Five More Useful Items for Baby’s First Year

As promised in my last Baby Nav post, I am sharing five more items I found incredibly useful in my first year with my son, A.C.  Like with the first post, these are not things I bought or received in advance of his birth.  All of these can all be found on Amazon, with 4 of them costing under $40.  New and pregnant moms, I hope you find this list useful.  I would love any feedback you have about my baby posts.  Please comment or message me if there is anything you would like to see in the future.  I plan to continue sharing my experiences of motherhood as A.C. grows.

1. Ergo Baby (click for product)

I registered for a different baby carrier when I was pregnant, and was thankful I did not actually receive it because the Ergo has truly been a great investment.  There are a lot of carriers on the market at many different price points.  I liked the Ergo because I knew that as long as I followed the directions, I was carrying the baby in a safe and ergonomically correct position.  The other thing that makes the Ergo so great is its versatility.  The specific product I linked above is the exact one I own.  I chose it because it is a front carrier both inward and outward facing, a back carrier, and even can be used for side carry.  This carrier has grown with us at every stage, and with the infant insert, I was able to carry A.C. as young as one month.

Now that A. C. is one, we can still use it for hikes and beach walks in the back carry position.  I manage to hike with him even at 22 pounds without straining my back because the Ergo distributes his weight properly.  The Ergo has been a great way to get the baby out and about, and has helped me lose my baby weight.  A.C. has always loved being in the Ergo and we have had very few times where he wasn’t happy riding along.

 

Nursing Pillow and Lounger (Click for Product)

I never really managed to master using a breastfeeding pillow.  I found that strategically placed couch and bed pillows worked much better for me.  However, this pillow was a definite must for many stages of A.C.’s first year.  Not only was the Leachco Cuddle-U pillow great for placing the baby safely when I needed to put him down, but it also served as a great accessory for tummy time.  We frequently used this for short naps in the early months as you will see in the pictures below.  When they say that mom should sleep when baby sleeps, we often napped together with A.C. on my lap facing me, while sitting in the pillow.

When A.C. reached about 5-6 months, we began using the pillow as a support to help him sit up.  It also minimized falls when he lost his balance while learning to sit on his own.  The pillow was incredibly handy on our trip to Hawaii last spring.  I used one of those zip lock bags where you can squeeze all the air out in order to fit it in my carry on bag.  It was a great tool for holding A.C. on the plane.  You will see in the pictures below that we flew very comfortably with A.C. at 6 months, although it didn’t hurt that my mom came along on the trip to help!

 

Folding Frog Chair (Click for Product)

I bought this chair when A.C. was between 4-5 months old.  He was too young to sit up on his own, but the doctor had given him the okay to start eating baby food.  He was too young for a high chair at this point so we needed something that would make it easy to feed him.  This chair was great because we would just sit him in the chair on the table, which put him conveniently at eye level for feeding.  The chair also became another place to sit him so that I could be hands free.  It has a couple of hanging toys to keep the baby entertained, and A.C. liked fact that he could sit up and see the world.

My biggest reason for suggesting this chair though is for its portability.  The chair easily folds up and can go with you anywhere.  It has been to grandma’s house, the beach, every room in our house, and also on our trip to Hawaii.  I was able to sneak it in the checked stroller bag without adding much bulkiness or weight.  You will see in the pictures below that we used it on our deck in Hawaii for ocean view feeding!

4. Yoga Sprout Swaddle Blankets (click for product)

Okay moms to be, if you have already had your shower, you undoubtedly received several swaddle blankets .  There are so many swaddles on the market in amazing fabrics and adorable patterns.  My favorite for actual swaddling was the yoga sprout brand.  They are large, made of soft cotton, and have the perfect gauzy texture for a good tight swaddle.  I also loved that they are very lightweight for the hot weather we had in the first month after A.C. was born.  I have linked a few other patterns here , here, and here.

5. Fluffy Cotton Blankets (click for product)

 

The other blankets I love are these lightweight quilted ones.  We still use these regularly for the car seat, stroller, and at night now that it is safe for him to sleep with a light blanket.  I love these because they give him some blanket security feeling without being too heavy or hot.   We own 4 of these in different patterns, and for the price, I recommend buying multiples!

 

 

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