Now that I’m past the fourth trimester, it’s time to finally share my thoughts on my favorite items in the first few months postpartum. These items will be mostly for baby but I’ll also touch on some stuff for me. I’m doing a three-part blog about this since there is so much to cover! Who would have thought a tiny human being needed this many things?! For part one, I’m covering furniture nursery items that are big purchases. Items related to sleep and postpartum will be in part 2. For getting around and other accessories, go to part 3!
I waited to share and recommend products until after I’ve tried them myself, even if I read up on all of them so much before purchasing. I’m now 5 months in, so I’m a lot more confident with the items I’m sharing! Please keep in mind that these are not necessarily essentials for everyone just because I found them useful. So pick and choose what items you’re actually looking for or needing.Let this be your guide in terms of what you want or don’t want to have! Let’s get started…
So if you know me personally, you know I do a lot of research to prepare for big things (like weddings, pregnancy, etc.) before they even happen. Call me insane, but I’m an overachiever and a planner. When my best friend was pregnant, I shared with her everything I had already planned for or learned in the two years I’ve been preparing for my own pregnancy. Of course my advice isn’t experience-based, but she also knows that! All that to say that many of these products I decided on even before I was pregnantš
Nursery Items
Crib
After much research, the crib we picked out is the Babyletto Sprout! Babyletto was on the higher end of our price range, but something I would still consider not too expensive. It’s made of non-toxic materials, is convertible to a toddler bed (and a full size with an extension down the line, if we choose), and just fits our vibe at home! I chose the cheaper style, but when Patryk chose the Sprout, of course I didn’t argueš¤Ŗ We love the natural colors Babyletto offers, and we got a dresser that had the a similar color from the same brand to coordinate together. It was easy to assemble, feels sturdy but still light at the same time, and looks great. 10/10 recommend!
Mattress
The crib mattress we picked out is the Newton mattress. I chose this mattress almost three years ago! So when one of my closest friends got pregnant just over two years ago, I purchased it for her right away. I know, I’m crazy. We’ve established that… The Newton mattress was my top choice because while it was on the pricier side, you were paying for the non-toxic materials, top-notch breathability (therefore peace of mind), and ease of cleaning (it’s washable!). We just got the base essential mattress, but they also have a waterproof version which I didn’t think we needed. I plan on buying a waterproof cover when Katerina is older and if we’re worried about that.
Dresser/Changing Table
To go with our crib, since it’s going to be right next to it, the dresser we chose is the Babyletto Palma 7-drawer dresser in walnut. Most people nowadays just use a changing pad on top of a dresser instead of buying a separate changing table, and why wouldn’t we?! It’s so much more cost and space efficient. One of the biggest draws for us was that it was solid wood, and we didn’t have to assemble it! It came assembled, minus installing the drawer knobs. It feels sturdy, and the drawers are so smooth and spacious.
We were initially hesitant to buy this dresser because I thought it was expensive. However while researching the dresser, we found a great Target deal for nursery furniture, so we jumped on it and saved a lot! So we actually ended up being under budget for our furniture just from that Target deal, and we got a more expensive dresser than we planned!
I love our Palma dresser so much. 1 less point for the price, it’s not really that affordable unless you get it on sale. Also because the drawers don’t slide out all the way. Almost never bothers me, but there are definitely times it does. 9/10
Changing Pad
Our changing pad is definitely an unnecessary splurge, I’ll be the first to admit! We got the Hatch Grow Smart Changing Pad that comes with a scale. Nobody needs a scale at home, and the doctors frown upon it. So if you get it, don’t tell your pediatrician you didš Half the reason we chose it was the look, I just really liked the shape and look of it! I wasn’t sure how I felt about the scale at all, even after purchasing it. However, it ended up being useful for us when Katerina dropped more weight than expected. We didn’t rely on the scale to give accurate measurements, but it gave us piece of mind that she was gaining weight.
5/10 recommend. There are so many other changing pads that look similar without the smart functionality and will do just as well. I like mine and it’s great, but it’s not necessary!
Sound machine
Our Hatch Rest sound machine is definitely a favorite. It blends in, is easy to set up and use, and is used multiple times every single day. It has enough sound options from white noise to the dryer to lullabies. I’m able to control it through the app even when I’m not home. We got the gen 2 specifically because I wanted the clock function, but I’m sure the 1st gen will be just as great. Not much else to say about a sound machine – it’s pretty straight forward. 10/10 recommend!
Baby monitor
On the subject of sleep, our baby monitor is a very popular choice among blogs, baby websites, etc. When I visited my best friend who was about a month postpartum that time, we saw she had the monitor I picked out and was excited to hear she loved it! We got the Infant Optics DXR-8 PRO, specifically for the video quality and non-wifi connection. A bonus feature that will be useful down the line is that you can add on an additional camera to display in the same screen. At first we didn’t get a monitor since we live in a one-bedroom condo, and we figured we’ll be close enough to hear the baby. Two weeks into postpartum, we realized how helpful it was to be able to see and hear baby from the living room because our walls are pretty soundproof.
It’s a great monitor overall, and I only have the same complaint as everybody else has. The battery life sucks. It hasn’t bothered us as much though, we just keep it charged! Even with the battery life, I still give it a 10/10.
Glider
For our nursery chair, we got the Babyletto Kiwi glider in cream. Another very popular glider these days. We went to stores to try out different chairs, and we chose the Kiwi based on comfort, ease of use, the electronic recline, and the price. There were chairs that were so much more comfortable or prettier, but they also cost hundreds of dollars more. Then there were more affordable options, but they didn’t have the electronic recline or the comfort. The Kiwi was the perfect middle ground for all our priorities, and it looks great in our room! It’s minimal which makes it versatile enough for any nursery theme you choose.
This glider was definitely a treat for us – we made this purchase knowing we would use it later even when our baby is older! Note: we read some reviews that said the chair squeaks a few weeks or months in, and I was very anxious about that. We haven’t run into that issue so far! 10/10 recommend the Kiwi.
Final Thoughts
We kept our nursery items relatively minimal since we don’t have a separate room to be her official nursery. We live in a one-bedroom condo so we are very limited on space. So we decided to only stick to what is absolutely necessary. If we were hesitant about needing a specific item, unless we knew it would take forever to order, we waited until we knew we definitely needed it. We have a couple of those items in the next two posts!
Our priorities included making sure our pieces did not have any off-gassing. I would be inhaling that while pregnant, and baby will be inhaling that as a newborn. When I first learned about off-gassing, I panicked thinking I’d have to replace all my cheapy furniture! I’m not a professional by any means, but I read that older furniture I’ve had for years has “finished” off-gassing, so I didn’t have to worry about it. Phew…
Overall, we love everything we purchased above for our nursery. We invested in the furniture pieces (and found great deals!) knowing they’re great quality, safe, and comfortable for baby and us at the same time. Next up, I’m sharing about items related to sleep and recovery in the second post of this series!
