My Newborn Must Have's

I know a lot of bloggers do lists like these (and I've always found them hugely helpful), so here is mine. Over the last 7 weeks, these are the newborn items that have made it to my must-have list:

Baby Connect App for iPhone

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My friend Missy bought this application ($4.99) when her son was born and gave me a quick demo of it - I was hooked! It tracks daily activities like eating (solids, bottles and nursing), diapers, sleeping, play time and medical information. You can track more than one child on the application, and share it with another caretaker. It offers charts and graphs so you can start to look for patterns - it has been really helpful to know when I last fed Brighton, and also to see what her sleep patterns are now that she sleeps longer stretches during the night. I also have a handy record of her doctor's visits. I especially love the nursing timer - it has a timer for each side, allows you to pause the timer as needed and tells you which side you nursed from at the last feeding.

 
Wubanub Pacifier

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 My friend Jessie bought these for her daughter and swore by them. Brighton only likes (at least right now) the pacifiers that are similar to what they give you in the hospital, but this one has a little soft toy attached to it. She doesn't need a pacifier often, but when she does it seems to be in the car or stroller, and I can pull the little toy's legs underneath her harness to keep it in place so it doesn't fall out of her mouth. She also holds onto it as she falls asleep - so cute!

aden + anais Blankets

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 I wish they made these in adult size - these are the most beautiful, soft, lightweight blankets. They are perfect for swaddling a baby in the summer months and also as a car carrier cover - they're cotton muslin and totally breathable. We have eight of them (I bought a 4 pack and we were gifted a 4 pack) and I rarely use anything else. They are also great to use as a nursing cover, a burp cloth in a pinch and as a general blanket to cover baby.

Baby Trend Snap N' Go

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 We own both a lightweight stroller and an all terrain stroller (the Bumbleride Indie which I love). The all terrain is much heavier, longer and bulkier so I don't like to use it if I'm just popping into a store or running errands. The Snap N' Go is super lightweight and I can pull it out of the trunk and set it up with just one hand. The basket is huge and easy to get to, there are two (yes TWO!) cupholders, the front wheels swivel and the back wheels have locking brakes. It holds most major car seats so I didn't need to buy anything separate for the stroller. It's compact and easy!

Boppy Rock in Comfort Travel Swing

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Our house is pretty small so when looking for baby gear, we wanted to make sure any items we purchased wouldn't overtake our living room or nursery. The Boppy travel swing was perfect! It sits low to the ground, is comfortable for Brighton and folds up pretty small so we can move it out of the way when not using it. They don't make these anymore (my friend Tonya let me borrow hers), but you can find them on eBay or Craigslist.

California Baby Bath Products

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A few friends recommended this line to me and I love it! I use the Calming Shampoo and Body Wash and Lotion for Brighton's baths. It's organic, gentle on her skin and smells fantastic. I also have their Diaper Wash and use it when B's little bum starts to get red - great for diaper rash!

ERGObaby Carrier

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 Brighton is a great night sleeper but she has started to catnap during the day and loves to be held. The ERGObaby Bundle of Joy Carrier has been a lifesaver. I can wear her to keep her close, and it helps her sleep longer. I love to use it grocery shopping - she is close to me and her huge car seat isn't taking up the cart. It's ergonomically designed so my back is supported - I love that I will be able to use the carrier all the way up to when she is 45 pounds!

Zip Up PJ's

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Any brand of these seem to work, but a zipper footie pajama (instead of snaps) makes for a fast diaper change when she wakes up hungry and wet! We have both the Gerber brand and the Circo for Target brand. 100% cotton, comfortable and cute!

And the must-have's for Mama:

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child 

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 This book explains the biology behind infant sleep, their patterns and how to teach your child to sleep when the time is right. The book carries you from the first weeks all the way though childhood. The book is on my nightstand and I read a few pages every week as I'm nursing to learn about the next stage of her sleep.  I like that it's not just a how-to, but also an educational read.

Medela Freestyle Pump

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Having a good electric breastpump was important to me since I'll be going back to work and wanted to provide milk for my daughter for at least a year. This pump is really fantastic - it's pricey, but worth it! The parts are easy to clean and the fact that it is hands free and the pump can go with you anywhere is really helpful. I've been using it to build up my milk stash (you should see my freezer) and I can pump while I eat breakfast, blog, do laundry - whatever!

Starbucks Via

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I know this is silly since it's not even a baby/mama item, but coffee is a must-have for me! I used to turn my nose up at instant coffee but Starbucks Via are really good! The vanilla flavor are my favorite and it makes drinking coffee super easy - just add hot water and you're set. These are great especially since I normally only have one free hand and a few minutes at a time - my kid loves to be held :)

What items were/are your newborn must-have's?