A Pretty Penny

Since having Rowan my life has been centered and consumed by all things baby! There are so many fun and amazing baby things in the world now that you never know which products are the best, or which products your baby will even like! Over the past 6 months we have been compiling a list of all of our favorite things that has worked for Rowan, and I am so excited to share them with you!

The Owlet was one of our favorite products during the first few months of Rowans life. Being first time parents, we didn’t know what to expect, and we definitely stressed about her being okay through the night. Using The Owlet gave us such piece of mind while she was sleeping. We could check her breathing and make sure she was doing okay at any time during the night. It helped us sleep a lot easier.

If you have read about The Owlet, or are thinking of getting it, I think it is 100% worth the money. I know in the older versions there were lots of false alarms, but they have since fixed that issue. We did experience the alarm twice. Both times happened while she was feeding in the middle of the night. The first time her nose was a little plugged, so her oxygen dipped a little, and the second time her breathing slowed down while she was eating. We talked to our doctor and said it isn’t unusual for their breathing to slow down while they are eating. Since then, we haven’t had any issues and have LOVED The Owlet. You can’t put a price tag on piece of mind.

Before Rowan was born we went back and forth on which bassinet we wanted to get. We did a bunch of research, looked at a ton of reviews, and asked around. The HALO Bassinest was one of the most recommended bassinets, so we decided to pursue that one! Even though I ended up working with HALO and got the Bassinest gifted, we loved it! It fit right next to either side of our bed, and you could swivel it close to the bed, or away from it.

It had some other incredible features, such as: a vibrating setting to soothe the baby. We turned it on at the beginning of the night and Rowan loved it! She would immediately be soothed and fall asleep (It also has an automatic turn off). It comes equipped with a light on the side of the Bassinest, so if you don’t want to turn on the lights to soothe or feed, you can turn on the light built into the Bassinest. It has mesh all the way around the bassinet, which makes it very breathable for baby if they end up moving in the night, and also makes any parent feel better. The front bar on the Bassinest moves up and down to accommodate putting your baby in and out of the Bassinest. I loved that feature because it was a lot easier to grab Rowan when it was in the middle of the night and I was running on an hour of sleep.

The HALO Bassinest was definitely one of our most used baby items and we used it every night. She would even take naps in it! I would definitely recommend the HALO Bassinest if you are looking for some sort of bassinet for baby to sleep in next to your bed. It was a great price and alternative to more expensive bassinets, such as the Snoo.

I am sure you have seen the Dock-A-Tot EVERYWHERE! Let me tell you, it is so worth the hype. We got this at one of our baby showers and it was one thing Colin was SO excited for! (okay, I was too…) Before we put Rowan in the Bassinest, we actually put her in the Dock-A-Tot and she would sleep in between us. I know, I know, it is not recommended, but when you just gave birth and are running on survival mode, you do what you can.

The Dock-A-Tot was so comforting to Rowan. She loved being snug in it. Before she knew how to roll it was one of my favorite things to put her in! I would place her in it next to our shower when I needed to get ready for the day. Or if we were both exhausted and needed a nap, she would sleep in the Dock-A-Tot and I would lay next to her on the couch. We used this every single day until she started rolling around. It was a lifesaver for us!

I have gotten so many questions about our MamaRoo, if we liked it, if we used it, and is it worth it? I have heard that some babies don’t really like it, and that some parents didn’t really use it, but personally we loved it. I will say we didn’t use it as long as we thought we would, but while we did it worked great for Rowan.

A lot of times if she was fussing and we couldn’t get her to relax, putting her in the MamaRoo would instantly calm her. She loved the swaying motion and the white noise. She would also fixate on the mobile above her and stare at it the whole time she was in there. I really loved having the MamaRoo because it was so nice to be able to put Row in there when I needed to get some things done around the house. I would say it is worth it!

When it comes to bed time and nap time, Rowan loves to be swaddled! When she was really little we would wrap her arms up and she would sleep great! As she has gotten older, we have taken her arms out, but we have always loved the HALO Sleepsack Swaddle. I love it because it zips up, and then Velcro’s around their arms. It also gives you the option of having their arms swaddled, or out free. Whereas, many other swaddles don’t give you an option.

We just recently got a this little bunny lovey for Rowan, but she has fallen in love with it! I wanted to get her one sooner, but I couldn’t find the right one. I wanted one that had a stuffed animal on it, and was really soft. This is the perfect combination. The ears are long enough for her to hold onto, and she is always holding it up to her face and nuzzling into it. If you need a good lovey, or comfort blanket, this is it for $20!

