Baby Products That Helped Me Survive the First Year

There are loads of diaper bags out there. Some are relatively inexpensive while others cost more.

We received a Ju-Ju-Be diaper bag as a gift, and it was one of the most appreciated gifts we received!

This bag outlasted all the others, and quickly became our go-to travel bag with the kids.

Seven years and two kids later, this diaper bag is still kicking — but we’re just using it as a travel bag.

Not only is it incredibly stylish, it is incredibly comfortable.

Never underestimate the need for a terrific shoulder strap.

When you have that bag hunkered down with formula, extra clothes, pacifiers and food, it becomes extremely heavy.

Most of the other diaper bags we’ve had made our shoulders ache.

This one did not. Plus, we got it in a “dad-friendly” color so my hubby had no qualms carrying it around himself.

Whether you are breast feeding or not, a Boppy pillow is an absolute must.

They will help support the baby when you are breastfeeding and even bottle feeding.

As your baby gets older, it becomes the perfect way to prop your baby up as well as give him some tummy time.

And when your little guy is learning to sit, it creates the perfect halo of cushion around him.

You are going to love your Boppy, and it is going to appear in a lot of baby photos.

So be sure to get a cover you’re going to love.

In fact, get two because they do need to get thrown in the wash once in a while.

You are going to see lots of adorable rocking chairs.

Many of them will have low backs that won’t support your head if you lean back. Run away. Just run away!

The number one item I wish we had owned (and bought immediately when I got pregnant with #2) is a gliding rocking chair with a high back.

You are going to be spending a lot of midnight hours feeding and rocking your child in this chair.

You will barely be able to hold your head up.

You will want to lean back and close your eyes.

You need a cushy chair that is going to give you some comfort as you comfort your own baby.

A gliding chair moves more smoothly and will make it easier to rock with your baby.

Be sure the chair reclines for you.

Also, I highly recommend springing for the matching ottoman.

It may seem like an unnecessarily “luxury,” but you won’t be feeling that way in the middle of the night.

No one is going to tell you this, so it may as well be me.

Your baby is going to get diaper rash.

I’m talking so bad that one of my friends actually took her daughter to the hospital because she thought something was seriously wrong.

There are a number of ointments out there for your baby’s tush, but hands down Triple Paste is the best stuff on earth for diaper rash.

Our son had horrible rash as an infant.

We tried so many creams I thought I was going to cry.

Triple Paste, which used to only be available in hospitals, finally was released as over the counter.

Buy the full tub.

You will use every single ounce.

First, you are going to want to purchase an infant car seat.

But trust me, you are not going to want to transfer your little one into a stroller, waking her up in the process.

No matter what infant car seat system you purchase, the Snap-Nn-Go system will fit it.

Once you have the straps adjusted, you are good to go. We loved how incredibly light weight the stroller was and easy to maneuver.

We had a regular stroller that matched our car seat but we honestly didn’t use the snap-in feature because we preferred the Snap-N-Go.

By the way, if you have a toddler and a new baby, I can’t recommend the Joovy stroller enough.

I was lucky enough to have friends who suffered through other double strollers and steered us clear.

This one moved easier than others and easily accommodated our infant in a car seat as well as our rambunctious toddler.

Some children really need pacifiers. Not just need them but absolutely crave them.

My son was one of them.

We literally tried every single pacifier on the market (and wasted a ton of money) until we discovered Nuk Pacifiers.

They have a special shape to the nipple that just seems to match what many babies need.

I’ve recommended this pacifier to other friends who say they’ve never looked back once making the switch.

There are a lot of baby carriers out there that let you wear your baby.

But at the end of the day, the Baby Bjorn let me walk, cook, read and even fold laundry.

The Baby Bjorn let me wear my boys wherever I went, and I didn’t worry about them falling out of the carrier.

Plus, they never napped as well as when they were all snuggled up in the Bjorn.

It may not come in pretty colors like some baby wraps, but my husband also wasn’t afraid to wear it… which meant a little bit more freedom for me some days.