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Hope Taylor is a senior portrait photographer and educator serving Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. 

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My Favorite Newborn Essentials Personal

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This post has been sitting in my drafts for WAY too long!!! I’ve been sharing some of my favorite newborn products over on Instagram, but I wanted to consolidate them all into one blog post! As a first time mom, I will never forget how OVERWHELMED I was with the process of putting together a registry and choosing from hundreds of options in every category. They felt like such huge decisions…what bottle would my baby like? Is a swing worth splurging on, or do I just get the cheap one? Do I need all of these extra accessories…or will they just end up being clutter? I felt so much pressure to do it all RIGHT and research each decision I made…it was a little overwhelming!

So, I’m hoping this post can serve as a helpful resource for other moms that feel a little overwhelmed with all the choices…and want to hear from someone who is currently USING these things! This post is honestly a combination of SO many amazing mom friends and all of their feedback on what products they loved most. And, now that we’re 3 months in (I can’t BELIEVE she is already almost past the newborn phase!)…I can tell you what we LOVE, what we’re using daily…and what things weren’t necessarily worth it. Let’s dive in!!

All of these products will also be linked on my LTK – follow me here! The links included in the post are affiliate links, which means I will get a small percentage of the purchase if you use my link – which is amazing since these are all products I’d recommend to even my closest friends 🙂

SLEEPING:

We’re going to start with sleep-related products since I know this is a major source of stress for new moms! We absolutely LOVE every single sleep product that we chose to invest in. Clara’s night time routine is so easy thanks to all of these things!

 

Newborn Essentials 2024 Sleeping

 

Namesake Liberty Crib:

Honestly, I had my eye on a Serena & Lily crib for the longest time…but I just couldn’t justify the price. I absolutely LOVE this Namesake one, and it was a fraction of the cost! It’s beautiful, convertible and the perfect size.

Newton Mattress: 

The only mattress that is proven to be completely breathable – meaning if baby flips over, they can easily breathe THROUGH the material!

Newton Bassinet: 

Same as above – this is one of my favorite purchases! Clara is still sleeping in this bedside bassinet and it’s cute, functional and SAFE – which is the best part for a nervous first time momma!

Halo Sleep Swaddles: 

Our saving grace the first few weeks! Haha! Clara LOVES these swaddles and they are SO easy to use because they’re velcro. Also so easy to transition into a sleep sack once they outgrow a swaddle. They also have a bottom zipper so you can easily change middle of the night diapers!

Owlet Dream Sock:

I know some moms don’t love these, but it has given me SUCH a sense of peace with sleeping. This monitors Clara’s heart rate and oxygen levels, then sounds an alarm if something dips too low. It just lets me sleep soundly knowing I’ll wake up if something is wrong!

Sound Machine: 

We have 2 of these and they go with us everywhere! Super cheap and loud – we use the white noise to help Clara sleep anywhere and everywhere. One stays in our room and one stays in the diaper bag!

Hatch Clock: 

We have one in our room AND the nursery because we love these so much! I just click the top button to nurse during the night and it’s the perfect amount of light for me to see and not wake up Clara. It’s also such a sweet alarm that slowly mimics a sunrise!

Eufy Baby Monitor: 

We wanted a monitor that didn’t need Wi-Fi and we love this one!

 

OUT AND ABOUT: 

I joke these days that I never knew having a baby meant adding an hour to the routine of getting out of the house, HAHA! But, 3 months in and we’re finally getting the routine down 🙂 These are all the products we love that make it a little easier!

 

Newborn Essentials 2024 Out and About

 

Vista V2 Stroller: 

I did lots of stroller research and I love this one! I read everywhere that the V2 was recommended for moms that planned to have more than 1 baby because it can be converted into holding 2 seats. So far, we love this purchase! It is a little bulky for traveling, but that hasn’t been an issue for us.

Vista Bassinet: 

We also purchased the bassinet attachment and used it ALL. THE. TIME. We would use it on the stroller (obviously), but we’d also use it in the house as a portable bassinet! Hayden would stay up with Clara the first few weeks so I could get rest, and he’d use this bassinet to put her down. Highly recommend!

Freshly Picked Diaper Bag: 

It reminds me so much of my Kamrette camera bag – which is why I think I love it so much! Haha!! It’s been perfect for us and has so much space.

Solly Wrap Carrier: 

I’m linking these wraps TWICE in this post because that’s how much I love them. I have 2 and we get more use out of these than ANYTHING! They are so easy to use, comfortable and Clara’s absolute favorite. It’s the only way I can get a guaranteed 2 hour nap from her every time!

Stroller Fan: 

The best little accessory for your stroller on hot days! Pro tip: take it with you to the hospital when you’re in labor. Thank me later!

Stanley Cupholder: 

A silly but absolutely amazing little accessory for any stroller – it holds your Stanley and phone! Mine kept tipping over and pouring out when I tried to put it in the bottom of the stroller!

 

DIAPERING AND BATH TIME:

Newborn Essentials 2024 Diapering and Bathtime

 

Changing Table & Tray:

I ended up finding the Serena & Lily changing table of my dreams for SUPER cheap on Facebook marketplace. But we absolutely love it! And we got cheap storage bins from Lowe’s to fill the shelves – it’s currently in our room to make night time changing super easy!

