For Baby Beans & Parents-To-Be
When I was about halfway through my pregnancy, something obvious suddenly occurred to my husband and me: we didn’t have anything yet to make little man’s transition into the world comfortable and safe. No carseat, stroller, crib…nothing. In part, we had not made these purchases because our families generously offered to offset some of the expenses and treat us to a few things. But in addition, we hadn’t made these purchases because a simple Google search of “baby essentials” yielded overwhelming results. So many of the lists I scanned included hundreds of items, belying the “essentials” part of my query. With a desire to avoid spending a small fortune, and a goal to keep our 800 square foot apartment clutter-free, I developed a strategy. I cross-checked a number of the lists and made my own list: it only included items that were obviously necessary. I then made a short secondary list of things that we wanted but certainly didn’t need. If you would like my version of the baby essentials list, comment on our Instagram and I would be happy to send it to you. Hopefully with some personal modifications, it may save you time and money.
With all of that said the following is decidedly not an essentials list. Instead, I want to share my review of a few things we especially love and a few “essentials” that we are happily living without. If you are a parent-to-be, or have a parent-to-be in your life, read on!
First, a few random things I especially love…
Graco Pack ‘n Play (there are many versions and price points, for example, here and here). With its bassinet setting, portability, and convertible features, this $60ish+ piece of gear lives up to the hype. For our family, it has served as the perfect travel bed for our infant (a function that will last until toddlerhood), bassinet (saving us $100 right off the bat), and play pen. From a space-saving perspective, it helpfully collapses into a very compact size. So, when your baby outgrows the bassinet setting and moves into his or her crib, you can store this under your bed until you need it for travel purposes. In other words: there’s no need to purchase, and then store, a bassinet that your baby will outgrow in a matter of months. PS: You will want to pick up a pack of sheets too.
Snuggle Me Organic Lounger (here). This lounger falls under the category of unnecessary but awesome. It is somewhat controversial because it is frequently used as a co-sleeper even though it is not advertised as such. What I can say is that our baby son loves it. Make sure to take advantage of their frequent sales as it is pricey for what it is (essentially a uniquely-shaped pillow). I love to put the little guy in it while I’m working beside him as it is the second best thing to holding him in my arms. This is not a budget-friendly tip, but they now sell covers in the most gorgeous colors, think amber, forest green, and more, here.
Evenflo Travel System (many great options, check here and here). Designer strollers are a thing. Who knew? Even if a $1,000 stroller was in our budget, in principle we would not buy it. Our Evenflo stroller and carseat—we went with the Sibby Travel System—is lightweight, safe, and as stylish as a stroller/carseat is going to get. Ours is finished in a perfect, neutral taupe color.
The Bee & the Fox Shirt (here). This little extra strays far outside what’s necessary but it is cute nonetheless. I first saw this item at a store my sister took me to in San Diego called Pigment, and then later found it online. My mom always calls us her “birds”—precious bird, sweet bird, etc.—and I have totally adopted that affectionate term towards my little bird. In case your loved ones are birds to you too, this cute t-shirt (that’s soft with a retro vibe) may be just the right gift for yourself, your mama, or any mama-to-be in your life.
Lush Therapy Bar (here). The jury appears to be out on how much of a difference stretch mark products make in terms of prevention as stretchmarks have a strong genetic component. That said, it’s intuitive that it at least has to help to keep belly skin well-moisturized as it stretches and grows. My mom treated me to this neroli and lavender scented product in my last trimester and I only wish I had used it throughout. It smells lovely and applies perfectly.
Halo Swaddle (here). After my husband and I watched our 10-hour old son undo his blanket swaddle overnight for what seemed like the 100th time, I made a middle-of-the-night Amazon Prime purchase. We knew we couldn’t swaddle him better than the expert labor and delivery nurses, so we purchased the Halo swaddle for peace of mind and ease. You don’t want to wake up to find your baby with his swaddle covering his face! This handy product is like a blanket sack that swaddles with the aid of velcro. Beware, just as it is the case with blanket swaddles, this swaddling sleeping sack is not safe once your little one can roll.
And here are a few items I am not missing…
Diaper-specific trashcan. When this was recommended to me, I instantly thought: I do not want an unsightly, gigantic, poop-filled receptacle in our apartment. I am glad I followed my gut on this one. For soiled diapers, my husband and I simply use a small-sized, lined trashcan. Since we take out our trash every other day, nothing is getting smelly.
Diaper bag. The diaper bags that don’t look cheap are exorbitantly expensive. If I were to buy an expensive bag, I can assure you it wouldn’t be to house diapers and wipes! I recycled an old tote and purchased an inexpensive insert to keep things organized. It has worked perfectly (link here for one option, although be sure to choose an insert that will fit whichever bag you decide to use). I have since upgraded from my old tote to a beautiful bag my aunt gifted me. What’s great about it is that it is not actually a diaper bag, so I won’t have to retire it when I am no longer carrying diapers 24/7.
Maternity wardrobe. Full disclosure: I couldn’t avoid purchasing a few maternity pieces. My stretchiest clothes were only so stretchy, but a whole new wardrobe was certainly not necessary. I think the number of maternity specific pieces you will need to buy depends on two main things: the season you are most heavily pregnant and your work-wear needs. While admittedly there is going to be variance person-to-person, I think it’s especially possible to avoid an overhaul if you’ll be most heavily pregnant in warmer months and have relatively casual work clothing needs. My baby was born in August, so I was able to wear stretchy knit dresses my entire last trimester. And because I was teaching summer school, the addition of a light sweater or chambray button-down was all I needed to look work-appropriate. All of that said, if you’re on the homestretch of pregnancy in cold weather or have a strict work dress code, then you will probably have greater wardrobe needs.
Alison