newborn baby essentials

I get tons of questions on the products I use with the Buns and now that they’re 3 months old (and exiting newborn stage!) I feel like I’ve really gotten a grip on what works and doesn’t work for us. Before I dive into our must-haves, please note that every baby is so different. Slater and Zoe alone have their own preferences so yours will too. Also, I had TONS of tips from other mamas when I was pregnant and registered which was incredibly helpful, however I really didn’t figure out what was best until I tried it all myself. We still live our lives based on trial and error with baby products…and lots and lots of orders on amazon! So, that said, here are my personal newborn must haves!

Bottles: Zoe loves Dr. Browns because they help reduce gas :) These bottles are probably my favorite but they do have a ton of parts to clean so keep that in mind! Slater uses Dr. Browns as well as Como Tomo – CT has wide nipples that mimic the breast.

Blankets: Aden & Anais are my go-to! We used to use their blankets to swaddle, but now we use them to cover car seats when we’re out. We also use them as burp cloths for spit up (since they’re always laying around!) and just regular blankets. I thought I had too many of these before the Buns were born but have since learned you really can’t have enough! For swaddling, we use the Miracle Blanket every night, as well as for naps!.It’s like a straight jacket for the babies and keeps them confined in one space while they sleep. My DIY swaddles were never tight and secure enough and my kids’ arms and legs would always be flailing everywhere by midnight. This thing has definitely kept their parts in one place and thus improved their sleeping!

Crib: we have a Pottery Barn crib that the twins currently share, but will separate into two cribs in a few months. We also use the Halo Bassinet in our bedroom some nights…it swivels and makes it easy to pull them near my bed when I need to check on them, or push them away when I need to get up and out. It’s great for you C Section mamas who can’t move much post delivery! Oh an on the sleeping note, this Sleep Sheep is very useful. It makes sounds that mimic the womb…and bedtime or not, has really helped calm my babies!

Diapers: I don’t have a preference really. The Honest Co. has super cute ones but Pampers and Huggies are very durable. We were given a lot of diapers from friends and family and they all work! Same story with wipes (psssst you can NEVER have enough of these)! I also love this Ubbi Diaper Pail. It seals diaper odors so no matter how many dirty diapers involved, keeps the nursery fresh!

Bath time: since the babies are still small, we’ve been bathing them with this cute Blooming Bath in the sink, but will upgrade soon to this Angelcare tub. We use Johnson & Johnson soap and love our Pottery Barn Kids hooded towels.

Pillows/loungers: our Twin Z Pillow is a lifesaver. Our babies spend 70% of the day in it by our sides! I use it to double bottle feed them too. For you singleton moms, the Boppy lounger is great (I use two, one for each of my kids), and the Dock a Tot is great for naps.

Nursing: My Brest Friend twin version helps me tandem feed Slater & Zoe. My mom friends rave about the regular singleton Brest Friend too if you have one baby:) Milk Snob makes great nursing covers that can also be used to cover the car seat!

Swings/Gear: I have 2 of these Graco rockers that I like because I know my babies are secure and safe with the buckles. It’s another great feeding contraption. We have one Fisher Price swing that I use every now and then. We also have a mamaRoo!

Carriers: I use the Boba Wrap daily. Yes it was tricky to figure out the wrapping method at first but once I got the hang of it it’s pretty simple! With two, I always need an extra hand so this thing is definitely necessary in my life. When we go to restaurants I usually wear a baby in the wrap and my husband will take the other in the car seat. It’s really helped us avoid the “table for 2 but we have a giant stroller” situation. I also wear the wrap around the house while I clean or do chores. And I of course wear it on walks! I’d also recommend the Ergobaby Carrier or TwinGo for a more structured option. We wear these on longer walks or hikes.

Changing table: I mentioned this in my nursery post, but this Keekaroo was a game-changer. I was constantly cleaning our original changing pad and covers until I got this thing – is so low maintenance! It’s waterproof so you can wipe down any pee, poop, spit up and all that good stuff off in seconds. No covers required.

Burping: Burt’s Bees Baby makes the best burp cloths! Add these to the “can’t have too many” list!

Pacifiers: we love WubbaNub! They soothe our babies in seconds and have become our babies little buddies :)

Clothing: this list would go on and on, but for onesies and basics I love Burt’s Bees Baby, Carters, Cat & Jack and Gap. I also love Baby Bling headbands for Zoe (they finally fit her head now that she’s 10lbs)!

Strollers: we use the Uppababy system! The stroller comes with a bassinet (you need to order the second separately for twins) as well as a toddler seat. The Uppababy Mesa car seats snap right into the stroller too (make sure you read about and order appropriate adapters pending number of children and seats you’re working with). We also use the Twin Joovy Snap n’ Go– we keep it in the car and use it when we’re traveling or doing errands (adapters required for this too). It’s not as heavy duty as the Uppababy and doesn’t maneuver as well but you literally snap n’ go so it serves its purpose when we are out and about.

As far as “health and safety” (for lack of a better phrase), a few things we can’t live without include our baby aspirators. We have this Fridababy Aspirator  as well as a few simple bulbs that we use on the twins’ noses and ears daily. We used Little Remedies Gas Drops for  to relieve Zoe’s upset tummy in the early days, and sometimes even Colic Calm when she was super fussy (though we typically try to avoid using anything when we can)! If you’re curious about the vitamins we give our babies each morning, or the preemie formula we used in the beginning stages you can definitely email me but I’d suggest asking a doctor what he/she recommends for your particular baby(s).

We’re just starting to dive into the books, toys and things now that the babes are no longer newborns (tear!) so I’ll be back with some updated picks and faves for this new stage we are entering! I can’t believe they are no longer tiny 5lb littles anymore…but it’s been so fun to watch them grow and evolve…especially now that they’re smiling and cooing. You can shop my go-to’s below and feel free to reach out with any particular questions!

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