This post is dedicated to my mom and moms to be audience. Sharing my must have baby essentials at 5 months. I feel like I got super heavy on the baby content on the blog when Cora was first born and then kind of stopped. Being 5 months in I think I’ve gained a world of parenting knowledge that I want to share with y’all here on the blog.
If you remember, I shared my most used baby products back in April. Even though that feels like a lifetime ago I’m happy to say that I still use every single one of those items everyday to this day. Moms, rejoice because I can say that that list is pretty solid.
Baby Carrier/Wraps
The one in the photo is very pricey but I loved the look of it so bit the bullet. Plus it’s a woman owned company and really made with women in mind. I also have these Solly Baby Wraps in a couple of different prints. Before you ask let me tell you the differences.
Baby Carrier vs. Wrap
The baby carrier is basically “ready to go”. You just plop baby in there and you are on your way. It’s a way quicker option to wear your baby vs. the wrap. Even though I love the wraps, they come with a learning curve and take longer to get baby in. Basically because it takes about a minute to get the wrap situated…45 seconds if you’re really good. In the house it’s more comfortable to carry Cora in the wrap because it’s soft. She tends to fall asleep in them and if I’m wearing the wrap I can just leave it on and sit and watch TV or something. The carrier is more rigid so not as comfortable to sit in but she loves and falls asleep in both.
Boppy Nursing Pillow
I used this pillow faithfully while nursing Cora when she was smaller. Now I use it a lot for her tummy time or to sit her up since she hates laying flat most of the time.
Electric Nail Trimmer
This thing is a lifesaver when it comes to doing Cora’s nails. Especially since she was a preemie, her little hands were so tiny. The regular nail clippers terrify me. To this day I still wouldn’t use them or trust myself to use them in her. This is so much easier to use and it has a little light on it. Oh and Cora loves her manicure time.
Hatch Sound Machine
We use this sound machine every night for Cora and for naps when she takes them in her crib. While I love this sound machine, I do wish that it had more sound options.
Bath Tub Support
I use this every night during our nighttime routine bath. It especially helps if your baby has moved into the tub rather than the sink. I did use it for her first bath which was in the sink.
Newton Crib Mattress
Whether you are a new parent or veteran you need this mattress. Yep I said it, you need it. I went to a mommy and me meet up and was explaining this mattress to the ladies. How it’s 100% breathable, washable and super comfortable. They thought that mattress was upwards of $600 but when I told them the actual price they were wondering why they didn’t have one too lol. For a little extra money you basically guarantee yourself peace of mind. That’s all any new parent wants. Make sure your kid is still breathing and peace of mind.
Baby Hangers
I have these hangers which I got on Amazon along with these that I got from Target. I love the Amazon ones because they have age dividers. Trust me, clothing sizes can get all mixed up, especially during laundry. It’s so great having the age dividers.
Baby Monitor
Whatever monitor you choose is up to you but personally we have the Owlet duo. The duo comes with the smart sock which monitors baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels. You get alerted if the heart rate or oxygen levels drop too low or go too high. The camera is crystal clear and lets you know the temperature of the room. It will let you know if the room is too hot, too cold or just right. This Owlet duo along with the Newton crib mattress are the chef’s kiss with making sure your baby is safe.
Stroller System
When I say I’m obsessed with our stroller system I mean it. First off, I didn’t realize that I’d be such a baby gadget nerd but here we are. We have the UPPABaby travel system and it’s the best thing ever. It’s a bit expensive but in my opinion so worth it, especially if you want to have multiple children. Without completely geeking out I love that this stroller comes with a bassinet and toddler seat. Both attach into the frame of the stroller. This stroller system grows with your child plus can fit up to 3 kids on it. Not to mention all of the cool accessories that you can get to add to it.
Car Seat
To add to my stroller system, we have the UPPABaby Mesa car seat too. The car seat can attach into the frame of the stroller which makes it super easy and quick to get baby from the car to the stroller. Note: this is an infant car seat so you will have to purchase some sort of convertible car seat eventually. We actually just got this one. It’s the first from UPPABaby and fits kids from 14-65 lbs!
