I’ve Written for Parenting Websites for Years — Here’s What I’m Getting for My First Baby

When I was choosing a stroller, I had a lot of requirements: It needed to be versatile and lightweight (while still having storage), it had to fold easily, it had to deliver a smooth ride, and it needed car seat and stroller seat functionality. There was one clear winner for me: the Nuna triv™ next. It’s perfect for my Brooklyn lifestyle, since it converts to a travel system (with a Nuna PIPA car seat), folds quickly and easily, and stands up on its own even when folded. The stroller’s rubber tires will keep up with New York City’s uneven streets, and the convertible all-season seat will work both in the heat of summer and on cold winter days.

There are so many options when it comes to car seats, so I had to narrow down my requirements before I could start deciding. I knew I wanted a car seat that could be part of a travel system, but I also wanted to make sure it was lightweight and could connect with or without a base. This specific Nuna car seat has everything I was looking for: It easily connects to a number of Nuna strollers, it has a 4-position base with a stability leg, and it can even be installed with a seatbelt (which is perfect for cabs or family members’ cars). Plus, the car seat has a removable UPF 50+ canopy, a Sky drape™ that protects baby from all the elements, and it works for babies up to 32 pounds.

I know at some point we’ll need to swap to a convertible/all-in-one car seat, but the pipa™ rx is the perfect starter car seat for my family.

When I asked all of my mom friends about the item that got the most use in their nursery, there was one answer I heard over and over again: a glider. Whether you’re feeding your baby, soothing them to sleep, holding them for a contact nap, or just relaxing in their room, a glider is an absolute must. Because my baby’s nursery is small (as I said, we live in Brooklyn), I knew that if we were going to get a full-sized glider, it needed to have a lot of features. Eventually, I found The Glider Plus, which has a large seat, adjustable head support, power recline, smooth glide, swivel functionality, lumbar support, a built-in USB, and stain-resistant fabric. Although this glider has a higher price tag, reviewers say it’s absolutely worth it.

There are a lot of fantastic bassinet options out there these days (ranging from the high-end SNOO to simple bedside sleepers), so choosing the one I wanted for my baby was a challenge. I decided to opt for a bassinet with high-end features (like built-in vibration, white noise, and breathable mesh walls) but with a great price point. The Halo BassiNest Soothing Swivel Sleeper 3.0 had everything I wanted — primarily, a safe sleep environment that would allow me to be as close to my baby as possible (without bed-sharing). This bassinet has a 360-degree swivel to bring baby extra close, a lowering wall for easy access, mesh walls for airflow, and a 2-in-1 convertible design that allows you to remove the sleep nest from the base to move it around the house.

When you want to put your baby down in a safe place so you can get things done around the house, a bouncer is a great option. I want my baby to be able to lounge comfortably and watch me while I cook or do the dishes. The ErgoBaby bouncer seemed perfect to me because it works as a newborn lounger, an infant bouncer, and a toddler seat. I love that this bouncer will grow with my little one, and I’ll be able to keep it for multiple years to come.

Babywearing can be a huge help when you have a little one, and one of the most comfortable ways to wear your baby is with a wrap. When I asked one of my friends what the number one used item on her registry was, she said, “The Solly Baby wrap, no question.” My husband and I opted for the Basil color because it’s gender neutral and beautiful — and all Solly Baby wraps are made with breathable, buttery-soft TENCEL™ Modal fabric, so they’re comfortable to wear and won’t feel too warm.

Another product I was told was an absolute must-have was a Pack ‘n Play. This was one of the first items I knew we’d need, because it’s perfect for spending time with family. The one I chose, the Travel Dome™ LX Playard, is incredibly multifunctional because it includes the Portable Travel Dome bassinet (which is foldable and comes with a carry bag), a full-size infant bassinet, a removable quilted diaper changer, and the main playard. Instead of keeping this at our small house, my husband and I are setting it up at my parents’ house so they have an all-in-one solution when they babysit.

I’ve been told time and time again that one thing I won’t be able to live without is a baby carrier. Babywearing allows parents to have their hands free while still cuddling their little one. This baby carrier grows with your baby, so it seemed perfect for me, since I don’t have space to store all different kinds of carriers. There are three ways to use this carrier: facing-in newborn, facing-in baby, and facing-out baby.

There are so many incredible high chairs on the market these days, but we have a small living space and no table — instead, we use our island countertop as our primary eating space. When it came to picking a high chair, it just didn’t make sense to us to choose a standalone chair. Instead, we decided to go with a hook-on chair! This can attach directly to our countertop, and it’s easy to travel with, so we can use it at our parents’ houses, friends’ apartments, and restaurants. This Chicco 360 Hook-On Chair has a ton of great features: 360 degree rotation, a removable snap-on tray, and FastLock Clamps that are secure and easy to use.

