10: BOTTLE STERILIZER

This is such an easy way to sterilize bottles and pacifiers! I love the size and it’s simple to use and store.

9: DIAPER BAG ORGANIZING SYSTEM

I’m kind of crazy about keeping things neat, and so a diaper bag organizing system is a MUST. There are so many kinds out there, this is just one example. But I love having a pouch for toys, for pacis, for diapers and wipes, for any of my little necessities… It makes everything so easy to find.

8: BABY MONITOR W/ VIDEO

There are a few things to look for in a baby monitor- Definitely get one with video! There are so many times when babies will just lie there quietly and you have NO IDEA if they’re awake or asleep.

2 way audio! As baby gets a little older it’s WONDERFUL to be able to communicate through the baby monitor if needed.

Able to rotate (using your side of the monitor). Nothing is more annoying than a monitor that’s been accidentally (or purposefully) turned to the side. I love being able to rotate my monitor just by pushing a button.

7: BASSINET

This bassinet by Ingenuity is simply amazing. We’re finished having babies, but I’m keeping this for visitors and grandkids, because I love it that much. The height adjusts so that you can pull it right next to the bed. I loved being able to reach an arm over and soothe my baby (or just glance over and stare at him).

It rolls easily, so I would frequently just roll it into another room for nap time.

It also adjusts to a deeper bed for when baby is a little bit older. We used this bassinet for the first entire year with our two youngest babies.

6: SPECTRA PUMP

It took until baby #5 for me to discover this Spectra Pump, and I would never go back! I’d tried some other brands and just didn’t love them, but for me the Spectra was just perfect. (You already know I love night lights on baby items) and it worked like a charm to get my milk to let down, was comfortable and seemed to do a good job of getting all my milk. Definitely recommend this pump!

6 CONTINUED: TRAVEL PUMP

I needed a travel pump for a family Disney trip we took when my baby was little. This is not only the perfect size for traveling, it actually works REALLY WELL. Almost as well as my much larger, more expensive Spectra. It comes with a charging cord and is also battery powered. It holds it’s charge pretty well! I was able to do entire days out and about (pumping every 3 hours) and didn’t need to recharge it until we were back in the hotel. Frankly, if I wasn’t planning to pump very often and just needed something in case of emergency, I would probably skip the Spectra and just get this.

5: CHICCO CARSEAT SYSTEM

By FAR my favorite infant car seat system! Chicco must have hired a whole mom’s group to design this. THE EASIEST base system to attach or to move. And the padding in the carseat was made SO SIMPLE to remove (in case of blow outs), clean, and replace.

This stroller allows you to click the car seat into the frame, and remove it using the car seat release. The stroller is super easy to fold and to set up. It’s not very heavy, and it can also be used as a toddler stroller. The basket at the bottom can hold a LOT of baby stuff.

4: NEWMAN’S OINTMENT

You can’t buy this online- this is a prescription nipple cream you have to get from your doctor. Mine offers it, but if yours doesn’t, be sure to ask!

This is so much better than other nipple creams out there, and it includes a little bit of antifungal and antibiotic- which help to prevent thrush and mastitis, especially in the first few weeks of breastfeeding.

3: GEL BREAST PADS

I was gifted a set of gel breast pads with my final baby- who wanted to nurse ABSOLUTELY CONSTANTLY- by my sweet post-partum nurse at the hospital. She said “you’re going to want these” and I wish I’d had them with EVERY SINGLE BABY.

These were SO SOOTHING. I would change out my set about half way through the day- the ones I just used I would wash with soap and water and lay out to dry. Perfect for the first few weeks when the girls dry out (and sometimes crack) and you don’t want to stick to regular nursing pads. Teamed up with Newman’s Ointment (see #4) it was my easiest transition to breastfeeding EVER.

2: WHITE NOISE MACHINE

I LOVE this specific white noise machine. So much that I bought an extra just for my studio.

As a brand new mom, I loved that I could use this as a night light as well as a white noise machine! It has several colors of light to choose from, and you can fine-tune the brightness of the light as well. This was perfect for middle-of-the-night nursing sessions when I needed just a LITTLE bit of light.

There are a good variety of white noise sounds to choose from as well. My husband and I really appreciated that with this on, we didn’t need to feel like every move we made would wake the baby during the months he slept in our room.

1: NEWBORN SESSION

Not only because I’m a newborn photographer 😉

Newborn Sessions are an investment! They take a decent amount of time and money- and I love it when clients recognize that this is something to save for, and I love it when grandparents and friends decide to help out with the cost of a session!

The portraits you receive of these first precious weeks are something you will ALWAYS enjoy. Even after your other baby items make it to the DI pile, you (and your child) will love having pictures of these sweet moments. Talk to me about setting up a session, or follow this link to find out more about my gift cards.

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