All of us first-time parents have been there - you walk into your local Target to register for your first ever baby shower, and you stop dead in the doorway, thinking to yourself, "Where do I start?" or "How do I know what this baby is going to need?" This is a list of the things that I found that I could not survive my baby's first year without.
1) Bouncer - Extremely useful for when the child cannot sit on his/her own yet, and the best part is about them is that you can carry it room to room with you. We had the Fisher-Price Soothing Massage Bouncer, and it was lifesaver - it had a rolling massager to give baby a gentle back massage, it had a vibrate setting, plus played soothing music for baby. A great buy, and a must-have!
2) Exersaucer - Once baby is at an age where he/she can hold up their head on their own, it may be time to purchase an exersaucer. Filled with lots of toys to keep baby occupied, it helps strengthen baby's core, back and leg muscles. Today, some exersaucers have the feature of interchangeable toys, so baby never gets bored!
3) Bobby Pillow - More commonly used for breastfeeding, a Boppy pillow can also be used for tummy time when baby is a newborn, and also for when baby is learning how to sit up. It allows baby to see the world from a different angle.
4) Fisher Price Ocean Wonders Aquarium - This product attaches to the side of baby's crib, and gives him/her something soothing to look at while going to sleep. It can also be moved to different sides of the crib so that baby isn't constantly facing the same way, which could result in a flat head.
5) Teethers - Stock up on these, moms, because they can be lifesavers, and you can never have too many. When baby is going through the teething stage, it seems that nothing will keep them happy for long, but give them a frozen teether, and you'll have peace and quiet for at least 20 minutes!
6) Nuby Sippy Cups - We tried brand after brand after brand of sippy cups, but since my daughter was mainly breastfeed, she didn't understand the hard spout on the cups - she always tried to blow into them. On the recommendation of a friend, we picked up a Nuby Sippy Cup, and it is the greatest! The spout is soft, almost like a bottle-nipple, and it's much easier for her to get the water out!
7) Bibs - A mom can never have too many of these! Starting at 2 months of age, when baby's saliva glands begin working, they start to drool like crazy, and to keep those cute outfits safe, you're going to want a bib on! Then, when baby moves onto solids, and things get even more messy, you'll be wondering where all of your bibs went!
8) Rings - When baby gets to the age of throwing toys just to watch mom and dad pick them up, these "toys" will come into play. Simply link enough together, attach baby's favorite toy to one end, then clip the other end to wherever baby is at (i.e. stroller, high chair), and you'll never have to pick up another toy again! Lifesaver and backsaver!
9) Diaper Champ - By far, the biggest must-have on my list, the Diaper Champ is the best diaper pail on the market. Unlike others, it doesn't require parents to buy special bags - a regular garbage bag or grocery bag (we used the big Toys R Us bags) will do just fine! And an added bonus, it saves a lot of money!
10) The Original Slumber Bear with Silkie - Used for over 25 years in hospital nurseries and invented by a doctor, the Slumber Bear has actual recordings of intra-uterine activity to lull baby to sleep in no time! It worked for our family, like a charm!
When all is said and done, all your new baby really needs is love, love, love. But as new parents, we all want the best of the best for our little ones, and these are my top ten faves!
