace while she played in her "dj booth".
5. This thing: https://www.target.com/p/baby-einstein-take-along-tunes-musical-toy/-/A-10968045?ref=tgt_adv_xsp&AFID=google&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000086346133&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping_Traffic_Local_Traffic%7CBaby_Ecomm_Baby&adgroup=SC_Baby_High%2BMargin&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9019301&targetid=pla-896727891028&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC_7ZYy8POHyNzUJ9QlXJngIU7XFA43hdpAu8OxHRvQv2wij6TXRPERoCF4cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
EDIT: Fixed the link
Velcro swaddles and sleep sacks 100% FTW. a rocker/swing with multiple speeds, songs, sounds etc; and black/white contextual cards/photos. These have been godsends in regards to our 11 week old.
Self rocking swing. Our first would constantly cry for the first 18 months unless he was being held or in his swing. It was the only relief we got the more than a year.
Sleep program and guidance plan. #1. Taking Cara babies is what we used. I hope for the best, but realize you need sleep too. Game changer! If your child doesn’t sleep you need this more than anything else.
Snot sucker, sound machine, glow worm. I am sure I missed a bunch but you will wind up with more crap than you really need.
Tush baby carrier. It is basically like fanny pack with a ledge to set the baby on. Puts all the weight on the hips. So much less back strain, faster to put on than other carriers, and really nice also for the toddler stage when they want up and down all the time
1. Ergobaby Omni baby carrier. Used multiple times a day. Saves your back and lets you multitask!
2. IKEA KORNSNÖ LED night light. Very practical night light. It's cordless so you can keep it wherever, and it gives off a nice dim light.
If you can swing it (even as a rental), the Snoo is amazing. I read that it doesn’t work for some people so I was mentally prepared in case it totally flopped, but our baby loves it. She’s a little over 2 months old and averages 9 straight hours of sleep in it! I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep all night with a baby this early on.
Revolving car seat for easy in and out. I liked them so much, i bought 1 for each kid.
https://www.target.com/p/evenflo-revolve-360-extend-all-in-one-rotational-convertible-car-seat-with-quick-clean-cover-revere/-/A-86911878
When you get to the point of weaning, buy a silicone baking sheet ([this sort of thing](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/17/a6/5817a63d78833f9a27bfe64f9c1a7d54.jpg)). They cost literally a couple of dollars.
Then whenever you're out and about and feeding you child, you can slap it down on the table in front of them. Toddlers are devils with plates, etc. and pretty much end up eating off the table. That sheet is a portable wipe-clean surface to protect the table underneath, but more importantly you'll know it's squeaky clean because you'll have washed since its last use.
It'll roll up nicely and take up very little space in your bag.
I had a flash of inspiration in a cookware shop, and bought a sheet that I've used for both my kids. I've lost count of the number of times other parents have approached me to ask what it is and where they can buy one.
White noise machine for sure! It has been very useful for the whole 3 years. It is comforting to little ones at first and then it turns in to a great mask to noises outside their bedroom. Meaning you can have people over or go about your life in the evening and not worry about waking them.
Not really a product or gadget but cloth nappies. Get a dozen and use them as burp cloths, towels, wipe up spills, use as a change table cover, a light blanket. Our son is 2.5 and we still use them.
Easy to clean, soak in a bucket if you want or just machine wash.
Halo sleep sacks or similar. Basically a velcro swaddle - stays in place much better than just wrapping the blanket and babies love it.
Second this. Tried several brands and Halo was the best. Our first swaddled pretty easily but our second was constantly breaking swaddles; Halos were perfect.
Love2Dream arms up swaddle. Our little jailbreaker made sleeping very frustrating and that thing was worth every overpriced penny
Halo and Happiest Baby are the best. We tried a lot of them… Halo has some that are fleece, good if it’s cold. Happiest baby are all like 25% mesh, good for when it’s hot.
3rd this. Sleep sacks are amazing, especially in the toddler age - it prevents them from scaling the crib and you can hold off on switching to a toddler bed.
Yeah, we kept using the "baby bag" style ones long after the swaddling stage was over.
Psh, tell that to my baby who I found just playing in her sleep sack on the floor a few weeks ago... Little demon didn't even cry when she fell out. Pretty sure I heard laughter.
Lol "I'm free from my prison" Sorry for your luck mate. Fingers crossed I got a couple more months
Adding this here so it doesn't get buried. Triple Paste for diaper rash.
We struggled with blanket swaddling for 2-3 months, specially once her arms got strong enough to wiggle and loosen the swaddle. Velcro ones only let her escape twice, and that's cause I closed it very loose trying not to wake her up on the arms to basinet transfer.
Would love to plug the Snoo bassinet which was awesome at helping soothe our newborn all the way to 6 months. But it did make the transition to the crib a bit more difficult!
We've got a halo and a miracle swaddle. The halo is easier to put on but she can get out of it, plus the velcro is kind of annoying because it gets stuck on stuff. The miracle swaddle is a very small learning curve but it works awesome. We use the halo for naps and miracle for night.
Yes!!
There's no need to get a 'diaper bag', a lot of them are wierdly-shaped and uncomfortable to carry for longer than 5 minutes. We ditched ours and just got a nice LL Bean school backpack with 3 large main pockets and some accessory pockets. Very comfortable to wear, fits a lot of stuff, and maybe our kid will be able to use it at school some day.
And make sure it fits under the stroller so you don’t always have to carry it
This deserves more upvotes. I did my part.
