Top Ten Baby Items for Expectant Parents

I was lucky to have some moms give me advice before having my first baby and in other cases, I learned by trial and error what was best. Hopefully these recommendations will help you, as a new parent, to get the things that will really help you. 

BREASTFEEDING/FEEDING 

1. Lansinoh Cream
This is wonderful (and worth the money) for keeping your nipples from getting too sore or cracked. You can buy it at most baby supply stores and even some maternity shops. 

2. Breast Pump
The Medela breast pump This can cost you a few hundred dollars but it’s worth it. I have the Pump in Style and it works really well and is fairly comfortable. Medela offers different cup sizes to accommodate different breast sizes. Save money by borrowing the pump or definitely put it on your baby registry. Put the accessories on your registry because the costs can add up. 

3. Baby bottles
Dr. Brown's baby bottles have a great design and REALLY keep the baby from getting gas. We tried Avent and our baby was not happy (although we know several people who like them). The nice thing is that the Brown’s baby bottles can also attach to the Medela cone for pumping breast milk directly into the bottle. 

4 Breastfeeding pillow
The Boppy is among the top-rated items for parents. While it is wonderful for breastfeeding ease, it also is great for propping a baby who can’t quite sit up yet. You also can put baby on the pillow on her stomach for “tummy time.” 

HEALTH/SAFETY: 

5. Baby Monitor
We love the monitor by Summer Infant Products. It costs about $170 but it does go on sale or use a store’s 20% off coupon. It has some great features. It has a pretty mobile base and the handheld unit is very easy to take with you. The handheld has a color screen with night vision so you can see baby without disturbing him. It is pretty tough, too. We’ve dropped the camera part a few times and it still works great. There’s also minimal interference between this and wireless products. 

BABY PLAY