Having a new baby gives you plenty of opportunity to try out new products. Each year hundreds of items are released to eager consumers yet not all of them are worth the buy. I prefer to buy things that a friend or blogger has used and recommends. Hence the reason for this post.
I don’t purchase many things that are specifically for babies. In my experience babies never actually chew on the “chew” toy or play with the rattles/sorters/stackers.
As Finley’s first birthday quickly approaches {can you believe it’s been a year!!!??} I’ve taken a moment to look back at what my favorite baby products were for 2013.
Punkin Butt Teething Oil You’re dieing to know if I’ve found a teething product that actually works, right?! I received a sample of Punkin Butt Teething oil from Dearest Diapers and have been using the product ever since. I tried some on myself and I was surprised at how effective it was.
1) Finley is immediately calmed when I apply it, mostly because of the taste and sensation, and then for hours as the oils numb the gums. {the numbing doesn’t last for hours but the effect of the oils combined with him forgetting about the pain does}
To apply I use my clean finger and rub all over the gums.
Ingredients: Vitis vinifera (Grapeseed) Oil, Helianthus annuus (Organic Sunflower) Oil, Sesamum indicum (Organic Sesame) Oil and/or Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Essential oil blend (chamomile, clove, peppermint), Citrus grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract.
2) Mamma Chia Squeeze Don’t roll your eyes. These are way more expensive than I think makes sense for a baby snack/meal. BUT, every time I have purchased them they’ve been on sale or I’ve had an awesome coupon. I just bought an 8 pack of Amazon with a $2 off coupon.
Originally, I bought these from Costco for my older children to have for snacks. But, one taste and they all said “ewwww”. Fortunately, Finley loved them so none went to waste.
I love the concept of the squeeze pouches but the plain applesauce was pretty boring. I love the heartiness to the Mamma Chia blend and I love that the older kids can feed Finley without messes.
3) CJ’s products Perhaps I love CJ’s a little too much. I have body lotion, big tubs, samples of a dozen of scents,spritzes, wool revitalizer and a lotion tube. The samples are addictive but I highly recommend buying lots! I’ve purchased all of mine from Dearest Diapers {Rana is so sweet and is here in California!}
My husband and Sterling have eczema and I have a genetic skin disorder so we use a LOT of lotion. I love that CJ’s is made by a family, is all natural and smells amazing. I keep a sample in every bag and drawer making it easily grabbed.
For diaper changes you need the spritz! No wiping needed just spray it on.
Oh, and my favorite scent?? Green Irish Tweed is the PERFECT man scent. Not only does it make your man smell sexy without spraying on cologne but using it as lotion on your hands makes you think of your hubby when he’s away! Always a good thing.
Pink sugar and Pixie Pie make you want to eat it. Seriously. You can’t go wrong with these scents. I think these are the perfect scents for spraying on a bottom that’s just been cleaned of a horrid poopy.
Honeyed Patchouli is earthy. I’m a fan of patchouli so this is one of my favorites.
I really don’t think you’ll hate any scent but if you order samples you’ll quickly and cheaply find your favorites.
4) NoseFrida Like everyone else who’s looked at the NoseFrida, I thought “I’m supposed to suck the snot out of my child’s nose?!” And like everyone who has used it I say “Well, yes, sort of.” Yes, you suck but the contents of the nose don’t actually come near your mouth. Take my advice, buy one. You’ll be glad you did.
5) Baby Carriers. Where do I start? I need to do a blog post just on the different carrier types I’ve tried. But, to be concise, a woven wrap is what I recommend. A stretchy wrap will work for the first couple of months but why not save your money and buy a wrap that will last through the toddler years?
If you are new to babywearing I would definitely buy a wrap that has been “broken in”. That way you won’t be intimidated by the stiffness or lack of buttery-softness. Here is the link to the Bargain Carriers album on Babywearing Swap on Facebook.
Great affordable wraps to look for include Turkish Towels, Ellevill, Hoppediz. These are just the good ones I saw in budget album right now. I’ve seen pricey wraps listed in the bargain album for quick sale. A minimum size for new wrappers would be a 5.
I’m getting carried away! Here’s 3 of my babies cuddling in my current carriers (minus the car ring sling).
6) Oregano Oil and water spritz (blue glass spray bottle) When you have 6 children viruses can spread fast! That’s why I always make sure to have a bottle of Oregano Oil and water handy for spritzing hands, counter tops and door handles. If they have sore throats or been around kids that are sick I will spray it in their mouths. I also like the smell.
7) Monkey Butt pants/ Maxaloones These pants are cute. That’s all it takes for me to be hooked. Finley and Camden can share them which makes it easier to justify my small collection. They can be worn over a diaper or underwear and the fit is perfect.
8) Pack ‘n Play mattress This is my biggest must-have of the year! Because of our unique living situation {California during the school year, Texas in the summer} we do not have a crib.
If you’ve felt a Pack ‘n Play “mattress” you know it’s not something you would sleep on regularly. In the summer I bought one for Texas and loved it. When we came back to California I thought we’d use a crib but circumstances didn’t allow for that so I bought another Pack ‘n Play mattress for here! Having this mattress makes me feel good about using the Pack ‘n Play for Finley’s bed.
9) Cloud B Gentle Giraffe We just picked up this little guy at Barnes & Noble for Finley’s birthday. Technically, that makes it a 2014 favorite but it would have been awesome to get from the newborn stage. The giraffe is amazingly soft and can be used with or without the sound box. A very gentle loop is present for hanging on a car seat or stroller. There are 4 different sound choices but I bought it primarily for the “sleep” mode, basically white noise.
10) Scarlet’s Naturals Nursing Balm My multipurpose balm. It’s unscented so I use it on my nipples, on noses and cheeks and on sensitive rashes. In the newborn phase when nipples are most sensitive, this is a must-have product. It goes on easy and does not have to be wiped off before baby nurses.
What were your favorites from 2013??
Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.
Janine says
I love reading blog! Have you checked out the Mamadoo pack n play mattress? I love because it folds up and can be transported easily and used as a nap mat too. The cover comes off for easy washing too :)
dancinglady says
My favorite discovery of the year was the Stephan Baby Boo-Hoo Owl Ice Pack and Cube. I thought it a silly add on purchase at the time, but my 3 boys actually want to put it on their bumps instead of screaming and squirming away. I would buy it again.
Abigail Morris says
I will have to try some of those things. I already a sample of the oil and love it. I want a wrap so bad, but hubby says it isn’t needed since I have a buckle carrier already. HA he just doesn’t understand. Loved the post, thanks for the info!
Katie says
It’s not a product from 2013, but I just had a baby in August – and when my parents were visiting my dad was soooo in awe of the Snappi – he thought it was one of the greatest inventions of the century (this from a geek engineer who used to wrestle his kids into prefolds and pins haha).
A question though: what concentration do you use of the oregano oil/water spray?
Autumn Beck says
I fill the bottle with filtered water then add enough Oregano Oil until I can taste it when sprayed in my mouth. Basically just before the point at which it would sting the mouth.