Life With My Little Kraut: My Favorite Baby Products

We already have pretty much all the baby gear we’ll need for baby #2 but I thought it would be fun to list my favorites and what I would buy this time if I didn’t have anything but the experience of living with a newborn. There are so many guides out there that list newborn must-haves and baby essentials, but my general recommendation for any new parent would be: you really don’t need all of that. Start with the true essentials such as diapers, clothes, and blankets, and go from there. What you don’t have but end up wanting you can always buy later. And if you’re worried about getting to the store with a newborn, Amazon.com now even offers same day delivery in some areas! It really doesn’t get any more convenient than that. So – these are not necessarily my must-haves, but items that I loved having when Noah was born or learned about later and added to my wish list for baby #2.

Baby carrier

Ok, let’s start with one that is actually a must have for me – a baby carrier (or two). We had the Baby K’tan for when Noah was a newborn. I was intimidated by carriers like the Moby wrap and liked that it seemed pretty easy to put on. And it was. Noah spent a lot of time in it during the first few months, but as he became more active and curious to see what was happening around him, he would start to fight me almost every time I tried to put him in. I just assumed he didn’t want to be in s carrier at all, but in hindsight I should have just switched to a more solid carrier sooner. I missed being able to carry him for a while (especially when out and about running errands before he was old enough to sit in a shopping cart but unhappy in his car seat). I ended up buying a used Ergo carrier and never regretted that purchase. I wish I had had the chance to try on a few different models, because as much research one can do about the different products, they all have their pros and cons and in the end it really is just about what is most comfortable for you and your baby. And there is only one way to find out. Not being able to decide is the main reason I think for why it took me so long to purchase a new one. I also thought I had made the wrong purchase with the Baby K’tan when in fact Noah had just grown out of it.

So, knowing what I know now, I am planning on having two carriers again, a soft wrap one for the first weeks, and a sturdier one for when baby gets a bit older. Especially with the added challenge of having a baby and a toddler, I’ll need to find one that works well for all of us. The one downside of the Baby K’tan is that it comes in different sizes so Tony was never able to use it. I think I’d like to try a Boba Baby Wrap this time. If I didn’t already have the Ergo, I would also consider buying this model, because it allows babies to be carried facing outward as well which I know Noah would have loved. We’ll have to see what baby #2 prefers, but this time I won’t be so hesitant to try out a different one if the ones we have don’t work out.

Baby Bottom Balm

Ha, another essential. I’ve tried a few different ones and we used Burt’s Bees diaper cream at first after we had received a trial set of their baby products as a baby shower gift. While it worked fine, I never liked the white powdery residue it left behind. I always felt like Noah needed a bath after we used it. On the search for an alternative, I came across Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm and have been using it ever since. I’m so in love that I have made it part of a baby shower gift on multiple occasions. It works so well and always seems to be so gentle on a baby’s sensitive skin. It doesn’t leave a residue at all, plus it smells really good. I also love that it’s versatile; I don’t only use it as diaper cream. During the winter I used it on Noah’s face when his cheeks got dry from the weather and on my own hands when no hand lotion would work. It’s also perfect on small cuts and scratches. Worth every penny!

Good quality clothes and socks

I don’t mind the many basic carter onesies I own, but good quality clothes can make such a difference. One of my favorite brands here in the US is PACT. They don’t have a huge selection of different styles, but they often come out with new patterns. Not only do they use organic cotton from sustainable sources (some of their items are also fair trade certified), you can just feel the quality of the fabric. Bright colors don’t wash out as fast and the fabric is so stretchy that onesies last a lot longer than any other brand I’ve tried. Their socks are great for Noah’s feet. He has chubby legs and his daddy’s sweaty feet (sorry Tony!). Other socks are either much too tight around his ankles or not pure cotton making his feet sweat even more. Pact socks fit without being too tight or too loose. Their sets go on sale on Amazon.com every once in a while – you won’t want to miss those great deals. They also make cute basic cotton hats which I’ve found hard to find. They aren’t big and bulky and make for a perfect every day hat for any baby or toddler. I will definitely stock up on some more outfits as they go on sale.

I’m also excited that my sister brought a ton of her son’s baby clothes when they came to visit a few weeks ago. I don’t know why it is so hard (and expensive) to find high quality baby clothes here. I’m looking forward to spoiling this baby with some silk wool onesies and pants that sit comfortably over a chubby baby’s belly. We got lots of great hand me downs for Noah as well and I’m glad we didn’t have to buy much (we probably didn’t need to buy anything actually), but the hippie in me is already excited about all the great new clothes we got.

