Five Newborn Registry Must-Haves
As a newborn photographer, I spend a LOT of time soothing brand new babies. I get asked for product recommendations all the time – especially for my tips & tricks to help babies sleep! Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite baby products and what I love about them. Be sure to add these items to your baby registry if you haven’t already, because there are some LIFESAVERS on this list!
This is one of my favorite products to help babies sleep. It makes a rhythmic SHHHHH sound that babies love, and it comes with a timer so that it’ll turn off after about 30 minutes. Think about it. Babies just spent nine months in the womb, where it basically sounded like a vacuum cleaner was running 24/7. They love background noise, and the Baby Shusher totally delivers.
Keep calm, y’all – I’m not about to take sides on cloth diapers versus disposable! Either option is great, and you should choose whichever poop containment method works best for your family. However, these little cotton rectangles have SO many more uses than their name implies! We use cloth diapers for just about everything in the studio. They’re basically just pieces of soft cloth, meaning they’re perfect to use as burp rags, washcloths, or in place of paper towels for messes. They’re WAY more affordable – and practical – than the prepackaged & colorful burp rags and washcloths you’ll find in the cute part of the baby aisle.
Back in our baby days, my Tula was my saving grace. Babywearing has been proven to help with anxiety and encourages bonding while allowing you to actually get stuff done, like make dinner or run to Target. You wild thing, you! I tried just about every major baby carrier out there, but always came back to Tula. I love them because they’re easy to use on your own, come in ADORABLE prints, and will actually grow with you from those first newborn days to toddlerhood.
A Backpack Diaper Bag (That Doesn’t LOOK Like a Diaper Bag)
Okay guys, that probably sounds so ridiculous. But if there’s one thing pre-baby Amanda put her foot down on, it was absolutely NO Winnie the Pooh diaper bags. After all, the diaper bag might hold baby’s essentials, but I’m the one holding the BAG, right?! I also knew that I wanted a backpack-style bag. Your hands are going to constantly be full once baby arrives. The more things you can take out of your hands and put onto your body, pack mule style, the better. It took me months to track down a diaper bag that met my standards, but once I did, it was our faithful companion for years: the Jujube Be Right Back! The JJB BRB looks cool, holds a crazy amount of stuff (most of which you could just leave home, but I digress), and is a breeze to clean.
Another great product to help those babies – and YOU – sleep soundly. Newborns love being bundled up tight! It makes them feel secure and reminds them of their time in the womb. We loved the Halo sleepsack because the velcro was fairly easy to manipulate, even at 3AM. Those muslin blankets are totally adorable, but they really aren’t made for swaddling! Because they don’t stretch, baby will just wriggle right out of them – and startle themselves awake. To get a good, secure swaddle, you need a breathable jersey cotton with a lot of stretch, and that’s exactly what the Halo sleepsack delivers.
I hope this list was helpful as you plan for baby! Amanda Wose Photography is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Affiliates earn a small percentage of any purchase made through their links, so feel free to peruse the links above as you create your baby registry!
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