Favorite Items for the First Month with Baby.

It’s hard to believe that Beckham turns one month this week! I’ve had several of you ask about some of the items we’ve been using thus far, so I thought I’d write a blog post to give you the rundown.

Now, I’ve talked about several of these items before. Most of them are ones I used with our first son, but they’re worth mentioning again – especially for those of you who may be new here! So, let’s get to it. Here are the items I’ve loved having for this first month with our baby boy.

Breastfeeding

If you’re breastfeeding and pumping, I have a few major recommendations for you!

Pumps

Elvie Pump – I know this pump is expensive, but our insurance covered some of the cost and we used HSA funds to pay for the rest! Just want to give you some insight as to different options for paying for this pump because I believe it is WORTH EVERY PENNY. I highly recommend – especially if you plan to have more kids, plan on pumping at work or are going to be chasing around a toddler(s) all day while breastfeeding your baby. It’s completely wireless, practically silent and totally hands-free! I used a regular Medela pump with our first son and absolutely hated how much time I had to be glued to the couch pumping – this eliminates that wasted time and allows me to be more present for both of my boys!

Haakaa Pump – I can’t tell you how quickly I built up my freezer milk stash thanks in large part to my Haakaa pump! This thing attaches to the opposite boob while your baby nurses to catch letdown milk + extra over the course of a feeding. It’s amazing for not wasting any of your valuable breastmilk while you nurse and can even be used to relieve some discomfort and make your nipples more accessible for your baby (i.e., when they’re REALLY full). I get anywhere from 2-4 ounces each time I use it.. sometimes more!

Milk Storage Bags – With my last son, I just used some basic plastic milk storage bags. They got the job done but I remember getting frustrated with how it could be tough to get milk in and out of them without spilling. This time, I found these Tommee Tippee milk storage bags and I’ve LOVED them. They have a structured opening and a srew-top lid that makes pouring milk in and out so much easier and more efficient.

Nursing Wear

Nursing Tanks – I’ve been raving about these tanks since our first son was born two and a half years ago. I’ve tried others and they just aren’t the same! My favorite thing about these? They have built-in padding that doesn’t come out or get bunched up so there’s no need to wear anything else under them. I also love how easy it is to use the clip with one hand and just how soft and comfy they are. The straps can also be hooked together in the back, which makes them easier to hide or offer added support if you need it.

Nursing Bras – I have two of these nursing bras from Target and also decided to try this 3-pack of nursing bras that I found on Amazon! I love them both, but if I had to choose one over the other, I think I like the ones from Target a little bit better. They just feel slightly more comfortable and the padding doesn’t move around quite as much! The plus side of the ones from Amazon is that the silhouette is slightly more flattering.

For Mom

Padcicles – I have a highlight saved to my Instagram Stories (click here to watch) talking about my homemade padcicles and how to make them! They’re AMAZING to have at home for recovery after a vaginal birth!! Click here for my favorite lavender essential oil to use with them. Other ingredients linked here:

Comfy Undies – This is something not many people talk about – but it’s so important! After giving birth, you’re going to want to have some comfy undies in a dark color! These are the ones I recently bought to have on hand after we came home from the hospital and I’ve been loving them. They’re made of soft cotton and have the perfect amount of coverage for staying comfortable while keeping your pad in place.

The Coziest Joggers – I bought these joggers when I ordered the undies I mentioned above and cannot recommend them enough!! They’re super soft, comfortable and have a stretchy fold-over waste that you’d think was made for a postpartum mama! I sized down to an XS and they fit perfectly.

Favorite Pajamas – I recently bought some nursing-friendly pajamas and have been so pleased with my purchases! Some of you may know I’m a huge fan of matching pajamas and pajama sets – and that doesn’t have to change after baby! Here are the items I’ve practically been living in lately (I have the nursing tanks and pajama shorts in several colors.. they’re both the BEST).

For Baby

Moses Basket + Stand– A few months ago, I talked about our moses basket + stand and how it may not be totally necessary for those families who don’t have multiple floors in their home (we keep ours downstairs). BUT I think I may be eating my words. I just think a moses basket is such a convenient and useful place to put baby down in a living room, kitchen, office, dining room, etc.! I’m pretty sure we would be using it even if we didn’t have multiple stories in our home because it’s someplace that baby can lay flat safely to hang out or even sleep when you don’t necessarily want them to be in the other room.. and it doesn’t take up THAT much space! I use ours SO often during the day that I couldn’t not include it here.

Doc A Tot – After learning our lesson with our first son about just how much babies can move around in their sleep, we wised up and have been using our Doc A Tot for Beckham to sleep in from the start. This thing has been a GAME CHANGER and does such a good job of making sure he can’t roll around too much and wake himself up.

Swaddles – Click here for our favorite quick-and-easy swaddles! These take the guesswork out of trying to figure out blanket swaddles and I think they keep a wiggly baby contained much better! They’re also so convenient for those middle-of-the-night feedings/changes.

Magnetic Onesies – Parents, do yourselves a favor and get at least two of these magnetic onesies!! Talk about making diaper changes quick and easy! Instead of buttons or even a zipper, these onesies are held closed with magnets that are strong enough to stay together while you’re baby wiggles, but user-friendly enough to come apart easily! Seriously, these are a parents best friend.

Sink Bath – We’ve had this sink bath for both boys now and love it! It fits in a variety of different bathroom sinks and we’ve loved using it at bath time. It can be made to go flat in between uses for easy storage and I love that you can easily wipe it clean.

Changing Pad + Scale – I thought I would love having this to keep track of our baby’s weight and it turns out I was right! Even though we’ve had a very different (in a good way!) experience with Beckham vs. Fischer and their weight gain (click here if you’d like to read about how we struggled the first time), it has still given me such peace of mind being able to track his weight easily and efficiently from day one. This scale/changing pad combo seamlessly connects to your phone via bluetooth and the app is awesome! I use the app for tracking diapers, feedings and sleep too! An added benefit is that the changing pad itself is super easy to clean as you just wipe it down – there’s no cracks, crevices or pores to worry about!

For the Room

Sound Machine – This has been a game changer this second time around. I don’t know why, but we waited to use the sound machine until our first son was sleeping in his crib overnight. This time, we’ve been using Beckham’s Hatch Baby Rest sound machine from the start at bedtime and it has made such a big difference. I think it really helps to relax him, drown out extraneous noise and I can tell that its starting to signify sleep for him which is amazing – especially at this point! Another perk? It acts as a nightlight for those dream feeds and diaper changes. No more poking around in the pitch dark or turning on lamps!

Mini Fridge – This was a new discovery for me, but I have loved the convenience this little mini fridge has brought me! I use it to store milk I’ve collected in my Haakaa pump overnight so that I don’t have to take a trip downstairs. It can also be super useful for storing milk (or formula) you plan to heat up for baby for a middle of the night feeding. All you need is a little bottle warmer (this is the one we have and another huge recommendation of mine) kept next to it and you’re golden! An added perk is that I keep my eye balm in it so that its nice and chilly for cooling and depuffing my undereyes in the morning 😉

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Well, friends, that about wraps up my top recommended items for the first month with baby! If you enjoyed this post, would you mind pinning and sharing to your social channel(s)?! Thanks so much for being here!!