You really only need these 15 things for a baby

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Baby Addie came in, and just like that the parents were outnumbered. As we were getting ready for this new add-ition (ha!) I realized that the list got even smaller the third time around. One reason is that I cannot let go of baby things (what if we use it again!?) and another is that even the pared-down list of baby gear with Baby #2 (as Mills was then called) proved to still have some fat that got trimmed.

So, here’s our official list of things we kept, bought new, or received as gifts that we still use for our third kid—representing the 15 of the baby gear you really need, that we still use with baby #3. Honestly, if I got to do it all over again I would just buy these 15 things and be done with it to keep it simple. The baby industry will have you believe you need ALLLL the things, but sometimes that just complicates things.

Want just the links? Here they are:

1. Doona infant car seat/stroller (affiliate link)

2. Boppy Nursing Pillow (affiliate link)

3. Lovey (affiliate link)

4-5. IKEA high chair + Yeah Baby Goods footrest

6-10. The ezpz set for all stages of eating: Oral Development Tool, Tiny Cup, Tiny Bowl, Mini Mat and the NumNum Baby Spoons Set (affiliate link)

11. Skip Hop Baby Bath Tub (affiliate link)

12-15. Baby parking spots for all stages: Play Gym, BabyBjörn Bouncer, Baby Chair, Jumper

Doona infant car seat/stroller

I tend to sell strollers and car seats when our babies outgrow them. It’s partially because we don’t have room in the house to hold onto those big items, we get a better resale value the newer they are (which serves us better than holding onto it for the next baby), and we like to get those items new anyway. It felt like the baby market changed between having Lu and Mills, so the chance of a new product to pique my interest seemed high too.

Doona is a stroller/car seat combo, which felt like the anti-travel system to me. We got it for the first time with Mills and loved it—it was the perfect all-in-one for having a baby + toddler who hated strollers. Now with a kindergartener + preschooler who don’t need strollers on an every day basis + a baby this solution still works for us. On outings where the bigs still require a vehicle we bring out the stroller wagon we have and I’ve been wearing the baby instead of taking the Doona, which keeps me lighter on my feet and allows me to chase down any bigs that wander off while Steven stays on wagon duty.

Boppy Nursing Pillow

We have had our nursing pillow with both babies, and this will be the third go around with this item. To be honest I don’t use it much for its intended purpose of wearing it while nursing, and use it more to prop up baby during her awake times—either on her back so she’s a bit more elevated to make eye contact, or on her belly for assisted tummy time, making sure to always supervise her.

As an added use, the nursing pillow works great as an assistant for when the bigs want to hold the baby, especially during those early weeks when their neck is all floppy. Rather than me freaking out and having to spot them, the nursing pillow helps keep the baby’s head supported while giving the kids more autonomy. They just pull out the pillow themselves to give her a much needed big-baby time.

Lovey

At this point it’s just wishful thinking because neither Lu nor Mills took to a lovey, but Addie will be my third time charm (maybe). I really love these Sshlumpies from Douglas Toys because they’re soft and flat. They wash well too, although I’ve only washed them the once at first since neither of the kids ever got it dirty.

They have a great selection of animals, bugs, and even kids to find the perfect companion for your little one. Let’s hope this one sticks!

High chair: IKEA Antilop with footrest from Yeah Baby Goods

I hated the high chair we had with Lu, so with Mills we tried the IKEA cult-favorite $20 high chair. We loved it, she loved it, and it came apart easily to store for the new baby. The footrest is a must-buy since babies need that support. The same company also makes super cute seat inserts but I found it wasn’t necessary—you can roll up a towel and give them the same support.

All things eating: Oral Development Tool, Tiny Cup, Tiny Bowl, Mini Mat, NumNum Baby Spoons Set

I definitely drank the ezpz koolaid and am here for their entire product line. It really takes you through all the stages of baby eating, and makes it simple.

