Top 10 “Not So Typical” Baby Essentials
Let me start by saying if you are on the market for baby things... I highly doubt you are running low on ideas of things to get your little one.
Each time I was expecting I was overwhelmed with the list of “best this or that”... not to mention opinions and suggestions from friends, family, neighbors, coworkers... anyone really.
So for my first “top ten” list I’ll be sharing the not-so-typical items that really helped me through the first year!
Mesh Laundry Bags - oh don’t I wish I stumbled across this sooner. Would have saved so many tiny socks and mittens. Currently I use these to wash Snuggie pacifiers which are also on my list.
Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap - Speaking of laundry... Castile soap is something I have used for many things including laundry. My youngest son has super sensitive skin so... Castile soap to the rescue. We use it for bath time and laundry! It’s concentrated so a little goes a long way.
Hatch White Noise - There are several amazing brands of white noise machines and some of the most reasonable ones get the job done. For the twins we got a Hatch — which we absolutely love because you can control it from your phone (major key!) and it has several different nightlight settings.
Avent Soothie Snuggle Pacifiers - if you choose to give your baby a pacifier this one is one of my favorites. All of kids liked the Avent Soothie brand pacifiers and the stuffed animal attachment is helpful when you (or your baby) are trying to find it (e.g. in an overstuffed diaper bag, or the crib). These were key with the twins early on so we didn’t mix up pacifiers. Now they share everything so it doesn’t really matter. 🤣
Bath Kneeler and Elbow Rest - Maybe it’s my age, but I surely appreciate having this for bath time. This brand in particular has a pocket which is super convenient for bath time when you need everything perfectly accessible, but out of reach of the kiddies.
Little Remedies Gripe Water - Gripe water helps to ease some of the fussiness caused by stomach discomfort and gas… and let me tell you babies are gassy! This brand in particular was our go-to and we loved that it was free from artificial dyes, alcohol and other additives. Babies have a super immature digestive system when they are newborns, so gas is quite common. Having this on hand was a must!
Silicone Bibs - We did baby led weaning and these were game changers. No one wants or needs any additional laundry with young babies - so being able to put these in the dishwasher or just wipe clean is AMAZING.
Electric Nail Filer - So convenient and far less scary than they might seem. Even my husband was okay with tackling nail clipping using these…lol!
Nose Frida - I’m not going to lie. This is disgusting to me and I have YET to use it a single solitary time for any of my kids (thanks to my hubby!) That said... it’s effective and according to a lot of pediatricians the best way to go when it comes to getting little noses unclogged.
Dreft Scent Boosters - Since we switched to our scent-free laundry detergent I really missed the baby smell I used to have with Dreft detergent so I purchased scent boosters that I put in little bags and put in places (kids can’t reach or find) like the top shelf in their closet to give just a hint to their clothes (and anything else in the closet really)!
I hope this list gave you some new ideas that you actually feel will serve you well on your journey with your little one! And feel free to share something in the comments below that might help another mom out!