My Favorite Products from Year One of Motherhood
It’s wild how fast the fist year of motherhood flies by. It can be filled with long nights, early mornings, and so many changes— for both you and your baby! There’s no question it takes a village and a few new accessories to bring these babies home and raise them up. Below, are my favorite products from this past year that you can count on as staples in your motherhood journey.
Baby Items
The Hatch Rest+ and the Hatch Rest Go were essential for both at home and on the go sleep. The Hatch Rest+ can be controlled from your phone, has multiple sounds, and can be customized to turn off and on at specific times. We plan to use this well into the toddler years which we see as being helpful in setting times to rise and leave bed later on. The Hatch Rest Go was so easy to attach to the carseat, stroller, and diaper bag making it perfect for on the go naps. The volume is also easily adjustable depending on the environment.
We’ve used this Egg light from the first night in the hospital until now for night time stories or middle of the night needs. For those early days when you’re up in the middle of night, this egg was perfect with its dimmable features, red light option, and ease to take it where ever its needed!
If you plan to breastfeed, this pacifier helps to encourage a deep latch and the oral functions specific to breastfeeding and language development. Our feeding journey included working with a lactation consultant, occupational therapist, pediatric dentist and physical therapist who all recommended use of the Ninni Co. Pacifier.
This sleep sack is perfect for the swaddling stage to the toddler stage with the removable swaddle detail. Our little guy sleeps in one of these sacks for every nap and nighttime sleep. The viscose from bamboo material is super soft and helps with temperature control. We have 4 that we rotate through throughout the week.
Our little guy spent nearly every day of winter in these pajamas and still sleeps in them every night. They are made of viscose from bamboo which means they are extremely soft and have the ability to help regulate body temperature. They also have a 2 way zipper which is really helpful for diaper changes and a convertible foot that gives the option to keep the feet warm or uncover them for sensory play and the days of standing and walking. We find the sizes are generous and that our son could stay in a size for 3 months time!
This stain treater was and still continues to be a daily go- to in our household. There isn’t a stain we haven’t been able to get out with it and the best part is the ingredients are safer for children than traditional stain treatments. Its really easy to use—just spray, blot, and wash. We have one in our laundry room and the minis for the diaper bag and car!
The Nanit baby monitor and wall stand has been a great option for us! It gave me peace of mind in the early days with the breathing detection band (which is made from 100% cotton) and has continued to help guide us in Stetson’s care and sleep routines with weekly reports on sleep times, wakings, and age appropriate wake windows. I can also access his monitor from anywhere which gives me peace of mind as a working mom.
Mama Must Haves
So many of these products have to do with nursing or pumping because that’s what worked for us this first year postpartum. There’s no denying that this was a huge time commitment and one that included many setbacks and challenges. But, with time, support, and some of these products, we were able to meet our desires.
The Breastfeeding Bra bundle was a game changer from the early days all the way until now in my breastfeeding/pumping journey. This is due to the fact that Bodily creates bras (in collaboration with an IBCLC) to support your breasts through each stage of breastfeeding (think early days where engorgement can occur and breast size really fluctuates, to the 3 month mark where supply regulates, to after that 6 month mark where breast tissue isn’t as susceptible to complications like clogged ducts and mastitis). The Bundle includes a bra for each stage of nursing as well as the pumping bra that supports flanges and allows for hands free pumping. I love there material of these bras and think It was really helpful in preventing complications in my own journey given the elasticity and support change with each stage of feeding and it was super convenient to be able to adjust the strap’s length in the front as opposed to the back! Use code (SKYLER15) for 15% off any orders $125 or more!
For those early days of breastfeeding, using a milk catcher to passively collect milk from the breast that’s not being nursed on was one way I was able to store extra milk in the freezer. I personally loved these milk collectors because they could slip right into my bra vs hanging off the breast and getting easily knocked off.
If you plan to pump at all, I couldn't recommend these portable pumps more. Historically, portable pumps were notorious for not extracting as much milk as typical pumps but this pump has a heat flow feature as well as hospital grade suction which both allowed for the same amount of output for me. It was all the better because I could control the settings from my phone, it came with silicone flange inserts, and a charging case which was perfect for me to pump at work!
Speaking of work, I was able to safely store all the milk I pumped during a regular office day or 24 hour shift in this food grade stainless steel milk chiller storage system. By filling the inner chamber with ice and water, my milk stayed cold for 20+ hours and I could easily transport it to and from work. We also took many trips this first year and this system made airport travel easy with its TSA friendly design! Code WELLANDWORTHYCO will get you 15% off when purchasing here.
Nemah stretch mark cream was a game changer when I started using it morning and night. Formulated by a nurse practitioner and safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding, I liberally and religiously applied it morning and night. I ended up having a small mark near my belly button after delivery and since using this the entire year postpartum, the stretch marks are hardly noticeable at all! Use Code WELLANDWORTHYCO to save 15% on your order.
Baby Gear + Nursery Favorites
When it came to the nursery, we really focused on the necessities and didn’t actually do any type of theme in part because we waited until birth to know if we were having a girl or boy. I say that to preface the gender neutral color scheme that many of our favorite items contain. What I didn’t anticipate is because of that, it will be really easy to transition these bigger items to siblings (hopefully!) one day.
We tried several lower cost nursery chairs before ultimately deciding that it was worth it to splurge and get the one that was most comfortable. After spending several hours in this chair the last year, I can confirm it was worth every penny! We ended up getting this one with the electric option for ease of use. It swivels, reclines and fits my 6’3” husband well. We chose the performance fabric in alabaster white and I’m happy to say have not a single stain from year 1.
I also struggled to find a rug that was big enough for our son’s nursery and then I found this one that was 8’ x 10’, didn’t break the bank, had a ton of cushion, and was soft! These were all important to me given I knew my babe would be spending a lot of time in this space playing, learning to crawl/walk, and taking a few tumbles.
This baby bath was a nightly staple until around 7- 8 months when we felt comfortable with our little guy sitting upright independently in the tub. The structure was comfortable yet sturdy and the design made it easy for the tub to completely dry and not hold water.
We spent hours debating the best stroller system to purchase for our family desires. We wanted it to be something we could purchase and grow with up to potentially 3 children, be a smooth ride, well made with good quality material, and have a reputation for holding up well through child raising demands. With that in mind, we ended on this set because ultimately it checked all these boxes and provided the most room when adding another seat attachment when compared to others on the market. We still use this daily for walks in the park, sidewalks, stores, etc. It again, was worth it!
When choosing a carseat, we prioritized materials it was made out of, safety testing reports, weight of the carseat itself and how easy it was to transition to a stroller. We landed on this one. And we still love it!
When it comes to baby carriers there are really so many options. I tested ( & own) at least 5 and this one was by far the most comfortable out of all of them! The lumbar support really made the difference for me when it came to posture postpartum and the fact that I could easily and confidently put it on myself kept me reaching for that one vs. any of the others.
I know having a baby can feel overwhelming at times! Researching products, making decisions, and trying to determine what I really needed vs. what I didn’t was stressful for me. I hope by sharing my go-to, every day products that process just became a little easier for you!