Let’s talk binkys. Or Pacifiers. Whatever you prefer! This is something I feel like I had a bunch of before Rowan got here. I had at least 4 different kinds of binkys because every baby is different, and I didn’t know what she would like, or if she would even take one. We first tried the Cutie Pat by Ryan & Rose. That was always falling out of her mouth and just wasn’t working for us. So we tried Bibs Pacifiers and never looked back! They stay in her mouth perfect, plus they have a million and one cute colors. So it was two thumbs up for me. They are a little more expensive than regular binkys, priced at 2 for $15, but they are so worth it to me!

They recommend changing them around every 3 months, because the bulbs tend to expand as babies suck on them. So when it came time to buy some new ones, I ordered them from Amazon, and purchased the 0-6 month ones. What I didn’t realize, was that I had originally bought the 6-18 month pacifiers. We tried the 0-6 month pacifiers and they would not stay in her mouth! So I’ll let you in on a little secret. Don’t buy the 0-6 month Bibs Pacifiers. buy the 6-18 month ones, because the only difference is the length of the pacifier. The bulb is the same size. We found the 6-18 month pacifiers stayed in her mouth way better, and she never had a problem with choking on them.

One thing I always keep on hand is binkys. Rowan loves her binky and is constantly looking for it, throwing it, and playing with it. My mom told me, “one think you can never have enough of is binkys.” And she was so right! I usually keep one in my diaper bag just incase anything happens to the one that is clipped to Rowan. I saw that Navy Grace recommended these Accmor Pacifier Cases and they have been a lifesaver! It keeps the binky save and protected anywhere! I also use them when I travel so I can take extra binkys…and color coordinate of course.

If I can recommend one thing to you, it would be to splurge on a nice diaper bag that you really like. Because it is going to be one of the most used baby items you own! Next to diapers and wipes. I really wanted a diaper bag that looked nice, held everything I wanted, and was easy to carry around. (Yes, I wanted it to be cute. If it was going to take the place of all my purses, I figured it better be stylish.) So it really came down to Fawn Design or Freshly Picked. I had already had a Fawn Design bag from a friend, before we were ever pregnant. So I ended up getting a Freshly picked bag so I could decide between the two, or switch between the two.

I initially used my Freshly Picked bag because I loved that it held its shape, and stood up on its own. I loved that bag! After about 3 months I decided to try out the Fawn Design diaper bag. So I loaded everything that was in my Freshly Picked bag into the Fawn, and it was FILLED TO THE BRIM. Literally no room for anything else, whereas I still had tons of room to stuff things into my Freshly Picked bag. So I unloaded everything and put it back into my Freshly Picked bag.

Now, I am a die hard Freshly Picked diaper bag fan. It has so many pockets and storage. A lot of the pockets have elastic, which makes them expandable, so you can put so many things in them! Whereas, the Fawn Design bag has leather pockets. Example: I can fit 6-8 diapers in one pocket in my Freshly Picked bag, and could only fit 4-5 in my Fawn Design bag. I loved that the Freshly Picked bag is deep and you can pile all the toys, books and items you want in the center. It has an insulated pouch for bottles, and a slot to put your changing pad. The only thing I didn’t love and ended up replacing was the actual changing pad. It stains easy and isn’t my favorite to clean. So I ended up putting the leather Fawn Design changing pad in there and love it.

Have I sold you on the Freshly Picked diaper bag yet? I love it and would FOR SURE spend $175 dollars on it. Worth every penny. *disclaimer: I love Fawn Design and Freshly Picked. I have many other bags from Fawn Design, but just prefer the Freshly Picked diaper bag over the Fawn Design one.

This Kortni Jeane Wet + Dry Bag has saved my life more than once! I got one in a goodie bag they sent me once, and now I am convinced that everyone needs to know about these. They are not just for swimming and swimsuits! It is a waterproof bag that is machine washable and oh so cute!

If you are a mom or parent you know that babies have blow outs! Sometimes on the regular. If you haven’t experienced this yet, it is coming! I always keep one of these bags in my diaper bag incase Rowan has a blowout, somehow gets all her clothes dirty, or spits up everywhere. I put all of her dirty clothes in the bag and zip it up. Then when we get home, I take everything out, treat the clothes I need to, and throw the bag in the wash with the clothes. IT IS A LIFESAVER. I have given this every time I go to a baby shower because I think it is genius and has saved me when I am in a pickle.

If you are anything like me, then you LOVE testing out strollers! I can’t tell you how many times we went to all the baby stores that had strollers to “test drive” them around the store. The UppaBaby VISTA stroller was dream stroller. I loved how sleek it looked and gorgeous all the different colors were. We were originally going to get a different from Target, but I ended up working with UppaBaby and got the VISTA. And I would do it a million times over again.

