Coming from a mom with a newborn and a toddler!

We recently brought home baby #2 from the hospital, she is actually 10 days old at the time of this post! Although it has only been about 3 years since I have had a newborn, there are a lot of new baby products out there.

Since I have a toddler to look after (and chase after) this time around, I find myself utilizing baby products differently than I did 3 years ago.

In this blog post, I will go into my favorite and most used baby items with my newborn this far!

DISCLAIMER: This post contains affiliate links. Which means I might be compensated for purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. I am not responsible for any actions taken from my advice, all ideas and opinions on this post remain my own.

So many people told me the first time around “babies don’t need that much stuff.” And I thought- these people are crazy OF COURSE babies need a lot of stuff! Well, turns out I ate my words on that one (like I have many times so far in motherhood) and they are right.

I don’t NEED so much crap (for lack of a better word) that the newborn industry tries to sell to new moms. I always think about something my mom says to me often, “what do you think they did in the old days?” And it is so true!

Many babies were born and grew up without all the bells and whistles, brand new flashy products, and toys that make all the noises to “stimulate your baby.”

Maybe those people had it right all along- who knows. BUT that is a rant for another time.

This is my experience with what I have used the most in my first week with my newborn and yep- it is mostly just basic stuff! I don’t do expensive, I buy a lot secondhand and I want to share with you my budget finds that are practical and actually useful!

Boppy Pillow

I am a breastfeeding mom, and this is a lifesaver! I have talked about the boppy before- in my post “5 things a breastfeeding mama needs in her nursery setup.”

I use this multiple times a day and I have two. AND they are recycled from my first baby!

Since my first was a boy and this time around I have a baby girl, I just bought new covers for my existing boppy pillow. (Frugal and budget friendly, win-win!)

I will link my new boppy covers below, I am obsessed with both of the patterns and they were cheap on amazon.

These are also good for dad, siblings or visitors to use while holding baby. I especially love that my toddler can feel big holding sister while using the boppy.

Laundry Detergent

Now that I have two kids, it’s like the laundry doesn’t stop- ever! I actually forgot how many sleepers, sleep sacks, sheets and burp rags you go through every day with a new baby.

This is the laundry soap I use- I discovered this a couple of years ago when I was looking for a more natural alternative for my baby’s laundry.

It’s not the cheapest laundry detergent out there. BUT I will pay a little more for a product I really love and this is one I splurge on.

I love how it’s all natural and made with goat’s milk! It really does clean the clothes and they smell like lavender which I love for my infant and toddler.

Along with the normal load from my toddler (who loves to play in the dirt, mud, grass, puddles you name it) plus my new baby’s laundry and anything new I have bought or was gifted for her (I ALWAYS wash new things before they touch my baby) we have already done 2 full loads of laundry just for them since being home less than a week!

Halo Swaddles

These are my favorite swaddles since they are so versatile.

My top ten favorite gifts to give (and receive!) at a baby shower

The halo swaddles come in every size even up to toddler (since it is not recommended you give a baby a blanket until after 2 years). So, we also use the sleep sacks- but since I am talking newborn gear we are using the swaddles.

I have talked about this before in my blog post about my favorite baby shower gifts. I am swaddling my newborn but she sleeps better with her arms out. So we are still able to secure the swaddle around her body without restraining her arms and I love that we have that option!

Baby K Tan Wrap

I have a few different wraps and carriers BUT this has been my go-to for the past week with my new baby. It is so simple to use, you don’t have to do much brain work to figure it out (which is helpful when you are running on caffeine and prayers let’s be real).

It keeps baby super snug since it comes in sizes (you order the size you wear in a shirt) and since it is pre wrapped, you don’t have to do all the wrapping like you do with other carriers.

Baby wearing has allowed me to keep up with my almost 3 year old which was one of my main goals with bringing home the new baby. I wanted his routine and fun things he likes to do change as little as possible. I have been able to take short walks with him while he rides his power wheels and walk with him the .25 miles to the park. All because of baby wearing!

My newborn has also been cluster feeding for a few hours at night. It started a few days ago and is staying pretty consistent- right at dinner time. So, I just put her in my baby K tan, cook dinner (when my husband doesn’t take over), eat dinner and clean up while she stays content until I have a minute. This thing has been my life-saver, 10/10 recommend!

Sleepers

My baby has LIVED in her cloud island sleepers from Target since we have been home from the hospital. They are perfect for lounging around the house as well as ideal for bedtime wear.

It’s August so pretty hot outside here in KY but in the AC, a baby can get cold! And my baby HATES being cold.

She is pretty chill other than that but being cold is a no-go. So these sleepers have been perfect because they are light and breathable but also cover her whole body which keeps her warm.

Cloud Island is also my favorite for bedtime!

For bed, they are my go-to because of the inverted zipper and fold over hand mittens. If you have read any of my other blog posts you know I love me an inverted zipper. There is nothing worse than having to completely undress your baby for a 3 AM diaper change let me speak from experience.

Also do not make the mistake of putting your baby in a button up sleeper for bedtime. When you get up the next morning and see your sleep-deprived button securing job you will understand why!

Baby Swings

I actually have two full size baby swings in my house right now and I do not have the room for them but I also do not care! I need a place to put my baby down in every room, just my personal preference!

I also have an almost 3 year old who loves to hug and hold his sister. So, it’s nice to have a large swing that she is strapped into and might be too tall for little hands and arms to fully reach down in and pick her up.

I have a fisher price swing which my baby loves and I have it right next to our couch. Super nice for when I am watching a show with my toddler or having a snack, I can put baby down and keep my eye on her but still multitask at the same time. This swing new is pricey- this is one of the things I have bought second hand off one of my facebook mom groups!

Side note on buying baby items second hand- usually things are in great condition since babies grow so fast and usually things like this are not used for very long!

I also have a swing in my kitchen- the room I spend the most time in. Fortunately my baby loves that swing too and it’s a great, safe place to set her down when I have to turn my back and make a snack or meal.

Again, like most baby swings, this one is expensive. I got this as a gift with my first baby and am using it again this time. Something I really like about this swing is it has tall sides, so my dog and my toddler can’t mess with the baby if I have to turn my back!

I have used these two swings daily and will do so until my baby gets too big for them!

Haakaa

If you have followed me at all and read any of my blogs about a new baby, you KNOW my love for the haakaa. If you are a breastfeeding mama you need one of these in your life!

I have been using this since my milk came in around day 4 postpartum. Every day I have been able to save a little more milk, and have been able to collect 4-7oz of milk every day just from using this!

With my first, I was a just-enougher with my breastmilk. I didn’t start collecting milk for my freezer stash until my son was about 8 weeks old. So, this time I have a different strategy because I don’t want to stress about having enough milk for my baby when I go back to work if I can help it!

You just suction this manual pump to the opposite breast that your baby is eating from and the suction collects the let down from that side. I hope to keep using this as much as possible when my baby is eating!

These products have helped me through my first week as a mom of 2! As my baby grows, I’ll share my favorites that I am using at that time too. Check out my blog post “My top 10 favorite things to give and receive at a baby shower” for more of my favorite baby items!