The Baby Products You’ll Really Use Those First Six Months

The Baby Products Youll Really Use Those First Six Months, image of Savannah Walsh sitting in a flowery meadow with her five children.

Those early baby months are chock-full of milestones, both big and small. Savannah Walsh shares her personal list of top baby items to make mom life a little easier as you navigate them.

 

MyRegistry contributing writer Savannah Walsh is a Canadian blogger, a mom of five little ones, and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style.


Time works on a different clock when you have a baby. You finally meet this little person you’ve been dreaming of for so, so long, you soak in that first week as you all adjust into your new family, and then I swear, you wake up and they’re 6 months old. It all goes so incredibly quickly, and you’ve never been busier. And there has never been so much change.

How do you describe the first six months of your baby's life? Simple: constant, evolving change. Your baby changes so much in the first six months that in all honesty, it’s hard to process until you’re out of that stage. Your baby learns to eat, sleep, control their head, control their limbs, roll over, smile, sit up, and so on, all in the first half year of their life.

With my first baby, I remember it all hitting me at about seven months. I looked at her one day and realized she was a completely different baby than the one I’d originally welcomed into the world. She seemed so grown to me suddenly. The first of many classic mom moments: “Holy smokes, this is all going so fast.”

People would always talk to me about the big milestones, like when your baby finally sleeps through the night for the first time, or learns to crawl and walk. But I found myself completely unprepared for all the smaller milestones that happened in the first six months. Like the first time my baby recognized grandma walking into the house, or the first time she blew a raspberry. The first time she got scared when the dog barked, and then the first time she didn’t get scared when the dog barked. It’s a time of constant new milestones, both big and small, a time of constant change and growth.

Let’s be honest: Every single new milestone comes with one guarantee, and that’s that you’re going to need more stuff. And I still can’t believe how true that is. I remember laughing at all the moms who would make jokes about how their baby had taken over their living room, their bedroom—heck, their entire house—and how unnecessary I thought that was. Well, five kids later, I’m here to say… it’s true. And believe me, there’s a this and a that for every single new milestone and skill your baby develops. And some of them are total game changers!

Here is my personal list of the top baby items to get you through the first six months of motherhood!

Snuggle Me

If you frequent my blogs around here, you’ll know this is likely my most-recommended baby product. In all honesty, if I had to suggest only one baby product to every single new mom out there, it would be a Snuggle Me. To me, the Snuggle Me is a lifesaver in more ways than one. It’s a safe place to put my baby while I get things done hands-free, it’s a good place for early tummy time, it’s an amazing sleep aid for supervised naps, it’s where I can put my baby when I’m feeling touched out and baby still wants to be held, and so on. I’m telling you! LIFESAVER.

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Sound Machine

One of the first things I recommend to new moms is a good-quality sound machine, and part of the reason may surprise you. On one hand, a sound machine is an amazing sleep aid for babies, and I’ve found it really helps my babies get in some proper sleep stretches. But that's not the only reason I recommend it. Babies, especially newborns, are super loud sleepers. Yup, you read that right—loud. They grunt a lot and make all kinds of little sounds. Now, I can't speak for everyone, but for me personally those cute little sounds keep me up allllll night, anxious that my baby is about to wake up. The sound machine really helps ease me to sleep and not get distracted by all the little noises, but it won’t keep me from hearing my baby, like earplugs can.

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Play Mat/Tummy-Time Accessories

Tummy time is something I’m not great at, I won’t lie to you. Normally, my babies hate it, so they cry and complain the entire time, causing me to not do it nearly as often as I should. By my third baby, I really wanted to make the experience as enjoyable as it could be. Getting a really nice mat and toy bar was definitely helpful in getting me to commit to doing proper tummy time—however I can’t say my babies always felt the same way!

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In Canada

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In Canada

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BabyBjörn Bouncer

One of the things I didn’t see the importance of till way later on! And looking back, it would have saved me, many times. A small, easily portable bouncer is such a huge essential in the first four to six months. For quick pee breaks, making dinner, answering the door, folding laundry, you name it. The BabyBjörn in particular is incredible. The hammock-like seat is loved by, I swear, every baby I know. The bouncer itself is lightweight and not bulky, making it really easy to move around the house with you, and an every-baby fave.

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Sit-Up Floor Seat

This is a new-to-me discovery, and one I wish I’d had for all five babies! I got Cullen (my current youngest) this great Fisher-Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat, in all honesty, way too late in the game. He was about 4-and-a-half months old and just starting to really enjoy picking up toys by himself and playing with them. I wanted something small that had toys attached, and also, I just thought the seat was super cute. When we got it, I quickly realized how amazing it actually is. My kids have always been slightly slow when it comes to sitting up independently, and these are incredibly helpful when they’re learning. For my next baby, I’ll definitely start it right around 3 months old so they can use it for the full amount of time.

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Boomerang Nursing/Support Pillow

Speaking of learning to sit up, I find the best light support for a newly sitting baby is a big, fat boomerang nursing/support pillow. I do use one of these for nursing (and actually as my computer stand as I write this… mom life, I tell ya!), but it’s also great for new sitters because it doesn’t actually sit around or even touch baby. It just rests behind them as a cushion if they wobble over.

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Jumper/Activity Center

These are an absolute must-have at right about 5 or 6 months, when my babies start to get really energetic and want to be kept constantly busy. Jumper/activity centers are an amazing way to have your baby independently play safely while confined and also test out their motor skills as they practice jumping and moving their legs independently.

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Milestone Book

Last but not least, something I really wish I’d thought of for all my kids: having a good milestone and date book from before baby is born. Look, we all think we’re going to be fabulous and remember to write down the first smile, the first haircut, the last bottle, and everything else, but we usually have so much on our minds and it easily gets forgotten. A milestone book for my first baby was given to me when I was pregnant, so I had it from day one, and no surprise, she’s the only one with any form of milestone book. I really didn’t think it would bother me not having them for the others, but it does, a lot. And it’s so fun for kids to look at their own milestone books.

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The first six months come and go in a flash. I know everyone says it, but believe me, that time will be gone before you know it. For some of you that may be a big relief, and for others, a big sadness. Either way, heat up your coffee and be prepared for a quick-paced ride.

About the Writer
Canadian blogger Savannah Walsh is the mom of five little ones and the face behind That Caffeinated Mom, where she talks pregnancy, birth, postpartum struggles, and everyday mom life in her own relatable and very candid storytelling style. Savannah has created a space for moms from all walks of life to connect over motherhood by telling the real-life story of a regular mom, including the tough parts of motherhood we sometimes shy away from. When Savannah had her first baby, she knew very little about the mom world and quickly felt overwhelmed by the number of options available to her, from baby brands to parenting advice. Over the years, she’s tried just about every baby and kid product there is, along with developing her own parenting style and devising ways to stay sane while balancing a busy household. Savannah joins us every month on MyRegistry to share her stories, mom tips, and favorite baby products.

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