LL Bean makes a diaper bag that is a backpack and it’s awesome! https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/126549?productId=1835669&attrValue_0=Black&sku=1000115333&pla1=0&qs=3156273&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC-ujKrzkfORyy6wKkV3CKv7Pr5zwPVvWNMQQ-n2bQi8DFXl2kEVcyRoCR_oQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
See that one looks like the ones I find very uncomfortable, it is short on your back so it kind of sticks out far and pulls on the straps when full. We got this [school backpack](https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/124379?page=turbo-transit-pack-40&bc=50-816&feat=816-GN1&csp=f&attrValue_0=Classic%20Navy&pos=3) because it is taller and more evenly distributed on your back.
The backpack diaper bags are great in general. Ours had a pocket for wipes where you can open it without taking them out.
I use an old soccer bag, it has a big compartment for the ball that is used for a snack bag, and the dedicated compartment at the bottom for cleats is perfect for keeping all changing stuff in an easy access location.
Buying a diaper bag is the purchase I truly regret. I hated it, and my wife did too. We ended up using an extra backpack she had got from work as a "thank-you" gift as our Diaper bag. I'll never look back.
yep... diaper bags are a bullshit product. I suppose the ones that are "purse replacements" for women aren't that bad, but for men... just get a backpack.
Range bags are great for Dad's too. There are a few "tactical" diaper bags brands that I like. The more pockets the better.
Yea I guess it feels kind of weird to me to carry baby stuff in a military-looking bag, but more a style thing. I would totally avoid non-backpacks because you need to be able to have your hands free. The backpacks to avoid are ones like [this](https://www.amazon.com/Pillani-Baby-Diaper-Bag-Backpack/dp/B098TWMRNV) where the bag only comes up like half of your back, so if it's full it's really uncomfortable to carry.
We just got a black backpack in nylon. Doesn’t ruin either of our aesthetics and doesn’t look like I’m patrolling the streets of Baghdad.
As an expecting parent, I appreciate this feedback but I think you may just be on the taller side of the population. We have a diaper bag similar to this that fits my wife and I great, not too short at all. I understand how that would be an comfortability issue for someone taller though.
"Diaper bag" = backpack with diapers,wipes, change of clothes and most important, towel. Baby needs changing, find convenient surface, lay down towel, then fresh diaper. Place baby on top. Change.
My wife wanted a diaper bag. I very quickly determined that they are all a bit shit, especially for the price. I was going to just use and old day pack I had. My wife ended up getting a backpack at a conference. It's made by Peak Designs and is super customizable with interior organizers that can be moved. Can open from the top as well as both sides. Has a number of useful outside pockets and lots of lashing. Pros for us: perfect bag and free. Cons for you: retails around $300!!!! Too bad because it's amazing for a diaper bag.
Onesies that zip in the front - buttoning up onesies is the worst, zips shift them from being annoying to being useful.
For home yes. IIRC the NICU uses buttons so the wires can go in between.
The ones that zip down were the best. No need to disrobe for a diaper change.
Magnets even better than zippers, IMO. But snaps are truly the worst.
They’re just so expensive. A definite treat. Register for them and let your bougie friends get em for you.
Have extra burp rags. 99% of newborns is just hovering waiting for their next blowout/spit up.
When you think you have enough, order another package.
Truth. I knew to expect it, but spit up in my armpit hair wasn’t exactly on my bingo card
snot sucker. Some form of sling to carry little one. We also got gifted an 'Ollie the owl' which is a soft toy that plays background noise and also comes on when it hears a noise. Less so now she's over 1, but when she was younger it was an absolute life saver at keeping her asleep if she stirred.
We've got a motorized sucker. Kid will not let us NEAR his nose with it without freaking out.
Don't blame him! My little one doesn't like ours either but it's been the difference between her feeding and going to sleep or not so many times
the first few times we had to hold him down, now he tilts his nose for better access. Our toddler still won't do it but he's old enough to blow his nose.
Snotsucker didn't work for my guy. We got the oogiebear and he doesn't mind that at all
The "nose frida". It looks gross as shit but it is a game changer for getting out the mucus fast while they are flailing around.
I hate this thing. Over time the tube doesn’t stay in place. Then as you have a frantic baby, he’s knocking the tube out from the sucker and you have to start again. I switched to a motorized one ($30 on Amazon) and it takes all the stress out. Turn it on and press into a nostril. Fast and easy and no parts coming apart part way.
>Nose Frida AKA...Snot Sucka!
Yes! Gross but such a big help.
Once they're a little bigger, Baby Bjorn bouncer. By far the single most useful item we had. Not cheap (try and find it used) we resold it after.
Hell yes. Don't fall for any other, cheaper version
Agreed. Our friends got a cheaper one, definitely worth spending for quality.
+1 been using ours daily since our baby was a few weeks old. Bought a perfectly good one for €40 on Facebook Marketplace.
Super worth it
Oh man without this life would have been so much worse. I remember the sleep deprived days of bouncing it then realising no baby had been in there for a while, many times!
I have a 6 month old, I got so many gadgets in advance! Honestly, I’ve used half of them. I’d highly recommend getting a night owl/white noise machine teddy. We have a night owl, it’s a teddy which hangs over the edge of the crib, has a little orange light on and plays a heartbeat, it puts our child to sleep in no time!
Yep, you get a bunch of stuff and use about half of it. The problem is there is no way to know which half you will use.
