Over the past week we put baby boy’s nursery together. I have been in full nesting mode and have had this feeling of urgency to get everything done on my list like it was a life or death situation. I compare it to having food cravings in my first trimester (all you ladies that have been pregnant before understand and all you ladies that haven’t been there yet, this will make sense when you do!) I hope the nesting urgency is a sign he will be here a tad bit early, but time will tell!
We decided (we meaning me) that we wanted a Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Nursery theme. We still have a few décor items that we would like to add, but differently than my first pregnancy I am not in a rush to have everything perfect, especially the little things, before I give birth – but I wanted the big stuff done immediately! That being said, there are a few essential items that I didn’t want to live without from the first day we bring him home.
Here are the Top 10 essential items in his nursery. As a mom, I look at safety, quality, and price as my main objectives in choosing products for my home and my children.
Monitor: We own the Motorola MBP36S Remote Wireless Video Baby Monitor with 3.5-Inch Color LCD Screen, Remote Camera Pan, Tilt, and Zoom. We chose the same monitor for our daughter 3 years ago and were so impressed with the quality that we bought a new, updated one for our son. This monitor has: 2.4ghz Fhss Wireless Technology, 3.5″ Diagonal Color Screen, Remote Pan, Tilt & Zoom, 2-way Communication, High-sensitivity Microphone, enhanced crystal clear two-way communication, high-sensitivity Microphone, infared night vision, room temperature monitor, and five lullabies! Honestly I highly recommend every parent to have a video monitor. It helps so much with peace of mind to not only hear but also see your baby, know the room temperature, and talk to them through the microphone to soothe them as they get older.
Organic Crib Mattress: We own the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Classic 150 Lightweight Seamless Two-Stage Baby/Toddler crib mattress. Similar to the monitor, we bought the same mattress for our daughter 3 years ago (she still uses it in her toddler bed) and because of the safety, quality, and design we bought a new one for our son in the same exact style. I love this mattress because it is made of organic cotton, it has 2-stage dual firmness that will grow with your child for many years (one side is firmer for baby and one side is softer for a toddler), it has seamless waterproof edges and a wipe clean waterproof surface to prevent moisture penetration and allows for easier cleaning. The certified organic cotton fabric and filling has 150 coils plus edge support, square corners for a snug fit, ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging, and is made in The U.S.A.! It is so easy to clean and is non-toxic, which is so important to me because it is free of potentially harmful chemicals and allergens for my baby’s head that will be laying on it for years to come. Naturepedic is a GOTS certified organic mattress manufacturer and meets the strictest GREENGUARD certification standards for eliminating chemical emissions.
Crib: We own the Storkcraft Portofino 4-in-1 Convertible Crib and Changer. This is the same crib we used with our daughter and even though there has been some wear and tear from the past 3 years, it is still in excellent condition for our son! We chose the Espresso color because we thought it would be gender neutral and hide dirt and marks better, but the white is a beautiful option as well. The crib can be easily wiped with a cloth and is JPMA certified with a non-toxic finish. The crib has a solid wood sleigh design and has the changing table attached to the crib. All four sides of the crib are stationary and has an adjustable three position mattress support base to add to the security and stability. The crib is designed for multiple stages of life; it converts from a full size stages crib to a toddler bed, to a daybed, to a full-size bed (bed rails not included). The attached changer is designed with safety in mind, with an extra deep surface for added security and stability while changing your baby. My husband has put this crib together and taken it apart many times and says it is pretty simple to assemble! The crib also has excellent safety standards, which is most important to me as a parent.
Diapers: We have exclusively used The Honest Company diapers and wipes for the past 3 years and will continue to do so with our son. Even though our daughter is completely potty trained, she still wears training pants at night while she sleeps, so in addition to the diapers and wipes, we also use Honest training pants! You cannot go wrong with the quality of this diaper. They are non-toxic and free of latex, fragrances, and lotions. They are also made without chlorine processing or chemical bleaches. And they have a plant based inner and outer layer. When an item is constantly against my baby’s skin, these are all very important to me. And honestly (no pun intended) we tried other “natural” diapers from different brands before deciding on one brand and we didn’t like the others for various reasons. One big reason we love Honest diapers is because they are absorbent and we rarely, if ever, had a blowout or a leak. And how cute are the prints? I get so excited that there are new prints to choose from every season. Once my daughter was old enough she loved picking out with print she wanted to wear each day! And you can easily edit your order whenever you want. For example, I get to switch my delivery date to fit my baby’s needs. Most of the time a bundle will last me five weeks, but every once in a while I need to move the delivery up a few days if we are traveling or back a few days to coincide with when we get paid. I can choose a few prints in a newborn size and a few prints in a different size and even combine diapers and training pants in the same bundle delivery! I typically also buy other add-on items like multi-vitamins or laundry detergent at a discounted price to add my bundle as well.
Rocking Chair: My parents gifted us 3 years ago with a La-Z-Boy recliner for our nursery needs. I can’t emphasize how much every new parent needs a rocking chair/recliner combo for a nursery. My first childbirth ended up in a cesarean section and I couldn’t sleep in my own bed for a week or two after giving birth, so I slept in the La-Z-Boy. It was easy to get in and out of and I could still recline to get a decent night’s sleep! Then as she got older, there were many nights when my husband would lay on it when our daughter couldn’t sleep and took a turn sleeping in her room so I could have a good night’s sleep. I also nursed and rocked her to sleep too many times to count on that chair! Even if it’s not a La-Z-Boy, I highly suggest getting a chair that rocks and has a recline option and or at least a footrest!
