Our Top Baby Items for 0-6 Months - The Friendly Moms Club

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When you become a new parent it can be overwhelming with all of the baby items out there! Deciding which baby items to buy, which ones you should buy new or used, what can wait, etc. can seem like a daunting task and we are here to help. We want to share our top baby items that we used for the first 6 months. You can also read about our top items for 6-12 months here!

We will talk about which items we think are best new, which can be used or hand-me-downs and what can wait or isn’t needed at all. We recognize that every family is unique and therefore your needs may be different from ours but hopefully our list can help put you on the right path to purchasing what’s right for you. It’s important to note that we both purchased/received these items before we even knew each other. So the fact that we often had the same items probably means something!

ErgoBaby Omni Breeze 360
UppaBaby Vista Stroller
Medela Pump in Style
Dr Browns Bottles
My Breast Friend
Baby Brezza
Keababies and Halo Velcro Swaddles
Woolino Sleep Sacks
SnuggleMe Organic Infant Lounger
Lovevery Play Mat.
Maxi Cosi Rocker
Ingenuity Rocking Seat
Skip Hop 3 in 1 Exersaucer
Diaper caddy
Exercise ball

First, let’s start with our favorite carriers & strollers:

Both of us seriously enjoyed our ErgoBaby Omni Breeze 360 baby carrier! We went on numerous long walks for hours at a time and couldn’t believe how comfortable it was. The bonus was that both of our babies loved to fall asleep in it. Some of the useful features are the adjustable straps (fit an array of body sizes and can easily switch between partners if needed), the rain/wind/sun cover that goes into a little pocket on the front and can be taken out when needed, and the pouch for personal items. If you can get this as a hand-me-down – awesome, or used – great, but we both think it’s well worth the brand new purchase. Jen and Karlee both got theirs used from family and friends and they held up tremendously for all of the wear they got.

Next is the UppaBaby Vista Stroller. This is a popular stroller of choice if you want to have more than one child because it has the option to add a second car seat, toddler seat, or car seat to it. Which is exactly why we both got it. We wanted the flexibility if we chose to have more than one child. But regardless of family size, the stroller is just really nice. The basket is SO BIG which is amazing – you can take it grocery shopping and fill up the bottom. It also strolls very smoothly; the perfect everyday stroller. It’s prudent to note here that it is NOT the best on trails, for that we both ended up getting a used BOB stroller, but for everyday use, travel, etc. this one is perfect. Jen also appreciated the bassinet attachment that comes with it. It is considered a safe sleep place and its breathable for baby. Jen used it for travel so that baby had a place to spend the night without having to also bring a pack-n-play.

Secondly, what we loved for feeding:

We both used the Medela Pump in Style, Dr Browns Bottles and My Breast Friend breastfeeding pillow! This was all by chance that we had purchased the same products and that shows just how great the reviews are for these products.

The pump in style comes with a cute carrying bag and can be battery operated meaning you can pump on the go. Karlee has pumped in the car numerous times using the battery operated feature and it works like a charm! We both found the pump to work well and is very user friendly.

The Dr Browns Bottles come with an air vent that helps babies take the bottle more easily without as many air bubbles. We noticed a big difference using the bottles with the vent and the times we forgot it. I didn’t realize how useful this feature would be until the first time we forgot it! The bottles were fairly easy to clean and have kept up really well over the year we’ve been using them so far! There are a couple different styles you can buy, we found both our babies preferred the narrow neck bottles but we did try the wide neck ones as well (I think that comes down to baby preference).

As for a breastfeeding pillow, my original thought was that i wouldn’t need one. I figured that I was strong, had couch pillows and could just makeshift something. Turns out a real breastfeeding pillow can actually be a game changer. The features specifically we liked about My Breast Friend is that it clips and adjusts nicely around your waist, there are removable covers that can easily be washed, and there’s a little pouch that’s handy for your phone/snacks/nipple shield/anything else you may need during the session. Karlee tried a few different breast feeding pillows and definitely preferred this one.

