Our Favorite Newborn Products


Now that Rory is no longer a newborn (she just turned three months old last week and where is the time going?!), I thought it was time to dish on our favorite newborn products. I shared some of our favorites back in this post when Rory was eight weeks old, but I wanted to have a comprehensive list that people can reference over and over again. Plus, now that Rory is a bit more active and alert, I have some new items to share!Our favorite newborn products

I honestly had no idea what to buy when it came to baby products. I knew that I didn’t want to go overboard and have tons of stuff, but I also wanted to be stocked with the essentials during those first few months. Here’s what I’ll say. You can always buy items after the baby comes when you realize you need them. We had many times when we realized we needed something and didn’t have it, so we headed to Amazon Prime, place our order, and it was delivered the next day. So really, I wouldn’t go overboard before your baby arrives. Instead, know that you can always buy more stuff down the line.Life with Rory

Some of these bigger items might be good to add to your registry if you’re having a baby shower (more baby registry tips here). We ended up using the website Babylist for our registry and some of these items were gifted to us by our generous loved ones.

Okay, so let’s get to it. Here are our (and Rory’s) favorite newborn products.

Favorite Newborn Products

Favorite Newborn Products

Owlet // Hatch Sound Machine //ย  Diaper Cream Brush // Diaper Pail // ย Bottle Warmer // Drying Rack // Burp Cloths // Willow Pump // Play Gym // Music Toy // Bounce Chair // Baby Bjorn Carrier // Car Seat // Stroller // DockaTot // Diaper Bag // Portable Sound Machine // Soft Onesies

NurseryOur baby girl's nursery

I’m planning to do an updated nursery tour later this month, but until then, here are the best items we use in Rory’s nursery. Oh, and if you want sources for everything else in the room head to this blog post.

  • Owlet: Whenever I show a picture of our baby monitor on Instagram stories, I always get questions about which monitor we use. We have the Owlet and really love it. We bought it with the Owlet sock that can monitor your baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels, but we’ve rarely used the sock. We pull the Owlet app up on our iPad and watch her that way.
  • Hatch: This is the sound machine we use in the nursery and it’s fantastic. It gets really loud, has multiple sounds (we just use the white noise), and even has a night light and shows the time on it.
  • Silicone Diaper Cream Brush: Okay, so this is one of those little gadgets that you don’t know you need until you have it. My friend gifted this diaper cream brush to us and it’s the best. We use the Boudreaux’s Butt Paste and it works super well, but it’s sooooo sticky and hard to get off your fingers. It was always hard to put on the butt paste, wipe your fingers, and then get the diaper on without making a big mess. This little spatula works so well and keeps my fingers clean!
  • Drawer Organizers: It took Finn some time to figure out his ideal dresser drawer setup, but he finally got the drawers exactly the way he wants them because of these drawer organizers. I’ll share more in the nursery post later this month. Just know that these work great to corral small onesies and teeny tiny clothes!
  • Diaper Pail: I was really worried about her room getting stinky, but this diaper pail does the trick. Trust me, don’t just use a regular garbage can for diapers.
  • Haiti Babi Blanket:ย If you’re looking for the best knit blanket, this is it! My mom gifts this to everyone she knows who has a baby. It’s such a sweet gift and for a good cause. Haiti Babi trains moms in Haiti to knit and crochet, giving them skills and a job helping to end their family’s cycle of poverty. We use our pink one all the time when snuggling with Rory.

FeedingRory taking a bottle

Now that I’m exclusively pumping, we go through lots of bottles and paraphernalia each day. Here’s what we use when it comes to those feedings.

Play TimeOur favorite newborn products include this lovevery playmat

During those first weeks there wasn’t much “playing” going on. Wow, that has definitely changed in the past month. Now that Rory is up for an hour to an hour and a half at a time, there is so much more to do with her! She loves to play and it has been a blast getting to spend so many fun moments with our daughter. We are definitely trying to limit the number of toys in the house and we do our best to put them away at night (we keep items in our storage ottoman and the TV console so it becomes a baby-free zone when we hang there at night). Here are the items that Rory is currently loving…