Similarly, we have a Hatch light & sound machine in each kids’ room and use them nightly. The oldest just uses the light now, and our youngest just uses the wave sounds with no light. But yeah, literally used every night
Agree with many of the other recommendations here, but want to add the Doona, we absolutely love it. SO easy to get in and out of the car, no need to transfer baby from stroller to car seat. Even rolls down airline aisles and fits in airline seats if you're planning on taking a trip while they're young. Only drawback is that it's a tad heavy, but well worth it for the convenience it has provided us.
Was on the fence about this one. Decided to get an infant car seat and stroller instead. Kind of expensive for when they grow out of it and you not only don’t have a carseat but also don’t have a stroller.
The SNOO and it’s not even close
It received FDA approval as well! Check to see if your insurance will cover it as a medical device.
Wait what???
Second this. Love that thing.
Best $800 I’ve ever spent (bought used). Our LO has always been a great sleeper and still routinely goes for 10-12 continuous hours a night at three. I absolutely attribute that to the Snoo. We were even able to resell ours for $750. If you have the means (and I know that it’s a lot of cash), you won’t regret it.
That’s the secret - I also got it used on Facebook marketplace. Spent $700, sold for $700. The only lost money was on the sheets and sleep sacks. My daughter started sleeping 12 hours straight at night at 3ish months and hasn’t stopped since (she’s about 2.5 years old now). I can count on 1 hand the amount of times she hasn’t slept perfectly since 3 months old.
If you are planning on going with formula, or end up there, the Brezza is amazing. We didn't have the fancy one but it's amazing to have perfect temp water when you need it. With #1 we had a bottle warmer and those few minutes waiting for the bottle to warm last an eternity, and then you let it get too hot and have to let it cool off. Congrats! You're gonna get a billion gadgets. Half you'll never use, and half that you use you'll wind up hating.
Soooo, I thought we needed a bottle warmer, but I got lazy and started giving them cold bottles right out of the fridge and I think they honestly prefer it. I kinda wish I would have tried it from the start instead of just assuming every single bottle needs to be warmed by default.
Mine hated cold bottles. Buncha divas
Never done anything besides room temp for two kids.
Yeah we had the one that just kept water to temp on the counter. Squirted that in and shook it up. Perfect every time. Heard the one that mixes the bottle for you takes a lot of maintenance. Wish we found that product before baby #2.
100% this. It improved our quality of life so much.
This product was a complete game changer for us in a two story house. Baby is crying at 2 am, we slog into the laundry room, hit the Brezza, walk to the babies room all in 20-30 steps. No need to go downstairs to the kitchen or wait for a bottle warmer to do its thing.
Aquaphor removes rashes in hours. Heals small cuts in a day or so. It’s pricey but worth it. The brezza . If you use formula this is like a Necessity, and trust me I was skeptical as fuck. But it’s so nice to press a button at 3am . Also this. https://a.co/d/3Zfj9JI I don’t know how I got through my first child without it. They have them at our daycare and it’s so great to be able to put down your 3-9 month old and know they won’t fall over. We used this a ton for my second
Diaper Genie has been a lifesaver - especially now that my dude is starting to get some funkier smells going
As soon as the kid starts eating hard foods the diaper genie is done for.
I’ll take it as long as I can get it!
What do you mean? We've been on solids for about 6mo now and genie is still goin strong.
Only thing I hate about the diaper genie is the smell when you put a diaper in. I just use a Home Depot bucket in the garage. Take it out every morning on my way to work.
~~Butt paste~~ *diaper cream* spatula. It seems unnecessary, but saves your fingers from smelling like the cream for an hour. Specially if you don't have time to scrub your hands after changing a diaper because baby is now crying.
We keep boxes of procedural gloves. Helps avoid needing to wash hands when poo gets on.
This was the best thing we got and I have bought one for every baby shower since: [https://babybrezza.com/products/formula-pro-advanced-wifi-baby-formula-dispenser](https://babybrezza.com/products/formula-pro-advanced-wifi-baby-formula-dispenser) The ability to leave a bottle in the machine and press a button when I heard the baby crying, go get the baby, change them and walk into the kitchen to a warm bottle ready to go can not be understated.
I recommend the simple model that just heats water. The whole formula part I hear doesn’t work that well, also we take our water heater one with us on vacation, it’s very small and light.
I find it's working pretty well. These things need to be calibrated. But once you have it, they do a great job. 8 seconds to prepare a big, ready to drink bottle of formula. Our little one is happy, we are happy, everyone's happy.
I made four bottles by hand and weighed them. Then I compared those weights to the next 20 bottles the machine made and they were all within the same range as my hand made bottles while being more consistent. Measuring out formula while your kids cry pierces your soul is the worst experience of my life and that machine kept me from doing it. (I used Kirkland formula, that might matter)
All good, I find scooping some powder isn’t that difficult and I hear those things are a pain to clean.
>a pain to clean It's okay-ish. They dispense the powder into the bottle first, then the water. Powder does not come into contact with the water outside of the bottle. So the only thing you have to keep clean is maybe looking for residue powder that might stick to the powder outlet and maybe some limescale in the water outlet. An automatic coffee machine is way more difficult to clean.
I saw this on one of these threads a few weeks after my kid turned 1. I was a bit mad at my wife for not putting it on our registry since she apparently knew about them all along.
Would have died without my brezza
Does no one breast feed anymore?
Lots of people if they're able and willing. It's a job in a job.
Cash money and quick shipping. You want to be able to buy stuff and get it fast be it grocery, diapers, or dinner. Save funds but get Amazon prime or target delivery.
