Baby’s 1st Month: Mom’s Favorite Items
1. Adan & Anais swaddle blankets. These blankets are (obviously) meant to be used as swaddles, but we actually use them with the Dock A Tot (below). We lay the blanket right over the Dock A Tot so that it’s protected from spit up etc. You can wash the Dock A Tot’s shell, but we find it much easier to wash these thin blankets instead! It’s a pain to have to wait for the shell to be washed and dried in order to use the Dock A Tot again. We just wash the blankets and throw another one down right away. (Update after second baby: also love these blankets for laying over myself while I am breastfeeding in public. Super thin so that the baby can still breath well if his head is underneath it and won’t make them sweat. *Also very important to note that I do NOT leave the baby alone in the Dock A Tot when a blanket is underneath them. We only lay the blanket down while we are sitting right there. Could be a suffocation hazard).
2. Hatch sound machine. I put this sound machine on every time I am changing or nursing baby Elle. It helps to keep her super calm. It also has a soft light on it, which is really helpful when it’s the middle of the night and I don’t want to turn on the full lights. You can also control the machine with an app on your phone! (She is still in a bassinet next to our bed, but I’m sure I will also use the sound machine when she’s sleeping in her crib). (Update after second baby: still love the Hatch. Elle is 3 years old now, and we have used this sound machine every single night – and for naps everyday – since she was born. We got another one for baby George as well).
3. Kyte hats. My favorite hats! The elasticity helps the hat to remain on the baby’s head – it doesn’t move at all. Every other hat we have for Elle tends to fall off when they move around, which is not good, considering small babies lose most of their heat through their heads.
4. Honest diapers. A lot of people use this company for all things baby care (diapers, wipes, bath products, creams and lotions, etc). They are 100% organic, and you can also set up a recurring delivery for diapers and wipes. (Update after second baby: also love using these! They are really soft.)
5. Soothie pacifiers. There are a million kinds of pacifiers, but these are our favorite, mainly because it’s what most hospitals use. (Update after second baby: we also love these, with the stuffed animal attached! Having the little animal as an anchor helps to keep the pacifier from rolling away when it falls out of their mouth. Also much easier to find around the house compared to a tiny little pacifier on its own! And baby will start to hold the animal while they suck, when they are old enough).
6. Dock A Tot. Highest product on my list of baby must-haves. Elle uses her Dock A Tot more than anything else! I lay her in it during the day whenever I’m not holding her, I put her in it on the floor in the bathroom while I’m in the shower, she lays in it on the couch, etc etc. We really use it all day long. The walls on the Dock A Tot keep her feeling “held” because they are snug all around her body. If you were only purchasing one big item for your baby, this would 100% be my recommendation for what to buy. We love it (and so does Elle)! (Update after second baby: cannot stress enough how much we still love this item! We wound up buying a second one, and we leave one in our bedroom and one downstairs – that’s how much we use it).
7. Baby Bjorn bouncer seat. We started using this during Elle’s third week (she was too tiny to sit in it before that). I like that the seat gives her a better view of things, as opposed to when she lays down, and it also helps when she’s gassy and uncomfortable. Sitting up is way better than laying down when she’s having any tummy problems. (Update after second baby: still a must-have. We use it all day long with baby George, who is now 2.5 months).
8. Swaddle Me swaddles. These are the best! We initially used normal swaddle blankets, but Elle was able to break out of those, no matter how tight we made them. These swaddles have velcro and hold her in much better! (For more of my favorite swaddles and sleep sacks for each stage, see my post here).
9. Pottery Barn sherpa blanket. Elle is cuddled up in this blanket all day long (as I’m sure you’ve seen if you watch my stories on Instagram). I have probably 15-20 baby blankets (you’ll get a ton as gifts!), and this one is our fave. Super cozy. (Update after second baby: still my favorite blanket. Also love this one, which was an Amazon find).
