newborn necessities | a personal story
you’d think having a newborn the third time around would render us experts but things change so much and i mean they’ve REALLY changed since our oldest was born just four years ago! i posted some stories on instagram earlier today and lots of you had questions about the products we were using and about the onesie Will was wearing so i thought i’d link it all in here to answer all of your questions! all of these goodies are things we use in our real day to day life because i’m not here to share mumbo jumbo..i mean, who has time for that anyway? so here are a few of our tried + true newborn necessities that we use and love EVERY DAY!
Haakaa manual breast pump with stopper | my sister brought this to me a few days after Will was born and after using it once i was hooked. the idea is that when you’re nursing, you put your baby on one breast and the pump on the other. it takes a single second to apply the pump and once you do, it will catch all of the milk that you excrete during letdown + otherwise. i consider this a HUGE game changer because for me, this would have been milk that would have otherwise been absorbed by my breastpads and eventually thrown away. i have gotten anywhere from 1-3 ounces per feeding which has equaled 192 ounces of milk in the last 10 days. i dump my milk straight from the pump into these milk storage bags and at night i use my sarah wells cooler bag to keep the milk cold. now, i will say that it has been bumped off (or kicked off by Will) while i’ve been using it, but it’s not terribly bothersome and certainly not bothersome enough that i’d consider NOT using it. if you’re a breastfeeding mama, the Haakaa is a must have.
calendar | i have one of these calendars for each of my children + i love them in lieu of a traditional ‘baby book.’ i simply hang it in their room and can therefore record all of the important things that happen AS they happen vs trying to sit down at the end of every month and recall all of the milestones. there are stickers in the back to help keep track of major milestones like ‘first bath’ ‘sits up’ ‘takes first step’ etc so it’s certainly designed for the busy mama who doesn’t want to forget a thing! there are also slots for a photo each month and a family tree to fill out in addition to a few simple questions that you can fill out at the end of each month. i fell in love with these calendars when our oldest was born because of their simplicity. i like to be as meticulous as possible with all of their milestones and i have found great success with these!
grandma k’s handmade goods | this is a shameless plug for my talented mama who makes tons of handmade bebe goodies that are unlike anything you’ll find on a target shelf. blankets, burp cloths, bibs, taggy sensory toys, embroidery, dog bandanas…you name it, she’ll make it! Will currently spends his days snuggled in her soft minky blankets and her absorbent burp cloths are no match for bebe messes. she’s got a keen eye for design and there IS love in every single stitch so before you grab something generic from a department store, support a local grandmama and instead fall in love with her handmade goodness.
puj infant tub | we registered for this when we were pregnant with our oldest + we have used it for all three of our children! it’s perfect for those early sink baths and transitions easily to a bigger tub when your bebe is ready. it folds in half for easy storage + its sleek design is easy on the eyes. it also contours to your bebe’s shape so that they stay snug + cozy even during bath time. if you have older siblings helping give the wee ones a bath, the puj is perfect because because big brother or sister can be hands on without having to worry about harming bebe during the process! we’ve used it in our kitchen sink, our bathroom sinks and our full size bath tubs and it has worn really well through all three of our kids! i can’t recommend this tub enough!
primally pure baby bar | our two oldest children have terribly sensitive skin. we’ve had to exercise great caution when applying anything to their skin + after experiencing some severe eczema with our oldest we really started reading labels + educating ourselves about WHAT we were putting in and onto their bodies. this baby bar is new to us but it’s from a company we already love and trust. their baby bar has 9 ingredients. all of which we can read and pronounce so using this on our youngest bebe has been a no brainer. the baby bar has goat milk which helps repair damaged skin and maintain healthy skin while other rich ingredients like organic coconut oil and shea butter help keep their sensitive skin moisturized. there’s even lavender to soothe irritation. i just massage the bar with a washcloth and use the washcloth to apply the lather to Will’s skin. i should also note that we use vaseline in lieu of lotion after their baths to keep all of their skin’s moisture locked in. in fact, the next time we give our oldest gals a bath i think i’ll use the baby bar on them too. hard to argue with truly all natural ingredients. when you hop over to grab a baby bar for yourself, make sure you use my exclusive code ‘kelsi10’ to get 10% off your purchase!
natemia extra soft muslin blankets, brush + washcloths | natemia products have been a staple in our house for years. i love how soft + durable all of their stuff is and i even use the washcloths on my face every single night. their giant muslin blankets are so soft + absorbent that i use them as towels as well as cozy blankets (they’re so big, even my two year old can snuggle up with one). their brush set is perfect to give as a gift and it’s also perfect for ANY kind of bebe hair you’re dealing with. we currently use the goat hair soft brush for Will and it’s great stimulation for his scalp and gentle enough that even his sisters can help brush his hair. while i personally use the washcloths, i also share them with the kiddos 🙂 i can’t help but also mention their organic cotton hooded towels, darling diaper caddy (we have one for the car and Will’s room) and bamboo swaddle blankets. they get softer with each wash and their bamboo softness gives me zero guilt when i use them on my children’s’ sensitive skin!
burt’s bees organic cotton jumpsuit | this is the item that i seem to get the most questions about! i love everything burt’s bees but their clothes are second to none. this particular jumpsuit is a favorite because it has mitt + footie flaps that can turn the jumper into a cozy mitted and footie little set of pajamas. i always grab these after a bath because i can cover their hands + feet to keep them warm after the bath and once they’re warm, i can pull back the mitt and footie flaps and voila-it transforms into a cute little rugby striped jumpsuit. their clothes fit true to size and Will is shown here wearing the ‘multi rugby stripe’ in size 0-3mo. he’s also laying on one of those grandma k’s blankets i bragged about earlier 🙂
whew-when i set out to write this little post i did NOT think it would get so lengthly! thanks for sticking around + reading all about our favorite newborn necessities. sharing is caring so by purchasing from some of these affiliate links i may earn a commission which is super great because then i can continue to buy + share my favorite stuff here with you!
xoxo,
