Baby Gear Survival Guide and Gift Ideas for New Moms

With Christmas just around the corner and holiday sales in full swing, we often think of purchasing tech or electronics this time of year. But you know who could really use a deal? Moms-to-be.

The nice thing is, Babies R Us Canada makes shopping for your baby-to-be easy. You can check out some of their top picks for 2018 or browse through the online Holiday Look Book (Warning: This will make you want to buy every single cute Christmas outfit). Or even better, create your own registry or holiday baby registry so you’ll be fully prepared when your wee one arrives.

Here are a few must-have items that will help save you time, money, and your sanity during that first wonderful year.

TIME SAVERS

Yoomi Self-Warming Bottle

In the category of brilliant, behold the self-warming bottle! I live in a three-story house with our bedroom being on the top floor. This meant walking up and down many stairs to warm bottles in the middle of the night. Good for my health, not so good for my sleep. The Yoomi was designed by racecar engineers and will heat up your milk or formula from fridge to breastmilk temperature in 60 seconds. It’s literally the fastest warming system in the world which means you get sustenance into your little one quickly. Which means you can also get back to bed more quickly. Win/win.

JJ Cole Bundle Me Infant

As the proud mom of a December baby I know the craziness that is trying to dress your little bundle of joy in layers to face the cold weather. I had a cover very similar to the JJ Cole Bundle Me Infant and it saved me a countless amount of time because it eliminated the need for jackets and blankets. (Please always remember to read and follow safety instructions. This holds true for all your baby gear).

Portable Swing

I’ve been very vocal about my love of the swing. When you have a baby who is a combination light sleeper / loud screamer, you need to have breaks throughout the day to regroup. As a bonus, while your baby is in the swing you can also do things like make dinner, fold laundry, take a shower, or catch up on your latest Netflix binge-watch. Not only is the Ingenuity swing going to save you time throughout the day, it’s portable so you can take it with you wherever you go.

NoseFrida Snotsucker

Your baby finally starts sleeping through the night when he gets his first cold and you’re back to square one because babies with stuffy noses don’t sleep very well. Now you can say “sayonara” to snotty noses thanks to the handy dandy NoseFrida Snotsucker the doctor-invented and recommended nasal aspirator. (Pssst…it works on adults too).

SANITY SAVERS

The Baby Shusher

We’ll file this under “Where was this when my two sons were babies?” The Baby Shusher uses a series of loud, rhythmic shushing noises to soothe your baby, very similar to what he/she heard in your womb. Plus, it’s small enough that you can take it with you anywhere you go, even on car rides when you are driving you aren’t able to comfort your baby yourself.

Sophie the Giraffe

There’s a reason Sophie the Giraffe has been helping relieve teething pain since 1961. It works. Maybe it’s the bumpy head that soothes their gums or maybe it’s how Sophie makes a happy sound when squeezed. Whatever the reason, you’ll want this on your wish list.

Summer Infant Grow With Me Thermometer Set

The first time my son got sick, he was eight weeks old. Contrary to popular belief, my hand was unable to detect if he had a fever or not. You’ll definitely want to have a good thermometer on hand so get one that can be used from the infant stage all the way through to adulthood like the Summer Infant Grow With Me Thermometer. This is one thing you never want to use but are happy to have on hand when you need it.

Fisher-Price Sweet Little Lamb Deluxe Bouncer

We all love to hold and cuddle our baby but sometimes you need your hands free to do other things. For those times a bouncy chair is your new BFF. The Sweet Little Lamb Deluxe Bouncer is beyond comfy thanks to extra-soft fabrics and head support. But what makes it really sweet is the vibrations and music that will help soothe your baby boy or girl.

Travel Playard

Tis the season for travel! When you’re a family on-the-go a portable playard is one of the ultimate sanity savers. You can use it for nighttime sleep, an afternoon snooze, or simply a safe place to put your baby. The Cosco Easy Go Travel Playard is made for all three. I especially love that it’s simple to open and assemble. You will appreciate this ease when you have put it together for the hundredth time.

Video Monitor

I wish I had this when my boys were small! It would have saved many accidental wakeups.If you’re going to invest in a video monitor you definitely want one that has all the bells and whistles and the Summer Infant Panorama 5″ Remote Panoramic View Video Monitor fits the bill. It even comes with a remote control so you can view the entire room. Very handy when your baby reaches the toddler stage and can get out of bed.

MONEY SAVER

The Original Baby Bullet

Making your own baby food may seem like a lot of work but with a product like the Baby Bullet it’s easy peasy with the added bonus of saving money (and the environment!).

Convertible Crib

I know, you’re probably thinking you can get a crib for a lot less than $400 but hear me out. We invested in a convertible crib for my first son and, wait for it, at 17 years of age he is still sleeping in it. My younger son, on the other hand, has gone through his crib, a toddler bed, and a regular bed which he is in the process of outgrowing. It’s definitely worth the investment.

A Multi-Tasking Diaper Bag

The Fastfinder Deluxe Backpack Diaper Bag can be categorized as both a sanity saver and money saver. No more digging around the bottom of a bag trying to find diaper wipes or a pacifier, the insulated pocket keeps baby bottles cold, AND there’s plenty of room for your stuff eliminating the need for any other bags.

A Stroller/Car Seat System That Grows With Your Family

Take my advice: Don’t purchase a stroller that is made only for an infant. Instead, invest in a stroller system that will grow with your family. The Evenflo Pivot Xpand Modular Travel System with SafeMax Infant Car Seat has a multitude of features but the most impressive is that it converts seamlessly from a single to a double stroller. With this one system your kid(s) will ride along in comfort AND safety for many years to come.

KEEP YOUR BABY COMFY

Blankets

You will use a plethora of blankets in your baby’s first year. From snuggling and burping to swaddling or clean place to lay them down on the floor, invest in quite a few so you aren’t doing laundry every day.

Swaddles and Sleep Sacks

Speaking of swaddling. If your swaddling skills aren’t quite up to par, no need to worry. You can get some pretty sweet swaddling bags/blankets that will keep your baby tucked in cozy all night long. My personal favourite was the Velcro/bag combo which kept my little guy snug as a bug (and stopped his arms from flailing and waking himself up).

Lillebaby Carrier

You don’t realize how much you carry a baby until you have one. This is when a carrier comes in handy (pun intended). The Lillebaby Carrier has over 500 five-star reviews and for good reason. It has an adjustable centre panel to help control your baby’s temperature and has thick supportive straps for your comfort.

Koala Baby 5-Piece Changing Essentials Kit

I’ll make this quick and to the point. You are going to be changing hundreds and hundreds of diapers in the coming years which makes a kit like this indispensable.

MEMORY MAKING

Handprint Holiday Ornament

Finally, what better way to remember your baby’s first Christmas than a handprint holiday ornament. Keep it for yourself or give it to friends and family for a keepsake they’ll have for years to come.

This post is brought to you by Babies R Us Canada but the opinions are our own.