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everything you need for the first year (additions to the newborn necessities)
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At about 6 months (only when your baby masters head/neck control) you can start them in a bouncing activity center or door jumper for like 15 min sessions. I’m not a fan of plastic toys, but we have the Fisher-Price Jumperoo and LOVED it.
Other Top Recs:
Two safety notes on a jumper:
Not to be confused with BABY walkers (which should be avoided, read more below). I like the wooden push walkers that don’t have flashing lights, sounds and buttons:
Why avoid baby walkers?
I read this NY Mag article and this Parents article, which explained that these are very unsafe for babies, and parents should opt for a stationary bouncer and/or a push walker instead.
Also known as an “umbrella stroller” or foldable stroller. You don’t need one unless you plan to travel a lot.
Top Brands: Babyzen Yoyo | The Baby Jogger Mini City Mini G2
For reference, I have the Ergobaby Metro Compact City stroller and I don’t love it.
You only need this if you’re an actual runner and plan to jog a lot with your bebe. The most popular one among moms is the BOB Revolution stroller.
Highly recommend taking a feeding class – starting solids can feel overwhelming, and this helped me tremendously. I learned tips that carried me through the first stages of eating and beyond: the best foods for babies (and what to avoid), how to cut and prepare foods for different ages to prevent choking, how to introduce allergens, how to combat and prevent picking eating, balanced recipes, and more.
In my honest opinion, there are really only two options to consider:
Lalo The Chair (ages 4m – 3y) The closest thing I’ve found to a perfect high chair. The positives: If you buy the full kit, it can convert from a high chair to a booster seat to a play chair. The simple design and the material is extremely easy to clean. The negatives: Even at the smallest setting, the seat is still big for the average 4-month-old. The legs are wide so it takes up a lot of floor space. Also, the multi-function is great but you typically use a booster seat and a play chair at the same age/stage so you’ll need to purchase a 2nd booster or 2nd play chair.
Stokke Tripp Trapp® (ages 6m – 3y) The positives: completely adjustable so you can remove the tray and pull the chair up the dining table. Once they are older, you can remove the harness and eventually the high chair seat so they can use as a regular chair. Great for smaller spaces. The negatives: it’s hard to assemble, and because of all the customizations, every piece needs to be purchased separately so it can get costly. It’s also not super easy to deep clean (you have to take take it apart), and the harness is not easy to adjust size once it’s originally set up.
My top rec is the Inglesina fast table chair because it’s the most versatile (fits on almost any table). Note that the tray is sold separately!
phil&ted’s lobster chair is a comparable option: it’s a little less bulky, folds flat and is lighter, however it’s a bit harder to clean and doesn’t work on tables with a lip.
This isn’t necessarily for restaurants, (although it has come in handy on that off chance that the restaurant doesn’t have a high chair). It’s great to keep in your car for on-the-go (picnic tables or random adventures) or travel (delays at the airport, staying at hotels, airbnbs, visiting friends/family that don’t have high chairs, etc.)
Depending on your kitchen floor, you may want to get an easy-to-clean highchair mat.
If you plan to make your own baby food, the BEABA Babycook® Duo is one of the best appliances out there. It steam-cooks, blends in various consistencies, defrosts, and reheats. The steam basket and cooking bowl are also dishwasher safe. There’s also a solo version if you are concerned about counter space.
Can’t I just use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender?
Yes, however what sets a baby food maker apart is the cooking capabilities. It’s a one-stop-shop.
Note: I have the Baby Brezza and like the BEABA better.
Smocks seem silly until you are letting your baby self-feed and explore textures. At that stage, the easiest thing to do is cover the baby and the highchair so it’s less cleanup for you. You can typically throw them right in the washer / dryer.
I also started using silicone catch bibs at this stage. Love the all-silicone ones because they’re dishwasher-safe.
Top Recs:
For caregivers that are spoon-feeding their babes:
At this age, you shouldn’t expect your kiddo to use utensils (they are still working on their pincer grasp), however, it’s recommended to still serve meals with utensils so that they can explore and practice. These are for self-feeding babies 6 months+ and baby led weaning.
This stage is all about the silicone. It’s dishwasher safe, microwave safe, teething-proof, and basically unbreakable. Plus, many of them have suction bottoms so they’ll stay put when your baby tries to flip or throw them.
Top Brand Recs:
Once you start solids (around 4-6 months), you can introduce a cup (with a few ounces of water in it). We skipped the sippy cup stage completely and went directly to a 360 cup and silicone straw cup (safer and better for oral development, according to experts). Solid Starts is a great resource if you want to learn more about how to teach your baby to drink from an open cup or straw.
I recommend purchasing a few different styles, as your child will likely have a preference.
Top Recs:
At around 10 months, we started using a silicone snack cup. If you’re comfortable with your child walking around or sitting in the car/stroller while feeding themselves cheerios or puffs (and other non-choking hazard snacks), get a snack cup.
My favorites are the mushie cup and the morepeas cup, but some parents prefer see-through cups.