Gymnastic ball

Gymnastic balls are the best when you’re at work trying to focus when the baby in your belly thinks it’s time to wake up and kick you in the ribs because you’re sitting still. Bouncing/moving on a gymnastic ball took care of that problem for me like a charm; it would rock Noah right back to sleep and I could focus on my work. Plus it was so much more comfortable than an office chair. I like to think it was because he was so used to the movement that even after he was born, bouncing on the ball was a great way to put him to sleep or calm him down when he was crying. Also much less of a workout than using your legs to bounce up and down (I’ll let you decide if that’s a pro or a con). I’ve already been using my ball at work occasionally (though I still get excited about every little movement I feel. Baby isn’t quite big enough to kick me in the ribs, but this one is a wiggly and strong one) and I’m sure I’ll use it again once this little one is born.

Nursing pillow

This is another item where there were too many different products available and so many different moms each preferred a different style, that I was so nervous about purchasing the wrong one that I didn’t buy one until Noah was a few weeks old. Once it arrived, I used it all the time. Yes, you can totally feed them without it, but don’t underestimate the support it offers especially as they get older. Plus, it comes in handy during tummy time and it was great for Noah when he just learned to hold his own bottle. Not at all necessary but I would totally buy one again.

Baby wash and shampoo

This is another product where it took me quite some time to find the perfect one. I had tried a few different ones, starting also with Burt’s bees products, and using the honest company’s body wash from Costco for a while. They were both fine but didn’t wow me. And because this stuff can be quite expensive when you’re trying to stay away from Johnson & Johnson type products, I was nervous about trying new things. Eventually I ordered a bottle of Puracy 100% Natural Baby Shampoo, Bubble Bath, & Body Wash from Amazon and found the one (man, was I relieved. I even shared a review of the product on amazon which I never do). Here’s what I said:

"Love this for my son. I've been using it for some time now and have been very happy with the product. Will continue to buy. Price is right for the quality. I love the smell - fresh and citrusy. Used honest company before and wasn't in love with the consistency. This one makes great foam and washes off easily. Highly recommend."

Blankets

Even though we already have quite a few blankets, this is an area I’m going to invest in a bit more for baby #2. You need blankets for all occasions so I’d like to have a good collection of high quality versatile blankets for many different purposes.

Small receiving blankets...

are great for everyday use. We went through so many I might get a few more. We never used burp rags but went with these instead. Not because Noah spit up so much, but these just came in more handy, especially while breastfeeding (yes, milk keeps flowing even when baby detaches…). Cloth diapers fall in the same category. They’re small and soft and perfect for taking care of small messes. I can promise they’ll be spread out all over our house. Last time I just purchased a set of basic white ones and dyed them blue. This time I might have to upgrade to these rainbow muslins – a bit pricey but great reviews and I just love the bright colors.

Swaddling blankets...

were a must have for our little burrito baby. We also had swaddled sleep sacks for when he got older and managed to get out of the tightest swaddle, but even those didn’t keep his arms in, so I don’t know if I would try those again. There are so many different options available too, but I think we’ll just have to wait until we meet baby #2 before making any decisions in this regard. The blankets we got from the hospital are the best because they’re sturdy and stretchy. We used those for swaddling almost exclusively.

I like taking Aidan & Anais blankets...

with me on the go even though I always feel like I have to be so careful with them. They are nice and big without taking up too much room in a diaper bag and come in handy as sun cover over a stroller or a nursing cover. Because they’re so thin and lightweight they unfortunately don’t work well as a play mat in or outside.

Easy to care for blankets that are great for outside and keep the little one warm...

I found a bit more difficult to find. There are a lot of cute fleece options out there, but I don’t love the fabric for myself so I’m not a big fan of using it for my babies either. I always feel like it creates a hot sweaty bubble of warm air that gets trapped under the blanket and my skin can’t breathe, ha ha. My ultimate favorite in this category which we still use for Noah’s naps at daycare is a lovely organic flannel blanket a friend made for Noah. The fabric is soft yet sturdy and we’ve used it a lot over the last couple of years. Great quality but I’m not afraid to take it outside and use it as s play mat at the park. Highly functional I guess is the word I’m looking for. I also bought some super wash wool (I had no idea they made washable wool until I found this. What a great invention.) to make a warm blanket for this fall/winter. Wool is just the best at regulating body temperature – it keeps warm without the risk of overheating – and therefore a perfect baby product, but wool baby blankets can be so expensive, so I decided to make one myself. Hopefully I’ll find some time in the next four months to complete the project. I’ll share pictures when it’s done.

“Bibs”

I’ve never liked bibs. Sure, they’re great for when babies are exploring their first bites of solid food, but I just find them silly looking when babies wart them all day every day. If baby is drooling (or you just want them to look cute), get bandana bibs like these instead. They’re super easy to make from old t shirts and scraps of fabrics as well.