The UppaBaby VISTA is the stroller of all strollers! Let me tell you, Colin did as much research as you can on this stroller, and watched almost every YouTube video you can on it. We were so excited to get it and have loved everything about it since we got it. It’s easy to handle, lightweight, and so easy to pack up and go.

I know the price point might scare you, at around $1,000, but let me tell you, now that I know what it is like to have it, I would buy it with my own money. It has so much storage underneath, and I loved that it will grow with your family! So you don’t have to buy a whole new stroller when you have 2 kids. IT IS WORTH IT. So if you’re looking to get a stroller, I strongly recommend considering the UppaBaby VISTA.

Let me change your life by introducing you to the Ubbi diaper pail. We registered for some other diaper pail, but happened to stumble upon this one while we were walking through Buy Buy Baby, and immediately switched it. It might not be as tall as other diaper pails, but it definitely makes up for it. The Ubbi is $70, so a little more expensive than other diaper pails, but it will save you so much money in the long run, because YOU DON’T HAVE TO BUY SPECIAL BAGS FOR IT. Do I need to say that again? haha. Once I found that out I was sold. I hated the idea of buying a diaper pail, and then having to buy special bags for it.

The Ubbi is made of steel and has an amazing seal so you can’t smell anything. It has an opening in the top where you can throw the diapers in. Plus, you can open the top and put any garbage bag inside. We just use our normal garbage bags from Costco and it saves so much money! We are obsessed.

Many of you might not know this, but my husband is a super techie guy. When we found out we were pregnant, I was excited for all the clothes and accessories, and he was excited for the stroller and all the gadgets that came with having a baby. We knew we wanted to get a baby monitor/camera so we could watch Row when we put her in her crib. He did a ton of research and settled on the Nanit Baby Monitor.

I don’t know what other baby monitors are like, but I have loved using the Nanit. I love that it keeps track of how long your baby sleeps, it also keeps background noise on, so you can always hear their room, and it gives you tips on sleep schedule and nap time. The Nanit gives us a summary of each day and night, and gives us tips based on her schedule. It has been fabulous!

I am a huge believer in white noise machines! For us and for Row! I can’t sleep without some sort of white noise, and as a parent, let me tell you, white noise machines are a dream. Having a white noise machine in Rows room while she sleeps and naps allows us to be able to do dishes, laundry, talk normally, without waking her up. Plus, babies are use to a constant swooshing noise while they are in the womb, so it is comforting to them. We got this white noise machine off of Amazon, recommended by Taking Cara Babies, and we have loved it.

I wanted to include this Rohm Portable White Noise Machine as well, because we literally take it everywhere with us. When we travel, are out and about during nap time, over at parents or friends houses. If Row needs to sleep somewhere besides home we usually bring this Rohm White Noise Machine with us, and it does the trick. It is rechargeable with a micro USB, and lasts all night without being plugged in. It is a great solution for on the go that is compact! Plus, its only $30!

We ended up bottle feeding Rowan a lot sooner than we thought we would, so we were in desperate need of bottles. We got Como Tomo, these Wide Neck Dr. Brown’s bottles, and some Skinny Neck Dr. Brown’s bottles. The Wide Neck Dr. Brown’s bottles are by far the best bottles we have, and have tried! The thing I love about them is they are wider, so it seems more like a breast for Row. She had an easier time drinking out of those bottles than any others. Plus you don’t have to have the bottle tipped all the way upside down to get all the milk out, like you do the Como Tomo. I know everyone recommends these bottles, and I can see why. They truly are the best!

Rowan was bottle fed from about 1 month on, so we were constantly heating up breast milk since I was pumping. We bought a Kiinde Bottle Warmer and liked it, but Dr. Brown’s contacted me and sent me their bottle warmer. The Dr. Brown’s Bottle Warmer was definitely my favorite out of the two! It had a ton more settings instead of the dial that the Kiinde bottle had. You could select how many ounces, if it was out of the freezer, fridge, or at room temp. It also can fit any size of bottle (which the Kiinde can as well) which made it so convenient!

If you are pumping this product is going to change your life! Colin surprised me by purchasing these Kiinde Twist Bags and Kiinde Nipple and Case. Instead of pumping into a bottle and then transferring it into a separate bag, the Kiinde bags come with an adapter for your pump. So you can just pump right into the bags. It was so convenient when I had to pump in the car or while we were on a trip, I didn’t have to clean any extra bottles or bring extra parts.

The Kiinde Nipple and Case made it even more convenient because once you pumped into the bag, all you had to do was slide the case on and then put the nipple on top. Once you were done all you had to do was clean the nipple. They were our favorite thing to use while I was pumping! *TIP: if you aren’t wanting to purchase them from Amazon, or can’t wait for shipping. If you have a Buy Buy Baby close to you, you can purchase them in the store and they will price match the Amazon or Walmart price.