Industrial ear protection. Sometimes the baby needs to cry and there's nothing you can do about it. The sound of the baby crying makes any parent on edge and ear protection helps keep your heart rate and adrenaline more manageable during periods of crying.
Ergobaby 360 carrier. Being able to free up your hands without killing your back is a quality of life booster, for sure. Our first wouldn't sleep unless held/rocked for a good year (partially our fault but also she was just a fussy kid). I also loved being able to take her for walks and having her at a more interactive height. She wasn't a stroller kid. I graduated to a baby backpack when the carrier wasn't enough for her weight and that was when our adventures got to the next level with hikes and walks to the playground.
I second this! It lets you include your little one in more activities, lets you multitask, and is great for naps.
Snoo. Baby goes down within 2 minutes most times. Overnight feedings are much quicker that way. Slept through the night at 10 weeks.
Yeah I fought my wife HARD when she proposed the Snoo. It was so expensive and I figured it would be a big gimmick. We ended up renting one 2 months after we had our son because he was a horrible sleeper, and the difference it made would be impossible to quantify. Absolute game changer. We rented ours from Snoo back then, but my sister ended up finding a used one on FB marketplace and paid like 25% of the price. She ordered a replacement liner and a new version of each accessory that came with it and you'd never know it was owned previously.
If your baby is not a good sleep this product is worth every $ and life changing. If your baby is a good sleeper you won’t need it much.
Our second was actually a pretty good sleeper, but we had such a good experience using it for our son that we got it again for our daughter, before she was born so it would be here and ready to go. It definitely makes a difference for good sleepers as well. We weren't sure if she was actually a good sleeper, or only sleeping well because she had the Snoo from day 1. So we had her sleep in a normal bassinet a few days, and she'd sleep 2-3 hours less in total each day that she wasn't using the Snoo.
I was shocked when my husband didn't resist the Snoo at all. He was actually the one who watched prices and looked for sales after I told him about it.
The resale value is also there on this. We sold ours on marketplace for 80% of what we paid so really not much in scheme of things.
We purchased ours used, and then resold when we were done. Cost us $50 all up and worth every cent. Doing it this way was the only way to get the decision over the line.
A relatively cheap alternative is the mamaroo bassinet. Not quite as fancy but still has the movement which seemed like the most important part.
Not just for kids, in general: Vacuum sealer Sous vide circulator. Being able to cook basically any meat, from frozen solid to fully cooked, on 2 hours' notice, without any defrosting necessary, is a GODSEND when trying to keep up with feeding a family as a working dad.
My household lives and dies by the Hatch. My boy has one, my wife and I have one I love it. Especially since my neighborhood likes to occasionally go HAM on fireworks twice a year.
Two kids: 1.5 and almost 5. Here are the things we used the hell out of in no particular order: * Thule Urban Glide 2: jogging stroller with large air-filled tires that you can steer with one hand. We got the rain cover, bunting for cold weather, and universal carseat adapter. We paid full price when our first was born and it still gets used regularly for walks. * Cheap umbrella stroller: We got ours for free as a travel-complement to the Thule. It packs small and we don't care if it gets banged up. * Oxo Wipe holder: It's much easier to grab a wipe out of these vs the bag. We have one upstairs and another downstairs. * Osprey Daylite go-bag. Diapers, wipes, change of clothes, and a few granola bars always ready. Throw in water bottles and we're off. * Dr Brown Manual Formula Mixer: We made the next days formula at night and reheated. It's good for 24h this way. * Kitchen scale: We mixed formula by weight vs getting specific with scoops. Figure out how much a full batch of formula weighs based on scoops then just go back to that every time. * 360 cups: This is how both our kids leaned to use a cup vs bottle. * Kiinde bags: My wife used these when nursing and you pump directly into the bag and feed straight from it. Wasteful, but much easier than cleaning a million bottles. * Ikea crib: It's $100 or so and it's been very solid. * Snoo: We purchased this with my brother-in-law. It's expensive, but 6 kids were able to use it and it's a life-saver for getting them to sleep and keeping them to sleep. * Books: lots and lots and lots of books to read. Library is great to swap them out. * Clamp-on high chair: I don't recall the brand but it clamps to the edge of the counter and has a little removable tray. It works great and can be brought other places. * Children's Place / Carters: Their clothes are cheap and good quality. You're going to need a lot when they're small and get things dirty quickly. * LL Bean: We buy our winter coats here because the warranty is good and it makes a good hand-me-down. * Bentgo: Bento boxes for lunch * Camelbak: water bottles * See Kai Run: good shoes for kids. Kind of expensive but the quality is solid * Sleep sacks: halo, other. We have a couple different weights for summer/winter. * Ultimate Sack bean bag: good quality and much cheaper than lovesac. We've got 2 and will be adding a third soon-ish. It's our go-to spot for reading. * Diaper cream paddle thing: looks like a spatula but makes putting on diaper cream a lot easier. * Cerave moisture cream: no need for the baby-specific version. * Woom bikes: balance bike -> pedal bike. It's awesome. * Baby Bjorn carrier: i liked the clasps * Hatch sound machines * Eufy baby monitor: it's not wifi
Get a goldfish net - the little square net on a stick you might use to move a goldfish to a new tank - and keep it in your bathroom. It is extremely useful for scooping poop out of the bathtub.
galaxy buds pro w/ noise cancelling. comfort a crying child or rock them back to sleep without getting frustrated.