Sometimes, going with a classic is the best way to go. The Diaper Genie® Signature Pail is a tried-and-true, mom-approved diaper disposal system. I asked a lot of my mom friends, “Is it worth getting a Diaper Genie?” and every single one of them said yes. Babies go through a ton of diapers, especially newborns, so having a reliable diaper bin is a must. The Diaper Genie has odor-locking clamps to keep your nursery smelling fresh — and because our baby will be in a small room, it will be essential for us to keep odors to a minimum.

I’m planning to breastfeed my baby (key word: planning — I’m open to other feeding options if it doesn’t work out for me), but I know I’m also going to want to pump and use bottles. Before I got pregnant, I was pretty sure I’d want a wearable breast pump, and after reading a ton of reviews, I knew that would be a good option for me. Even then, there are so many options. I decided to go with the All-in-One M5 Wearable Breast Pump because it has a small, lightweight motor, a horizontal angle to simulate a baby’s suckling, vibration to loosen milk ducts, a hard-shell storage bag to protect the pumps, and a lower price point than most other brands.

Last year, my close friends welcomed a baby, and when we went over to visit for the first time, I immediately noticed the swing they had set up. While we ate dinner, they put their little one in the swing, and she absolutely loved it. I asked which swing it was, and they let me know it was the mamaRoo® multi-motion baby swing™ — so I added it to my mental shopping list. Babies (and parents) like this swing because the motions are inspired by parents’ natural movements. It has five motions (car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock-a-bye, and wave), five speeds, an adjustable recline, removable interactive toys, and four built-in sounds to comfort and entertain babies. I can’t wait to see how our baby reacts to the swing, and I’m excited to see which settings become favorites.

If you haven’t noticed yet, products that are versatile and small are rising to the top of my list, since they’re perfect for a tight space in NYC. Instead of going for a full-sized nursing pillow, this compact ergonomic pillow feels like the best option for me. Plus, it’ll be easy to bring it with me when I leave the house.

Okay, okay, I know I said I was going small for most furniture, so you might be wondering why I decided to get this large dresser for my baby’s room. I know I’ll have a lot of clothes (I already have two full boxes of hand-me-downs) and I wanted to be able to combine my dresser and changing table — so this will serve as both. I’m planning to keep everything in here: clothing, burp clothes, blankets, diapers, wipes, sleep sacks, pacifiers, etc. This dresser is made of sustainable wood and it’s super safe, since it has anchors for the wall and an interlocking drawer system that only allows one drawer to open at a time.

One of the things that seems most daunting to me about pumping and bottle feeding is the sheer number of things there are to clean afterward. From bottles and nipples to flanges and pump parts, it just seems like washing and sterilizing bottle and breast pump parts will be a nonstop job. When I saw the Bottle Washer Pro, it seemed like a fantastic time-saving solution, since it automatically washes, sterilizes, and dries. With 20 powerful spray jets, steam sterilizing, and HEPA-filtered hot air for drying, the device kills 99.9% of germs. And since there’s no plumbing required, you can keep it in any room of the house (including baby’s nursery).

My husband and I are incredibly lucky because both of our families live nearby, which means we’ll be spending a lot of time at our parents’ houses with our new baby. We know we’ll need great on-the-go baby products, like this diaper changing mat. A compact, foldable, waterproof, and easy-to-clean changing mat will allow us to spend time with our families more easily.

While play gyms aren’t absolutely essential for babies, they can be a fantastic way to introduce play to little ones. We wanted a play gym with a small footprint that also had conversion possibilities so it can grow with our baby. The Lalo play gym comes with a simple mat (perfect for tummy time, too!) and an elegant wooden structure, complete with simple high contrast toys. And when our baby becomes a toddler, we can purchase the conversion kit to turn the play gym into an adorable tent!

As New Yorkers, we probably spend less time than most people in our car, since we have access to great public transportation, but I have a feeling that when we have our baby, my husband and I will drive more (especially since it’s the easiest way to get to our parents’ houses). Because of that, we want to make sure our car is fully equipped for a baby. In addition to a car seat, one thing we’ll definitely need is a car seat mirror, like this one from KeaBabies. It’s crash-tested, shatter-proof, scratch-free, and easy to install, plus it’s a wide-angled mirror, so we can keep an eye on our little one.