Swaddle Blankets: We have multiple swaddle blankets that I could write a whole blog just on that topic! We own two Ollie World Swaddles (that I will discuss in a future blog in more detail), we own various Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, and also now we own a Little Unicorn swaddle blanket. I first fell in love with Little Unicorn before I was even pregnant the second time. I knew I wanted one for my son, so I was so thankful to receive one as a baby shower gift from one of my best friends! The swaddle blanket is made of 100% cotton muslin and is lightweight and breathable. They are machine washable and apparently get softer with each wash, which I am excited to experience. They are 47” by 47” and come in so many unique styles and fun patterns. I registered for about a half of dozen and will hopefully buy more once he is born not only to use as a swaddle, but also a stroller blanket, a tummy time blanket, etc.
Diaper Pail: We own the Munchkin STEP diaper pail. We owned a different Munchkin diaper pail for our daughter but this diaper pail wasn’t available 3 years ago. I love the fact that you step on it to open via a foot pedal. That is such a huge help when throwing away a dirty diaper! Plus did you know that Munchkin plants a tree for every diaper pail sold? The diaper pail was really easy to set up and even comes with some bags and a lavender scented puck, which is there to absorb odors to reduce gassy emissions in the nursery. STEP works with both refill rings that snap and or seal and toss refill bags! I am a big fan of Munchkin and own so many of their products already and am very excited to try this one, too!
Bouncer: We own the Fisher Price Deluxe Bouncer. We had a similar bouncer when our daughter was an infant and it was perfect to use in the kitchen and living room. It is lightweight and portable and can easily be moved to anywhere in the house. I would set it up on the counter or on the couch so the baby could be near and next to me while I cooked dinner, washed the dishes, or folded the laundry on the couch. It comes with a removable mobile overhead to keep the baby entertained as well as up to 20 minutes at a time of music and sounds, with volume control. It has a deep seat with plush fabric, body insert, and soft head support, which can easily be removed to clean. It also has a three-point restraint, which as a mom nothing is more important than my child’s health and safety.
Rock n Play: We own the Fisher Price Deluxe Newborn Rock’nPlay Sleeper. We had a similar one for our daughter and she exclusively slept in it for the first five months of her life. It has been our must-have product and a lifesaver for our daughter since she refused to sleep flat on her back as a baby. She still was on her back, to reduce the chances of SIDS, but was elevated, which she loved. The best part is that it has an incline and recline and you can choose which position you want for any time of day. There is a button on the side that you can choose calming vibrations, even though I’ve never been a big fan, but it did tend to soothe my daughter! I preferred to rock her manually to sleep if she needed it. It also comes with deluxe plush head support, a newborn baby insert, and a three-point restraint. It is very quick and simple to assemble and it also folds up easily for storage and travel and is machine washable!
Dock-A-Tot: I have been admiring a Dock-A-Tot Deluxe for quite some time and now that I have one I am so excited to use it! The Deluxe is ideal for babies 0-8 months and the Grand is ideal for babies and toddlers 9 months-36 months. In case you aren’t familiar, the Dock-A-Tot Deluxe is a multi-functional lounging, playing, resting dock that is portable so you can it take anywhere! The baby can sleep in it supervised, relax in it, get their diaper changed in it, or even do tummy time in it! The dock is made of breathable and hygienic materials, is machine washable, has an interchangeable cover, and is lightweight and durable. You can pick from many different options for style, color, and cover but we chose the Silver Lining (which is basically grey and white chevron).
Many of the items listed above are available at The Baby Cubby https://www.babycubby.com If you haven’t heard of The Baby Cubby yet, you are missing out! They aren’t just another baby store, they are a resource to parents and parents-to-be. They price match everyday – even with Amazon – and they offer FREE SHIPPING nationwide on orders $49 or more. And if you join their newsletter, you’ll receive 10% off your first purchase!
You can shop furniture, gear, clothing, play, feeding, and more including maternity items for moms! And did you know that you can also set up your baby registry online through their website, too? http://www.babycubby.com/registry.html/
The staff is made up of parents and are there to support, inspire, and encourage other parents and parents-to-be. They also have a Cubby Community Blog that discusses the difficult topics of parenting. Visit the blog here http://www.babycubby.com/baby-cubby-blog/
If you live in Lindon, Utah you are lucky because The Baby Cubby has a storefront that you can visit in person to purchase your baby essentials. They spend hours researching the products on their site and in their store so you don’t have to! They even have their own stroller track where they test drive strollers!
You can also connect with The Baby Cubby on social media on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thebabycubby/ on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thebabycubby on Twitter https://twitter.com/thebabycubby and on Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/thebabycubby/
Here are the items that I own that you can buy from The Baby Cubby:
–Little Unicorn single cotton swaddle in Santa Fe can be found for $16 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/little-unicorn-single-cotton-swaddle.html
–Naturepedic Lightweight Seamless Two Stage Seamless crib mattress can be found for $289 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/naturepedic-lightweight-seamless-2-stage-crib-mattress.html
–Dock-A-Tot Deluxe Dock Baby Lounger and Sleep Positioner in Silver Lining can be found for $185 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/dockatot-deluxe-dock-baby-lounger-sleep-positioner-silver-lining.html
Other items we own that aren’t exactly part of the nursery but are available on The Baby Cubby website include:
–Freshly Picked crib moccasins in the color Sky for $45 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/freshly-picked-crib-moccasins-sky.html
–Chicco KeyFit 30 infant carset can be found for $199 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/chicco-keyfit-30-infant-car-seat-and-base-9315.html
–Ergobaby Four Position 360 Carrier in Carbon Grey for $160 by following this link http://www.babycubby.com/ergobaby-four-position-360-carrier.html
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