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Being the mom of two boys under the age of two, I have tried all the fancy baby gadgets on the market. I really love a lot of the things out there but there are some things that I don’t think are worth the splurge.

These baby gadgets are my absolute favorites because they make my life SO much easier. Several are splurges but since I’m continuing to have babies they are constantly reused and hold up amazing.

See a quick overview of my baby must-haves:

Now here are all those essentials in the attached video and listed below. I own and have tried and tested every item I’m discussing today. Obviously you don’t need multiple carseats and stroller sets but I wanted to try them out to be sure I was able to really let my followers know what I liked and didn’t like about them! I did the larger more expensive items in this post. I’ll do another one on smaller gadgets next.

1. UPPABABY VISTA STROLLER WITH BASSINET & TODDLER SEAT — This stroller is hands down my favorite baby buy of them all. We got it back when Ford was a baby but now have it set up as a double stroller since it’s the perfect full-size stroller, from toddler to newborn. It’s super sturdy and great for summer babies because it has so many vents as well as winter babies with all the quilting and winter attachments you can get!
2. UPPABABY RUMBLE SEAT — We got this extra seat to add on once Shepherd outgrows the bassinet(about 4 months). It’s super comfy and has a sunshade to protect your babies from the sun!
3. VISTA & CRUZ STROLLER SNACK TRAY — We LOVE these! This tray was and still is great to get Ford to eat snacks and drink water while he’s out and about. It helps to get healthy food in him since it holds the fruits and veggies right there in front of him.
4. MIXX STROLLER — I picked this stroller up in the Nordstrom sale and keep it as a smaller, single stroller in our other car. If you’ve got a smaller car, or only have one baby, this is a great option. It breaks down super easy too!
5. MESA INFANT CAR SEAT — I love this car seat for bigger babies. It’s a little bit roomier than other car seats but is totally fine for a newborn coming home from the hospital.
6. NUNA PIPA LITE CAR SEAT & BASE — This is my number one choice for a tiny baby! It just fits more snugly with a newborn and has all these options that you can add on for extra support, like the little head attachment. It’s also got a really nice cover to help protect babies from the sun.
7. NUNA RAVA CONVERTIBLE CAR SEAT — Ford loves the cupholders in this car seat and it’s so comfortable for him to sit in! We transitioned him into it when he was a little over a year old but it would work well for younger babies too.
8. BEABA UP & DOWN HIGH CHAIR — We used this high chair with Ford and we’ve just started putting Step in it too! It looks pretty minimal, which is great. It’s also really supportive for babies and easy to clean!.
9. THULE JOGGING STROLLER — If you’re looking for a specific exercise stroller, check out this one by Thule. We don’t really use this stroller as much because we don’t exercise with the babies but I LOVE the way the babies fit in this stroller for a runner or someone pushing a baby on rougher terrain.
10. SNOO SLEEPER — Can we take a second to admire how aesthetically pleasing this sleeper is?! It’s pretty amazing, too. It’s got a sound machine, and moves to whatever your baby needs to fall asleep. The only catch is that the price is pretty high compared to the amount of time you’re going to use it, unless you’re planning on keeping your baby in a bassinet for a long time or having more than one baby, then it’s absolutely worth it! It was developed by a pediatrician and I heard that it’s now featured in the Smithsonian!

11. HALO BASSINEST BASSINET SLEEPER — The best thing about this bassinet sleeper is how easy it is to swivel it toward us when the babies wake up in the middle of the night. We put this one at my parents home and have this one right next to our bed there!
12. MARPAC SOUND MACHINE — In our house, sound machines are critical for sleep. We love this one by Marpac because of how easy it is to adjust the sound and settings. You can get them anywhere.
13. NANIT PLUS SMART BABY MONITOR — This monitor is a little different from traditional baby monitors, because it lets you check in on your baby from your phone or tablet. We have one of these in both Ford and Shepherd’s rooms, and use it to check in on our babies when we’re out on a date night or out of the house when a sitter is there. The top camera part also comes off, so it’s nice to bring with us when we travel too! I had an Infant Optics monitor before but it broke and I never heard back from the company and I’m sooooo glad we switched over. Also you can pay a little extra for really cool sleep summaries and tips. There’s also an attachment that tracks breathing.
14. BABYBJORN BOUNCER — Shepherd recently got this bouncer for Christmas and loooves it. I really love it too because it’s different from the other toy bouncers, and he can be sitting up and just kind of bounce around on his own!
15. MEDELA FREESTYLE BREAST PUMP — This is definitely my go-to breast pump because it’s pretty minimal, other than the cords. I bring it with me in the car, on trips, literally wherever. The thing I love most is how it pumps straight into the bottles and can just be thrown in the fridge. Super easy and versatile!
16. WILLOW WEARABLE BREAST PUMP — If you’re a working mom that’s in the office or on the go, this breast pump is cordless and can just be slipped into your bra! The only thing with this pump is that the bag needs to be changed if you pump more than 4 ounces per side but other than that, it’s pretty awesome.

Check out these products in action here:

All babies are different, as are all moms.

These gadgets are just some of the larger ticket items that really worked for me, and my babies really like them, too! What’s your number one baby must-have?

Mar 13, 2020

Baby Must-Haves for 2020: 16 Baby Essentials that Really Work!

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