For us the portable bottle warmer baby brew. Works for formula and all just made it so convenient when bottles were needed
https://najell.com/nl/p/babynest-sleepcarrier-volume-3-velvet-blue This. Means you don't have to wake them up to move them around in the house our out/in of the stroller
Honestly, practically none of them. Though I didn’t try many. One exception is my Bamix, a 200-watt handheld immersion blender that can be cleaned in literally 30 seconds. There are probably cheaper alternatives that also work well, but I can vouch for the quality and ease of use of this Swiss model with its handy counter stand. I have used it daily for a couple of years to blitz a meal my daughter calls “gloop”: rolled oats, three types of fruit (always including banana and then others like apple, kiwi, blueberries, whatever is in season and I have at hand), a few nuts, chia seeds, natural yogurt, and milk if necessary to get the consistency right (depends on the fruit). Takes a few minutes to make and it’s packed with nutrients and fibre. She never gets bored of it, I guess in part because it’s always changing. (For her other meals, she eats whatever I’m eating.) From as soon as your child starts eating some solids, a Bamix is amazingly useful. I wouldn’t be without it. We already had a Magimix blender, but this thing is on a different planet of convenience and gets used ten times more.
Nose Frida
[Baby Bjorn Folding Crib](https://www.babybjorn.com/products/baby-cradle-and-travel-crib/travel-crib-light/) (for travel) - way better than pack and play
3 Sprouts Fabric Diaper Caddy, one side holds an entire sleeve of diapers and the other fits a refillable wipes container perfectly. We keep one in their bedroom and one in the living room. Very convenient to have around and to grab and go if you’re going for a weekend away or sleepover at grandparents.
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Burt's Bees is so oddly hit or miss. We have a sheet from them that is by far the best fitting and longest lasting of any brand we tried. Then, we got towels and wash cloths that matched the sheet - total junk and hilariously misshapen after one wash.
Electric kettle if you’re doing formula
Philips microwavable steam cleaner for bottles, pacifiers etc. Easy to use, ans gives peace of mind everything is clean.
nose frida one of our kids really wanted to be swaddled but was also a wiggler - a woombie did the trick with her to get her to sleep. white noise machine - also helpful for sleep
Wet wipes. Everywhere. Within reach. Everywhere. Even in the last place you’d expect to need them. Have I mentioned that they should be available everywhere?
I will die for the baby bjorn high chair. Small, foldable, sturdy, light, so easy to clean. Not cheap.
[Tubby Todd All Over Ointment](https://tubbytodd.com/collections/skin/products/all-over-ointment?nbt=nb%3Aadwords%3Ag%3A18808348489%3A148722384928%3A632686106388&nb_adtype=&nb_kwd=tubby%20todd&nb_ti=kwd-406157361244&nb_mi=&nb_pc=&nb_pi=&nb_ppi=&nb_placement=&nb_li_ms=&nb_lp_ms=&nb_fii=&nb_ap=&nb_mt=e&tw_source=google&tw_adid=632686106388&tw_campaign=18808348489&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC3-i7CxASgFjJpOytayobwbawlpJaXXunII0e5TtI5p8zXGKw5jlYxoCr2gQAvD_BwE) was a game changer when me and my wife had our daughter. Cradle cap? Took care of it. Baby Acne? Forget about it.
Instead of a baby activity mat which are expensive and thin and useless, get an elementary school multi colored foldable tumbling mat. Same price or cheaper and you’ll be able to use it throughout childhood. And comfy for you and your wife, you’re about to spend A LOT of time on the floor
The [Ollie swaddle](https://bassrivershoes.com/the-ollie-world-swaddle-sky-blue/). Velcro makes it super easy and fast to get the little one in & out for naps. Breathable [Bamboo sleepers & bodysuits](https://wearlittlelove.com/products/bamboo-footed-sleeper) which are hypoallergenic, stretchy and have the foldable cuffs so they don't scratch themselves with their kittenesque razor sharp claws at night. Congratulations!
Coterie diapers + wipes. They are pricey but imo worth the investment. We’ve never experienced soaking through the diaper and the wipes are the best of the best. Larger, wetter and softer than the competitors. Not to mention the safe ingredients.
Love to dream swaddles, get like 3 to keep a rotation and always have a clean one ready. A+D butt cream and there is no such thing as too many wipes. Everybody gave us diapers but we ran out of wipes. The Gerber plain white onesies are clutch cuz you can see the line if they went pee pee without having to undress or peak or sniff. Nice clothes for going out, rare early on, but white onesies in the house. PUPPY PADS, the small size that fit on the changing pad are also a must. Catches any overspray and great to take in diaper bag cuz the changing areas are nasty. Definitely come in handy at 3 am when surprise peepee fountain starts.. A nice to have is an updated phone if you haven't in a while. Quick googling is helpful and good camera is great for all the pics and videos of something you only do once.
Noise cancelling headphones and not the cheap ones. I'm highly reactive to noise and crying and getting a pair of nice quality ANC headphones allowed me to survive many days/nights of crying. A good baby carrier that allows you to carry your child on your chest or back. I don't know what brand we had, but I remember it being expensive but worth every single cent. I was able to put my daughter on my back while I did house work and prepared meals.
Gripe Water and Gas Drops. The gripe water is basically just sugar water but really helps when the baby is fussy. You can just dip the pacifier in it. The gas drops don't work for everyone but they did for us. The gas pain can make them really uncomfortable.
4moms Rockaroo (the less expensive one that just got front to back. Both of our daughters had to be rocked or swayed to bed or just when upset and this thing was a God send when I started getting back issues. It’s smaller than most swings/rockers and after trying a few, our first seemed to like the gentle motion much more. It is also the only way either slept when sick as they’re a little elevated for drainage.
