Baby Gear We Actually Use + Registry Tips

Jul 26

Fitz just turned 9 MONTHS old and I can't believe he's been with us earth-side as long as he was in my belly. Watching him grow, learn and move is absolute magic, and I am in awe of him every day.

I wanted to share some of our must-have baby items, things you may consider adding to your own registry, as well as a couple things we didn't end up needing. I've found that hearing others' personal recommendations is better than most anything I can find on the internet! This post could also be helpful to share with someone else looking for how to support new parents!

I recommend making your registry on Babylist so you can pull from other sites all into one spot.

I say this ALL with a grain of salt. Absolutely every baby is different, and what works for one baby may not for another (which TBH adds to the complexity of it all). But if it's helpful, here's what we've found works for us! As well as a peek at some shoots we did around 6mo - Our Mommy & Me session with Meg Newton and our 6mo family photos with Julia Kinnunen!

Nursery Favorites + Necessities

I think our favorite gear item we purchased was our Keekaroo changing pad. The biggest perk being it is easy to clean. Fitz was a spit-uppy baby, and add in diaper changes to the mix and we were doing a whole lot of laundry. The idea of having to strip the changing pad in the middle of the night just wasn't my vibe. This is a pricey, but in our experience, necessary purchase.

Other favorites in Fitz's nursery:

Hatch Sound Machine - we even bought one for ourselves when we moved him out of our room

Ubbi Diaper Pail - I chose this one over the Diaper Genie because you can use regular trash bags in it, rather than buying specialty bags. And honestly I think having to shove the diaper in the trap door of the Diaper Genie is gross, but that's just me!

Black out curtains - a must when they start being less interested in sleeping all day, wherever!

Diapers. A great debate. Brand, cloth, you name it. Do what works for you. Ultimately we went with Honest Co. and utilize their subscription - both so we never run out of diapers (disaster), discount on price, add on options and cute patterns (something's gotta be fun, right?). We use bamboo diapers for overnight (seem to absorb better, but are more expensive) - currently using Dyper.

The Great Car Seat, Stroller, Carrier Dilemma

There's no way around it, as far as I can tell, but the number of contraptions you may need to transport this tiny human in and around in is mind boggling, not to mention extremely expensive! We were so lucky to get most of our first stage setup as hand-me-downs and hence didn't have to think about it much until now. Our first set up looked like:

Chicco KeyFit 30 Infant Carseat - we ended up buying an extra base for our other car which was nice to have (but not a *need*) and we also bought one for Grandma's car which retrospectively did not need. The car seat is easy enough to strap in with the seat belt on the go.

UppaBaby Vista with bassinet attachment - I liked having the bassinet attachment for walks when Fitz was tiny. Otherwise, we have the car seat attachment. We used the UppaBaby as our "travel" stroller, when we would go places we didn't want to wear him (which was honestly rarely)

BOB - This is the real gem, and is our go-to stroller. The sidewalks in our neighborhood are full of curbs and tree roots, so this has been our favorite for every day walks. We got the car seat attachment, and just recently switched him over to sitting in the proper stroller seat.

Our Favorite Carrier: Ergobaby Embrace - Fitz was a tiny baby, and I felt more comfortable having him in a more structured carrier when he was an infant, and this one can start as small as 7lbs (most are 8lbs, and it took him a while to get to 7!) It is SO easy to put on, just 3 clips, and fits both me (5'1) and Kevin (6ft) seamlessly. Baby will most likely grow out of this faster than some other carriers since it is catered to newborns, but we have gotten so much use out of it that for us, it was worth it!
Favorite Bouncer/Contained lounging: Baby Bjorn Bouncer - small, can fold flat, just plain simple (and easy on the eyes) We didn't end up really using any other swings/dock-a-tot/snuggle-me/etc - I think partly because of Lemon and we didn't ever leave him on the floor - we would put him in the pack-n-play we had set up in our living room until we switched to the bouncer.

We're now entering a new stage of growing and travel which is pushing us up into the next category of transporting bebe. Kevin gives me a hard time for trying to optimize at every step of the way, and minimize buying/finding different gear. The truth is, a lot of it is trial and error, and recognizing what fits in your lifestyle at a particular time. Everything, for better or worse is a season, and we're just doing our best to roll with it.

We just recently bought a Mountain Buggy Nano since we have been getting frustrated with how much space the UppaBaby takes up in the car. Now that Fitz is getting heavier and we don't want to wear him *all the time*, we wanted a better travel stroller (especially with some plane travel coming up in the fall). So far, we're really happy with it! It can even be used with an infant car seat, and my friend has always used it as their main stroller with their daughter.

Next we will be purchasing a 3or4-1 car seat and travel car seat - some people start out with this from the get go, but we did like being able to clip the infant car seat in and out of the car/stroller. From my rockstar group of recs (friends, family, our centering + PEPS groups, and online research) this seems to be the general consensus: 3-1 car seat (WireCutter recommends Graco) + additional travel car seat from Costco.

