My Top 10 Baby Items

In honor of Pipsqueak’s half birthday today(6 months already!!!), I have made a list of the top 10 things I have fallen in love with over the past 6 months of having a baby! They are in no particular order, just as them came to my mind! Now, not ALL of these are exactly baby items, but they are things I use on her frequently and work wonders for us! Hope you can get some good ideas for your little ones from this!

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee:

I love Burt’s Bees products because they are pretty natural but still affordable. Plus, you use so little of the shampoo and body wash that it last forever! These products give you that “new baby” smell that Johnson & Johnson has without all the chemicals. I love walking into her room after a bath and a nap and smelling it the lotion in her entire room! I have a brand new package with all of these, but I have yet to use the bar of soap of the diaper ointment. We'll see! She has also never had any reactions or allergies to it, so it’s perfect for us.

Coconut Oil:

I am putting this on the list because it has been the only thing that heals baby’s eczema. We also did baking soda baths, and no soap for awhile, but that didn’t seem to be the problem. Slathering her with coconut oil after her bath seems to soften all of the irritated spots and take the redness away. I think her real allergy is from what she is eating, which I am not able to change, so until then we just treat it! It does not seem to bother her too much. I usually buy my coconut oil from the local health food store for around $10 per jar. Again, you only need to use a little and it goes a long way! Plus, you could still use it for cooking too!

White Noise Machine:

This was a lifesaver when baby was little. She would get so angry and worked up, so Daddy would hold it near her head to calm her down, especially when it was time to eat. She slept with this in her bassinet/crib for a few months, until she started scooting around in her crib and would hit it. Now we use a fan for white noise under her crib. We loved this travel machine because it was only $10 at Target and we could take it ANYWHERE. We always took in the car with us and set it on her headrest for the ride. It helped her to stay calm and sleep. Just be prepared to pay an arm and a leg in batteries! She has just about outgrown it now, but I still use it when she sleeps somewhere new. Here is Piper asleep next to hers when she was about 2 months old:

Aloe Vera Gel:

Yep, the same stuff you get for $3 at the store to treat your sunburn. In 6 months, I have only used a “real” diaper rash cream on her once-and it did nothing. For every other time, I only used Aloe Vera! It seemed like most of her rashes were probably heat rashes, but I was never sure. As soon as she started to get red, I would leave her naked for a few minutes during a diaper change to air out. Then I would give her a little layer of aloe, let it dry, and wrap her back up. She seemed to love how it felt. If the rash was too much for my liking, I would give her a warm bath, do the same thing with the aloe vera, and it was always gone by morning. This treatment is cheap and natural. And most people already have it laying around their house! You literally only have to use a fingertip amount on their little bodies.

Sophie Giraffe:

I finally gave in a couple months ago and bought one for Piper. If you can avoid buying one yourself and getting it as a gift-score. They run anywhere between $18-25 depending on where you get it from. I wanted a sturdier, rubber toy for her to gnaw on instead of all the cloth ones that she already has. She seemed interested in a Sophie that another baby had, so I caved and got one. She LOVES it. It goes everywhere with us, and she is always excited when she sees it. She has learned to squeak it, which can be rather annoying to Mommy, but it keeps her happy. And she can hold it and chew on it in any position! I try to wash it with hot water and soap every once in awhile to take gunk off of it, and I just let it dry overnight. We love Sophie!

Essential Oils:

I just love essential oils... have I said that already? If you want to read about my Top 5, click here. This post will give you my top 5 for myself and use on baby. Just this week I have used peppermint and eucalyptus on her and in her humidifier to help treat her cold. A friend of mine who spent time with us also covered her son in thieves oil so he didn’t catch her germs! Another friend pointed out that is it worth the money you spend because if it can heal, cure, or treat something on your child, you are avoiding doctor visits and fees. These are essential (ha!) to have in your diaper bag or nearby. I usually keep them on the changing table so I can use them as I change her diaper. If anything can help me to treat her little quirks and keep us out of the doctor’s office, I’m game!

Swing:

We didn’t use our swing for about the first month of her life. She hated being on her back, so we were too afraid that she would just scream. When she finally calmed down, we used it all the time! It’s a good go-to while I am cooking or cleaning to keep her happy, and she can still see me working in the kitchen. I talk or sing to her while she swings. It is also nice to calm her down before bed or while we eat. We got this fancy one because it was a gift- and I plan on making it last through the rest of the babies!

Aden and Anais muslin blankets:

I just discovered these this week! And I wish I had know about them since Pip’s birth. These blankets are so thin and breathable, and fantastic for swaddling. Because of the fabric, they only get softer the more times you wash them. I love them because Pip now loves to grab them, chew on them,and hold them near her face. They do not feel heavy over my shoulder or make either of us hot-which is a big deal with the heat starting back up. I think they will also be perfect for outings where I want her to fall asleep in her Moby, but she has to be covered! Now she won’t sweat so much. I love these, and just ordered more! My only regret is not ordering these cute prints...

Babywearing:

I think babywearing is awesome and I have always done it. I first tried it when Piper hated being in her car seat or the stroller (still does), so instead I pulled out my Baby Bjorn and wore her everywhere. I loved the Bjorn, despite all of the “bad” reviews about it. She was little and it was easy and comfortable. As she grew, I found that the Bjorn was now hurting my back since it held her so low and all the weight was on my shoulder. I switched to my Moby wrap, which puts more weight across my hips and holds her higher and tighter. We both love it. I like the Moby because I can face her in or out- also why I loved the Bjorn. I also have a Ergo, Beco, Mei Tai, and a wrap for a newborn. I haven’t used them yet, but I will probably try soon. No matter which you choose to use, babywearing is awesome and pretty easy and convenient. I think every mom should own a good, comfortable carrier. For more info on different types of carriers, visit my friend Krisann's blog post about it here.

Hyland’s Kids Kit:

My mom bought this for me when I was pregnant, and I am still so excited about it! It’s amazing how giving baby a few of these homeopathic tablets can calm them, dry up mucus, and help to break a fever. I always go to these first before anything, and they are usually quite effective. This kit can be purchased online, and we also go a book about homeopathic remedies for children and some extra cold tablets. Since Piper came down with a cold 2 days ago, she has had plenty of cold tablets and calming tablets either in her bottle or from my finger. They dissolve in about 3 seconds, so I just hold them on her tongue until they do. When she was a newborn, I would dissolve 1 or 2 in a pink of water and give them to her with a dropper. Again, every mom should have this in her medicine arsenal! Check it out here.

Well, those are my top 10. There are still other things that I have loved, like the boppy pillow for newborn nursing and propping her up, our Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail that keeps her room so fresh, and Praise Baby DVDs for worship, slow images, and calming music. There are so many baby things nowadays! Good luck with your littles. 

BONUS!!!!!
 I know, this makes 11. But I just thought about my car seat cooler! So important now that it is getting hot outside! Here is a picture of the one that my mother-in-law handmade for us. We are so lucky!