Best Buys for Infants & Babies:

How did new parents survive before the great baby product boom?! Just fine, actually. After having our third kid, a lot of people asked which baby products we’ve used for all three, and which ones were one-and-done. And, to be honest, there aren’t a ton of “must-haves” on my list.

For me, having a bassinet on every floor of the house was important, so the MiClassic travel bassinet has always been in heavy rotation. The Baby Bjorn bouncer is also, in my opinion, the only lounger/positioner you will ever need. (Fun fact: most “activity center,” and “jumper” products can actually stunt infant development, so you’re better off putting little ones in the bouncer when you need to, and on the floor the rest of the time.)

The Hatch light has served as an excellent sound machine for all of my babies, and I love that you can turn the light red at night. This allows me to see just enough to grab and nurse baby, but isn’t so bright that I have trouble falling back asleep afterwards. I’ve also included a bunch of products that were very helpful to me throughout my breastfeeding journeys, as well as my NUMBER ONE recommendation: the Rohm (Yogasleep) portable sound machine.

Lastly, I’ll link a product I only purchased for baby #3 here. It’s basically a baby cage (ok, more of a play yard), and has been super helpful in terms of allowing the littlest one to do some independent tummy time, without being trampled by other kids, and/or dogs. (It’s also portable, and great for taking to the park or beach. You can put a fitted sheet over the top for shade as well, since the sides are made of breathable mesh.)

Best Toddler Travel Buys:

Taking toddlers on the road can be daunting. They come with a lot of stuff and, if your family is anything like mine, a lot of sleep issues. While I would like to say that I have a product to solve every potential problem, I don’t. And no one does. At the end of the day, the number one thing they need is YOU, and the best thing for everyone’s sanity is to pack as lightly as possible. Because of this, I always recommend renting big-ticket baby products (like carseats and strollers), or calling hotels and rental properties beforehand to check whether they have things like cribs and pack n’ plays available. However, there are a few things that we usually pack to make overnight stays with little kids a little bit easier. The bed bumpers are definitely my number one for hotel stays, but the large stroller clips have also been crucial when trying to navigate an airport without leaving anyone’s backpack behind…