The best baby items we ever purchased. Nine great ideas on what to buy for your baby that will help make life easier!
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As a new mom, I had no idea what I was going to need for my baby.
There were a few things like diapers, clothes, and a crib that were sort of “duh” things, but most of it, I had no idea.
So, naturally, I got sucked into wanting to get everything for our son (the good and the bad!).
Anyway, now that our son is two and we have another baby in the house, I wanted to share some of the best baby items we ever purchased in the hopes that I can give some helpful information to new moms who were just as clueless as I was!
Some baby items are definitely more useful and durable than others, and I would love to pass on what we have loved so you can be ready for baby.
The Best Baby Items We Ever Purchased
The Best Baby Items We Ever Purchased
The best baby items we ever purchased. Nine great ideas on what to buy for your baby that will help make life easier!
Fisher-Price Jumperoo: Go Wild Activity Centers
I have said to my friends before that this was my favorite thing we ever bought for Little J.
It was the first thing we got for him where he would really sit and entertain himself for a long time. I loved it because I could clean and do things I needed to and he would still be happy just hanging out in there.
There are lots of fun toys to play with and it has music and lights and fun sounds. And it can be adjusted for different heights, so it lasts for a long time.
Little A uses it now and she loves it, too!
Baby Monitor
Another thing that we used a lot and then used again with Little A was our baby monitor. We even used our baby monitors after our kids were older.
There are audio and video baby monitors, some pricey, some cheap. Of course there are pros and cons to both, so it's important to pick the one that makes most sense for you.
They're also great for traveling so you can keep an eye on your kids in a new location!
Check out this post for tips on choosing the best baby monitor for you.
Portable Carpet Cleaner
One of the very first things we bought after Little J was born was a portable carpet cleaner, and we have used it so much!
It works wonders on cleaning up spitup and barf on the carpet, and now that we are potty training Little J, it works well on pee, too!
We have the Bissell Little Green ProHeat. It is small so it doesn’t take up a lot of space, and it is light and easy to grab when you just need to spot clean.
Boppy Nursing Pillow
Regardless of if you are going to be breastfeeding, I highly, highly recommend getting a Boppy Nursing Pillow.
The way it helps you hold your baby is so much better than a regular pillow, and you can use it to feed your baby if you are bottle feeding, too.
High Chair
Now I know lots of people prefer to use their Bumbos or little booster seats you strap onto regular dining chairs, but I love having a high chair for our babies.
We got the Graco Blossom 4-in-1 High Chair and it has been amazing.
If you're going to get a high chair, make sure you get one that can convert to a booster, too. Then you don't have to buy another thing later on!
Vibrating Bassinet
We registered for a pack n’ play that came with a portable vibrating bassinet, and that's what our babies slept in for the first few weeks.
Having a small little bassinet that you can bring around with you, plus the vibration to help your baby sleep, really helped us, especially when our youngest had colic.
Recliner
I know a lot of people get rocking chairs for their nurseries, but we decided to go with a recliner and it was one of the best things we purchased (duh, it’s on this list).
I loved being able to recline, relax, and nurse in complete comfort. And it’s big enough that as our babies grew, we could still sit there and feed them.
I tried feeding my son in a rocking chair when he was about 11-months-old, and it was not comfy.
I love being able to have my arms cushioned, and the best part is that when we don’t need to use it in the nursery anymore, it can easily be put in our living room!
Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad
This is something I mention in my 25 Things to Do Before Your Baby is Born post, and it really has been amazing.
We actually have two on our baby's bed so that if she wets the bed or throws up in the middle of the night, I can just pull the first layer off and she still has another protective layer there in case it happens again. You don’t want to be trying to wash and put on a new mattress pad and sheet in the middle of the night.
So buy two and you will definitely thank me.
Swaddle Blanket
One of the best and safest ways to get baby to sleep well is to use a swaddle blanket. Little A is eight-months-old and we still swaddle her.
You can read the post below to see 11 of the best, most highly-recommended swaddle blankets.
Seriously, swaddling is amazing.
