After combing through blogs, spending hours checking out my friends' registries and rifling through new mama must have lists, I was able to find all kinds of products that seemed fun, stylish, and more importantly useful. However, none of these products were perfect and all seemed to have the exact same problem. Most of the products were made with toxic materials that I did not want in my home, much less anywhere near my newborn. After many more hours of research on natural and non-toxic alternatives I finally found some products I felt comfortable using.
After using these items for almost a year, I finally believe that I can speak to their usefulness, reliability, and my overall satisfaction. If you are a natural mommy or are simply looking for healthier options for your child you should check out this list. So, I don't have one massive post I have broken down my favorite new mommy products into several categories: nursery, gear, feeding, bath, and diapering. Each week I will post a new must have list. I have only included products that I have used and that I would highly recommend.
Alright let's jump right into it, shall we? First up we will start with my favorites from the nursery!
Oeuf Sparrow Crib
- What is not to love about this crib? It is stylish, versatile, constructed of solid wood, and the finishes are even water-based and VOC free. I just love the modern touch it gives to Grace's nursery and after almost a year of use it still looks brand new. Disclaimer: For the first couple months of her life Grace did not use the crib as we co-slept and yes, if you do your research and meet the criteria you can co-sleep safely.HALO Organic SleepSack - Definitely was a must for my snuggle bug. Grace loved being swaddled with this wearable blanket for the first month of her life, and I loved that she slept so well in it. In my opinion it is also much safer than the typical blanket swaddle, and it is daddy fool-proof, no folding necessary.
Naturepedic Crib Mattress
- The first baby products I researched were mattresses. To me this was my most important purchase as my child would be spending up to 12 hours a day with her head resting on it, and I did not want her to inhale a bunch of potentially harmful chemicals while she slept. This mattress was my solution. It is made with organic cotton and free of fire retardant chemicals. Yay! PLUS it has a firm side for infants and a softer side for toddlers. I am not a huge fan of the polyethylene waterproofing, but it is a small price to pay for all of the other great benefits. Tip: I like to use the Naturepedic mattress pad to make middle of the night changes easier. I lay a sheet directly on top of the mattress and cover it with the mattress pad. Then, I lay a second sheet on top. When Grace gets the sheets wet during the night I can simply rip off the top sheet and mattress pad, and there is a nice dry sheet underneath waiting, no late night acrobatics needed.aden + anais Cozy Sleeping Bag
- Grace began to hate her swaddle by two months old. So, this was our solution. This wearable blanket allowed our feisty angel to stay warm and toasty (without the fear of suffocation) as she rolled all over her crib. And again, ADORABLE!aden + anais Organic Swaddle Blanket
- These are one of my favorite baby products. Even though they are nice, large swaddle blankets I never used them as such. Instead I used them as car seat covers, nursing covers, burp cloths, and a germ free place to lay baby. Their uses really are limitless. I love that they are so lightweight and soft!Crane Cool Mist Humidifier - Absolutely invaluable when I was pregnant to clear that stuffy nose. It also worked great during Grace's first winter when she seemed to always be sick. Another plus, it matched the nursery decor. Just make sure to use distilled water, so you don't get any build-up in it, that stuff is impossible to clean.
aden + anais Security Blanket
- These are so cute! I love that they are breathable and that you get two. I keep them both in rotation, so Grace can snuggle with one while I wash the other. I give full credit to these blankets for getting Grace to sleep 12 hours+ at night. Once we introduced them around 6 months, she would go to bed sooooooo much easier.Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Changer
- This changing pad is a little expensive, but for us it was worth it. Non-toxic changing pads cost just as much and you still have to buy a cover. I love the wipe-clean surface and it comes in the most adorable colors. This changer is also PVC, BPA, phthalate, and formaldehyde free.So there you have it. Those are my must buys for the nursery. Do you agree? Disagree? What are your must haves?
In the next post I will focus on the gear that I found invaluable during the first year.
Until next time,
