MAMA
MUST HAVES
M MINI
KIT
SUSAN BECKWITH GUSHES OVER THE BABY GEAR SHE COULDN’T DO WITHOUT PHOTO BY CARPENTERPHOTO.COM
In May 2019, we welcomed our second baby, Savannah. The second time around I had a better idea of the products I truly loved and used. Sure, every baby is different, but these products have been staples for our family for both Savannah and our three-year-old son, Brody.
STROLLER SWOON
▢ TRANSPORTATION – The Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller System was the biggest ticket item on our registry, and it definitely hasn’t let us down. It offers a smooth ride, it’s lightweight, nimble and folds down to be quite compact. We’ve taken it on several different types of terrain and it always handles beautifully.
EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS
▢ DIAPER CREAM – Boudreaux Maximum Strength Butt Paste is hands down the best over-the-counter diaper rash cream I’ve found. ▢ BOTTLES – We tried different options but with Savannah, the Dr. Brown’s bottles worked best. There are more parts to wash due to the anti-colic mechanism inside, but none of the other bottles worked nearly as well to help reduce her gas. ▢ DIAPER BAG – There are so many adorable options out there, but one thing I highly recommend is going with a backpack style versus a one-strap bag. We have the Ticent waterproof diaper bag from Amazon. It’s affordable, has a lot of space and is highly functional. ▢ HANGERS – I 100% prefer the plastic baby hangers over the felt ones. They’re so much easier to maneuver and definitely cheaper at just $2.99 a package from buybuy BABY®. ▢ BOUNCER – The BABYBJÖRN® Balance Soft is a lifesaver. It’s the only thing that made it possible for me to shower on the days I was home alone during maternity leave. The ergonomic design of the seat responds to the baby’s movements. Another great feature is that you can remove the fabric slip easily and throw it in the washing machine if needed.
BREAST FEEDING ITEMS
▢ BREAST PUMP – The Spectra breast pumps are considered some of the most popular pumps currently on the market, but I really liked my Medela Freestyle® pump. It did a great job and handled a lot of usage without any problems. I do recommend getting the car adapter for those times you need to pump on the go! ▢ STORAGE BAGS – The Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags are awesome for storing and freezing breast milk. They come pre-sterilized with a double zipper seal to prevent leaks. PRO TIP: Be sure to store bags by laying them flat. This makes it easier to stack them on top of each other in your freezer.
GADGETS
▢ WIPE DISPENSER – The OXO Tot PerfectPull™ Wipes Dispenser is simple in design, but so helpful. I can’t tell you how irritating it is when you have a wiggling baby on a changing table and you can’t get just a single wipe out of the package! This dispenser ensures you can pull one wipe out at a time instead of a huge heap. ▢ SOUND MACHINE – The Hatch Baby Rest is super cool because it’s not only great for babies but for toddlers, too. It’s a sound machine and night light and, as your baby grows, the time-torise clock comes in handy. Plus, all the features can be controlled by a.
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