Navigating the world of baby stuff can be scary, but it really doesn’t have to be.
All nine of these things have really helped make life with a baby a lot easier and comfortable.
I hope that these thingse will help you to stress less and be ready for parenthood! Because seriously, it’s the best!
Katie says
Totally spot on! We have that same jumperoo and loved it. I sometimes see these items on those lists of “things you don’t actually need”, and I think it’s lame because we loved all of these with Jack. I have to say I loved getting a video monitor though. We got it for super cheap on ksl but it was a great purchase!
Chelsea Johnson says
I think it would be fun to have a video monitor now to watch my kids haha. Especially our son during nap time! Sometimes it takes him a long time to fall asleep and I just want to know what he’s doing in there! Isn’t the jumperoo the best? It keeps them entertained for so long! Thanks for stopping by!
Kersten says
Oh how I wish we would have gotten a nice recliner rather than a glider!! I’ve told my hubby that I will be getting a nice, comfy recliner like the one you have if I’m ever brave enough to have a third baby. And I would have died without my boppy with my son, but never used it once with my daugher! And Little A looks so adorable in that jumperoo.
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks! Our recliner has been amazing, I love it so much! I used the Boppy longer with our son, but I still used it for 6 months with Little A!
Samantha says
I agree, I totally wish we would have gotten a recliner rather than a glider! I wish nothing more in the middle of the night to be able to fall asleep for a quick minute in a recliner! I’m glad you like that spot carpet cleaner, we are thinking about getting one too.
Chelsea Johnson says
I definitely have fallen asleep in that recliner, too! It is perfect for when your baby won’t go back to sleep in the middle of the night without being held! And the spot carpet cleaner has been awesome! Any liquid mess a kid makes, it takes it right out!
John French says
Love the portable carpet cleaner. I think I need to get one of those. Quite a few barf and wee stains in our house that wont fully come out.
Chelsea Johnson says
It’s amazing! And it’s so easy to just grab and use right when it happens, too!
John French says
Potty training around the corner…need to seriously look at getting a portable carpet cleaner.
Chelsea Johnson says
It helps so much! And it works great on other baby and toddler messes, too!
Our Premier Products says
I’m so HAPPY I own 3 of these for our Kiddos !!!
Chelsea Johnson says
That’s awesome! It’s going to make a big difference for you!
Aleisha says
I wish I would have gotten a recliner. I love my glider but that looks so dang comfy! If you ever make another list like this again I recommend adding a wrap of some kind. I got the Solly wrap (www.sollybaby.com) and I LOVE it. It has saved me SO many times with a little baby. I’ve worn her since she was a few days old so she is used to it and she sleeps well in it. That has allowed me to wear her while on airplanes, kid-friendly rides at Disneyland, while cooking/doing dishes, at church, out for walks, especially on the beach when strollers are hard to navigate… It has just come in handy so many times! My baby doesn’t like to be held while sleeping so the wrap is often the only way we can get her to sleep during the 3 hour church, and she has slept through 4 whole flights in the wrap! And then at night when she is fussy and I am trying to make dinner I have put her in it a few times and it has been a good help. Anyways, I could go on and on but I love mine. Also, I haven’t owned any other wraps but I have heard from many people that the Solly is nice because it is thin material so it doesn’t get too hot (and I have worn her for a few hours sometimes and not gotten too hot) but it also stays snug so you don’t feel like your baby is going to slide out after being in it for a few hours.
Chelsea Johnson says
Thanks for the tip! Neither of my kids have enjoyed being worn very much, but maybe when we have another baby he/she will!
Pearl says
Thanks for the tips! Which recliner did you purchase? Thank you!
Chelsea Johnson says
We just got one from a furniture store. Nothing special but it is really comfy!
Kaitlyn says
This is a great list! Wow! A 4-in-1 high chair? Multi-purpose products are the best!
Chelsea Johnson says
Right? I love them!
luis parsons says
woah!thank you so much for this!this will definitely help me a lot in choosing for my kid..since I just became a father!
Chelsea Johnson says
Congrats! And you’re welcome!