Phase 1 is when the baby can start grabbing things, which happens around the same time they get much better at sitting assisted. This is the time when our babies get a seat at the dinner table, but instead of getting food they get a teether toy to play with and watch us eat. I was using suction toys but ezpz has since come out with this set of Oral Development Tools where they can explore textures with the bumpy bits and different shapes, practicing bringing things to their mouth. I love that these are specifically designed to help get babies used to utensils.

Phase 2 is when the baby is ready to start eating—we loosely follow BLW, and let them just go at it with their food, while practicing drinking with an open cup. The Tiny Cup is the perfect size and weight for practice, and after helping them with their first sips I leave a little bit of water in the cup for them to play with—just enough to wet their appetite (ha) and an amount I don’t mind wiping up. The Tiny Bowl is a new addition, and I think it will work better than the sectioned-off mat for the beginning when they’re really only trying one food at time.

Once they get going with the eating and they’re past the trial stage, at around 6+ months, introduce the NumNum Baby Spoons Set adorably called GOOtensils. If you don’t already follow Feeding Littles, their blog is a fantastic resource for when you’re getting started with baby eating. Their post on the three spoon circus will help you figure out how to preload food and get the baby practicing. With that said, Lu is almost 6 and although he knows how to use utensils he still prefers to eat with his hands so… I guess the practice doesn’t always ensure usage! Such is child rearing though.

Skip Hop Baby Bath Tub

Another item that’s going three strong is this super simple baby tub. The newborn insert hammock thing is super soft, it’s just small enough to leave in the bathroom and not get in the way, and I mean it’s a whale how cute is that?

We used the tub for about a year with both babies, and with Mills we even put the tub in with Lu while he took a bath outside of the whale just so she has her own safe area. I love that the newborn support has two configurations so that it’s still comfortable for the baby as they grow older and sit up. Have I also mentioned that it’s a whale?

Baby parking spots:Play Gym, BabyBjörn Bouncer, Baby Chair, Jumper

I fondly call this category Baby Parking Spots because that’s what they are—until the baby can move on their own, they need a safe parking spot where they’re contained and out of harm’s way. A pack and play also falls into this category but our living room is tiny and crowded with furniture as is, that it really didn’t make sense to add another large item in there. These are low-profile and allows Addie to be part of the action, wherever she is.

This isn’t the exact one we have but our flat, no-fuss play gym has been my favorite Baby Parking Spot from the day they come home from the hospital for all three babies. We just lay this sucker on the chaise of our sectional and that becomes the designated baby area—no toys allowed, no kids allowed unless loving on baby. I remove the two bars where you dangle toys from for the newborn time and attach it on as they grow bigger and enjoy batting at things, like around 3 months or so.

Once they’re out of the newborn-newborn of those first few weeks, I start to also put them in a baby bouncer. The BabyBjörn Bouncer is a new-to-us product that we got as a hand-me-down, and I love it so far. We had the Fisher-Price rocker thing that vibrates and then converts into a chair—which I don’t see on Amazon anymore so I wonder if there was a recall? It seems there’s always a recall that takes a beloved baby item out of commission between babies. The BabyBjörn is so far totally worth the hype, and the bigs like rocking the baby on it too.

When the baby has a stronger neck and can sit assisted, they can start spending some time on the floor seat. In the beginning they’ll only want to be in it for a little while before they start slumping too much or complaining, but it’s good practice and adds another parking spot into the rotation. This Baby Chair has been another favorite for all 3 kids, and I love that I can take it with me for an all-day hang-out at grandma’s house. It’s also big enough for the bigs to sit in, which they always try to do, and makes for a hilarious photo.

The last phase is the jumper, that last phase before all hell breaks loose and they start being mobile, rendering a Parking Spot useless. For active babies this jumper is a godsend because they’ll just jump for forever and tire themselves out without danger of picking up loose foods or lego pieces. The seat spins around so they can get to all the toys, and I have added other suction toys to the tray for them to explore and change up the scenery—since by this age they will complain and get bored with the same same (how dare they have opinions, right?)