While a large diaper bag is a must, it’s also a good idea to have a small bag that can carry just the essentials. This Colugo On the Go Organizer is designed to fit on a stroller and perfectly fits wipes, pacifiers, and other necessities you’ll want on a walk or outing. The organizer also has two cup holders (perfect for a bottle and a parent drink) and three zippered pockets. To add to the convenience factor, this organizer converts into a crossbody bag or fanny pack so you can unclip it and take it with you.

When it came to shopping for nursing bras, there was one brand that immediately came to mind: Kindred Bravely. Maybe it’s because of their brilliantly placed Instagram ads, or maybe it’s because a number of my friends recommended them to me. Since I’m planning to pump and breastfeed, I wanted a bra that could do it all, so the Sublime® Hands-Free Pumping & Nursing Bra seemed like the perfect option. The bra has three layers — the full-coverage bra unclips to reveal a pumping layer (which securely fits all standard pump flanges), which then unclips to reveal a nursing layer. The bra is underwire free and has removable padding, so it’s supportive without being uncomfortable.

Since I’m the baby product expert in my family, my husband let me choose most of the items we’d need — but when I asked him if there were any specific products he wanted for himself, one thing immediately came to mind: The Dad Shirt. This durable t-shirt is engineered to hold newborns for simple babywearing. It’s made of soft, form-fitting fabric with a pouch that supports babies up to 15 pounds.

Giving our baby a comfortable, safe place to lounge and play is essential. The Snuggle Me Organic is an adorable lounger that is designed for active bonding, play, tummy time, and more. It’s fully machine washable, so it’s easy to keep clean. Plus, it’s lightweight, so it’s easy to travel with!

*Please note: The Snuggle Me Organic is NOT a safe sleep product. This device is meant to be used ONLY when baby is awake and monitored by an adult.

A comfortable play mat is such a versatile product — it can be used as a tummy time mat for newborns, a play rug for infants and toddlers, and even an exercise mat for parents. Totter and Tumble play mats are made with thick memory foam and non-toxic materials, with adorable designs on both sides. They’re safe, easy-to-clean, and a great addition for any room in the house. I opted for a circular mat in The Wanderer design because I wanted something subtle for my small space.

When it comes to sleep sacks, I want to try them all. Babies can be fussy about their favorite way to sleep, so I’m open to all types of sleep sacks and sleep bags. In addition to this gorgeous Kyte Baby Sleep Bag, I’m also planning to try out the MORI Clever Sleep Sack, the Little Sleepies Sleepy Bag, and the HALO Innovations SleepSack Easy Transition Wearable Blanket.

In addition to trying out a variety of sleep sacks, I’m planning to try out a lot of different swaddles, in order to find the ones my baby likes best. One of the ones I’m most excited to try is the Norani Snugababe Swaddle Sleep Pod, because of its unique design with arm inserts. I’m also planning to try the HALO Sleep SwaddleSure 100% Cotton Newborn Swaddle, the Love To Dream Swaddle UP Adaptive Original Swaddle Wrap, the SwaddleMe by Ingenuity Easy Change Swaddle Wrap, and the Sleepea® 5-Second Baby Swaddle. And, as a swaddle and sleep sack combo, I’m going to be trying the günamüna Swaddle Sleep Bag and the ErgoPouch Cocoon Swaddle Sack.

It might seem that a baby blanket is a basic item to put on this list, but it is an absolute essential. This one from Tula is intricately made, super soft, and can be used in so many ways. Keep baby warm in a stroller or car seat with this blanket, use it as a small throw to snuggle on the glider, or just use it to decorate the nursery for now. Of course, my baby won’t be using a blanket to sleep for quite a while, but I couldn’t not get a beautiful baby blanket.

From what I’ve been hearing over the years, one of the items babies are pickiest about is their pacifiers. I don’t want to commit to any one brand right from the start, because I have no idea what my baby will like. That’s why I’m opting for the Babylist Pacifier Box, which comes with eight different pacifiers from Wubbanub, nanobébé, BIBS, Dr. Brown’s, Chicco, NUK, Boon, and AEIOU. The box also has one Loulou Lollipop pacifier clip. The variety in this box is absolutely fantastic, but there’s one other brand that’s been recommended to me over and over again, and that’s MAM — so I’ll be trying out a few of its pacifiers as well.

Like pacifiers, bottles can be a tricky item for babies. Some babies will take to any bottle, while others have very specific needs. The Babylist Bottle Box takes the guesswork out of the equation, providing parents with five bottles from different brands: nanobébé, Comotomo, NUK, Dr. Brown’s, and Boon. I’ll also be trying a few other bottles that look promising to me: the ChiccoDUO® Hybrid bottle, which is the first glass-lined plastic baby bottle, and the Ember Baby Bottle, the first self-warming baby bottle.