Minimalish Motherhood Must Haves

This post has been brewing for such a long time! When I was about halfway through my pregnancy, I reached out some internet friend-designer mamas, Chloe, Caroline, and Anelise to get their must have product list. I also referenced this article, and this one from Megan Gilger of The Fresh Exchange, probably a thousand times. Here's the thing I can't reiterate enough - EVERY baby is different (yes, I know you've heard it before), and everything is a phase. There were weeks when some items worked great, and some weeks where they didn't. This is my paired down list of things I really love. We didn't have a baby shower, but I created a babylist registry so I could keep track of what we had, and wanted, and sent it to people only if they asked. I liked Babylist because I could pull from every source even handmade shops on etsy, or amazon! I'm sure I'm forgetting some things here, because mom brain is REAL. I'm sharing my "minimalish motherhood" essentials, and product reviews about them. These are staples for us, things we're really getting use out of, and really enjoying.Thule Urban Glide Jogger - I knew I wanted a jogging stroller because we spend a lot of time outdoors. Cyclocross race courses are usually mostly grass, and we "hike" a lot with the dog, so a three wheeler was perfect for us.  Thule's a trusted brand in our house, but obviously I took it for a test run. We tested the Thule and the Bob. Both great, similar in price, but we just liked the feel of the Thule better. However, the Bob has a much easier to use lock, obviously it wasn't a deal breaker for us.Keekaroo Peanut - I love that this can move anywhere in the house, and that I just have to wipe it down for an easy clean up!Zip Onesies - I swear, we lived in these. Shirts that don't button, or anything with snaps is a nightmare. Heck, I would live in a zipper onesie if it was socially acceptable - I guess jumpsuits are where it's at! Some onesies have mittens too - even better! The feet are great for a winter baby so you don't have to worry about socks. I also discovered Basal Baby this month thanks a beautiful artist mama, Brittany (follow her on IG for so many good recipes, and baby things!!) and I definitely want to try this! I love that you can mix and match, and it's all basics!Guava Lotus - watch the video - I'm not crying, you're crying! I love this because it's EASY. We wanted to make sure weekends away were easy. I love that it doubles as a bassinet, fits in it's own little backpack, and is super lightweight.One Duo Diaper Bag - I knew I wanted a backpack - I hate how my shoulders feel after lugging around something too heavy on one side. I needed something with good size, wipeable, and gender neutral so we could both wear it. The best part is that my computer fits in it too! This will definitely be repurposed as a regular backpack in the future. The makers are in Israel - where we visited last summer!Baby Bjorn Bouncer and toy - We got really lucky that a neighbor was selling this barely used, along with a MamaRoo! For the price of one, we got both of these chairs - we figured we could always keep one at Grandma & Grandpas, or that maybe one wouldn't work for us. The MamaRoo is great because the motion and sound is realaxing (I want one) and the first few weeks our little guy took a ton of naps in it. Now, he loves the bouncer, and it's so easy to pack up and take with us if we're going away for the weekend.Baby Carriers  - The first time I wore a baby carrier, I felt like super mom. I couldn't believe how much I could get done! I love the Sakura Bloom carriers, especially the Scout. The design of these products are so beautiful, and supportive. The community they've built is incredible too if you want to join their facebook group! Honestly just give me ALL THE CARRIERS, nothing is better than carrying a baby. Wildbird Sling / Ergo Baby / Solly Baby Wrap, Lulababy Shirt (and the Dad shirt!).Everyday Mother - This book helps you keep track of feedings, and it's beautifully made by my friend Jackie! If you've got family in town, this is a great way to make sure everyone tracks when the baby has eaten. With mom brain, and basically having no concept of time when you're up all night, this definitely comes in handy!Multi Use Cover - this is great when you're at the store, and you don't want random people trying to touch and get germs all over your newborn. Then it doubles as a nursing cover! I also use it on walks to make sure the wind doesn't get in his face when he's sitting in the stroller. Nuroo also makes a nursing scarf that I really love. I keep a Blanket Scarf (thank you $3 bin at target) in the diaper bag incase I'm not wearing the scarf, but this is another multipurpose item I loved.Halo Sleep Sack - Swaddling is hard!! We loved this one - it's dummy proof, and it keeps a winter baby warm!Zutano Booties - My cousin bought these for us, and we honestly were never NOT wearing them! They were the only "sock" that would stay on, and keep those cute toes warm! Also they're adorable. They're constantly sold out on Amazon, so get them while you can! Such a great gift too for a winter baby! If you don't need the fleece, Freshly Picked Moccacins are basically the cutest bootie ever, and I loved reading about Susan's story, and her experience on Shark Tank!Dekor Diaper Pail - We almost didn't buy a diaper pail. BUY A DIAPER PAIL.Hatch Sound Machine - I saw this from another designer mama - Vanessa. What I love about it is that I can control it from my phone, it has lots of sound options, AND it has a cute nightlight for a toddler, or for late at night when you're changing a diaper and don't want to turn on all the lights! Now if only it also was a diffuser.....Gathre Mat - The packaging and patterns on Gathre mats are absolutely beautiful, but it's also SO functional! When he grows up and throws food everywhere, this is absolutely going under the high chair - but for now, we're using it for tummy time (hello, spit up!), trips to the grandparents, and I love that you can use it for diaper changes too!Clover and Birch Toys - He's way too young for this one, but we have three Clover and Birch Items, and we're obsessed. We were lucky enough to meet the power house behind Clover and Birch, Taylor in 2016 when we were at the Etsy Open Call. We grabbed this toy pretending it was "for someone else" even before we started our journey to growing our family. I knew it was really for us all along! Since we can't use it just yet, it looks pretty adorable on display on the bookshelf! I love how Taylor supports her staff, and her family through her products!Monitor - This worked great for us - the nursery is really close to our room, so we can hear him, but this is super helpful for watching, checking, and new mom anxiety. We hook it up to our phones, and we have two old phones we can use as backup! Since the rooms are so close, we didn't need to invest in something fancy - this works great!Baby Books - Duh. I love the illustrations so much, and of course, I remember it from my childhood. A great idea is to ask people to bring a book instead of a card to your shower! Ask them to write a note inside too for a fun little extra when you go to read it! This post by Shelby has a free printable with the information about bringing a book in lieu of a card, that you can print and slip into your invitations!Ikea Crib - Simple, and transitions to a toddler bed!Nuna Pipa Car Seat - I like to think of myself as strong, but car seats are officially the most awkward thing to carry - and they're heavy! We went with the Nuna after reading a lot of reviews, and learning it was one of the lightest out there.Medela Breast Pump - Make sure you check with your insurance company to see what they offer. This was covered in full, and it's working just fine, I can't compare it to anything, but it has great reviews and I have no complaints.Infant Toy - I keep something similar to this on the car seat, it's nice because it's colorful, and has a few ways you can play with it! It's fun to watch him try something new with it every few weeks.Mobile - Here's the thing, kids love bright colors, silly noises, and they don't give a shit about your instagram grid. Let your kids be kids! Let them wear the silly outfit you'd never wear, let them play with the toy that they enjoy! I had a vision of having a beautiful mobile, and in a rut (4 month sleep regression) we grabbed this and it works great. He loves listening to it, it shuts off after 30 minutes, and we can bring it with us when we travel, or go for a long walk and want to keep him amused!I hope you find this helpful on your journey with minimalish motherhood! There's a few product you don't see here (diapers, car seats, bottles, pacis, wipes) it's because I just feel like those are personal preferences, but feel free to leave a comment, or send me a message on Instagram to get the conversation started!