6 Baby Things I Never Thought I Would Love (But Do)

 

 

 

It’s been just about 10 full weeks since our newest addition joined our family. If you ask me how’s it been, I would more than likely answer it’s been a huge blur. Eight weeks in any other circumstance would seem like forever, but it literally feels like I had my big belly only a minute ago. 

Aside from the long nights and getting-to-know-you period between myself and my daughter, there’s also been a lot of experimenting with new baby related gadgets and tools that have come on the market since I had my son 8 years ago. 

When compiling my baby registry and must have list, I referenced back to that first experience to keep the lists as realistic and basic as possible. Nonetheless, I still gave into some indulgences and things I might have thought were cute or sounded like a great idea even though I wasn’t completely confident in it at first.

Low and behold, some of these exact items ended up being my “can’t live without” items this time around. 

Here is a run down of a couple. Each item will include clickable links for you to check them out yourself. PLUS, I created a little video from my YouTube channel where you can watch me run down the list in person.

 

1. The OXO Weighted Wipes Dispenser 

This little do-hickey was certainly something I totally wrote off as a non-essential. I kept thinking back to when I had a different albeit much less fancy wipe dispenser for my son. I NEVER used it. That’s a lie. I used it for about a week, but ended up forgetting about it because it was absolutely pointless. The old one just looked pretty when on the dresser but was not worth the trouble of taking the extra minute or two to take the wipes out of their original package and put them into it.

However, this one is not like that at all.

There are two main things that make this dispenser gold in my eyes.

1. It only allows one wipe to come out at a time. 

And yes that is it’s purpose. But it is genius. I remember getting frustrated when I reached for one wipe and three would find their way out the package. And being that the other hand is more than likely tending to the baby, you end up using more than you need simply because they are in your hand. This stops all that by having a heavy plate with a hole in the middle that keeps the wipes in place when you are taking them out. Just watch out when holding it to avoid it falling out. It would be terrible if it fell on your foot or any other body part during the process.

2. It is whisper quiet when opening…perfect for those late night diaper changes. 

This is a point that did not dawn on me until recently. As I mentioned before, I wasn’t too keen on any other wipe dispenser or holder so I was always grabbing for the wipes in their original noisy plastic packaging. I never even thought about how disturbing it was at night when I was trying to keep my kids as minimally stimulated as possible with the hopes they would swiftly go back to sleep after being changed.

This dispenser is excellent if not only for this purpose. It is sooo quiet when opening and closing. PLUS, it keeps the wipes airtight so they don’t dry out. It truly is a game changer in my opinion. Check it out for yourself here.

 

2. Ubbi Diaper Pail

 

If there was a list of baby things I was low key crushing on for the new baby, this would be #6. I came across this pail while doing some research for an alternative to the diaper genie. The diaper genie has become a staple on almost every registry list simply because it’s been around for so long and its so recognizable. However, there are a few pails on the market that just might be able to knock it from it’s spot with a little more exposure.

I truly believe the Ubbi Diaper Pail might just be it. The pail is a steel, non porous and meant to keep the smell of terribly stinky diapers inside. Sounds unimpressive so far? Well, the best part is it doesn’t require special bags or cartridges like the diaper genie.

See, while the genie is less expensive up front, it starts to eat away at your wallets when you have to keep purchasing the special cartridges with the bags made to lock in the smell of the diapers by sealing them individually. On average the genie will run you between $35 and $45 and each cartridge costs around $7 give or take. These are not always sold at every store and may require a special trip to pick them up. If your child is in diapers for around 2.5 years, this can get both pricey and annoying.

The Ubbi diaper pail costs around $65-75 up front, but that is it! You do not need to purchase special bags because you can use regular kitchen garbage bags. We use the tall kitchen bags for out other indoor garbage pails and these easily fit in the diaper pail as well. It truly saves lots of money in the long run.

Long story short, I thought it sounded like a great idea and a money saver before using it. However, now that I’ve been using it for 2 months, i have been talking about it non-stop to everyone that is expecting or going to a baby shower.

 

3. Affordable Baby Carrier

 

Another must have on mine and almost every other mommy-to-be’s list is a baby carrier. It’s a convenient way to take the baby with you when either doing stuff around the house or out and about.

