Baby Essentials – The First Three Months

It’s tremendously overwhelming to be a first time parent.  The sheer vastness of information is truly mind boggling, often presented to you with varying degrees of passion in regards to a plethora of subjects.  Which is why  I felt incredibly lucky that so many amazing women in my life have gone before me.  I’ve been able to navigate which items are worth investing in and which we can do without, based on the experiences of others.  But honestly, you don’t completely know until you’re in the trenches.  So I thought I would compile a list of the essentials from the first three months, items that have been tried, tested and truly earned their place in our personal baby repertoire.

1. Boon ‘Lawn’ Drying Rack – Sterilizing bottles and soothers can become a full time job as a new parent, and instead of messing around with a drying rack where parts could get lost, this little patch of greens not only looks cute, it’s perfectly practical too.
2. 4moms Infant Tub – We received this beauty of a bathtub at my baby shower, and I can’t imagine bath time without it.  As a first time parent who obsesses naturally worries over what temperature the water should be, the concern is effectively eliminated with the built in temperature gauge.  You also have the option of continuously running the water, allowing the old H2O to clear out and fresh stuff to come on in.
3. ERGObaby Carrier and Insert – There are a million and one different baby carrier options out there, but luckily under the direction of my sister I was able to test drive her ERGObaby before purchasing one myself.  The handy insert for babies under 3 months allows your little one to be snug as a bug in a rug against your chest while doing anything from walking to hiking.
4. Bugaboo Cameleon³ Stroller – This was by far the most exciting purchase we made before Eloise showed up (remember, it’s the little things people).  I had always loved the look of these strollers, but it was when I got invited to a media dinner with a Bugaboo representative my feelings went from luke warm to scalding.  Every little bit of this stroller has been strategically considered.  Designed for an urban experience, the Cameleon³ is user friendly, fabulously functional, and has fun add ons.  Honestly I have used it nearly every single day and my love only grows stronger by the hour.
5. 4moms MamaRoo Bouncer – I was lucky enough to be able to borrow this gem of bouncer from one of my dear friends, but let me tell you, had I not, I definitely would have made the plunge to purchase myself.  With multiple options of bounce style, when I need a moment to get something done (hello shower), or I have a fussy baby on hand, the MamaRoo is a guarantee to get her sleeping.  Now, if only I could find one in adult size for myself…
6. Aden + Anais Swaddling Cloths – All my girlfriends who have gone before recommended these swaddling cloths as an absolute essential in our baby raising repertoire, and boy, they weren’t exaggerating.  I use mine for swaddling, as a breast feeding/stroller/carseat cover, and a million other things.  They’re light weight and breathable, so the anxiety about them suffocating the baby is cut in half, at least.
7. SoYoung Charlie Diaper Bag –  Before I had a baby I would often dream about the perfect diaper bag that could stylishly carry me through motherhood.  And while this one isn’t Vuitton, it checked all the boxes and then some.  The features of this bag are so incredibly well thought out.   The size isn’t overwhelming and yet it doesn’t feel restrictive either.  Best of all, it straps right on to the handlebars of my stroller.  When you’re a mom hands-free is the equivalent of a boutique couriering your packages home so you can go for lunch with the girls.  Enough said.