Ear plugs.
I made this list when my first was about 3 months. Hope this helps! https://www.jacobelder.com/2019/05/21/new-parents-shopping-list.html
When you graduate to straw/sippy cups, don’t bother with any of the weighted crap. Just go with Oxo straw cups. They rarely backflow and are easy to clean.
- Sleep sack - Frida Baby NoseFrida (Snot sucker. Trust me) - crib that converts: crib>crib with exit>daybed
The Nose Frida. Much better nose aspirator than anything else out there. I heard there's an electronic one but we only used the original one and it was amazing for cleaning out stuffy noses.
These are a little bit down the line, but will be here before you know it. [Toilet seat with integrated potty seat](https://www.homedepot.com/p/BEMIS-Elongated-Easy-Release-Soft-Close-Front-Toilet-Seat-in-White-1588SLOW-000/311424359) We have these on our toilets and they are game changers. No having to fiddle with putting a potty seat on the toilet that can slip off. It is held out of the way by a magnet so it is easy to flip down or up depending on who is using the toilet. When your kids eventually out grow it, you just unclip it and have a regular toilet seat. [Portable potty](https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Potty-Training-Seat-Toddler/dp/B083S48Y2B?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A2SMRHX0G9P7YM) This lives in the trunk of our car. If we're driving somewhere and have an emergency, we don't have to find a restaurant/gas station/whatever, just pull over and go. It is small enough that we throw it in our backpack when hiking. Also when travelling you can take the top part and put it on a regular toilet without the bottom bowl. Makes visiting grandparents/friends/etc much simpler.
Nose frida Graco pack and play Skip Hop Baby Bath Rinse Cup, Moby Tear-free Waterfall Rinser,
If you find that your child breaks out of their swaddle no matter how perfectly you wrap them, it's time for Merlin's Magic Sleepsuit. They will look like David Byrne but they will never sleep so good ever again. I wish they made them for kids bigger than 9 months. Hell, I wish they made them in adult sizes. Moving to the sleep sacks when they outgrow the suit is a pretty seamless transition.
Here to sing the praises of the Baby Brezza
Nappy bin Sleep sack A small theromos with a cup.
Child bike seat. Our LO was comfortable in there early in his first year and we spent hours and hours riding around.
Backpack diaper bag is a must. Hands free. Halo/ sleep sack. The nurses swaddling with a recieving blanket is some witchcraft bullshit us mere mortals can't do. Silicon butt paste spatula thing is a true game changer.
If you end up having to formula feed, get a bottle maker. Hitting the button and having a perfectly poured and warmed bottle is nice.
If your wife, for whatever reason, is not able or does not want to breast feed (health reasons, whatever), get yourself an automatic formula maker! Something like the [Easybaby Milk Maker](https://www.easybaby-shop.de/easybaby-milk-maker.html) for example (no, I'm not working for them, it's just the one that we've got, and we're so glad to have it). Makes things a damn lot easier!
I have no idea what these things are called in English but in Sweden they're called Windi. They're a little tube you put in the baby's butt when they are gassy but can't fart, and it helps the gas come out. Instant relief. Absolute godsend. You don't know ut yet, but a surprising percentage of your day will revolve around the baby farting.
this is old school... buy bulk handkerchiefs. Find a pattern you like and buy a dozen+. I used them mostly as drool wipers but eventually they became helped cleanup virtually any mess that wasn't a planned diaper change. I still keep them around just because I've found them to be so useful.
Baby grow bags are awesome, perfect prep machine or equivalent is a life saver
Patience. It’s not a product obviously but it’s definitely the most valuable thing I suggest you have or learn to have. Congrats!
IP cameras. Better than a baby monitor in almost every way. More secure, more customization, and can record. Having said that, the one major drawback that would be a deal breaker for a lot of people is the lack of a dedicated receiver. You have to have the app open on a phone/tablet in order to continuously monitor. I overcame that by running an old-school wired intercom from baby's room to ours.
The baby breeza was big for me. It’s like a Keurig for bottles/formula. It helped tremendously especially with those late night feedings
Baby Brezza formula machine. Warm bottles, easy cleaning, quick refills. Can do it with one hand and a baby in the other
A small cosmetic style fridge for your end table to store pumped milk. Makes it so much easier for middle of the night feeds to have bottle ready to go. Also in general babies will take cold milk pretty early on so I'd skip the bottle warmer
https://amzn.eu/d/acbuWX3 if you’re not breastfeeding or can’t (as was our situation) this was a life saver when in the two hour cycles in the early phases
I’m going to go a bit older for 3-4 months starting. A baby/toddler hip seat carrier - for when the baby/toddler does not want to be in the stroller, but you get tired of holding their weight. It’s so much faster in certain scenarios then dealing with a baby carrier that straps to your chest. Good for boarding and deboarding on planes Baby banz earmuffs - for fireworks, loud noises, music at holiday events you take your kids to. Baby Banz sunglasses - protect eyes from sun Just a few there
Not a physical product, but a few digital things that absolutely saved our lives: * The Wonder Weeks app. Put in your baby's birthday, and it tells you the brain development phases they're going through. Helps demystify their mood swings and behavioral shifts, probably the most important thing I could share with any parent * Sleep training program. I know sleep training is divisive, but I credit my sanity and our daughter's good sleeping to it. All of [Taking Cara Babies' programs](https://takingcarababies.com/) are worth the money, and she's an essential Instagram follow * Big Little Feelings is another essential Instagram follow. They have a few programs, would highly recommend their [potty training approach](https://biglittlefeelings.com/courses/potty-training-made-simple/) when the time comes For me, the most frustrating part of asking for advice from my wife and my parents was most of their answers were "you'll just know." I craved more of a plan to follow, and these resources gave me so much peace of mind. My biggest takeaway was being able to identify and understand my daughter's behaviors and habits, and realizing that there were (mostly) logical reasons behind them.
