Creating a baby registry can be so overwhelming. The number of baby items out there is truly remarkable. I searched and searched for things that I thought Lewie would need. After Lewie was born, I realized there were many things we received that we truly needed, and there were a few things that we did not register for that I definitely wish we would have.
To those of you who are not becoming parents or planning on becoming parents, these may be gift ideas for you! You could also give them a gift card to purchase one of these items.
These are my top ten must haves!
1. Owlet – Hands down, number one thing parents need. I don’t care what anyone says, if it does nothing else, it gives parents peace of mind. We loved this during the newborn stage because it kept track of his oxygen levels and his heart rate. In addition, it tracked his sleep. When Lewie was around 9 months, he had RSV. This was truly a life saver. He loves sleeping in his crib, and this gave me the peace of mind that I needed. We had an issue with it alarming us that it could not get a reading. We simply contacted Owlet, followed the steps they provided, and they sent us a new one very quickly.
2. DockaTot– Whatever your sleeping situation may be, I feel like this is a great purchase to make. These are pricey, but worth every penny in my opinion. Lewie had his best sleep (until he was sleep trained) in this. I had a C-Section, so in order for me to nurse him, it was best that he was right between us, so Nick or myself could easily grab him. I felt that this was completely breathable, and with him wearing the Owlet and being right beside me I was able to sleep easy. We liked that, although he was in the bed, he had his own space and there was no chance of us rolling over on him. We ended up buying an extra cover for it, and we are so glad we did (especially for the nights he leaked through his diaper or decided to have a blowout at 3AM). I recommend doing your research and making the best decision for you and your baby. If you have big bucks, I would recommend looking into the Snoo!
3. Ollie Swaddle – Oh swaddles, you name them, we tried them. No one could convince me to pay $60 for a dang swaddle...but I did...twice! We tried other, cheaper swaddles, and I don’t know if we just had the squirmiest little babe, but he escaped EVERYTHING. My mom is a complete pro at swaddling, like better than the nurses at the hospital, but Lewie would escape every time! These are the only swaddles I will ever use. They are pricey, but worth it. Lewie was a big, chunky babe and grew so fast, and we loved that these grew with him and were so, so easy to use (Dad was actually the best at wrapping him in it).
3. Ollie Swaddle – Oh swaddles, you name them, we tried them. No one could convince me to pay $60 for a dang swaddle...but I did...twice! We tried other, cheaper swaddles, and I don’t know if we just had the squirmiest little babe, but he escaped EVERYTHING. My mom is a complete pro at swaddling, like better than the nurses at the hospital, but Lewie would escape every time! These are the only swaddles I will ever use. They are pricey, but worth it. Lewie was a big, chunky babe and grew so fast, and we loved that these grew with him and were so, so easy to use (Dad was actually the best at wrapping him in it).
5. Diaper Caddy– My husband, Nick, and I are routine people. We are not rigid schedule people, but we love routines. After about a week and until 3 months, we got up once a night around 3 to tag team the middle of the night feed. I would warm the bottle up and get my pumping things, while Nick changed the diaper and onesie, if needed (because boys) and would get him ready to eat. Having the diaper caddy stocked with all the things was so necessary and made our routine flow flawlessly. We kept one in our bedroom and one in the living room so we would have one during the day. Some items we kept inside were all things Fridababy, diapers (we use Hello Bello and love them), wipes, A+D (for boys parts and sweet booties), Gripe Water, Gas Drops, syringes, Thermometer, Hello Bello lotion, a onesie, and an extra Ollie Swaddle.
6. Carseat – I highly recommend this carseat. We did not have it, but we had to move Lewie into a big boy seat very early, because apparently milk does the body good, and we couldn’t carry him in his carseat. This one transforms into a stroller with a click of a button. It is pricey, but you honestly get what you pay for! The moms that I have seen use this car seat/stroller were able to use it for quite a while. We will definitely be purchasing this when we decide to give Lewie a brother or sister!
7. Blankets - Lewie was born in March, so every outing required a blanket. Our favorites were Copper Pearl. They have lots of great products! We used their bibs when teething started. Their blankets are extremely soft. I wish they made adult sized ones because they would definitely be on my bed. They are a good spring/fall blanket; they aren't too heavy. We always carried a weighted animal with us (see below) so these blankets were perfect in combination with our beloved turtle. Copper Pearl has a website, but we have one or two local boutiques that sell their products.
8. Baby wearer – I had a Moby with Lewie when he was a newborn, I loved how cozy the material was. I currently use a Lillebaby, but when he was fresh and new I really wanted a cotton, cozy wrap to wear him in. They do take some practice to get the fit just right, but once you get it, it's like you have turned into a sweet kangaroo and your little joey is all snug right next to you while you do all the things!
9. Weighted Animal – This little guy was a miracle worker. We put his weighted turtle on his feet at night, during naps, and while in the car. This helped calm him so, so much. He loved having his turtle on his feet. You could also warm the turtle, and it has a Lavender scent as well. This turtle was a sleeping necessity until he began rolling over.
Goodness! This made me miss the newborn stage so much! There are many things not on the list, that I think are essential for parents, but I just narrowed it down to 10. Of course, if you want to know more, please reach out to me! If you are looking to buy gifts, but don't see something on this list you want to buy, please let me know, and I can point you in the right direction.
-Lauren