Registry Go-Tos

If Breastfeeding: Breast Friend Pillow (I preferred this over the Boppy), Earth Mama Organic Nipple Butter; Hands-free pumping bra (Amazon or Kindred Bravely), breastmilk storage bags - any kind, just lay them flat to freeze!
This bottle drying rack; if formula feeding on the go: POP YUM bottles (and my personal opinion as a now full-time formula feeder, skip the dispenser and just mix a pitcher each day!)
Lovevery Playmat, Toys + Box Subscriptions
Toki Mat - We were handed down one of these memory foam play mats and it has been surprisingly one of our favorite things. We have all hardwood floors so this made a nice little play area for Fitz in our living room.
Burp Cloths, swaddle blankets (see sleeping swaddles note below!), bibs, pacifiers (we used Frigg Natural Rubber - and a clip)
Babylist offers "Try It Kits" that have different types of all sorts of things like bottles, pacifiers, diapers, etc! Great place to start to see what you + your baby like best. (We liked Dr. Brown's and Comotomo)
Baby Bath gear - Bath tub, washcloths, hooded towels, soap, lotion (We like Burt's Bees, Honest Co. + Tubby Todd) Aquaphor + Boudreaux's butt paste
Crib and/or bassinet sheets (3x), mattress protector; Pack-n-Play (and extra sheets)
Anything Frida - thermometer, postpartum underwear, snot sucker, Windi, you name it.
Electric Nail Filer - Don't know why but we love this thing. Cutting baby's nails is hard and you need to do it way more often than you would think!
High Chair (which you won't need until 4-6mo) - Favorites are Stokke TripTrap or Ikea Antilop, along with eating things from EZPZ and eating smocks + The Inglesina Fast Table Chair for on-the-go
Nice to have: Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

Other Favorite Things

Swaddles + Sleep Sacks: These were crucial for us! We happened to have a couple hand-me-down/gifted Halo Swaddles and they ended up being our favorites. Fitz didn't like the super snug ones around his legs, so these were able to be tighter at his arms/belly, with room for his hips/legs. Once we started worrying about him rolling we switched to the Merlin Sleep Suit, and then to a regular sleep sack (favorite splurge brand is Kyte Baby).
Monitor: We went with the Nanit Monitor. We never used the breathing wear / tech stuff, but we like the video and software - Lets us enable access to grandma when she's watching him, travels to her house easily with the stand. Con is having a wifi monitor and running into internet issues when we're traveling (like Airbnb internet access etc). Would be nice to have an old school monitor as a backup, but we've made do!
MAGNETIC ME everything. Especially Footie Jammies! Snaps are death. If you want to be a cool auntie/friend/sibling, get your pregnant friend some Magnetic Me footies. That is all.
Tracker for Feedings/Diapers: Talli Baby
Zutano booties - baby socks and shoes are a joke! haha!
One of my other favorite resources to share is this blog post from the ULA & US mamas: Essentials for the new Momma

Finally, Things to Include on Your Registry (that you might not think of)

Meal Train and/or Door Dash Gift Cards - We could not have survived those first few weeks (months, honestly) without our friends and family feeding us. It's the last thing on your mind when you're trying to keep your tiny human alive, and it's one of the best things you can ask for for help/offer to someone you love! If you don't live nearby, gift cards are great, but even better is ordering for you! One of my best friends lives in Portland and she had signed up for our Meal Train. On her dinner date, she text me and asked if I had a type of food in mind or if I wanted it to be a surprise, and what time we wanted it delivered. I told her something Asian inspired, and she did the rest of the ordering. Our brains felt like mush so even taking the "what to choose/order" off our plate was amazing. Other food related drop offs that were particularly helpful were snacks, breakfast options, and frozen dishes, and household goods like paper plates (thank you to no dishes!) and one dear friend even brought us a pack of toilet paper. Thank you!

Mama Bars - These bars were developed (by two Seattle mamas!) especially for moms! They're delicious and a perfect snack whether your breastfeeding or just plain hungry at 2am.

We are here for experiences, so we included a Zoo Membership on our registry!

Tiny Earth Toys - In lieu of toys, we asked for family + friends to gift towards our Tiny Earth subscription! Tiny Earth allows you to rent educational, age appropriate, sustainable toys on a rotating basis.

Online Education: Karing for Postpartum (Karrie Lochler) - Breastfeeding and Infant Care, Solid Starts (Baby-Led Weaning, ~6mo), Taking Cara Babies (Sleep), Tinyhood (Infant CPR)
HELP. It takes a VILLAGE. Find yours, identify small tasks you can ask them to help you with, make a list, and stick it on the fridge for whenever people come over - walk the dogs, run errands, water the plants, do the laundry, wash the dishes, take out the trash/recycling (a go to for me was please break down all of the boxes that we've had stuff shipped in arriving at our home on the daily!). Your people want to help!! Hire professionals when possible to help you heal + recover - Pelvic Floor PT, Chiropractic care, therapy. Continue to connect with your partner, go on date nights when you're ready!

Okay, wow. This was a lot! I hope this helps!!! There is so much *STUFF* out there - and it can be tricky to navigate as a first time parent. You're not alone if you feel like you're drowning in options! Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions!!