Changing Pad: 

We love that this pad is wipe-able – it makes clean-up SO easy with any accidents!

Diaper Trash Can: 

Super cute color options and hides smell really well!

Noodle & Boo Detergent: 

This is THE. BEST. SMELL. We have the laundry detergent and fabric softener, AND the bath products! It’s one of the few things I’ve already re-ordered multiple times on Amazon!

Tubby Todd Bath Products: 

We got the newborn kit at our shower and it’s awesome. The “All Over Ointment” has been amazing for keeping Clara’s skin clear!

“Grow with Me” Tub: 

The cutest little tub that converts as they grow up! We used it in the sink/kitchen at first and now put it in our guest bath. It’s great!!

Bathtub Thermometer: 

SUCH a quick and easy way to be sure the water is the right temp for baby. Also super cute! It’s Hayden’s favorite gift from our shower HAHAHA

Coterie Diapers & Wipes: 

We’ve tried quite a few brands and absolutely love Coterie. They hold SO much and are also really easy on Clara’s skin.

 

FEEDING/NURSING: 

Newborn Essentials 2024 Feeding & Nursing

 

Boppy Pillow: 

I literally don’t know what I’d do without this, HAHA! It is so comfortable and keeps both my hands free while nursing. We also use it for tummy time and to sit Clara up to chat with us all the time!

Spectra Pump: 

I got mine through insurance and HIGHLY recommend going this route for a medical-grade pump!

MomCozy Portable Pumps: 

I wish I used these more often than I do! I typically only pump once per day, but plan to use these more often when I’m pumping on the go.

Dr. Brown’s Bottles: 

Clara’s favorite bottles! We take these with us on the go when we need to feed her out and about.

Avent Natural Baby Bottle: 

We found these bottles to be the closest to a natural latch – so we introduced them to Clara first! There are also different nipple sizes to adjust the flow and speed of milk which we love.

Nursing Bra: 

I have quite a few nursing bras but the MomCozy and Skims are my favorite!

Pumping Bra: 

This Amazon pumping bra was a game changer for me – because I initially didn’t even realize pumping bras existed! This also doubles as a nursing bra so I find myself gravitating towards this one on a daily basis since it can do both.

Nursing Pajamas: 

These are a splurge that were gifted to me by my mom – but I’m including them anyway because they are my FAVORITE. I pretty much exclusively wore these my first few weeks postpartum. So soft, comfortable and EASY to use when nursing so that you don’t even have to wear a bra if your boobs are sore. And the robe is amazing even by itself! They are an amazing gift for a momma in your life, too.

Haakaa Pump: 

I used this to catch my letdown the first few weeks of breastfeeding. It worked great, but as soon as Clara was long enough to kick it off while eating, it didn’t work for us anymore. So I purchase these:

Boon Trove Pump:

These are now my favorite thing ever. I just tuck them in my bra on the side Clara isn’t nursing on, and it catches 1-2 oz of let down each time. It’s been so helpful to passively start building a freezer stash for when I go back to work!

Burp Cloths: 

You really can’t choose a “wrong” burp cloth, but we got a few packs of these and love them! They are constantly all over our house HAHA

Nursing Pads: 

IYKYK – I can’t go out of the house without these or I leak through my clothes HAHA! These disposable ones are great, and there are also THESE re-usable ones that I love and tend to wear at home!

Mabel Mae’s Lactation Treats:

My go-to local bakery for lactation treats – and they ship!!! They are gluten free, vegan and absolutely delicious. And they truly make a difference for my milk supply! I’m on the 2-week subscription with the “lactation sampler” box and I look so forward to it coming in the mail!

PLAYTIME/MISC: 

Newborn Essentials 2024 Playtime

 

Graco Swing: 

Clara’s second favorite place to nap! It has an adjustable swing “power” and also plays music – it’s an amazing place to put baby down when you’re exhausted but they want to be rocked!

Baby Bouncer: 

My favorite place to put Clara down throughout the day! I can move it around the house easily with one hand and it’s so comfortable for her and easy to wash.

Lovevery Toys: 

This brand has the most incredible toys based on baby’s age and development. We got the newborn kit and Clara LOVES all the high contrast toys and books! CLICK HERE to receive $20 off your first Play Kits Subscription.

Lovevery Play Gym: 

Potentially my favorite purchase in the last few weeks! This play gym is INCREDIBLE and also built based on their development. Clara loves it and will often spend 20-30 mins just happily laying on her play gym!

Solly Wrap:

I told you I was listing it twice!!! If you take one thing from this blog post, let it be this. Being able to carry your newborn hands-free and give them amazing, cozy contact naps is truly the biggest gift.

Magnetic Me Clothing:

I have re-ordered the most clothing from this shop! My favorites are the rompers/coveralls because they are cozy and soft like PJs but cute enough to “go out” in! They also have great lightweight fabric options for how hot it is in Savannah – and the magnetic closures are SO. EASY. I also have nursing PJs from them that are ideal for middle of the night feeds!

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hi, y'all!

I'm Hope Taylor, an international Senior Portrait and Wedding Photographer based in Charleston, SC. I'm also an educator, international speaker, and the host of multiple sold-out workshops each year!

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