Must-have Baby Goods

It’s true what they say, “babies don’t keep.” Yet, every baby gadget in existence will make its way into your home and be your saving grace, if even for a week - or sometimes even a few hours - in the time of caring for a new baby.

And no, not every gadget is worth it. And true, some of them can be a complete waste of money. But when it comes to multiple sleepless nights and a crying baby, a tool that provides relief can make all the difference.

It's all about personal preference, true, but here are the must-have baby goods in the Fry household.

MOM'S FAVORITES:

Gathre Leather changing mat. Convenient for your changing station at home or your diaper bag because there will be pee and/or poop on the changing pad more than once. I keep an all-purpose spray and paper towels nearby for easy cleanup. Get one here.

Baby Shusher. A machine that makes the same noise you can literally make with your mouth, yet it gives me such peace of mind having it. After a few nothing-will-soothe-baby late-night crying episodes we opted to give it a shot. This is our go-to tool when nothing else will calm Rosemary in her crib, while running errands, and even when we’re somewhere visiting. Here's the one we have.

Travel white noise. Any mommy blog will tell you to invest in a white noise machine for baby's nursery, but having one attached to the car seat for car rides and trips to the grocery store also serves as a huge help to comfort baby. This is the one you need.

Wondersuit.

While all-button footie pj's are adorable on baby, the convenience of a single zipper with built-in mittens and socks makes the Wondersuit a must-have in our house. Here's one for newborns. Here's a bigger size.

Happiest baby swaddle. THE ONLY SWADDLE YOU NEED. Seriously. It is so easy, baby loves it, and that is all that matters. And bonus, they are cute.

DAD'S LIST:

A trustworthy video monitor. With all the technology available today, you don't have to rely on an old-school walkie talkie to hear each baby cry. Instead, we opted for a video monitor for the ability to check on baby without entering her room to disturb her should it just be an innocent baby squeal. We use the Owlet.

Lovevery playmat. Investing in a playmat for your baby's first year is crucial! The ability for them to enjoy alone time on the mat while you get some work done, or just enjoy a cup of coffee, will save your sanity on many days. We chose the Lovery play gym because of it's uniquely designed features to aid baby's development at every stage. Here's the one we have.

"His" diaper bag. In a normal world - and by that I mean, outside of COVID-19 restrictions - a diaper bag for mom and a diaper bag for dad help make life a bit easier. And because so many bags are designed for women, Jorden opted for a military bag to operate as a “his” diaper bag because of all the pockets and extra space. It's perfect! We use this multipurpose backpack.

White noise machine. Baby's love white noise, it's a fact. We chose a machine with touch-to-turn on (rather than a switch), has a handful of sound options, comes with an app to control the sound/noise from your phone, and operates as a nightlight. We have the Hatch.

Probiotics. We had never heard about probiotics for a little one, but after our pediatrician brought it up we opted to give it a try. And we're so glad we did! I swear it helped with colic and just an overall happier baby. Here's what we use.