8 Baby Products That Saved Me (and My Sanity)

I’m a little late getting to this post, but it’s one that I wish I read before having a baby because it would’ve saved me some stress and headaches those first few months. So, hopefully I can save other new moms from all that by sharing my list of baby must-haves.

1. Boppy pillow. These are pretty common on these types of lists, but I have to add that they’re necessary—especially if you’re breastfeeding for the first time. I brought mine to the hospital after a friend suggested it and I’m so glad I did. I was so exhausted after 40+ hours of labor that holding a fragile, new baby steady while trying to latch for the first time felt impossible. But with the Boppy it made it so much easier. Breastfeeding was not fun for me, so having a literal support, especially during the night feedings, saved me. Where to buy.

2. Owlet Smart Sock. This is honestly the best baby item we own, hands down 🙌. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a baby monitor that goes on your baby’s foot and it monitors their heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep patterns. If it senses a problem (a drop in breathing or elevated heart rate) it sets off an alarm on your phone and the base station in the baby’s room so you can step in. The app also keeps the records so you can share with your child’s pediatrician if you suspect a problem. I love it. I guarantee it’s the only reason I get any sleep at night. Even though the price is a little steep, it’s worth it. I honestly would’ve paid double for it. Where to buy.

*Update August 2020: Owlet recently released their 3rd generation version of their smart sock. We’re sticking with our 2nd generation one, but I think the 3rd is worth checking out.

3. Dockatot. Dockatots are portable baby/toddler beds that you can take anywhere and they make co-sleeping a lot safer. I personally do not co-sleep. I don’t trust it, even with a built-in separation, but I see the benefit of using these for those who do. I chose this bed for its convenience. Ellis has been using one since she first came home and it’s the only thing she’ll sleep in for long periods of time. What I love most about it is that we can travel with it. The 0-9 month size fits perfectly in our suitcase (the 9-36 month size has to be checked in). So, instead of dealing with a frustrating pack-n-play, we just grab the Dockatot and go! Tip: buy an extra cover to have on hand just in case they have a blow out in the middle of the night! Where to buy.

4. Haakaa. A friend of mine shared this little secret item with me and I don’t understand why it doesn’t get more attention. It’s a manual breast pump that ultimately catches let-down. So, when you’re breastfeeding on one side, you pop the haakaa on the other and it saves the milk you would’ve lost. I would also keep two of them with me after a warm shower (because you will inevitably leak) to, again, save milk that would’ve been lost. For someone like me who never made enough milk to begin with, this product helped me save what I could. And best part—it’s cheap! Where to buy.

5. Slumberkin. This is an item you can get a little later, but its one you should add to your baby’s Christmas/Birthday list. Slumberkins are animal-themed “loveys” that come with a board book built to help kids understand certain emotions—such as anxiety, stress, self-esteem, etc. I got Ellis the Fox since it’s about anxiety and overcoming change. Anxiety runs pretty deep in my family so I thought it was a good choice for my daughter to help her understand it younger than I did (I’m still figuring out mine and I’m almost 30), plus, foxes have become a theme for my daughter so any excuse to add another one! So, how has this product saved me? Well, Ellis is now 7 months old and going through some separation anxiety. So bad that at night she’ll scream out for comfort and the only thing that works is giving her a blanket or her Slumberkin to hold (they’re made from similar material). Where to buy.

6. Baby Rocker. We got this as a hand-me-down and at first, I didn’t think we’d use it—boy was I wrong! For the first 3 months, it was the only thing Ellis would nap in (you know, when she would actually nap). And when she would start fidgeting in her sleep, I would start rocking it slowly until she fell back asleep, making her usual 15-minute naps over 30 or 45 minutes. I would also use this when I needed to go to the bathroom or take a quick shower (yay!). I will say that the music and vibration features were useless for us. Ellis preferred just a simple manual rock here and there.

*Update April 30, 2019: Fisher-Price has recently recalled this item. View here. I personally plan to continue to use mine if we have another child, because I feel if the child is supervised and the item is used correctly, it’s safe. However, I would never pressure someone into keeping theirs or using a hand-me-down. I hear the swings Fisher-Price makes are just as good, but I personally cannot vouch for them!

7. Rocking Chair. If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ve noticed I’m a big fan of West Elm. Pretty much every room in my house has something from that store in it—so it’s no surprise that I found our nursery’s rocking chair from there too. And ironically, it was the cheapest one we found even after we added custom fabric to it. If you weren’t considering a rocking chair for your nursery, rethink it. You may not use it everyday, but on those really tough nights when your baby is overtired and screaming, a little rocking and humming can go a long way. So, I suggest finding one that isn’t from a baby store so you can easily transfer it to another room (living room, play room, etc.) when you don’t need it in the nursery anymore. Where to buy.

8. Pacifier. I know, this is probably a no-brainer, but I just want to add this one in because it did save my sanity the first month of Ellis’ life. I was determined to wait 4 weeks before giving my daughter her first pacifier because all of the books tell you that giving one too early can cause issues with breastfeeding. But when Ellis was a week and a half, I couldn’t take it anymore. She was cluster-feeding + nursing for comfort at all hours and my nipples were raw and bleeding. Neither of us was sleeping and I would spend every night crying from exhaustion and pain. I gave in and gave her one after a tear-filled discussion with my pediatrician. It gave my daughter the comfort she needed and us both some much needed sleep and we luckily didn’t have any issues with nipple confusion. Where to buy.

If I come across more winners, I’ll update the list, but for now, consider these for your baby registry.

-J