  • Lovevery Play Gym: I originally opted for this playmat because it isn’t hideous and I thought it wouldn’t be too much of an eyesore in our living room. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how much we love it! It comes with some thoughtful accessories that are tailored to your baby’s age and it gives tips on what to do with them. We followed the guidelines for the 0-12 week toys and Rory has loved developing along with them. For a while, we didn’t have the wood arch over the mat because Rory wasn’t yet looking up at things. Now, she adores the items that hang from the top piece so it’s there to stay. I know they have a subscription service, so we’ll have to look into that. I highly recommend this for a playmat.
  • Baby Einstein Music Toy: This is the only toy we put on our registry because I had about five moms tell me it’s a must-buy and wow, they were right! This was the first thing that Rory was interested in. She loves listening to the songs and when a song comes to the end, she coos for more. It’s just about the cutest thing ever and has really helped with her “talking.”
  • Black & White Board Books: My mother-in-law got us these black and white books because my nephew loved them. Babies can only see in black and white in the beginning, so these books are really striking and visual. Rory stares wide-eyed at the pages.
  • Baby Bjorn Bouncer: This bouncer is another fun item for Rory for playtime and lounging time. If she wakes up a bit early from a nap, I’ll place her in this and bounce her with my foot until it is time to eat. Then, when it’s playtime, she will sit in this and look around or I’ll read her books in it. She hasn’t yet learned how to kick her legs to make it bounce herself, but that will probably happen any day now.

On The GoFinn wearing baby bjorn

We’re rarely “on the go” these days, but occasionally we will go to Grama’s house or for a walk around the neighborhood. These are the items that come in handy for that…

  • Baby Bjorn Carrier: Rory naps four times per day and that fourth nap is always tough for her. But if Finn wears her in this carrier, she is out like a light! She looooves sleeping on daddy’s chest and this thing is super easy to use and snap-on.
  • Uppa Baby Stroller: We have the Uppa Baby Vista stroller and it’s a dream. It is super easy to fold up and throw in the car and it glides perfectly over the uneven city streets. Rory just graduated from the bassinet and we are now using the car seat as the topper because she isn’t quite big enough for the rumble seat. Which brings me to…
  • Car Seat: We have this car seat and it has been great. It snaps in super easily. I also use this cover over it when transporting Rory in and out of the house so she doesn’t get any sun on her. Plus, I use it when we go to the doctor so it’s up over her when in the waiting room.
  • DockATot: Those first six weeks, we used the DockATot for lots of naps in the living room. Rory was so cozy in there. Now that we’re on more of a schedule, we try to always swaddle her and have her take her naps in the crib. However, when we go to Grama’s house she sleeps in the DockATot and she loves it still.
  • Diaper Bag: This is the diaper bag we use and I adore it. It’s spacious, trendy, and the perfect size. Finn wears it. I wear it. It works for everyone.
  • Portable Sound Machine: We have two of these sound machines so Rory always has white noise when she is sleeping. Just charge it up and you’re good to go!

Clothing

We didn’t buy one piece of clothing before Rory was born. Instead, I was gifted with a lot of cute stuff for my baby shower and I received a few clothing gifts once Rory was born. I would urge you to hold off on buying too many clothes before the baby arrives because sizing is just soooo tricky (and again, online shopping to the rescue). Now that Rory is here, Finn does all of her shopping (he is so into it, it’s too cute!). His favorite sites are Monica & Andy for special pieces and high-quality basics and Carter’s for items that Rory will grow out of quickly.

  • Pajamas: We love the Sleep and Play line from Carter’s and have bought several different kinds. They’re great because they have a double zipper, so you can zip up from the foot for easy diaper changes.
  • Ollie Swaddle: So technically it isn’t clothing, but we’ve used the Ollie swaddle from the start. It’s super easy to use; Rory can’t break free (most of the time); and it’s lightweight enough for her to wear footed jammies underneath.
  • Soft Onesies: These Burt’s Bees onesies are incredibly soft and easy to put on. Win, win.
  • Monica & Andy: When it comes to clothes, you can’t go wrong with Monica & Andy. Their stuff is adorable and they have the cutest prints. We also have a few of their blankets.
  • Baby Bling Bows: For now, Rory lets me put bows on her head. We’ll see how long it lasts until she is ripping them off. Until then, I buy all of my bows from Baby Bling Bows and I can’t get enough.

There you have it! The big list of our favorite newborn products. If you’re pregnant, I hope this list is helpful as you figure out what you need for your upcoming arrival. I know it’s overwhelming, so this post will always be here for you to reference as you welcome that sweet baby! Just know that you can always get something you need after your baby is born, so don’t stress too much.

Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.