Before Grayson was born we choose baby products for our registry without really knowing what we would need or actually want once he was here. We got some tips from my sister-in-law and a few other people, but it was really just a guessing game. Many of the items we registered for were useful, and some were not. We ended up buying a ton of stuff after he was born and we actually figured out what we needed and what he liked.
I thought I would put together a list of what we have been using for the past 3 months. Every family and baby is different so what worked for us might not work for you, but maybe it will. I found it really helpful to follow other new moms on Instagram to see what they were using. Hopefully having it all in one place will be useful to some people.
Our Favorite Baby Products for the First 3 Months
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Baby Products for Sleeping/Relaxing
We decided to use a Halo Swivel Sleeper bassinet next to our bed in our bedroom. It’s great because it moves in all directions and can be kept at the same height as our bed. When we came home from the hospital we moved it into the family room and the 3 of us slept down there for a while because stairs were tough after my c-section. We would just put a disposable changing mat in the bassinet and just change him in there as well.
After we moved upstairs, we realized we wanted to have somewhere for him to sleep on the 1st floor for convenience. We got the Fisher Price Stow N Go Bassinet which is small and portable. (Bonus: it vibrates!) Now that’s where he usually naps during the day.
Swaddling
I remember when we took a parenting class at the hospital we were shown how to swaddle on a baby doll. That seems like such a joke now! They basically just showed us how to loosely wrap a blanket around a baby (which wasn’t moving at all). Then in the hospital we realized it was way more complicated swaddling a tiny, squirmy baby who can easily break out of the swaddle. Since then I’ve tried all different products to make swaddling easier.
Lately I’ve been using the Ollie Swaddle, Swaddle Me, and Halo Sleepsack. All have velcro to make swaddling a little easier. When my SIL visited in early February she showed me how to use the Swaddle Me so that he couldn’t get his arms free. It made a big difference in how he slept. As he got stronger we had to upgrade to the Ollie but I still use the Swaddle Me for naps. The Halo Sleepsack was really useful when he was getting up often in the night to eat. He would be zipped into the sleep sack and then I could just unwrap his arms while he ate, and then wrap him back up when I put him back down.
Sound Machines
I didn’t realize how much sound machines could help with babies’ sleep. It also helps with adult sleep, I think! We got this small portable sound machine MyBaby Soundspa On the Go to keep downstairs for naps or take in the car or stroller. More recently we got the HoMedics SoundSpa Sleep Sound Machine that we keep in the nursery for when he naps in there. It’s also portable so I may start using it in our bedroom. Right now we are using the Marpac Dohm Elite Natural White Noise Sound Machine at night.
Baby Wearing
I love the idea of baby wearing, but right now Grayson only likes it if he is sleeping. If he is awake he wants to get out and move after about 10 minutes. Early on he would fall asleep in the Ergo all the time which was great. I am hoping once he can face out that he will like it more again. I have the Ergo 360 with the Infant Insert. Honestly I didn’t think it was all that comfortable with the infant insert. It’s such better now that we don’t have to use it anymore (just the pillow to prop his legs up). I’ve heard great things about the Ergo Adapt for little ones and that one doesn’t require an infant insert.
For a soft carrier, I have the Baby Ktan. This is much easier to use than a moby wrap but we haven’t used it much.
Resources for Babies
When I was pregnant I spent the early months reading all about pregnancy. I thought that towards the end I would read about taking care of newborns, but I never got around to it. Luckily we were able to just figure things out as we went during the first few weeks. However, I also wanted to learn more, especially about sleeping and feeding.
Sleep Resources
Taking Cara Babies has online courses- the one I took was focused on newborn sleep. This was probably the only resource I would have needed because it really covered everything about sleep, but it was helpful to read some other books as well. For any new parent, I would highly recommend this class! I also read the 3-4 month E-book and plan to take the next class for older babies as well.
The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Newborns This was the first sleep book that I read and I liked that it had a very laid-back approach. It wouldn’t have helped us to get to where we are now with sleep, but in those early days it gave me some guidance around how to handle sleep. Again, Taking Cara Babies was what really helped me to learn how to approach sleep but these resources were good supplements to that information.
