The first year of parenting is overwhelming in so many ways. Lack of sleep, lack of time, adjusting to being a family of 3, and the list goes on. I found the sheer volume of STUFF that people said I needed, or just brought me, to be an unexpected source of stress. I am by nature a pretty minimalistic person, so I approached motherhood in the same way. After all, this tiny person has simple needs- food (me), safe things (crib, car seat, stroller), basic hygiene products (diapers and tub) and some clothes. Easy. Done. Not the case apparently.

I quickly learned there is plenty of things you need in order to make those first few months with baby easier. In addition to all the basic survival must haves, there are the sanity saving must haves.

Many of these products can be purchased online from Well.ca Well is offering That Girl Britt readers $10 off a purchase of $40 or more with the code WELL10. So get shopping! 

1. The ezpz mat is a must for any eager self feeder, and any parent who is somewhat turned off by just putting their baby’s food on the high chair tray. The silicon suction sticks to the tray, keeping any plate flinging mishaps to a minimum. I know Finley loves feeling like a big kid with her own plate too. 

2. The Merlin Magic Sleep Suit is the result of a deep late night sleep regression worm hole. When Finley was 3 months old, she was getting herself out of her swaddle, but still had a strong moro reflex, the jerky startle that all babies have (and some adults too! If you’ve ever been asleep and felt like you were falling, this is a remnant of this primal reflex!) The Merlin Suit is marketed as a transitional sleeper between swaddle and sleep sack. The thick cotton padding dulls baby’s ability to startle themselves awake, thereby promoting longer stretches of sleep. We were obsessed with this adorable little moonsuit from about 4 months until she was ready for a sleep sack at 6 months.

3. I’ve spoken about my love for the Uppababy Vista System before. In all honesty, this piece of baby gear has paid for itself in spades. The included bassinet was Finley’s home for the first few months, both for sleeping and outdoor adventures. I love the builtin sunshade for keeping the sun off her when she was a newborn and even now as a 1 year old. The intuitive design makes it easy for anyone to use and the ability to add on components for future children ensures our investment will last through all our babies. This is well worth the money!

4. Love Child Organics is a Canadian company I whole-heartedly support. As a parent founded company, Love Child Organics provides healthy options for parents who don’t always have time to prepare home cooked meals. I love that Finley can get a variety of fruits and veggies, along with some protein from the included quinoa, in a self-feeding friendly pouch. We keep this handy for snacks, or when she isn’t thrilled about her dinner choice. I must admit, I’ve even had one myself when stuck in the car with a sleeping baby.

5. The Solly Wrap is a dream. Aside from the stroller, it has been my most used item, and I continue to use it now on days when she is clingy and just wants to be held. The soft fabric and great prints make the wrap part of your wardrobe, rather than a glaringly obvious baby carrier. Don't let the wrap scare you. Solly Baby has tons of support online from Baby Wearing experts and will guide you through safe baby wearing from newborn to toddler. 

6. I love reading. In fact, fostering a love for reading in my future child was one of the things I looked forward to most when I was pregnant. I love all the short and silly books by Sandra Boynton, specially now since Finley is at an age that she wants to read books over and over again. They keep us both entertained!

7.  The pacifier. Soother. Binky. Soosie. There are about as many opinions about this item as there are names for it. We decided to use a soother with Finley, but she self-weaned around 4 months. These Wubbanubs were great in the car, for those time she spat the soother out, it wouldn’t roll away into the abyss. Also, as she increased her hand-eye coordination, she was able to take it in and out of her mouth herself. The soft little body was just one more comfort item for her.

8.  Nipple Shields. Again, the controversy. I had to use nipple shields in the beginning because I had very small and flat-ish nipples, making it tough for her to latch correctly. It was a bit of a nuisance to keep up with, but we slowly weaned off as she got bigger (and my nipples obviously adapted). These were a lifesaver for our breastfeeding journey.

9.     Teething. Every parent and grandparent has their own remedy, usually involving whiskey or some Old World Hooch. Since I’m a millennial semi-granola mom, I decided against the age old booze on gums treatment in favour of the homeopathic Camilia. One pod of this stuff before bed works magic in getting an irritable baby to calm down. And for the record, I tried it myself and it tastes nothing like alcohol.

10. The Aden and Anais swaddle. A staple. SO much so that I received approximately 25 of these blankets for my shower, and still use them to this day for impromptu picnic blankets, play mats, shade canopy, anything! I actually prefer the bamboo fabric as it seems to just get softer with each washing! 

11. This ducky tub was a practical tip from one of my mom friends at work. This little tubby is not only cute, but it works perfectly for that funny in-between stage. Too big for the infant tub, but not stable enough to sit in the big tub. Also, because its inflatable it travels really well…like to grandmas house in Florida.

Moms, let me know, what are your favourites for year One? 

*this post contains affiliate links*