However, the choices for carriers are overwhelming. There is literally one in just about every color, size, fit, style, and price point so everyone can have one.

These choices also make it easy for moms to get more than one, or two. I know a couple of moms that have closer to 10 to ensure their outfit and carrier coordinate. I knew this wouldn’t be me at all.

Although I ended up with 2 carriers, I had pegged one in particular as my favorite and go-to even before the baby arrived. Surprisingly, it was not the one I have ended up reaching for on a regular basis.

This super affordable Infantino 4-in-1 Carrier is the one you will probably see me using the most in my house. It is sturdy, basic colored, and AFFORDABLE!! At less than $30, I am not afraid to get something on it if I am cleaning while baby wearing. I would be incredibly upset if I spilled juice on my $80 carrier. I will warn you that the instructions could have been a less stick figure like and included actual words to explain the best way to set up and adjust the carrier, but its not very hard to figure out on your own. Overall, I highly recommend it.

 

4. Disposable Nursing Pads

This may sound like a stupid pick, but let me explain. While planning everything out for baby’s arrival, I was pretty convinced I would be using reusable nursing pads. I could understand how it seemed like a perfect way to avoid potentially questionable ingredients from being in contact with such an intimate area. I had already made the switch to reusable feminine care products, so this was a no brainer.

WRONG!

I quickly (albeit begrudgingly) gave up my reusable nursing pad fantasy and gave into the glorious convenience of disposable ones.

Prior to my milk coming in, I did not know how much I would leak and how heavy my letdown (When your milks starts to come into your breast while your child is breastfeeding. It is preceded by a tingling sensation and can be heavy, light, or not noticeable by the mother when it is happening) was. I come to find out it could soak my shirt in a minute.

Between the demands of the new baby, fatigue, and everyday life, I am not able to wash clothes as often as I used to. So, there is no way I could keep up with the maintenance of reusable pads at this moment.

I caved and purchased some disposable pads that were in line with my non-toxic beliefs and flew through them within the first week and a half. However, my experience with them was not what I had hoped. I tried a couple of brands and most are a bit rough on the skin, too bulky, or an array of other uncomfortable and unfortunate words. At this time, I do not have a recommendation for a particular brand, but I have given up on reusable pads almost indefinitely.

5. Muslin Swaddle Cloth Blankets

 

 

 

Muslin cloths are something I added to my registry list on a whim. I saw it in a couple of baby must have YouTube videos and thought, “hey why not?!” I figured I could use them as I had receiving blankets in the past. Being that they are light cotton, they would be more season appropriate instead of the flannel used in others.

Once I dipped my toe in the muslin swaddle cloth pool, I definitely saw what was so appealing. These feather light blankets are certainly a must have and get used multiple times a day in our house. Their stretch makes them perfect for swaddling even in the heat. They are perfect for throwing over the baby when entering a cooler area or store. They can be laid down and used during a diaper change. They can be thrown over your shoulder and chest area while breastfeeding. Heck, I even used it as a shade in the car while nursing my daughter. The patterns and colors available on the market are just the cherry on top.

I was able to get some really affordable shorter muslin cloths here, and longer and bigger trendy ones here and here.

I even splurged on a muslin car seat canopy. It makes a perfect cool environment for my daughter to snooze in while we are out and about.

6. Waterproof Changing Pad Cover 

 

Now this is something I totally purchased on a whim while using up my gift cards at my local store. In fact, I didn’t even really think I was going to buy a changing pad since the bed worked just fine with my son the first time around. Yes, we were pressed for space back then and I never purchased a changing table, so I learned to make due. But, I was determined to get a specific crib that so happened to have a changing table attached so I ended up having to buy a cover at the last minute.

When I saw this cover with a wipeable and waterproof center, it sounded cool, so I threw it in the bag.

Little did I know that decision would save me lots of laundry and money. Being able to simply wipe up any messes that may happen while changing a diaper is AWESOME!! If that small feature wasn’t included, I would have to remove the cover each time any fluid touched it and try to get the stubborn stain out. After a while, the actual pad may get dirty and I would have to replace that sooner than I wanted to. For less than $17, all of that can be avoided.

 

These are just a couple of items I’ve come across and found handy this time around. I will be sharing more as I try them out. What items did you find to be helpful when your baby was smaller. Leave a comment below letting me know.

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