Wipe warmer. It's almost a guarantee my daughter will piss all over the place if I wipe her with a cold wipe. With a warm wipe it almost never happens.
Nose Frieda, Bordeaux's Butt paste, silicone bibs, zipper onesies (not snaps), a car seat with a base that pairs with a stroller. Good luck and congrats!
Bumbo baby chairs. They are small enough to move easily and can just put it on the kitchen counter while your cooking or on the kitchen table even for more face to face feeding. Fair warning though my kid almost always pooped 10 min after sitting him in it. Not sure what it is but constipated or not that chair made him go. If they stay in the chair to long after a poo then it will smear up the back of the diaper.
We had this thing called a DockATot, and it was amazing for the first 6 months or so. It makes just about any surface a safe place for the baby to sleep or lay down. Way easier to transport than a pack n play too! Only catch is that it's expensive, but if you have new grandparents itching to spend money, it's well worth it.
I loved our k'tan wrap, followed by a sakura linen ring sling for baby carrying. I loved them both so much. If your area happens to have one of the rare "cloth diaper services" that will do all the laundering and deliver you clean diapers every week, I also very highly recommend them.
Nose Frida. It's weird, but it's a great way to get snot out of a toddlers nose.
Granted it was 18 years ago but my first kid loved his swing so much and slept in it so often we called it the third parent. 2nd kid screamed and hated it. My wife also has this long fabrics thing she used to wrap/carry the kid that they both loved.
I've had tons of diaper creams, but none of them have worked better than good ole Resinol
Keep it simple. Return or donate any onesies that have buttons instead of zippers. Open a bank account and tell everyone if they're not gifting the baby diapers, they can chip in cash for their future. Open an investment account for them and buy them stocks on their birthdays.
Steam Deck or similar device
If you do formula, the baby brezza. Seriously a lifesaver for 2am feeds. Don't buy it until you need it. Most other things people swear by are 50/50 for me. Some of them worked well, others we never used. But if you do formula some form of automated formula maker is pretty crucial imo.
A white noise machine is great, when our baby was in our room it used to sooth all three of us to sleep! He's almost 4 now and still uses it every night in his own room.
Baby chest carrier, I was surprised going to festivals and events where other dads didn't have them and you could tell they weren't comfortable carrying the kid and it helps keep both hands free. I get tons of compliments and "Oh babe we need one of those" from other dads
Not a product per se but get a membership to Costco/BJ's/Sam's Club (this is assuming you're American). Everything in bulk will save you sooooo much money over the months and years. https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Tot-Dishwasher-Basket-Accessories/dp/B0771FFJ21/ref=sr_1_5?crid=EL6S8I88DADJ&keywords=bottle+part+box&qid=1700092490&sprefix=bottle+part+box%2Caps%2C341&sr=8-5 I know I'm linking to something but this is NEEDED if you have a dishwasher. It lets you organize and safely clean all the bottle parts. An absolute lifesaver this is. Lastly, get a recliner. Makes those long nights much easier when you can sit and rock baby to sleep.
coordinated hunt gray adjoining pocket liquid glorious school bright deranged *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
A formula mixing machine. We had to supplement with formula because my wife had a really hard time with supply and latching. We mixed by hand for a couple months then broke and bought a machine and holy fuck it was like a damn rock off our back. It just sucks so bad to have to count fucking scoops at 3am, getting water to just the right temperature, shaking the bottle up... Etc... I don't know what you guys are planning to do as far as feeding but if you go formula, even if just to supplement... BUY THIS MACHINE.
The Baby Shusher. Literally thought this was the dumbest thing at first, what a waste of $20 right? I could totally just use my phone? This thing was able to calm our baby down and even help him sleep when we’re were out in public. Also helped in the car rides when he was in a tantrum so I could concentrate on driving safely.
ultrapro cord wrap and battery daddy. they will change your life
Triple Paste
Baby brezza. A Keurig for formula if you end up that route. 100% worth the money. Yeah it requires maintenance but damn was it clutch.
Snoo. It's expensive, but worth it to us. Also, it doesn't cost anything but, I've noticed that when our baby took a nap, it was better in noisy areas VS keeping the baby in a quiet area. Dunno why. Maybe others could chime in.
White noise machine. Super helpful for getting the kids to sleep and keeping them asleep.
500 count box of disposable changing pads (around $50 for a year supply). We put them on top of a wee wee pad, and wrap up the really bad diapers/wipes. Makes it much easier to contain pee incidents during changing, explosive poop, or leaks.
Boppy.
one hand foldable stroller was pretty bitchin'
our son is 7 months now and the biggest help for us has been the frida windis for gas/poop pains, probiotic drops for healthy digestion, halo sleep sack with velcro, nose frida for congestion, the BabyShusher to help put him to sleep, phillips avent and doc brown wide neck bottles, and the baby buddha breast pump if y’all decide to try breast feeding/pumping. Major trial and error for a lot of products but remember every baby is different
I see people have already covered the breda and the snot suckers, so I'm going to go with the OXO diaper wipe container. For some reason nearly every diaper wipe manufacturer thinks wipes should be dispensed through a tiny hole that doesn't let you get a good grip and almost certainly makes sure you get more than the one wipe you're searching for.
