When it comes to baby gear, the Cubby Mamas know all about stocking up on the best for baby! But sometimes it can be hard to puzzle out what things you actually need for babe, and what things would just be nice to have to help you with all your mama needs.
Needs
Swaddles are seriously going to be your best friend for babe at like all hours of the day--especially starting out. Babies love to stay all cuddled up, and they will get a lot more sleep, and you will hear a lot less pitiful cries. Do you and your babe a favor and invest in some super lightweight and soft swaddles that get better with time, like the
Little Unicorn Swaddle Blankets.
A diaper bag is going to change your life, mama. When you realize how much stuff you actually need to take with you when you step outside, you'll wish you had a diaper bag that does it all instead of just stuffing your bag full with potential-problem-solvers. The new Freshly Picked diaper bag is not only functional, but it is absolutely gorgeous, so you're going to love carrying it around.
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car seat is a given, mama. The motto we live by at the Baby Cubby is get as much safety as your budget can afford. Whether you choose to go convertible, or go with a traditional infant seat like the
Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30 infant car seat, you want to choose a seat that keeps babe safe and comfortable every time they're clipped in.
Whether you're going to be bottle feeding or not, I recommend all mamas get a good set of
bottles.
Comotomo Natural Feel Baby Bottles are a great option for mamas trying to do both, and also work as a great transition bottle for mamas going from nursing to bottle feeding. You can check out this
video on why we love these bottles so much!
Wants
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baby monitor is something that isn't a necessity for the mama depending on your sleeping situation and your overall level of chill. So for some mamas this is a want, and because of the prices for certain monitors, you may need to save up for this one. The
Owlet V2 Smart Sock Baby Vitals Monitor is such a great monitor for mamas because it connects to your phone, and monitors babe's heart rate. This is a great option for mamas who want to sleep with a little more peace of mind, especially once babe is transitioned to a different room.
Co-Sleepers aren't essential, because not every mama decides to have babe sleep in her room right away, but rather has babe hit the crib from the get-go. But for those mamas who want to either have their little one right next to them in the bed, or just in the room, the
DockATot Deluxe Plus Dock Baby Lounger & Sleep Positioner is such a comfy, easy option. It's super easy to move from room to room as needed, you can travel with it, and it's great to use not only for sleeping, but to keep babe in place when you're changing diapers, or even just while babe is playing while you're cooking dinner. It's definitely not necessary, but can definitely make your mama life easier!
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high chair is really only essential once your babe starts eating solids regularly (sometime around 6 months). And some mamas can actually survive without one by using trays that connect to their tables. Either way, a high chair is something that will totally help you out when babe is starting solids, finger foods, and working on eating in general. A comfy and stylish chair like the
Skip Hop TUO Convertible High Chair is a great thing for mamas to have to let babe play once they're able to sit up on their own, so you won't have to worry about them dismantling your tupperware drawer while you're getting dinner ready, you feel me?
Strollers are a love-hate thing. They are such a great piece of baby gear when you're on the move and you don't want to have your little one strapped to your chest for an extended period of time. But they're often heavy, a tricky thing to store, and aren't exactly cheap. BUT with all of that said, a stroller is a staple in a lot of mamas' baby gear collections. If you invest in one like the
Nuna MIXX2, you'll be confident knowing it's a quality item that will help you get where you're going for years!
Extras
Baby wearing is hit or miss with some mamas, so a wrap falls into the extra section. It's one of those items that is super nice to have when both your hands are full or you don't want to lug around your stroller. Something like the Happy Baby Wrap is going to give your babe the support they need while you're wearing them, and the comfort you want with its lightweight stretch.
Depending on your babe's temperament, a swing/bouncer will be completely unnecessary. With my first babe, I wouldn't have been able to live without our swing, but with my new little babe we rarely never use it. You can totally go for something like the 4moms MamaRoo which helps to mimic mama's movements and is designed to help soothe baby more naturally than just a traditional back-and-forth motion.
So a diaper pail may not be a necessity for babe, but it certainly makes mama life a lot less smelly. Again, this isn't an essential, because your babe (and you) can technically survive without having one of these gems. But let me tell you, once you have it, your quality of life just seriously jumps up, mama. If you're worried about getting on the hook for a diaper pail that has those special bags, you should look into the Ubbi Diaper Pail which lets you use traditional trash bags so you're not spending a lot of money on speciality ones.
Every mama is going to have different needs, wants, and things she convinces her husband she needs. Whether you would put the swing on the "need" list, and the bottles on the "extras" list, every mama can agree that you're going to learn as you go, and no two lists will be exactly the same. XO
