Newborn Phase
5 weeks in and we are officially knee deep in the newborn phase. Sleepless nights, new worries, lots of tears, baby cries and witching hours. Every day brings a new challenge alongside a whole lot of joy raising our sweet baby boy. All of those 9+ months of dreaming and preparing for our newest family member and boom – here we are in the thick of baby products, diapers, and survival mode.
We were blessed with an abundance of baby items – everything from newborn goodies to products that will come in use in several months or even a year from now. It’s hard to pick a handful of items to highlight but the below list are products that we’ve consistently used AND loved since the moment we came home from the hospital.
Favorite Products (tried, true and loved!)
- Hatch Rest+: This sound machine, night light combo is a must in my opinion. You can use the Hatch+ app to control the volume up and down, change the sounds and turn on/off various night light colors.
- Elvie Pump: If you plan to breastfeed and pump or pump exclusively, the wearable and wireless Elvie Pump is clutch. It is definitely a splurge financially but I have found the convenience and ease 100% worth it. I am able to pump while doing the dishes, multi-task, or yes.. even driving. Personally I feel like I spend a lot of the day stationary whether it’s nursing or rocking or soothing a newborn so to have the option to NOT be attached to the wall while pumping is amazing.
- Snuggle Me Organic Infant Lounger: Whether you opt for the Doc-a-Tot or another lounger, I have found that having an infant lounger has been extremely helpful during the newborn phase. Sometimes it’s for a nap (supervised), other times it is a laying area for awake time or so mom can have her hands free for two seconds. 😉
- My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow: There are all sorts of nursing pillows on the market. I originally just had the Boppy which I still use at night when feeding in the nursery. However, I’ve found the “My Breast Friend” nursing pillow to be more comfortable and realistic when nursing after a C-section.
- HALO Newborn Swaddle: Once again, there are SO many swaddles on the market. If I learned one thing it would be to not overly register for any particular swaddle, pacifier (we tried a ton and these are the only ones he likes) or similar items. Wait until your baby is here, try a few different ones and then stock up on the ones that work. We have tried the Swaddle Me brand, HALO, Aden + Anais, and more. In our case, the HALO Newborn swaddle has been the only one that truly keeps him cozy and keeps his arms by his side (most the time).
- Eufy Baby Monitor: I was super overwhelmed with all of the options for baby monitors (as I was all baby products) so I just went with a friends’ recommendation. So far, so good! Regardless which monitor you go with – make sure you do your research because this has been a huge piece of mind for me. We moved James to his nursery at 2 weeks because none of us were sleeping… every grunt, mini-cry, or movement called for an unnecessary wake up. I have set up our Eufy Baby Monitor to alert me when the sound hits a certain threshold. That way, I make sure that I wake up as soon as baby J is awake and hungry, but not at every other sleeping sound.
- Portable Fan AND Sound Machine: Two super affordable baby items and well-worth the purchase. We like to be on-the-go and although we haven’t been out much yet, these have been extra helpful. Personally, we have the Rohm Sound Machine (can easily attach on stroller, car seat or pop in the pack-and-play).
- A Good Diaper Bag / Backpack and On-The-Go Changing Pad: There are so many fun options out there for diaper bags and it’s truly a personal preference in look and style. We have loved the one we chose here. Tons of compartments for storage and neutral enough to be guy or girl friendly. The Skip-Hop changing pad slides right in the backpack and is great for on-the-go diaper changes or the dreaded blowouts.
- Baby Carrier: After lots of trial-and-error and YouTube tutorial videos, I’ve finally “mastered” putting on my Solly Wrap. This wrap has come in huge for baby carrying especially during the late afternoon nap times or overly fussy witching hour. We also have the Ergobaby 360 carrier which I am waiting to wear until I get cleared from my C-section recovery since the bottom presses into my incision.
- Doona Stroller: For on-the-go living, this stroller + car seat is a must. We absolutely love our Nuna Pipa lite (super light!) + Tavo stroller combo for neighborhood walks etc. but the stroller itself takes up a ton of space when folded up and put in the trunk. With the Doona – think grocery or shopping runs or travel; not off-roading or neighborhood walks necessarily ( will lead to a bumpy ride! ).
- Tubby Todd All-Over Ointment: This has worked wonders for us. This all-over ointment can be used as diaper rash cream but it also works magic on cradle cap and baby acne. (For cradle cap – scrub during bath time, dry off, use a dry brush and finish with a medium-thick layer of the all-over ointment overnight and TA-DA! Works wonders)
- BabyBjorn Bouncer: Simple and compact (easily can hide away when de-cluttering), this bouncer has been a great way to have free hands while still interacting with our little guy. Supervised, we put little J in the bouncer on the counter top or dinner table while we are cooking or eating a meal and he loves it!
***Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase via my affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. ** I only share products that I have tried and loved!
Apps to Make the Newborn Phase Easier
- Hatch Baby: I did little to no research on a baby tracking app before J was born. I figured I’d be able to remember which side I nursed off or how long our baby slept. However, I wasn’t accounting for the “mom brain” or lack of sleep that accompanies those early weeks (and months). I’m able to track sleep duration, feedings, pumping, weight and diaper changes all from this single app. Some might find tracking to be overkill (and mind you, I don’t actually remember to track every single feeding or sleep session to the minute…). Personally I like being able to look back and understand why he might be fussy, overtired, or hungry.
- The Wonder Weeks: We just arrived at our first ‘leap’ and this app is a fun way to learn about what developments your growing baby is going through. The Wonder Weeks are based on your baby’s due date (not their birth date) and although the leap could happen a little before or after the predicted date, it is nice to have a better understanding of why your baby’s temperament might change out of nowhere.
- Elvie: If you end up using the Elvie, the app is great as far as tracking how much milk you have pumped on both sides and you can control the pump completely from the app. (Just another added benefit that makes them so convenient)
Newborn / Postpartum Resources:
- Baby Basics ATL (@babybasicsatlanta): I cannot recommend working with Megan Tucker at BabyBasicsATL highly enough. After getting referred from a fellow mama, we decided to use Megan for a newborn consultation. This included an in-home consultation just days after returning home from the hospital and 3-months of text/email support. For two new parents who have ZERO experience with newborns / infants, this service has been invaluable. Megan has went above and beyond in every aspect, including in-person demos or responding to a wide assortment of baby topics. Megan is a Moms On Call Consultant, Registered Nurse, Certified Prenatal Educator and Certified breastfeeding consultant. (she also offers virtual services if you are out of town!)
- Moms-On-Call and Taking Cara Babies: Both of these resources provide insight on feedings, naps, awake windows, and sleep ‘schedules’. Whether or not you are a schedule person – both of these resources have come in very handy as I continue to navigate the ever changing baby challenges (sleep/gas/feedings/fussiness etc). I personally thrive off a schedule so following MOC has helped me structure my days and TCB has helped me to look at every day with more flexibility and grace.
You can check out my pregnancy blog posts here. [ First Trimester, Second Trimester, Third Trimester ]