5 Essential Items for Baby’s 1st Year
I have been pretty excited about this post for some time, and now that Tobias is officially a year old, I feel like I can share some of the products or items that I found to be the “must-haves” for his first year!
Considering all the products, toys, clothes, and equipment that are used in a baby’s first year of life, I found it surprisingly easy to come up with my top five favorite things! Obviously, this type of list will vary for moms depending on lifestyle, hobbies, their baby’s personality, and maybe even the area where they live! If I were to briefly describe myself as a mother to put things in perspective, I would say I am an “on the go” mom who enjoys being social, active, flexible and highly appreciates convenience (well, that last one probably describes every mom out there)! I work three days a week and my off days consist of house work/chores and errands mixed with walks and get-togethers with friends.
Now that you have a feel for the type of mom that I am, let me go ahead and tell you about the items I found to be immensely helpful for my first year of parenting!
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5 Essential items:
- Nursing Cover– Now, I realize that not every mother chooses (or is able) to nurse her little one, but this cover I used was absolutely at the TOP of my list for a few reasons. First and foremost, its one of those awesome covers that has 360 coverage! No battling to keep it in place, no fear of flashing people your skin, it doesn’t fly up when a breeze comes (which was majorly important for me since I spent a lot of time outside), and your baby can’t fling it to the side when he decides to make a reappearance to the world! Lastly, it doubles as a car seat cover which I used on occasions where he was asleep and I didn’t want light or movement to wake him up or when it was cold and breezy. I also used it this way when we went to the doctor’s office and I wanted to do my best to keep out any unwanted germs floating in the waiting room air. Other perks include, its light, stretchy, easy to wash, and get this…doesn’t wrinkle! All these reasons made my nursing cover one of my top must haves!
- Jogger Stroller– Andrew and I decided on registering for this jogging stroller for a couple reasons. We live on a gravel road and knew the larger wheels would navigate over the rocks a little easier for walks from home. Secondly, although neither of us routinely run, we wanted the option to use the stroller when we do get out for a jog. So far, I’ve had no complaints! I absolutely love the large wheels, the ease with which it navigates over gravel, cracks in sidewalks, grass, or the occasional “off-roading”! Although we never used it, there are attachments that allow you to safely set your car seat into the stroller for when your baby is too small to sit by himself. Because Tobias was born in January, we didn’t even get to use the stroller much till the weather warmed up and by then the need for that had passed and Tobias was big enough to be buckled in. Over the summer, I used this stroller consistently (at least once or twice a week) for walks with fellow mom friends. Even with the cold weather, I still use it at least once a week and actually keep it in my car! It has come in handy for going to outdoor festivals, museums, malls, parks and I’m sure would be a must for the zoo! (We haven’t taken Tobias yet, but hope to go this summer!) With how much we use our jogger, I’m so grateful to have one I love so much! I would highly recommend getting a stroller or jogger that you know you’ll really like!
- Sleep Sack– This was an item that we actually didn’t register for, but a seasoned mom friend knew we would appreciate! And boy, did we ever! I’ll be honest and admit that at first I was skeptical. But as many of us have heard, its true that most babies sleep better when swaddled. However, keeping them wrapped tightly in the swaddle is the trick, right? The Sleep Sack we received made life so much easier and our nights less frustrating! Tobias was such a wiggler and there was no way my swaddling with a traditional receiving blanket was going to work! He also had a very strong startle reflex and his arms would shoot straight up which would wake him up constantly! By tightly wrapping and velcroing his arms in place, he slept 10x better without waking up nearly as much. It quickly went from something I considered to be unnecessary and a little “extra” to something that we used anytime he went down for a nap or to bed. I also bought extras so I always had one available!
- Backpack Diaper Bag– This will be one that is really a matter of preference, but I am SO thankful I went with the backpack. A mother’s hands will be full so much of the time whether its with groceries, other children, keys, or coffee, not to mention an awkward car seat to haul around! The last thing I wanted to add was a diaper bag slipping off my shoulder or swinging awkwardly on my hip. Having a backpack has ensured that my diaper bag stays in place, is easy to carry, and keeps my hands FREE! There are so many different options out there, but I opted for this leather backpack I found on Etsy that isn’t even a diaper bag. It has worked well for me, I absolutely love it, and have received many compliments on it! You can find other diaper bag backpack options here.
- Video Baby Monitor– This one may not be “essential” (I realize our parents did without and we turned out fine!) but it sure is helpful! My parents bought us our Angelcare Monitor and I have loved all the features that is has! Not only is it super nice to be able to see Tobias (like the time I was going to let him “cry it out” but saw his poor foot was caught in the crib!) but it also shows the room temperature! This has come in handy many times. An extra feature that it comes with is the motion monitor. The technology is amazing and can pick up the slightest bit of movement (from breathing). If the monitor cannot detect movement, it will alert you! We have really appreciated this monitor since our nursery is on the very opposite side of our house! It has also come in handy when on vacation or visiting relatives. We can lay him down for the night and return to playing games, watching a movie, or visiting all while keeping an eye on him.
There are many other products and items that have been helpful and made the first year easier, but these are by far my favorites that I highly recommend! I hope you can benefit from them as well!
Let me know if you try any of these and how they work out for you and as always, thanks for stopping by Oakland Acres!
Jen
