4 Baby Products You’ll Actually Use

I just did a google search for ‘baby essentials,’ ‘must-have baby products,’ and ‘what does a baby need.’

Now you try it. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

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Can we just take a second to appreciate how ludicrous the lists are? “56 Baby Products Every Baby Needs” my behind. You’re never gonna use all that crap.

Let me tell you what your baby needs. A carseat. Diapers. Clothing. A bed. Love.

Amiright?

I’ve had lots of people tell me lately “OMG IDK IF WE CAN AFFORD A BABY RIGHT NOW THEY’RE SOOOOOO EXPENSIVE.”

Except they aren’t.

If you’re waiting to have kids because of the perceived cost, just stop. Your baby will be 100% fine with next to nothing.

Having said that, I’ll admit there are some baby products that you’ll actually use and do make the baby raising journey significantly easier.

If you promise to accept the fact the following recommendations are all merely extra niceties and that you don’t NEED the items on this list in order to properly care for a baby, you may continue reading.

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Multi-Use Carseat and Nursing Cover

This nursing cover changed my life. With my first baby, all I had for a nursing cover was a muslin blanket. I am a huge fan of muslin blankets for other various purposes, but my did I have a time trying to keep myself covered with that thing. Most of the time I wound up trying to hold it up in the front with my teeth, fingers crossed that I didn’t get exposed from the side or back while I wrestled the baby into the proper position.

It was rough, and I found myself avoiding breastfeeding in public because of it.

Enter: the beautiful, glorious, multi-use nursing covers!

I tell you again, it changed my LIFE.

360 degree coverage. No more dressing in layers, because I can count on this nursing cover to keep me covered on all sides! The baby can’t kick it off. I can use both hands to wrangle the baby, and I can peek in easily to check on the baby without risk of exposing myself.

All of that alone would make me a fan.

But the fact that you can use it in so many other different ways makes it even more appealing: carseat cover on sunny days, a light blanket for a tiny baby if it’s chilly out, or a shopping cart or high chair cover (if you’re into that. I say the germs are good for their immune systems).

Hands down, one of the best purchases I made for myself with baby #2.

(Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might also like to read: Over 100 Baby Names from the Bible.)

LILLEbaby Carrier

I could sing praises of the LILLEbaby all day long. I don’t even know where to start, but it’s amazing.

Trying to get something accomplished in the kitchen but the tiny baby just won’t let you put him down?

LILLEbaby

Need the baby to take a quick morning nap whilst you’re out and about with the older kids?

LILLEbaby.

The baby needs to nurse out in public but there’s nowhere to sit down?

LILLEbaby.

Wear baby in the front. In the back. On the hip. With the straps crossed. With baby facing out.

Oh, and did I mention, no insert needed for newborns?

Ugh, it’s just the best. I use mine literally every day.

(Psssst. Does babywearing confuse you? Check to see if there’s a chapter of Babywearing International near you. They will get you hooked UP.)

Halo Sleep Sack

A sleep sack is a borderline essential baby product. I almost included it in the introduction with all of the things that you actually do NEED. But since your baby won’t die without it, you don’t really need it. It’s just reallyreallyreally nice to have.

Babies twitch and jerk during their sleep, waking themselves up ALL the time. The SleepSack (or any type of swaddle, really) holds them tight and fixes all that. They get sleep, you get sleep. Everyone’s happy.

Just make sure it’s really tight. If they can get their arms out, it’s no use at all.

And don’t give up on swaddling just because your baby seems not to like it at first. Both of my babies fought it like crazy, but it always helped them sleep better and longer in their bed by themselves.

MAM Pacifers

At the hospital, they give you those pacifiers that are made of one piece of rubber. Being naive young parents, we assumed that everything the hospital gave us was the best of the best. So that’s what we used.

FALSE.

Those pacifiers are trash.

Ok, maybe that’s a bit harsh. I’ve seen lots of babies that take them. But they never worked for us.

Sure, they might be designed for super-safety, but where they earn points in safety, they lose them all in uselessness. They are SO big that a newborn can’t really hold on to them that well, especially while sleeping. I can’t tell you how many nights I spent hanging over the side of the crib, holding that stupid binky in their mouths so they would sleep.

When Olivia was about a month old, I decided enough was enough. I did a little research, and discovered MAM.

Once again, my life changed.

MAM pacifiers are designed to be very lightweight, and the curve of the nipple makes it significantly easier for a baby to hang on to so it doesn’t pop out of their mouths the moment they stop sucking.

I find it to be a superior alternative to duct-taping the pacifier to their face.

What about you? What baby products did you find were nice-to-have with your kids?

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Photo by li tzuni on Unsplash

Melinda Ashley

Melinda worked with children for years in a professional setting before becoming a full-time stay at home mom. She currently has three young children, and enjoys sharing tips and ideas about parenting and how to manage a home with excellence. She’s been featured on Heathline and Her View From Home.