12 BABY ITEMS THAT SAVED US FOR THE FIRST 3 MONTHS

Phew! We made it through the first 3 months of having a baby. (Technically we're almost to month 6, but we won't talk about that!)

Below were our most used and most loved baby items for Parker from 0-3 months.

1. The Snuggle Me Organic Infant Lounger.

This has saved us numerous times... especially when Parker had trouble sleeping in his bassinet. There were a few sleepless nights in the beginning, where Parker would only want to feel snuggled by one of us. He would fall asleep on either Mom or Dad and then we'd be able to transfer him to the Snuggle Me without waking him up to get our own amount of rest.

2. The Baby Shusher.

I packed this in our hospital bag and it was such a great decision! When you're exhausted and just trying to survive, the last thing you want to do is be "shushing" your baby all night long. The Baby Shusher makes that "shushing" sound for you, replicating what it sounds like in the womb. And believe me... it instantly calms them down and stops their crying!

3. Graco Soothe my Way Baby Swing.

I've heard all sorts of reviews relating to the MamaRoo, which is why I didn't add that to our registry. Instead, I chose this one because of the large amounts of good reviews... and I'm happy to report that it lived up to its reviews. Parker would be screaming his head off... we'd put him in this contraption... turn on the motion and sound... and within a minute, Parker would be settling down and falling asleep.

4. Newton Baby Mattress.

I will admit... we moved Parker over to his crib at 6 weeks. I just couldn't get good quality sleep with him sleeping in the room with us. Plus, he was a big boy from the beginning, so we felt comfortable making the change early on. You're able to breathe right through this mattress, so my anxiety about moving him over to his own crib early on, was significantly diminished.

5. Skip Hop Bath Rinser / Skip Hop Elbow & Knee Saver.

I would HIGHLY recommend this baby bath, especially for smaller bathrooms. It's so easy to set up and clean. It folds up almost flat and is a great space-saving option. And it has a hook, so you easily hang it up on the shower wall. That and the elbow and knee saver makes bath time much more manageable!

6. Fisher Price Deluxe Play & Kick Playmat.

If you're looking for a toy that occupies the baby long enough for you to drink your hot coffee in peace? Get this. This kept Parker occupied for at least 30-45 minutes at a time. I was even able to clean the bathroom, fold a load of laundry and empty the dishwasher, all while he was playing away on his mat!

7. Hatch Sound Machine.

This is a must have for every new mom! The hatch connects to your phone through an app and has multiple different sound options, including a night light. Babies are used to a lot of white noise in the womb, so a white noise machine instantly settles them down when it's time to nap or sleep. Parker is so used to his Hatch, that he begins to close his eyes the minute the sound machine turns on!

8. Baby Brezza Bottle Warmer.

I know this one sounds a bit extra, but this has made our lives so much easier! Parker is a formula fed baby, so having to heat up bottles was getting difficult and time-consuming. This bottle warmer has the best reviews and is another great option to connect to your phone. You can be in another room and your phone will notify you when the bottle is ready. Cold 8 oz bottles can easily be heated up in under 5 minutes.

9. Baby Jogger Stroller.

I LOVE this stroller. Tyler and I have taken this stroller everywhere... from the bumpy sidewalks of Baltimore City to the bumpy hills of a nearby college campus... this stroller still continues to have a smooth ride. It's also extremely easy to fold and unfold, even with one hand! Highly recommend!

10. Gerber Cloth Diapers.

These make the BEST burp cloths. Being real here... your baby spits up a lot... and those other burp cloths just don't cut it! We have 20 of these burp cloths and keep them everywhere throughout the house. I don't know why, but these really do soak up everything!

11. 2-Way Sleep and Plays.

These sleep and plays make diaper changes so much easier! Need to change a diaper in the middle of the night? Zip it open from the bottom keeping their top nice and cozy. Had a random blow out during the day? Zip it open from the top and easily take off the poop-covered sleeper without the risk of spreading germs.

12. White Onesies.

I can't even tell you how many times I've layered onesies underneath Parker's sleepers or long sleeve onesies, especially in the Fall and Winter months. AND how many times I've saved outfits from blow outs. Better to get the poop on the white onesie than the cute $10+ outfit you just bought them!

Items you shouldn't buy until the baby is born...

Swaddles.

Swaddles come in all shapes and sizes. Every baby is different and, unfortunately, you won't know how they like to sleep until their born. Parker LOVED the Love to Dream Swaddles... every other swaddle he hated! This kid loves to sleep with his arms and hands close to his face, so this swaddle was the best option for us.

Baby Bottles.

Again, baby bottles come in all shapes and sizes and every baby prefers different types of bottles. Prior to Parker being born I bought multiple samples of baby bottles and he preferred Dr. Brown's the best. We've been using those ever since!

Pacifiers.

We had to go through 3 different pacifier types until we landed on Dr. Brown's pacifiers. He would spit out all the others within minutes of using them, and I just assumed he wasn't a pacifier baby. Haha, wrong! We were just using the wrong kinds! You live and you learn.

Starting your baby registry or feeling overwhelmed as to what you need? Hopefully this list helped you a bit in your final decisions!