I wanted to share our favorite Muslin Burp Cloths from Amazon because they truly are amazing. Row spit up ALL THE TIME for the first few months. Not abnormally, but man, while her body was figuring out how to eat it was always a constant battle. We tried Copper Pearl, Burts Bee’s, some from Target, and finally the Muslin Burp Cloths from Amazon. We loved the Copper Pearl and Burts Bee’s Burp Cloths, but nothing could beat the price and fabric of the Amazon Muslin Burp Cloths.

The ideal burp cloth would cover a lot of ground and be the perfect thickness, so it doesn’t get on you, and it is easy to fit in a pocket in your diaper bag. These Amazon Muslin Burp Cloths check all the boxes! Plus, it is 6 for $10?! Sign me up!

One thing people don’t tell you when babies are born, is that when they are born their nails are kind of long! Or at least Row’s were. I was shocked at the fact I needed to trim them when she was less than 24 hours old! She ended up scratching her face the night she was born because they were so dang long! But, our doctor recommended not using clippers because there is still skin connected to her nails and it could hurt her.

So we purchased this Baby Nail Trimmer from Amazon for $9 and it worked like a charm! I was initially afraid it would hurt or scare her with the spinning wheels, but it ended up being so easy to use and didn’t hurt her at all. We have since started to use clippers, but this is a great way to trim babies nails or buff them down.

I need to give a special thanks to Shark Tank, and my mother in law for these socks. I will be forever changed! These are not just any ordinary socks. These are Squid Socks. They have a little rubber lining around the ankle which makes them stay on NO MATTER WHAT, and I mean it. We bought normal socks for Rowan, and she ended up being a kicker, so she would without a doubt, always kick off her socks.

My mother in law happened to be watching Shark Tank while they were pitching Squid Socks and bought us some. I know they are a little pricey, but I will be forever grateful because they are so worth it. I will literally only buy these until Row no longer kicks off her socks.

One thing I was nervous about was cradle cap. I really didn’t want Row to get it and the hospital didn’t give us any direction on it so I ended up asking my sister. She used to work at Primary Children’s Hospital, as a nurse, in one of the infant units. She told us about these little scrubbies and to use them on Row every time we gave her a bath, and it would scrub off any dandruff or dead skin so she wouldn’t get cradle cap. We love this DermaFrida and use it on Row all the time! She loves having her head scrubbed and I love keeping her head clean!

This Dreambaby Room and Bath Duck Thermometer has been one of my most used and favorite baby products! It was something we happened to stumble upon while we were in Buy Buy Baby and had to buy it. I thought it was genius! What it is, is a thermometer for bath time. I stick it in when I am filling up the tub. It will blink green if it is too cold, and red if it is too hot. Anything over 100 degrees is “too hot”. It makes bath time easier for me so I am not having the guess the temperature. Definitely a must-have baby item for me!

Babies LOVE to chew and put their mouth on everything. It seems like Rowan has been chewing on everything since day one. So I knew we needed to get her a good teether. This bunny teether has been her favorite and she will gnaw on it for what seems like hours! Plus, it is so easy for her to grab and hold on to.

Two words: GRIPE WATER. As Rowan’s little body was figuring out how to eat and digest food she was always SO GASSY. She would wake up in the middle of the night because she would be so gassy. Gripe water was our favorite thing to give her! Especially the Night Time Gripe Water. It helped calm her stomach and keep her less gassy! I recommend this to everyone, because those little bodies can be like little air compressors.

No one ever likes to think about diaper rash, or their baby getting diaper rash. Or at least I didn’t. Before having a baby I didn’t like the idea of putting diaper cream on, but that quickly changed once she got here. A couple of months ago when Row was about 4 months old, I wasn’t thinking and drank some orange juice. Since I was pumping and it is extremely acidic Rowan’s poor bum paid the price.

We tried every diaper rash cream in the book, but Boudreaux’s Butt Paste + Bacitracin was the only thing that helped clear it up! Trust me. This is the real deal.

The Nose Frida was one item everyone recommended, but I did not want to buy! Boogers are something that grosses me out and I can not handle. But this has been something that has been so helpful for Row! She has had a couple colds and this is the only thing that helps her breathe better. I’ll be honest, I am a wimp and make Colin do it, but it is something every parent should have on hand! Especially during cold season.

I know that was quite a long list of favorite baby products, so if you made it through it all, you deserve a gold star! This is definitely a list I wish I would have found when I had Rowan, and I hope it helps all those mom’s and parents to be! If you have any questions about the products I listed, feel free to reach out! I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

xo,