Baby Shusher
I used this thing religiously when Cora was born since everyone tells you to get some sort of portable sound machine. It’s crazy how it puts babies in a trance to fall asleep but we love it. The only downside is that the longest increment you can set it to is 30 minutes I believe.
Wahello Portable Sound Machine/Speaker
This thing right here is the reason why I don’t use the baby shusher as much. I got it as a gift, had never even heard of it before and wow it needs to be on everyone’s radar. Not only is it a portable sound machine but it’s a Bluetooth speaker as well. It has 7 different sounds, one is a shusher. It also has different time increments 30, 60, 90 minutes and most importantly an infinity loop! I use the Bluetooth function for our walks and to play her favorite “You’re Welcome” in the car. It also has a clip which makes it easy to clip onto a stroller or car seat.
Sensory Activity Shape Set
This was kind of an impulse buy thanks to an ad but I’m so glad I got them. They come in a set of 3 and are great for play. They have different textures, colors and are different shapes. Cora loves to play with the ball.
Pack and Play
A pack and play is great for travel. We love ours because it has a bassinet, changing table and is a play pen all in one. It’s also very easy to set up and comes with its own bag for travel.
Formula Dispenser
This formula dispenser is genius because you can essentially put whatever you want in it. Typically I put either formula or cereal in it. Though Cora is still breastfed she also gets formula. We go to my parents frequently and I got tired of lugging around her formula container. This dispenser eliminates all of that.
Baby Spoons
So I just started giving Cora solids after the ok from her doctor at the beginning of the month. These spoons were suggested to me after I already purchased these ones. Both are great but these are better suited for your kid feeding themselves. I’ve actually looked into baby led weaning which I may start this week.
Activity Gym
We’ve been using this activity gym for tummy time since Cora was born. She loves it so much and it’s fun to see how she’s grown to interact with it. Pretty sure I’m going to be singing those songs for the rest of my life lol.
Sleep Sack
Y’all, you can literally go down a rabbit hole getting advice and researching swaddles and sleep sacks. Honestly just find one that works for your baby. For some, they could mean no sleep sack. Personally I think Cora sleeps better wearing one. It helps signal to her that it’s bedtime.
Diapers
All a personal preference but we are a Pampers brand household. I do love Huggies too but figured it would make sense to just have the same brand for Cora.
Wipes
We use the Pampers Aqua Pure wipes. They are great for sensitive skin which I just assume that any baby has.
Changing Pad
For our changing pad we went with the Hatch Smart Changing Pad. It’s great because it is also a scale. One thing as a new mom that you obsess over is hoping that your baby is gaining weight, especially if you are breastfeeding. The scale gives you some peace of mind as it’s pretty accurate. If you breastfeed and want to know how much your baby has eaten simply weigh them before a feed and then afterwards. The scale is also super easy to clean. I just wipe ours down with baby wipes or spray a mixture of mild soap and water and wipe clean.
Jumperoo
This was our latest purchase and probably the best as of late. While Cora’s gym is great, she loves to be up. When you hold her she always tries to stand which was a sign for us to go ahead a get this jumperoo. She loves it so much. She’s finally getting the hang of it and it’s so fun to watch.
There are a couple of other things that Cora loves that just didn’t fit on the photo or I couldn’t find a link to. For instance, she is not one for pacifiers but she loves this one for the car and as a friend. We named him Jeffrey like the giraffe from Toys R Us. She also has these teething keys that she has to have with her at all times. Teething rings are a big thing right now since she’s been going through it since about 3 1/2 months old. I also faithfully use this snot sucker and swear by it. I even have the electric version.
I’ve definitely overstayed my welcome with today’s post. I hope y’all found this helpful. Look out for more baby content coming. You can always find all of my baby posts here.
Thanks for reading!
CLICK BELOW TO SHOP THE POST:
