Well it’s been just over 8 weeks since my baby girl made her grand entrance into this world which I feel has given me plenty of time to use all the fun and much needed baby products that I had collected over my 38 weeks of pregnancy. I’ve decided to share some of my favourite items that have made my life easier and have served great purpose for baby Emsley and I.

1. Solly Wrap – When I purchased this I was originally unsure if I would use it as I preferred the idea of taking my stroller along for carrying Emsley rather than strapping her onto me. Plus, I had also purchased a Baby Bjorn carrier earlier on in my pregnancy and did not think it was necessary to have two different types. Since my babe was about 5 weeks old she has wanted to be held non-stop and tends to fuss when I put her down. I started using the Solly wrap only a week ago and boy has it been life changing! Once I place her in it she is immediately content and momma officially has her hands free to do work around the house! I love that this wrap is soft, comfortable and can be used for newborns unlike the Baby Bjorn which can only be used once your child has head control. Definitely a must to get things done and worth every penny!
   

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2. Angelcare Bath Support – Bought this tub for a great price when Target Canada was closing as I had previously seen it in use with a friend’s baby. I was never planning on giving Emsley baths in our sink as I found the effort to clean out the kitchen sink and prepare the space for her was more work than bending over and bathing her in her bathtub. Emsley’s umbilical cord fell off very early on so we have been using this tub for quite a while now. Even when she was just a newborn it provided her with great support. I also like that it is not made of cloth, decreasing the chance of bacteria or smells as it dries quickly or can be dried off very easily.
   

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3.  Lamb Baby Mat – Saw this cute little guy at Babies ‘R Us and decided I needed it. Again, originally wasn’t sure if it was a necessary item but it’s cuteness and colour palette caught my attention as it isn’t gaudy and fits in nicely with our house decor. I keep it downstairs on our main floor and have found that I use it quite often, particularly for tummy time. My favourite thing about it is its practicality as it is machine washable. Often tummy time leads to spit up time and I have yet to put it into the washing machine as I have been able to spot wipe it very easily. I also like that it is a thick plush and super comfortable for baby to lie on, even when using it on our hard laminate floors.
   

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4. Aden and Anais Sleeping Bag – At the recommendation of our public health nurse we were told not to swaddle our baby in a blanket at night. We like to keep our house cool, particularly during the night and felt awful that our little pumpkin could be suffering, laying in her bassinet in just her sleeper without any coziness. Often we would notice that her fingers and toes would be ice cold when she woke up for middle of the night feedings. We bought this sleeping bag in hopes to solve this problem and have been super pleased with it so far. It’s a medium weight which provides the right amount of warmth year round and is easy to zip on and off when doing middle of the night diaper changes.
   

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5.  Aden and Anais Bath Wrap – This is the newer version of the bath wrap with the tie as my version no longer exists. I love the simplicity of the design on the Aden and Anais bath wraps and find them to be the perfect towel to use after bath time. They are the right size to wrap baby in and the head piece is a great fit for Emsley’s small newborn head, providing her with immediate warmth and decreasing the chance of fussiness.
   

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6.  Nuna Sena – I shopped long and hard for the right bassinet option for our room so that baby could sleep close to us during the first few months. A lot of the bassinets being sold are quite pricey and do not offer much more than a small sleeping quarter for the first few months. I also found that a lot of them didn’t compact at all which restricted the use of them for travelling. I researched weight restrictions and found that many of the bassinets maxed out between 6 months to a year. When I came across the Nuna Sena I was instantly sold. I liked that it was versatile giving the option for it to be used initially as a bassinet but then later as a playard. The size of the larger version allowed for ample growth and has a weight restriction of just over 30 lbs allowing for use up until as old as 3 years (depending on the size of your child). It quickly folds up, requiring only one hand to pull on a strap and has a carrying case which allows for easy travel. The mattress is also thicker than many of the other playards I looked at which provides more comfort for baby and is one less expense as you do not have to “upgrade” your mattress. Overall this item seems like a win win at a very reasonable price!
   

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7. Muslin Blankets – Love the light weight of theses blankets and how they regulate babies temperature. They are perfect for swaddling as well as for draping over yourself while nursing. I also use them to cover the car seat when the sun is shining onto baby’s face. I find that they are extrememly versatile and I am always picking them over other, thicker blankets that tend to cause my babe to sweat when she is being held against our bodies.
   

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8. Carters Zippered Sleepers – I had purchased some sleepers before baby was born based on the patterns I liked not taking into account that all of them had snaps rather than zippers. We had received a zippered one from a friend just before Emsley was born and it instantly became our go to nighttime sleeper. We ended up using that particular one every night it was clean (which was more like every second night due to spit up and projectile vomit) as it allowed for quick access for diaper changes during the wee hours of the night. Since your brain is half alseep and your fingers and hands haven’t quite woken up at 3 in the morning, coordination is not at its best and attempting to do up snaps quickly when your baby is kicking and screaming does not lead to successful outcomes. We quickly learnt the benefits of the zippered sleeper and ran out to Carters to load up on three more in each size!
   

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9. Carters Receiving Blankets – Before baby was born I was told that I needed many of these so I went out and bought 2 packs of 4, thinking that 8 was enough…boy was I wrong! It is truly amazing how quickly these are dirtied and need to be washed, especially when you have a babe who spits up and vomits on a regular basis. I was going through these like no tomorrow so I picked up four more and ended up getting another four as a gift. 16 seems to be the perfect amount to have to keep us going between wash cycles!