10 Best Purchases for Newborn - 1 Year Old
Hi, Friends!
Now that we are cooking our baby #2, we are starting to think about what we loved most from when Emma was an infant. Below you can find what Cole and I agreed were our top 10 favorite purchases from Emma’s first year (in no particular order).
1. Puj Bath Tub
We adored the Puj bath tub because it allowed us the flexibility to bathe Emma in our kitchen sink! When we first started exploring bath tub options, some of my mama friends suggested the Puj for its great “filtering” ability (AKA BABIES POOP AND PEE OFTEN… especially in the bath). Also, it’s super easy to clean.
Finally, it’s a breeze to store and seemed to be very comfortable for Emma - she loved bath time from day 1!
2. Lovevery Play Gym
The Lovevery play gym was an awesome resource for every stage of the first year. It provides parents with a Go-To guide on what activities are developmentally beneficial for infants by age.
To be perfectly honest, newborns don’t do much, and it’s nice for parents to have tools to play with a fresh baby who pretty much just lies there and stares :).
This play gym was also perfect for tummy time and sitting play later on - not to mention great for some really fun fort creations!
3. Sound Machine
I’ll admit, I was slow to buy a sound machine. It just didn’t sound that essential to me when I first heard about it. It was not until Cole and I were deep in the trenches of sleeplessness that we decided to pull the trigger (whatever works, right?).
The sound machine was AWESOME!! I do think there are plenty of fantastic sound machines out there, but we love ours. It has a good variety of sounds to choose from (e.g., different types of fans, nature sounds, music, etc.) and the volume is easily adjustable. We learned that newborns often are comforted by whooshing sounds, similar to what they heard in utero. We felt it really help Emma drift to sleep and stay asleep longer.
Sound machines are also great for those parents who want a buffer for their own noisiness. For example, we have creaky doors in our house, and we also were worried about waking Emma up when walking in and out of a room. Sound machines are great to mask those sounds that might otherwise startle your baby awake. Emma still loves her sound machine!
4. Nested Bean Swaddle
Okay, maybe we were a tad unreasonably obsessed with the Nested Bean. We loved this swaddle so much that we started calling Emma “Beanie” because she was constantly in this swaddle for naps and bed time (sorry, Emma). The Nested Bean was a really great swaddle for us because it secured Emma well and the slightly weighted front seemed to provide an additional layer of comfort to her. Once we started using it she seemed to settle a bit easier.
Emma ended up wearing Nested Beans throughout her first year, eventually graduating from the swaddle to the sleep sack.
5. Pop-up Tent
This California Beach Company tent was gifted to us late in Emma’s first year, and it is AWESOME! It provides more room than a Pack N Play for secured playtime, and it really is easy to transport. It folds similar to a beach fold-up chair, with really zero setup when you’re taking it out. It even comes with a cover for sun protection. We have used ours for beach trips, backyard shaded play, and even as a make-shift ball pit for toddler Emma.
6. Ergobaby Carrier
This carrier was great for all stages of Emma’s first year and beyond. It has breathable mesh so perfect for hot, Texas summers. For me, while I did like other infant baby carriers like K’Tans for a comfortable and secure 0-3 month sling, the Ergobaby carrier was perfect for additional stages. Cole and I felt like we really got our money’s worth for this carrier, and we loved that unlike other types, it was adjustable. Both Cole and I were able to wear it comfortably.
7. See, Touch, Feel Books
These types of books are so amazing and engaging for babies in the first year +. The above particular book is still one of Emma’s favorites at 17 months old, and she now is able to really engage the activities on each page. We started reading Emma books right when she was born, but we found Emma was most drawn to books that had interesting textures and visuals. Some additional mentions of beloved books of hers would be If I Were an Elephant as well as their additional animal options.
8. Activity Table
This activity table was PERFECT for easy and safe entertainment when Emma was 4+ months old. The height is easily adjustable for growth, and Emma adored the activities. It provided something fun for Emma to do while I folded laundry (ha, just kidding- while I snacked or just relaxed on the couch) and she continued to love it throughout the year.
One of my favorite features is that it converts to an actual table once the baby grows out of it, so Emma can now use it to color or play with other toys on it. We are all for versatility in our household!
9. Walker + Learning Activity
We thought this walker was a neat tool to assist in Emma as she learned to walk (mostly at 9+ months). Because our house is one-story, we didn’t have to worry about stairs, but if you have them, you want to make absolutely sure you have secured gates by the time you introduce this toy. Emma was always completely full of joy when using her walker, and it gave her the encouragement to try a few steps without it as she learned how fast she could get from what place to another.
The other fun feature about this walker is it comes with a detachable activity board. Emma continues to love these musical activities!
10. Bucket Bibs
These are the definition of things I wish I had invented myself- PURE GENIUS! Once Emma started to try solid foods at around 5-6 months old, these were key. Babies really like to experience their food (all. over. themselves), and the bucket feature of these bibs catch food so you’re not needing to change your baby’s outfit 3 times a day. They comfortably secure around the neck, and their material makes it easy to wash in the sink rather than having to throw in the laundry. As a major plus, there are some really cute floral designs among similar brands on Amazon.
Honorable Mentions
Among our list of favorites, I would be sad not to mention these other things (some not as “cute”) that we loved during Emma’s first year:
Frida Baby tools
Eco-Baby Child Safety Magnets
Drawer Dividers for Nursery Organization
Muslin Burp Cloths
Posh Peanut Bamboo Swaddles + Mom Robes
Items we may try with baby #2
Based on word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, here are a few items we are considering trying this next time around:
Renting the Snoo Smart Sleeper Bassinet. We have heard nothing but excellent things about this bassinet, and it becomes much more affordable with the option to rent. We also feel it will fit a lot better in our room than the Pack N Play we used for a bassinet with Emma.
Some form of Dockatot / Snuggle Me Organic/ Bobby Lounger – I often didn’t have a place to put Emma down that was portable. You’ll find when you’re attempting to get chores done sometimes it’s nice to put your baby down by you instead of using a carrier.
Portable travel baby bottle warmer – there were plenty of times when we were out and about and wanted to feed Emma but didn’t have a great way to heat up the milk.
Electric nail trimmer – don’t make the mistake I did and try to cut your infant’s nails with infant trimmers… it was heartbreaking after I knicked Emma in the thumb and drew blood. I’ve heard that electric nail trimmers are safer.
Glider – we have a large old rocking chair in our home but it would have been nice to use something that fits nicely into the nursery / our room.