Happiest baby on the block was recommended at one of the parenting classes we took. This was the first book I read when I got home from the hospital. It was helpful, but honestly I didn’t implement the strategies well until actually seeing how to do them in the Taking Cara Babies course. (The course incorporates strategies from this book).
Breastfeeding Resources
Breastfeeding Made Simple Figuring out how to breastfeed a newborn is tricky. I got some help from Lactation Consultants when I was in the hospital, but I still had a lot of questions when I got home. I did end up meeting with another LC about 6 weeks after he was born because of specific concerns we were having, but this book was helpful with providing more general information.
Baby Clothing
Simple Joy by Carters Footed Sleep and Play If there is one thing we have learned as new parents, it’s that zip up PJs are the way to go! Snaps are really annoying, and babies don’t really like having things pulled over their heads. And when we try to dress him in cute little outfits, the shirts just ride up and his belly hangs out. The Carters PJs have been great for both night and day.
YOOFOSS Bandana Drool Bibs Grayson spits up ALOT, and I know all babies do, but his is pretty excessive. He has reflux and even his pediatrician was really concerned when she saw the amount of spitting up he does. These bibs have been a life saver. At first we were doing outfit changes like 6-8 times a day. And regular bibs aren’t really comfortable to wear throughout the day. Now he usually gets most of his spit up on the bib and we just change out the bib whenever it gets wet!
Car Seat Covers
Keababies Nursing Cover and Car Seat Cover This soft and light cover can be used for nursing, covering the car seat, and more. It’s been very helpful for keeping strangers out of his face and also blocking the sun from his eyes when we are out.
Cozy Cover Car Seat Cover We also have this car seat cover for the winter. Since babies can’t wear a coat when they are in a car seat, it’s nice to have something to keep him warm. I like that it zips up at the bottom. It also has a velcro opening at the top so we can leave it opened or closed easily.
Other Baby Products
Graco Pack ‘n Play Portable Napper and Changer Playard We have a pack n’ play which right now is basically just used for storage and hanging burp clothes on the side of it. When we first moved his bigger bassinet upstairs we set up the pack n’ play in the family room. It has a changing table on top so we changed him there so we didn’t have to go upstairs or get down on the floor. He got a little big for it and now we have a portable changing table downstairs. Eventually we will probably use the pack n’ play for sleeping or playing but we haven’t needed it for those things so far.
I wasn’t really sure how much we would use this boppy newborn lounger. We got the lounger so it’s not used as a nursing pillow like the ones that don’t have a center. I usually try to sit him on there after he has eaten. It keeps him at more of an angle than laying on the floor. (He doesn’t like to be held upright for very long, which would be better for avoiding the reflux/spitting up). I think we could have done without it, but it was nice to have.
Graco Duetsoothe Swing + Rocker Grayson has gone through phases with this swing. One week he likes it, the next he wants nothing to do with it. Sometimes he will nap in there but usually not for long. When he starts to get overstimulated but isn’t ready for a nap yet I put him in there to help him relax. It swings front to back and side to side. You can also remove the seat and carry it to another room. It’s a nice option if you don’t want to take the baby out but need to go do something else.
Final Thoughts on These Products
Well I think that’s about all the baby products I can think to share right now! As I said, it really comes down to personal preference and what you need. Hopefully if you are looking for some newborn items you found this helpful. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about any of these products or other things we have used!
What baby products did you find useful during the first 3 months?
Are there any items that you didn’t like as much as you expected?
Not a parent so not too much to add, but oh my yes on white noise. Noticed it when bunking with my nephew one vacation and so love it.
Also, Grayson is adorable
I think we are addicted to white noise now. Even once he is in his own room I think we will still need it!
Awww, Grayson is adorable! Even though it’s been 13 years since my kids were this young, I do still remember having several of the items you have. Any small, fold up sleeping kind thing is a win for sure! Especially when they rock or vibrate! He looks like a happy baby – and you, a happy Mom. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Thanks! I bet a lot of things don’t change too much over the year. I’m so glad he sleeps in multiple places so hopefully he will sleep ok when we travel.
wow there are so many more options now than there were when I had my kids. Those sound machines were key for us as my daughter had colic
The sound machine is so helpful! I never realized how common they were for helping babies sleep.