Hi. I'm Addy. I'm a stay at home mom to 2 under 2 and photographer. I've been incredibly blessed to be gifted wonderful baby products as well as the ability to purchase many items for my firstborn, Judah. In 2021 I made a blog post here talking about my top 10 newborn products that I recommended.
However, I have revisions to make because there were a few products that were a complete flop and weren't worth the purchase in the long run.
Plus, I want to include a few more products that especially great if you have 2 littles like me!
So if you're a stay-at-home mama like me that enjoys getting out of the house and has lots to juggle in the house this list is for you!
Let's get right to it.
1. SNUGGLE ME ORGANIC ✅
Judah, 3 days old
100% yes.
So cozy. Baby loves feeling snuggled in. Perfect for when you need 15 minutes to get ready or baby needs a quick nap. I know they say "not to do this" but we totally used this for co-sleeping the first 6-ish weeks for both of my boys.
You can find this pillow on Amazon or SnuggleMeOrganic.com for $99.
2. MUSLIN CLOTHS ✅ ❌
Yes and No.
With Judah we used muslin cloths to swaddle him at night and throughout the day when we stayed at home. 90% of the time that kid was in just a diaper and swaddled up in these cloths up until 6ish months old. He was born in March, it was just getting warm and was the perfect option for swaddling and using a blanket in general. They're so soft and versatile! However, Benjamin was born in December. It has been so cold so instead we have been using the Halo Newborn Fleece Swaddle to make sure he stays warm at night. During the day he's always wearing jammies and bundled up. I've hardly used the muslin cloths so far! So these are a hit or miss, depending on your needs!
Purchase a 3 pack from Target for $19.99.
Get the Halo Newborn Fleece Swaddle on Amazon for $29.99.
3. MAMAROO ❌
Well, I totally endorsed this product with Judah. However, our Mamaroo is still in the basement and it's now 8 weeks since Benj was born. I'm not saying it's not worth getting! I just need to get it out and find place for it to go in our new house. But what I'm saying is that your kid will survive without a fancy swing. If you're buying this yourself, save yourself some $$ and buy a used one or get a cheaper model because these are pricy!
Buy it from Amazon for $219.00.
4. WHITE NOISE MACHINE ✅
10,000% YES.
We are still using Judah's every nap time and bedtime. Now that he's a toddler and we have set bedtime/wakeup times the timer feature is a lifesaver. For my sanity I don't let him out of the crib until 7am. I have a timer for Monday-Friday to turn itself off and change the color to green at 7am. That's Judah's cue that I should be there soon and he starts to yell "mama!" a little more loudly. And if he keeps sleeping, then awesome! I can get a few more minutes alone holding or feeding Benjamin.
Buy it from Amazon for $59.99.
**Bonus: A stationary white noise machine is great, but so is having a travel one! Here's the one we used for multiple car rides and naps on the go:
5. BUM BRUSH ✅
100% yes.
It's pretty gross wiping your baby's bum with your bare hand with Aquaphor or diaper rash ointment. Using this brush just makes the process cleaner and smoother! I anticipate us using this with Judah until he's old enough to put ointment on his butt by himself.
Buy this on Amazon for $11.99.
6. 3-IN-1 FRIDA HUMIDIFIER/DIFFUSER/NIGHTLIGHT ❌
Nope. Not again. I thought this was such a great product, however it harbors mold like no other and is impossible to clean! I opened it up after 8 months of using this and couldn't believe I was diffusing this in my child's room for so long. Save yourself a headache and get a basic, boring humidifier and a separate essential oils diffuser.
7. FRIDA NOSE ✅
An absolute must-have. It seems gross to do at first and the baby will cry in protest, but I promise it's the most effective and your kid will get used to it. Judah actually likes it!
Buy from Amazon for $11.99.
