Here’s a funny story: the day after I found out I was pregnant, I took the morning off of work so that I could Google things. Seriously! I must have read every pregnancy-related post by every mama blogger I followed, and I furiously pinned any and all posts and products I thought might be helpful down the road. A little piece of me hopes that a newly pregnant mama out there will find this post and do the same thing :)

As I learned that morning, there are about a million and one resources out there about what to register for. Now that I’m a few months into motherhood, I’ve found that very specific recommendations from friends I trust have been the most helpful. So that’s what I wanted to put together today! I asked a handful of my dearest mama friends which three random baby products are their absolute favorites, and shared my own as well. Every family is different, so I loved learning about the variety of baby goodies my friends swear by!

Callie Davis from Charlie’s newborn session

Mary (mom to James (2 years) and Genevieve (2 months))
1. Baby carrier of some sort (I have the Moby and Ergobaby): Both of our kids have loved sleeping in them and they are so convenient to bring along when we’re out of the house and don’t want to use a bulky stroller.
2. City Select stroller: This has worked so well for us because it converts from a single to a double and I can use it with our infant car seat. I have used it on rough trails and it’s still so easy to push.
3. Medela Pump in Style: I work part-time and this pump has been very effective for me since I started using it in 2014! I actually just got a second model so I can keep one in my office and one at home.

Amber (mom to Haddon (3 months))
1. Wubbanub pacifiers: Haddon has always loved a paci. These have adorable animals attached, and as he gets older, he loves to hold on and play with them.
2. Aden & Anais Bandana Bibs: The material is a cotton muslin and dries up drool without leaving behind fuzzies. The bandana style looks so cute on little boys! We also love their blankets and onesies!
3. Keekaroo Peanut Diaper Changer: This makes for quick and easy clean-up with unexpected surprises during diaper changes!

Victoria (mom to Beau (9 months))
1. Swaddle Me blankets: Before having my sweet boy, I knew that so many mamas insisted that swaddling helped their little ones sleep, but the whole process was sort of intimidating to me. These easy blankets meant that Beau wasn’t too hot in the Texas summertime, and that grandparents weren’t trying to look up how to swaddle on YouTube. I will also note that we easily transitioned out of the Swaddle Me at three months, cold turkey, no sweat.
2. Boppy Headrest: The only possible downside to having a baby who sleeps well is that when they’re so little, you can fear “flat head” after just a few good nights of sleep. We feared this before going on a big trip, knowing we’d have a lot of stroller time. Keeping this in the stroller bassinet and the Mamaroo eliminated stress and made sure to keep our baby’s head nice and round, even correcting a small patch of flatness.
3. The Honest Company Healing Balm: For us, no matter how many often we trimmed those baby fingernails, little scratches kept happening. Each time, I would feel like the worst mom ever and be so, so sad. Enter this amazing balm. A little bit on a scratch every few hours caused almost magic-like healing. I’ve also heard this works wonderfully for diaper rash or any other skin issues as well.

Rachel (mom to Ezra (1 year))
1. QuickZip Crib Sheet Set + Extra Sheet: I have this in white and love how much time and ease it saves when it’s time to change the sheets, or when there’s a leaky diaper in the middle of the night, which happened often when Ezra was a newborn. I imagine we will be using these through the potty training phase too.
2. Innovo Forehead Thermometer: Another time-saver when you need it most. This thermometer has two options: for the forehead and inside the earlobe, but I always use the forehead option because of how quickly and easily it works. You just push a button and run it across your baby’s forehead for 4-5 seconds to get an accurate reading.
3. Boogie Wipes: There’s nothing I love more than seeing itty bitty boogers on Ezra’s face… just kidding. I always have a pack of these in easy-to-grab areas around our house and in our going out bag for gently wiping those boogies away.

Claire (mom to Peter (9 months))
1. Babyganics Alcohol-Free On-The-Go Foaming Hand Sanitizer: We have used this every day (throughout the day!) since Peter was born. We love its compact size, and keep one in each room of our house, in our diaper bag, and in the car. It is alcohol-free and so gentle on our skin!
2. DOCKATOT Deluxe Dock: This product is like an on-the-go mattress! Peter has slept, lounged, and played in this since his birth! It was also perfect for tummy time. We bring it everywhere we know he will be napping or sleeping. We love that he does not realize that he is in a new place when we travel because he is always in it when he is asleep. The best part is that it is breathable, washable, and hypoallergenic.
3. Summer Infant Pop ‘N Jump: This jumper has been Peter’s favorite activity for months! He is so joyful in it as he bounces non-stop! It is compact, lightweight, and goes with us everywhere.

Mary Kate (mom to Olivia (4), Madeline (2), and Eleanor (2 months))
1. Solly Baby Wrap: Ellie loves to be snuggled up close to me and I love how it makes me hands-free since I am running after two other kiddos!! It is so easy to wrap and easy to toss in the diaper bag to use when I’m out!
2. Copper Pearl multi-use cover (note: learn more about these in this post!): I love this because it’s pretty and super soft and stretchy. It makes it so easy to cover up me and the baby so I can nurse in public and I love throwing it over the car seat to keep the sun and snow out of her face!
3. It’s a tie between the good old fashioned Boppy pillow and Aden & Anais blankets. The Boppy pillow makes it so easy to feed her and can transition into a support for tummy time and sitting up. The blankets come in such pretty patterns and are great for swaddling and using to play on the floor.

Me (mom to Charlie (5 months))
1. Solly Baby Wrap: The Solly wrap has been my saving grace for the last five months! It’s often the only place Charlie will nap, so I wear him in it around the house pretty often, but it’s also so helpful anytime the stroller would be inconvenient (the airport, church, etc.). It also is great for extra bonding–I feel like a super mom when Charlie is all snuggled up and happy in the wrap.
2. Uppababy Vista stroller and Mesa carseat: I can’t count how many comments I’ve gotten in parking lots when I close our stroller and pop it in the trunk–it’s super easy and light! The Uppababy system was a tough splurge, but we have literally no complaints about it and would buy it again in a heartbeat. It makes our lives so much easier when we’re out and about!
3. Little Unicorn swaddles: We use these for actual swaddling, as blankets, on the ground to play on/take pictures on…pretty much everything. We have swaddles from a few other brands, but the weight and fabric of these make them our definite favorite. Plus, the patterns are SO ridiculously sweet!