Reader Favorites: Baby Products

Some of my favorite products I have were recommendations from readers. Some examples that come to mind are the Pea Pod and the Kiddopotumus bib–which is now under the name of Summer . So, I thought I would do some posts asking readers their favorite products. I will do these every so often. Today, I am interested in your favorite products for babies 0-12 months. Favorite monitors, swaddlers, bedding…whatever you use for the baby. I am not talking toys or books today, just your nifty products you absolutely love and think everyone should know about.

Post a comment with what you love. You can paste a link or just type out the name. If you don’t include a link, leave a description if you can; I will be moving these up to the body of the post with a photo so I want to be sure I get it right. A brief description on why you love it would be most welcome! Thanks everyone! (This post contains affiliate links)

Cori said…

My favorite thing is the Angel Care Monitor. I had heard from other moms that it was a great product, but there was no way I was spending $100+ on a baby monitor. Little did I know that peace of mind was worth every single penny! When we decided to move our baby girl to her crib upstairs, we opted for the monitor because it had an alarm that would go off if Katie stopped breathing. We had a few false alarms, but that was the best $100+ we spent on our daughter!!

melissa said…

My favorite item is the MilkSaver – this seems like it is more for mom’s benefit, but it’s also for baby’s! 

D & H said…

A few lifesavers:
aden + anais swaddle blankets because they let me swaddle my baby during the summer without him getting too hot http://www.adenandanais.com/

Baby White Noise sampler cd from Amazon 

Tide laundry detergent for baby laundry stains

dyhale said…

Here are a few of my favorite products:

1. The Miracle Blanket – my daughter easily broke out of every other swaddle blanket except this one. It immediately added 1-2 hours of sleep at night by keeping her from waking up due to flailing her arms.

2. Angel Care Deluxe Movement and Sound Monitor – the monitor detects movement and alerts you with a beep if it has not detected movement in 15 seconds. It saved us from checking her breathing a thousand times a night.

3. Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair – It fits into your existing dining chair and saves room. It’s easy to take to someone else’s house for a meal if they don’t have a high chair. It’s also very easy to wipe clean.

4. Boppy (or some other nursing pillow) – Besides nursing, I found many other uses for the Boppy: tummy time, propping baby up before she could sit up, and I even stacked 2 of them to help her sit up even more.

5. The First Years Milk Storage Organizer – It neatly stores milk bags upright and keeps them organized. The flattened bags are easy to remove and quick to thaw.

Aubrey Jane said…

1. I just want to ditto what the other two readers said about the Angel Care Monitor. This gave me so much peace of mind and I would highly recommend it!

2. Homedics SS-3000 Soundspa Lullaby, White. I love this white noise machine and so does my baby.

3. Baby Bjorn Active. Emphasis on Active. I had the original, but it really hurt my back when I used it. I purchased the Bjorn Active and it was very worth it. The added back support helps so much when we are shopping, going on walks, etc.

Breisch and Angie Stallings said…

My Breast Friend pillow – I know the name sounds funny, but this was a life saver for me, a first time mother. At my 2nd day checkup I was having trouble and I was using another popular nursing pillow and the hospital recommended the “My breast friend” pillow. I had some other issues but this pillow solved many of them. It allowed me to line up my baby evenly so I did not have to slump over. It is completely flat so your baby does not sink and is also clips around your body to support your back. There were even times that I had to get up while nursing and I could do that with ease.

Linds said…

For swaddlers, I loved the velcro swaddle blankets. They are SO tight.

I love the baby bjorn bibs… they are plastic, and dishwasher safe.

We used the Homemedics sound machine for white noise– best invention EVER!

Boppy pillow— life saver if you breastfeed.

I also used the Fisher Price Space Saver high chair and it’s great. We still use it for our 16 month old, although I plan on getting him a different toddler high chair when the baby comes.

I also am going to put my stroller on here, because I have LOVED it from day one. The Baby Jogger City Mini. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It’s compact, but bigger than an umbrella stroller. Strolls like a dream. I am planning on getting the double when baby #2 comes.

Emily said…

I JUST did a top 10 post on my blog about my favorite baby items!
http://kneedeepinthebabypool.blogspot.com/2010/08/top-10-baby-items.html

Nikki said…

What a great idea Val!
I have a list of favorites I put together on amazon (listmania) http://www.amazon.com/lm/R49RV262N74A2/ref=cm_pdp_lm_all_itms

but will also list here as well as products that aren’t on amazon…

1. Sleep sheep on the Go (sleep sounds)

2. Sophie the Giraffe (teether)

3. QuickZip crib sheets (great for those nights when it’s 3am and there’s spit-up/puke everywhere, presto-chango in 30 seconds flat!)

4. Naturepedic No Compromise Crib Mattress (safest out there)

5. California Baby Calming Botanical Moisturizing Cream (as an aesthetician, I have to say this is one of the best products I’ve used yet!)

6. Little Twig Baby Wash– Lavendar, Lemon & Tea Tree

7. Earth’s best diapers & wipes

8. Born Free Sippys (trainer and drinking ones)

9. Breastflow bottle by The First Years (closest to mimicking the breast)

10. Soothies pacifiers

11. My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow (way better than the Boppy!)

12. Halo SleepSack Wearable Blanket.

13. Secure Transitions Inflatable baby/toddler tub

14. Bumkins Waterproof bibs (starter and junior sizes)

15. Twilight Turtle or Twilight LadyBug Constellation nightlight

These are favorites not available on Amazon:

16. Kidsline Luxury Security Blanket (14″x14″) http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=15146389 these are my daughters’ lovies that they sleep with at naps & bedtime (can’t beat the price for only $6)

17. Pediped shoes http://www.pediped.com/home/home.aspx (the very best in baby and toddler footwear, especially for chubby feet!)

18. Northern Essence All Natural Diaper Rash Salve in Twist up tube http://www.northernessence.com/catalog.php?category=64 (quite famous in the cloth diapering community and the only product I use for diaper rash)

19. Bonavita Lifesyle Convertible Cribs http://www.northernessence.com/catalog.php?category=64
(we have two and LOVE them, safe, secure, durable and beautiful)

There you have it!

Nikki

Sum said…

Can not describe how much we LOVE our baby monitor – Summer infant video handheld color monitor

I can’t imagine doing BabyWise successfully with out it! It has been invaluable in CIO situations b/c I can see that nothing is wrong and feel ok letting him cry w/o checking on him. Yes it’s expensive but it will save you many minutes/hours of stress! And, as a plus, it is SO much fun to watch your baby sleep and see the funny things they do, strange positions they get into, etc.

LG said…

I am 2 weeks into mommy hood and so far my must have items are:
1. Medela pump in style breast pump. Saved me when i had sores on my nipples so that I could continue to feed baby breast milk while I healed.
2. I wish i had known before how much extra parts for breast pump come in handy.
3. Simple Wishes bustier for holding breast pump up, making it totally hands free and worth EVERY PENNY.
4. Baby Jogger City Select stroller with bassinet feature, or any stroller with a bassinet. We have used this as his primary bed and it has been fantastic.
5. A swing
6. Restoration Hardware blankets, for some reason seem to be the best swaddle blankets we have used. also love Aiden and anais since its so hot.

Full review on my blog with links and pictures here:
http://www.thegrizasonline.com/2010/08/my-one-week-later-must-haves.html

Jennifer said…

1. My Brest Friend nursing pillow

2. The Woombie Swaddler (thewoombie.com)

3. Phil and Ted’s Sport Stroller (when you have your second baby)

4. The Ergo Baby Carrier. I’m still using it with my 9.5 month old (21 lbs) and I can wear it for over an hour with no pain, soreness, or tired muscles.

Amy said…

I have a top 4:
1) Angel Care Monitor – couldn’t agree more with everyone that said it was worth every penny.

2) Baby K’Tan sling – now that Hannah is 7mo old she does a great job sitting in it and it makes a looooong walmart trip more possible (since you can move from one carry position to another).

3)Nose-frida. Seriously amazing product. You can suck a baby’s nose and they don’t even care… amazing!!!

4)My Brest Friend! I’m not sure I could have BF without it. I love that it is stiff and attaches to you.

Ohhh… I could go on and on. PS I love this blog!

Nikki said…

Oh yes! The Nosefrida ROCKS!!! How could I have forgotten that in my list of faves?

Erika said…

1. Miracle Blanket – It is well, a miracle!

2. Baby Bjorn Bibs – Easy to clean and no velcro to wear out!

3. Breathable Bumper Pads – My DD likes to jam herself in the corner to sleep and I felt much better knowing that she could breath through the bumper pad!

4. Amy Butler Nappy Bag – For those of you who can sew or who have someone nice enough to make this for you, it is an awesome diaper bag, tons of storage and it looks great. I had to adjust the cell phone pocket to make it bigger and I made an additional pocket on the outside of the bag for my keys and it is so incredibly convenient, I LOVE it!

WorkingMom said…

My favs are similar to others
1. My Breast Friend nursing pillow – loved it, loved it, loved it. Could not have breastfed without
2. My Medela Pump in Style Advance plus the Playtex adapters so I could pump into the bottle liners
3. Burt’s Bees Diaper Cream
4. Halo sleep sack swaddlers – my daughter had crazy arms that would wake her up in those first few months. These swaddlers (in fleece because it was winter) were awesome.