8. BABY TUB ✅ ❌
This tub was perfect a) if you have the right sink for it and b) your baby is 3 months and under. After that it was a tight fit and not the most comfortable for Judah. For Benjamin we use it in the tub and it is great because he's still pretty small. But after 3 months I just fill the tub 1-2 inches, lay a wash cloth on the bottom of the tub, and laid Judah down on top of it. He liked to kick the water and he was able to wiggle around no problem.
Buy it from Amazon for $39.99.
9. GOOD BREAST PUMP ✅ ❌
This one has both a ✅ and a ❌ because in my original blog post I recommended the Freemie breast pump. It's basically a super economical and not at all hands free version of an Elvie or Willow breast pump. I thought it was great at first but by month 4 I had mastitis because of it! I'm a fairly active mama constantly doing chores/projects, work, and out doing errands. So I knew this time around with Benjamin I wasn't going to skimp on a good breast pump that allows me to still be active. So I used a promo code from an instagram mama influencer and bought the Elvie Pump. Let me tell you, I WISH I HAD SPENT THE MONEY LAST TIME AND GOTTEN THIS ONE INSTEAD. It's incredible. Just make sure you're wearing a tight, supportive bra while pumping, and it will pump perfectly. I have driven while pumping and walked around Costco with it on - no one knew. Multi-tasking at its finest!!
Pouring milk into breast milk storage bag after pumping with the Elvie and driving!
Buy your Elvie Pump here.
10. DOONA CAR SEAT ✅
100,000% yes.
I once saw a TikTok of a girl saying that "if you buy a Doona you are part of a cult" which really confused me. I get it, there are products out there that people claim you "need" when in reality they're not all that great but are super hyped up by people with a lot of money. But let me tell you, this product is NOT that. I don't know how some people become parents without this car seat! I am not breaking my back while carrying a heavy car seat in and out of my car and into establishments. Judah, my toddler, loves helping me "push baby to the car". Again, it is pricy, however we bought ours used for half the price and would 100% do it again. The *only* downsides to this carseat is a) the price and b) the fact that around 10-12 months you have to switch car seats.
Buy the Doona from Amazon.
Alrighty, those are my revisions to the original newborn product post!
Below are the four products I recommend for the whole 2 under 2 fiasco:
11. DUAL CAMERA BABY MONITOR ✅
We had a single camera monitor but hardly used it in our 2 bedroom apartment. Living in a house with 2 stories and oftentimes the boys sleeping in different rooms 2 monitors were needed! I can enjoy being on the first floor of the house without constantly worrying IF I hear one of the boys crying.
Buy from Amazon.
12. COSTCO MEMBERSHIP ✅
We had a membership before we had Judah but it's really paying off now because of all the diapers and wipes we buy every month. (Size 1 and 6, plus ALL the wipes!!). During the same trip to buy diapers might as well stock up on bulk snacks for that constantly hungry toddler of yours!
13. TODDLER HELPER STOOL ✅
I saw every mam influencer on instagram post a version of this stool in 2020 and I knew I wanted it for my kids someday. However, we bought ours for $35 on Facebook marketplace and didn't pay the $250 white Etsy version the influencers were posting about (good grief, kids ruin everything why would you spend that much $ on a stool?!).
Judah loves to be at the same level as us and assist making breakfast, mixing smoothies, and baking cookies!
Buy from Amazon.
14. BOB JOGGING STROLLER ✅
We used the single Bob Jogger with Judah starting at 6 months old. These strollers are so sturdy and make a smooth ride for the kiddos. Our walks on the sidewalks of Milwaukee almost felt smooth ;) We were gifted a double Bob by my sister-in-law and plan to make use of it everyday this summer! These strollers are so sturdy and make a smooth ride for the kiddos.
Only downfall with these is that they take up a ton of space in the trunk of the car. But what stroller doesn't ??
Buy from Amazon.
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I hope this helps you in deciding what is and isn't worth investing in for your journey as a young parent. Please share with your soon-to-be mama friends and those expecting their second little one!
Am I missing a product? Let me know at addy.keese@gmail.com.
XOXO-