Oh, Bebe! The junk you will need.

My dear friends are having a baby girl so I thought I could put together a mini guide for the parents-to-be.

Congrats Story & Chris!!

Bebe Essentials:

Maternity Clothes
Most ladies can skirt through their pregnancy without having to purchase actual maternity clothes, stretchy waist pants, skirts along with maxi dresses made with a jersery fabric are great.

These pieces were comfy but not maternity

I loved Gap Maternity and Target. I tried to buy stuff I could wear after bebe and I still wear a lot of those dresses today. Nordstrom carries Bella Bands which are crucial for preggers ladies who want to stay in their jeans. Medela made the best nursing bras from my experience. My boobs were enormous the first few weeks so it was essential to have a nursing bra that fit well and I could wear 24/7 and feel comfortable.

Crib/Bassinet

We went high end with our bassinet, but luckily we were able to sell it once she outgrew it.You want a piece that is easy to move to whatever room you will be in. It doesn't have to rock, I don't remember rocking Liv that often in ours. I like this folding crib for space saving. Liv slept with us more than in her crib for the first year, so this is a great temporary crib until you choose a long term bed.

Crib Bedding/Blankets

Olivia was fortunate enough to receive a lovely crib bedding set from our bebe shower. So before you shell out a lot of money on bedding, add it to your registry first.

We purchased this set for her crib and really, that's all she has ever needed. We rotate back and forth between the two sets when it's time for laundry. Lately, she loves pink so we haven't used the orange set as often. Most important is buying a few waterproof sheets. They will protect your mattress and they last for a long time. I love this crib set and this one if you are anti-bumper.

*We used a bumper, gasp, and had no trouble at all but it's something to consider.

Aden + Anais make the best swaddling blankets hands down. They are lightweight but long enough to swaddle the wiggliest of bebes. I used this set and loved it.

Dresser/Changing Table

A changing table isn't necessarily an essential. Folks use couches, beds and mostly the floor which is the easiest location for a squirmy bebe. We lucked out when we bought our crib and got a bargain for the changing table and dresser/hutch for a deal.

Oeuf furniture has held up exceptionally well for the past 4 years. The dresser has just enough storage to house her vast wardrobe but I do have to stay on top of donating her clothes that she outgrows *although I've been keeping so many pieces for sentimental reasons, HOARDER!*

A peek into Liv's drawers

Car Seat

You really need a car seat that comes with a separate base, and buy an extra base if you have two cars. You want one that is easy to move in and out *cause your gonna be doing this often*. I suggest a canopy to keep the sun out of bebe's face. I hope Story & Chris are fortunate enough to have a bebe who loves car rides. Liv has always loved riding in the car so we still take her for a night drive if we can't get her to sleep. Choose a car seat that is comfy for bebe, and a material that won't make your bebe too warm.

My Mom gifted us a Peg Perego

A boppy. Even if you don't breastfeed *you better!* they are a must-have. I used that boppy every single day for two years. They prop bebe up and are a total lifesaver for feedings. Register for two covers so you have a back up when one is dirty.

Bottles/Nursing

Speaking of feeding, we used Medela bottles and I used a manual breast pump. I never had the chance to freeze my breastmilk, so I'd suggest sticking with Medela if you go that route.

Stroller

I am sticking with our Bugaboo bee. We loved the features of our bee but I also like the Chameleon. Liv grew well with it and it was easy to use. The bee functions well, you can use it facing forward and rear, it tilts so bebe can nap comfortably using the cocoon. We never needed a jogging stroller since the handling on the bee is smooth. Liv is a super tall kid, so we stopped using it a little after her second birthday which coincided with her desire to either walk everywhere or have her daddy carry her *which he still does even though she's almost 40lbs!*

One week old!

Two years old

Baby Carrier

I used our baby carrier ten times more often than our stroller. When bebe is new, you want as much skin to skin bonding as possible. Since I wanted a carrier that would be comfortable for my large *giant* frame and wanted something Antz could use too, I decided against a sling carrier. I didn't want anything with metal so the Baby Hawk was our best option. Let me tell you, it took tons of convincing Antz it was safe. He was sure the knots would loosen and Liv would fall out. After the first time I put it on him, he was a believer. I ordered ours with extra long straps since we are so tall so it gave us room to tie our knots triple times for that extra reassurance.

I loved the BabyHawk, still have it!

Liv's first trip to the beach

These are some essentials that I couldn't live without. There are other options but these worked best for me. Here's a full list of items to register for.

A & D Ointment!! I am a huge advocate for this miracle in a tube for diaper rash prevention. Liv stayed rash free by dabbing a bit of ointment in every diaper. It kept her bum smooth and comfy.

Diaper Dekor - Holds tons of dirty diapers and kept the odors in control.

Wipes Warmer - Cause noone likes a cold wipe on the bum.

Grooming Kit - Has most of what you need like nail clippers, thermometer, comb, brush and nasal aspirator. This one is great for clogged noses, it gets bonus points for being called the Snotsucker.

Bathtub - We didn't use this guy as much as I would have liked but filling up the tub and then moving it to the kitchen for room to bathe Liv was cumbersome *this was in our shitty plumbing days* However, we received this as a gift so we would splurge now and then and use this bath in her early days. She still takes showers with me most of the time.

Hooded bathtowel - Keep bebe warm, Liv's lamb is soft and adorable.

Soap, Shampoo & Lotion - I found Mustela to smell the best and work well for Liv's skin. This may vary for every bebe's skin type. We used Baby Neutrogena for sunscreen. Now that she's older I typically use Baby Aveeno for soap and shampoo.

Pacifier - The best one you will use will come from the hospital. Don't forget to bring home all the freebies from the hospital *I still use a burp cloth and waterproof pad we got from Huntington* Liv didn't use a pacifier for long but when she was teething we used this guy.

Sophie the giraffe - No, she's not a dog chew toy. Every happy bebe has one, she's the best! Register for two cause you'll lose one or it will get dirty from bebe dropping her.



Bebe clothes - We bought just about everything *on sale* from Baby Gap.

Activity mat - We bought ours from Giggle but it's sold out. Liv used it everyday for tummy time. She liked the mirror and we added toys that would rattle. We sold most of her bebe stuff but I am keeping this guy until I no longer have room for it. Call me crazy...

Swing/Bouncer

We received this swing at our bebe shower so I never had the chance to research swings or bouncers. This one played classical music and had different speeds. It was a Godsend! I would put Liv in there and could actually go to the bathroom or eat food without holding her. She would always fall asleep in there.

When she was old enough to hold her head up, her Godmommy got her this jumper. It's excellent for strengthening their legs and allowed her to use hand-eye coordination. You can only keep them in there for a few minutes at a time but she loved that jumper.


How rad are her orange Adidas?

Don't forget to request a bebe greeting from the White House. It's a lovely keepsake for those of you who are fond of our current president.

Hope this is helpful. You can also check out my previous bebe guides here and here.

Hooray for my friend's sweet bebe girl! I am super excited to meet her.