The Cleary Family said…

1. BOB jogging stroller
2. SleepMate white noise machine
3. Kiddopotomus SwaddleMes
4. Hyland’s Teething Tablets
5. Aveeno Oatmeal Bath Treatment (for diaper rashes)
5. Calmoseptine cream (made with calamine lotion & originally for insect bites and rashes, it is an awesome healing cream for diaper rashes! Over-the-counter but you have to ask the pharmacy for it.)
6. Britax convertible car seats (worth the extra $$ for the safety and ease of install!)
7. THIS BLOG!!! 🙂

Leigh said…

One of the most helpful gadgets I was given for following Babywise was the Itzbeen timer. www.itzbeen.com. It keeps track of diaper changes, feeds, which side to feed on, sleep length, etc. There’s an extra button to record other activities’ length, which I use to time how long she’s been awake, or Individual playtime length, or cry it out, etc. Very helpful for a younger baby, but I have used it throughout my baby’s first year.

oh and the Swaddler, it has been a LIFESAVER that I can take ANYWHERE and baby will sleep tight.

Jennifer said…

1. My Brest Friend nursing pillow: My Brest Friend Original Pillow, 

2. The Woombie Swaddler (thewoombie.com) Woombie Air Ventilated Baby Swaddle

3. Phil and Ted’s Sport Stroller (when you have your second baby)Phil and Ted’s

Susana said…

Besides de Boopy pillow,I absulutly love the choliccalm homeopathy remedy for gas,reflux and cholics. When my baby shows the symptoms I will give him this water grap and literally only takes a minute for him to feel so much better!!it reduced a lot of crying! And nurses better. Colic-Calm Homeopathic Gripe Water, 2 Fluid OunceAshley Katsuyama said…I recently did a post with all my favorites for baby: http://themommygames.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/my-favorite-baby-must-haves/Ron and Tiffany said…1. Ergo baby carrier. Pricey, but worth EVERY penny! I have so far resisted wearing my babies around the house (they need to learn to be happy without being held), but it’s AWESOME for when you’re out and about. Baby loves it, it’s comfy for me, and it keeps my hands free to chase my toddler. Ergo Baby Carrier
2. Tommee Tippee silicone bibs (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918130.) Others have mentioned similar products. I have owned the same 2 since my oldest son (almost 2.5) started solids, and they’re still in great shape. Easy to clean, and they catch all the spills. My 10 month old uses them, and my toddler does for potentially messy meals as well (i.e., I’ll skip them for a cheese quesadilla, but use them for oatmeal.) Tommee Tippee Explora Easi-Roll BibsMonstorB said…I have to second the aden + anais Swaddle Blanket and the FridaBaby. We used both with our first born three years ago and now these two products are being used by our son.

Both my children enjoyed a floor/crib mirror. It was/is great for tummy time.

This vibrating teether was/is a big hit.

And this fabric teether is a favorite of my son. He loves to look at it and I feel safe letting him have in the car seat, etc… because he can’t bonk himself with it.

Thees bottles have been great at helping to elevate my son’s spit up/gas problem. They are a pain to clean, but worth it for us.

Nikki said…

Comotomo Baby Bottle (I switched from Breastflow to these). Easier to clean, just like the breast and available on amazon. com or Target online.

Ashley said…

There are so many options to choose for baby gear, but one thing that brought us the most peace was peaceful sleep. Two things that we loved were: 1) The Summer Infant SwaddleMe. They velcro so your baby won’t wake up from his flailing arm. Been there, done that. 2) A white noise machine. I don’t have a specific recommendation as we have had a couple, but I like ones that will play continuously. Some are on automatic timers (ie: ones that come with Pack ‘n Plays), but you will want one that can run all night.

Natalie said:


Our favorites are
1. We LOVED the angel care video monitor! Couldn’t have done without it! We used the same one for both of our kids, and it just died after 3 years of near constant use. 

2. The swaddle me wraps were great and quick/simple to use. We used them for every nap and every night for the first 4-5 months.

3. A snap and go type stroller base. We used a safety first one that worked with our infant seat, but the brand doesn’t really matter. The ease of being able to just plop the car seat base onto a very light and compact frame without having to remove sleeping baby from her car seat was invaluable. I got so much use out of it! I was sad because I didn’t think I’d be able to use it much with baby #2, but I’ve actually gotten WAY more use out of it this time around than I did with baby #1. Much easier than dealing with a full size stroller! Baby #2 is 10 months old and I still use this daily.

4. Baby Jogger City Mini– We move to this stroller once they outgrow the snap and go stroller. Used it with my first and am using it again with my second. It’s 3 years old and gotten a lot of use, but it still looks great! Compact, great steering, easy to pop open and close. Love it!

5. Any type of strap on high chair. We have 3–count them, THREE Fisher Price ones that are compact and travel well. We keep one in our car to use when we are out to dinner or away from home. Most restaurant high chairs are gross! We have another that our toddler just outgrew and a more permanent one for our baby that takes the place of a high chair at home. Love them! I also love that there aren’t any nooks and crannies for food to get lost in. We just wipe them down with baby wipes.

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