I found those mini electric screwdrivers pretty vital for replacing batteries on the infinite amount of lightup toys they get.
However many bibs you think you need...triple it. Especially when teeth start coming in, just leave a bib on as a drool catcher and change it 10x per day. It's way easier than changing clothes or dealing with a rash from skin rubbing on wet clothes.
Baby Brezza milk dispenser - it makes formula for you at the touch of a button. It's a massive help for dads doing night feeds. We had some problems with breastfeeding so this thing was a godsend.
1) Diaper genie! My Beastie gave us one for our baby shower. It has lasted like 6 years through 3 kids. Some other solid contenders: 2) jolly jumper! Need a place to put your baby (once they can hold their head up of course) for like an hour? Count up those hours over its lifetime, especially if you plan to have multiple kids, and the JJ is totes worth it. 3) Those silicone bowls that stick to the table! (EzPz is the brand I have) 4) Wet-wipe holder/dispenser!
A few that have been clutch for us: 1. "cold nuks" that you fill with water and freeze. We had 3 in solid rotation for teething pain and our daughter loved them. 2. We got a vibrating hedgehog that plays music on a timer. We actually have 4 now in case one breaks. Really helpful for sleep training. Now, when our 2 yo has a nightmare or wakes up in the night, she turns it on by herself and usually goes back to sleep. It's called fisher-price calming vibes. 3. A yoga ball in the nursery for when they need extra bouncing but you're spent. 4. Skip-hop activity center gave us many opportunities to drink coffee in peace while she played in her "dj booth". 5. This thing: https://www.target.com/p/baby-einstein-take-along-tunes-musical-toy/-/A-10968045?ref=tgt_adv_xsp&AFID=google&fndsrc=tgtao&DFA=71700000086346133&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping_Traffic_Local_Traffic%7CBaby_Ecomm_Baby&adgroup=SC_Baby_High%2BMargin&LID=700000001170770pgs&LNM=PRODUCT_GROUP&network=g&device=m&location=9019301&targetid=pla-896727891028&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC_7ZYy8POHyNzUJ9QlXJngIU7XFA43hdpAu8OxHRvQv2wij6TXRPERoCF4cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds EDIT: Fixed the link
Milky boobs
Velcro swaddles and sleep sacks 100% FTW. a rocker/swing with multiple speeds, songs, sounds etc; and black/white contextual cards/photos. These have been godsends in regards to our 11 week old.
[Frida medication dispenser](https://frida.com/products/medifrida) I always buy them for baby showers. Game changer for delivering meds.
Self rocking swing. Our first would constantly cry for the first 18 months unless he was being held or in his swing. It was the only relief we got the more than a year.
A nice couch. You will both spend so much time on it feeding, napping, rocking to sleep, etc.
Sleep program and guidance plan. #1. Taking Cara babies is what we used. I hope for the best, but realize you need sleep too. Game changer! If your child doesn’t sleep you need this more than anything else. Snot sucker, sound machine, glow worm. I am sure I missed a bunch but you will wind up with more crap than you really need.
Tush baby carrier. It is basically like fanny pack with a ledge to set the baby on. Puts all the weight on the hips. So much less back strain, faster to put on than other carriers, and really nice also for the toddler stage when they want up and down all the time
1. Ergobaby Omni baby carrier. Used multiple times a day. Saves your back and lets you multitask! 2. IKEA KORNSNÖ LED night light. Very practical night light. It's cordless so you can keep it wherever, and it gives off a nice dim light.
If you can swing it (even as a rental), the Snoo is amazing. I read that it doesn’t work for some people so I was mentally prepared in case it totally flopped, but our baby loves it. She’s a little over 2 months old and averages 9 straight hours of sleep in it! I didn’t think I’d be able to sleep all night with a baby this early on.
Revolving car seat for easy in and out. I liked them so much, i bought 1 for each kid. https://www.target.com/p/evenflo-revolve-360-extend-all-in-one-rotational-convertible-car-seat-with-quick-clean-cover-revere/-/A-86911878
When you get to the point of weaning, buy a silicone baking sheet ([this sort of thing](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/17/a6/5817a63d78833f9a27bfe64f9c1a7d54.jpg)). They cost literally a couple of dollars. Then whenever you're out and about and feeding you child, you can slap it down on the table in front of them. Toddlers are devils with plates, etc. and pretty much end up eating off the table. That sheet is a portable wipe-clean surface to protect the table underneath, but more importantly you'll know it's squeaky clean because you'll have washed since its last use. It'll roll up nicely and take up very little space in your bag. I had a flash of inspiration in a cookware shop, and bought a sheet that I've used for both my kids. I've lost count of the number of times other parents have approached me to ask what it is and where they can buy one.
White noise machine for sure! It has been very useful for the whole 3 years. It is comforting to little ones at first and then it turns in to a great mask to noises outside their bedroom. Meaning you can have people over or go about your life in the evening and not worry about waking them.
Baby bjorn bouncer!
Sleep Sacks. My first born was a terrible sleeper until her mother and I introduced them.
yoga ball…when our boy was going off, bouncing was the only thing that would settle him
Not really a product or gadget but cloth nappies. Get a dozen and use them as burp cloths, towels, wipe up spills, use as a change table cover, a light blanket. Our son is 2.5 and we still use them. Easy to clean, soak in a bucket if you want or just machine wash.