RESOURCES
You can start introducing your baby to real food as early as 4 months. The best thing I did for myself is taking a class on feeding, this stage felt very overwhelming. Solid Starts is one of my favorite resources.
When your baby grows out of the basin tub, a bath seat is the final stage before they can sit in a regular tub safely. At about 6-7 months old, your child becomes more mobile / squirmy (and slippery), so bathtime becomes a stressful challenge.
Safety note: Some experts advise against bath seats as they require very close supervision / monitoring. Do your research and decide what’s best for you and your family.
At around 5 or 6 months, bath toys come into play. I try to avoid all toys that could harbor mold (i.e. that have holes or squirt like rubber ducks) – they should be dishwasher-safe and/or fast drying. Here are some of my favorite bath toys on Amazon for littles.
At around 11 months, you graduate from a bath seat to a bath mat or bath treads.
A travel crib / pack ‘n play can be used both as a portable playpen and a crib when you’re traveling.
Note: I also love the look of the Nuna Sena Aire, but it’s quite small (baby will outgrow pretty quickly) and it’s heavy / bulky so not ideal for traveling or storage. While it looks nice, the other options are more practical.
resources
There are many different theories on how to get your baby to sleep through the night. In addition to books on the topic or consulting your pediatrician, consider hiring a sleep expert.
Lovevery offers a toy subscription that just can’t be beat. The toys are sustainably-made, thoughtful, and encourage open-ended play based on their development stages. They’re truly worth every penny.
KiwiCo’s Panda Crate is also a great option (and less pricey), but keep in mind that they are more activity-based and craft-focused, rather than open-ended playthings.
Babies LOVE to look at themselves. Get them a tummy time floor mirror. Tip: If you already have the Lovevery play gym, it comes with a mirror so you don’t need to buy another.
I personally like a soft rattle, like this adorable dog or the Meri Meri banana, but these organic wooden rattles and teether rattles are great as well. These wrist rattles were the biggest surprise: they were a huge hit.
Something that’s soft (indestructible) and has lots of color, shapes, and textures. Manhattan Toy makes adorable ones, as does Jellycat. These are not for reading, but rather for sensory play.
Mushie is my favorite brand for teethers because they are BPA-free, non-toxic, and have beautiful shapes and colors. They’re made of food-grade silicone so they’re also easy to clean. Sophie the Giraffe is also a classic teether toy for babies.
Love the ones by Manhattan Toy, Wee Gallery, Skip*Hop, and Inklings Baby. They are high-contrast and colorful, but won’t overwhelm their little brains (no blinking lights or sounds). Since they have clips / loops, they can also be hung on crib rungs, car seats, or playbars.
Another thing babies love: balls. At this stage, they are putting every toy in their mouth, so if you are buying plastic, make sure it’s 100% non-toxic, BPA free silicone. These sensory balls are GREAT (note: I bought a cheaper, knock-off version on Amazon and returned because they were terrible), and you can also get teether balls. I also have a list of balls you can find on Amazon – but note that some of these are not BPA-free.
These stacking cups are one of our daughter’s absolute favorite toys. They’re open-ended toys so they can (and will) be used for years.
Once your baby starts showing signs of walking, it’s time for push-and-pull toys. Bella Luna has a beautiful selection. We also have this classic Fisher-Price puppy toy as a hand-me-down and it keeps kids entertained for a WHILE (despite the annoying little sound it makes).
RESOURCES
Formerly known as “mommy and me,” these are local playgroups and organized activities for babies and their caregivers. They’re great because they provide socialization for parent and baby before your child starts preschool— also a great way to meet new parents!
Babyproofing can start immediately, but you won’t really need to baby proof until the crawling starts. If you crawl on the floor and look up (aka look from a baby’s perspective), you will see what should be done. Shop babyproofing products.
There are products for securing toilets, ovens, oven dials, door handles, and more— but we found that we only needed the basics.
Once they start standing, it’s time for their first pair of shoes. According to pediatricians, the best, most supportive pairs of shoes for infants are by Ten Little, See Kai Run, and good ole’ fashioned Stride Rite.
A “lovey” is another name for a blankie or comfort object that makes a baby or toddler feel secure. Some of my favorites are by Jellycat, Angel Dear, and Marlow & Co, but there are so many adorable loveys our there when you do a quick google search.
When should you introduce a lovey?
Stuffed animals and loveys can be introduced at the newborn stage, but they won’t have any interest until they are 2 or 3 months old. During the first year, your baby shouldn’t sleep with a stuffed animal in their bed, but experts agree that some babies are ready to cuddle/sleep with loveys as early as 6 months.
LA-based daycare (3m – 6y) that’s flexible by the hour
LA-based on-demand, drop-off daycare
Immersive play experiences designed to expand social, creative and cognitive abilities
lactation consultant, founder of The Milk Manual
breast milk relocation & shipping
daycare & preschool recommendation service
an expert in child nutrition & lactation, founder of Tiny Tasters
group classes for bonding with your child through music, sign language, movement, & sensory exposure.
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