The last thing that that’s worth mentioning is the Baby Brezza for bottle feeding. This is specifically for those using formula. It will save you a lot of time measuring out bottles and heating them. It is essentially a Keurig but instead of coffee it makes formula. It uses pre-heated water and automatically mixes whatever chosen formula amount and funnels it into your bottle. You will particularly notice the difference this makes in the middle of the night when the baby is really crying and you’re half asleep; you get a warm bottle in seconds as opposed to minutes!

Next up is what we preferred for baby sleep:

Initially when the babies were very young, we both used swaddles for sleep. There are several different brands/types out there however getting one that has velcro allows you to get a nice snug fit without having to be an expert. I know my husband appreciated the ease of use and not needing to learn some folding techniques. I used Halo Velcro Swaddles and Karlee used Keababies. I think whatever brand you can find any sales on, get from friends, etc would be great!

After they grew out of the swaddle stage we both moved on to Woolino Sleep Sacks. We preferred this brand because they are meant to be used long term (2 – 24 months) and are made up of Merino Wool that helps regulate your baby’s temperature.

This brings us to our favorite Baby Containers:

Everyone has their own opinions about the use of Baby Containers however we still wanted to share our favorites that we used often for our little ones. We did not rely on them for long term use but they can give you enough time to shower, prep some food, do laundry, shake out your arms, etc. The SnuggleMe Organic Infant Lounger was a definite favorite for the very young babies. It is a sleep pillow that envelops your baby when you lay them down so it feels like they are still being snuggled in your arms. It is one of the only places we could transfer a sleeping baby to that they would remain asleep! Now, we should mention that SnuggleMe isn’t technically a safe sleep space however we believe that as long as you are watching them at all times it is very useful. You can purchase covers for them so if there are any spit ups, bottle spills, etc you can easily wash them.

We also used a playmat every day. We a not partial to any particular brand as they all have the basics you would need. We would encourage you to use whichever one you were gifted, you can borrow from a friend, or get on sale. IF we had to buy one with all the bells and whistles, and budget wasn’t a worry, we would both definitely purchase the Lovevery Play Mat. It is super functional and has good learning features built in for baby (ex. Contrast colors).

Another everyday item is a baby bouncer. Karlee used the Maxi Cosi Rocker which she loved and Jen used an Ingenuity Rocking Seat. They both have very similar features but essentially it is a chair that baby can be strapped into (safety here is important) and then it either will have an electronic vibrate/bounce function or you can manually gently bounce the baby in it. They also can be adjusted for the seat position in order to have baby laying down or sitting more upright. They are normally very cosy for your little one to lay/sit in.

Next is the Skip Hop 3 in 1 Exersaucer. We are always a fan of items that can be used for long period of time and/or different functions. This one starts as a regular exersaucer, turns into a table they can stand/walk around and then turns into an official little kids table with chairs. Both of little ones have LOVED it and use it often. There are different toy attachments that can be moved around and taken off when you decide to use the table function. It is also easy to clean, with the seat fabric coming right out and machine washable.

Lastly are just some items we used but there were no specific brands that are required:

For a bath, any baby bath tub that can be used on the counter to start out! It helps those C Section mams especially as they cant bend over the tub as easily.
A Diaper caddy for all the essentials you’d need that you can easily move around the house (diapers, diaper cream, hand sanitizer, wipes, colic drops, snot sucker, etc)
An exercise ball for bouncing baby on! Works like a charm for getting them to settle, sleep and feed

Please let us know if any of the links don’t worry or if you have any questions! Also, remember that anything you can get used, from friends, on sale etc is so helpful! There were a couple items we preferred brand new but ultimately getting what you can is the goal. We are huge fans of reusing items, getting deals, sharing with friends etc. Motherhood is expensive enough, we do not need to include buying every item brand new and full price to that stress. I also loved to plan out a list of the items I wanted for baby when I was a couple months pregnant and then I watched all the sales that went on throughout the rest of the trimesters! Almost EVERYTHING will go on sale and since you don’t need most of them while you’re pregnant, you have the time to wait for the best sales!

All the best!

Jen (& Karlee)

P.S You can listen to our podcast ‘Ep. 17 Our Must Have Baby Items for 0-6 Months’ to hear us talk about all of this in more detail!

P.P.S. *This blog post contains affiliate links- we may earn a commission if you purchase through our link or promo code.*