The Best Baby Items You May Not Know You Need

With so many lists of baby items to purchase and baby shower registry suggestions, it’s easy to get lost! How do you know which items are truly the “best”? How can you know which one is better than another? It’s true that there are many different varieties of everything and you have to find the one that YOU like best. I’m going to remove the need for trial-and-error and give you my top 5 baby items that every single one of my client families has LOVED…and they’re all items they didn’t realize they needed, but now can’t live without!

Frida Baby NoseFrida

This is my #1 item because it is hands down THE best product to ever be invented. I’ve learned in my years of working with babies that it is near impossible to get the little snot and boogers out of their teeny little nostrils. There have been a few items created to help, like the bulb nasal aspirator and even an electric one, but I have yet to find anything that works as good as Frida Baby’s! Trust me when I say, don’t waste your time (or money) on any of those and go for the NoseFrida. It’s quick, easy, and 100% mess free. It’s the most efficient way to get the nasties out without any fuss from your baby.

Marpac Hushh Portable White Noise Machine

I don’t think I can say this enough: You. Will. Need. A. White. Noise. Machine. A dog barking outside or your neighbor starting their lawnmower or someone ringing your doorbell is enough to wake the baby you just spent so much time getting to sleep. You will curse the day you ever installed that doorbell and may find yourself yelling at the innocent dog outside. Save yourself the frustration and get a white noise machine to drown out every small sound. The Marpac Hushh is awesome because it has 3 different sounds that mimic the sound of the womb, it’s cordless and portable, can be clipped on just about anywhere, has an optional soft night light, and gives you full control of the volume and sound choice to create the perfect sleep environment for your little one.

Dock-a-Tot Deluxe+ Lounger

Dock-a-Tot is the best portable safe space to lay down your baby. This lounger is great for floor time and naps (in or out of the bassinet). It keeps your baby safe by surrounding them with a soft but firm pillow. It’s especially great if you’re worried about your little one rolling over when they’re swaddled. This keeps them in place and allows them to hang out while staying safe. They have a ton of different covers to go with your decor and style, and of course they’re machine washable (just in case of the inevitable spit up or diaper blowout).

Lovevery Play Gym

Lovevery makes playing with your newborn so easy. Every baby I’ve seen on one of these mats has absolutely LOVED it. There are 5 developmental “stations” around the outside of the mat with things to feed your baby’s curiosity like textured crinkle shapes, a mirror, high-contrast images, and different textured tags and ribbons. It comes with a wooden frame to attach to the mat, where you can hang plush and wooden rattles for your baby to grab, kick, and hit. This mat is amazing for tummy time in those first few months when your baby is learning to hold their head up. They can train their eyes to focus on the black-and-white images, reach for the ribbons and crinkle shapes, and even stare at their cute faces in the mirror. As they grow, they can explore the different stations even more as they learn to roll over on their own and give themselves incentive to learn to crawl to their favorite toys.

Love to Dream Swaddle UP Sleep Sack

When it comes to swaddles, the Swaddle UP Sleep Sack is the absolute best. It’s the fastest, easiest swaddle ever where you literally place your baby in the sack and zip it. Done and done. Swaddling is done in the first 4 months of life to help emulate the snugness of the womb and diminish the baby’s Moro reflex (startle reflex), allowing them to get to sleep easier and stay asleep longer. I’ve noticed a lot of babies don’t like having their arms swaddled down by their sides and if you swaddle them with their hands across their belly/chest, you run the risk of them wriggling their hands up and out, defeating the whole purpose of swaddles. This swaddle allows baby to have their hands up by their face while still keeping them swaddled up tight and decreasing the Moro reflex. Win win!

For more of the best products I’ve found through my career as a Labor & Postpartum Doula, check out my FREE Pregnancy Planning Mini Guide, where I have two full lists of all of the essential items you’ll need for your baby and your postpartum body. I’ve included all of my favorite brands and items that have changed my clients’ lives.