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For newborns: Top Pick: Cybex Cloud Q infant car seat
Why I chose it: I researched car seats a TON before purchasing. I love this seat because it can lay completely flat (the only one on the market that can do this) so if the baby is asleep, I can simply take the car seat out of the car and attach it directly to the UppaBaby stroller without the need to transfer him to the stroller’s bassinet which is disruptive and might wake him. For the minimalists out there, this can be attached to most popular strollers with a simple $20-30 attachment piece and then there is no need to buy the bassinet which is only used for 4-6 months anyway and adds a significant extra cost (usually $300-400 extra). This car seat also has considerable added safety features that others didn’t have. This is just an infant car seat though, so you will need to upgrade when your baby reaches a certain weight.
For older babies: Nuna Rava Convertible car seat
When the baby outgrows the infant car seat, this is likely what I will go with due to the safety features that it has!
Top Pick: UppaBaby Cruz
Really beautiful stroller, one of the top of the line. You can get it in silver or black and then whatever color seat you choose. It has a bassinet option as well as the traditional seat once the baby is older. I opted to not get the bassinet since I went with the Cybex car seat which lays flat like a bassinet. I felt it was better to not move the baby too much from place to place and not spend $400 on something that only lasts 4-5 months. The UppaBaby is more lightweight than the Cybex and the weight really matters when you are shuttling it around from place to place. The selling point for me though was that the seat is ergonomic which is better for their hip development, whereas the Cybex seat isn’t.
Runner up: Cybex Priam Pram with all terrain wheels
Absolutely beautiful. Really aesthetically pleasing, more so than the UppaBaby if that is important to you. The reason I didn’t end up choosing it is that it weighs significantly more than most other strollers on the market and the seat is not ergonomic once the baby transitions to the regular seat. The benefit is that the wheels on this one are slightly better though than the UppaBaby but the weight and lack of ergonomic seat was enough to deter me.
I love this one because it is made of all non toxic ingredients and is OekoTex certified. It can be attached to any bed frame and you can open the side making it like a co-sleeping experience but with the baby still at arms reach. It’s also relatively large for a bassinet so gives them plenty of space to grow. I also love it because it’s angled slightly downward for prevention of colic. I opted against bassinets like the Snoo because I didn’t want anything electronic at all during the time the baby is sleeping.
For Co sleeping: Snuggle Me Organic
100% non toxic organic materials and so useful for around the house baby lounging and also if you choose to co-sleep with your little one. Get an extra cover in case there are blow outs 🙂
Expensive but worth the money because it lasts you their entire lives. It converts from infant to toddler to child with a few inexpensive parts. It is easy to clean, non toxic and ergonomic. Make sure to register for the tray and cushion for the transition to toddler/older baby. I opted out of the newborn attachment b/c I felt it excessive since we have the snuggle me and the Baby Björn baby bouncer which can be used at the table.
You can move this anywhere, the gym, living room, kitchen and the baby can just hang out in it! The baby can grow with this seat into toddlerhood so again, worth the money and is always top rated from moms.
You want a carrier for the newborn stages and one for when the baby is a bit older.
Top newborn pick: Boba baby carrier wrap
The wrap type baby carriers are the easiest for newborns especially…just tie them onto you and go! When the baby gets older, you will likely want to transition to a back pack style carrier which is more ergonomic for mom as the baby starts weighing more. The Boba comes in a multitude of cute colors and is super soft and stretchy. They have a great website explaining how to tie the wrap and also a free mini class for help with learning how to use wrap style carriers.
Older babies: Ergobaby Omnidream in soft touch cotton:
Very man friendly as you just wear it like a backpack. My partner was afraid of the wrap style ones, so we went with this backpack style 🙂 If you want to use it for a newborn, Ergo Baby says that you can unless the baby is very small. It’s more ergonomic for mom as the baby grows and can be worn on the front for front facing or on the back as a backpack for older babies and toddlers. Another item worth the money because you will use it all the time.
The one that I got is a penguin, but the only animal available in the USA of the same brand is the elephant! But, the sound machine part is the same! There are 11 lullabies and 14 white noise sounds (there are birds chirping as well, which I love) and it also has a cry sensor to turn back on if the baby starts crying. You can set the timer for 15, 30 or 60 minutes or you can leave it on continuous. It is rechargeable, so you just recharge it every week! It also has lights if desired or you can turn the light feature off. I personally didn’t want to use a Hatch or other similar bluetooth enabled sound machine b/c don’t want EMF/radiation around the baby. This has amazing reviews and I absolutely love it.
Swaddle Up Organic Sleep Sacks
These sleep sacks were top recommended for more ergonomic sleep for babies. You want to get at least 1 of each, newborn, small and medium. Swaddle Up makes them in organic fabrics as well which is a double plus! These sleep sacks enable the newborn to sleep with their arms above their heads but still feel contained and don’t wake themselves with startles. I plan on having 3-4 on hand in various sizes!
So, we actually opted out of doing a crib in favor of transitioning directly to a floor bed (research Montessori floor beds), but many new parents don’t feel comfortable with that option so wanted to give a non toxic option for a crib. The Nestig is affordable, beautiful, made with 100% real wood and all the paints and finishes are non toxic and certified heavy metal and phthlate free. This also transitions to a toddler bed if desired so you save money in the long run.
There are tons of other amazing cribs on the market that are greenguard gold certified. The Ikea Sniglar crib is also an amazing non toxic affordable option (Only $100 or 59 Euros) that also transitions to a toddler bed. However, since we are doing the floor bed, we didn’t research too much into crib options outside of the bassinet.
This is my first choice but there are loads of organic mattress options. This is greenguard gold certified Oeko Tex fabrics and organic cotton cover. It is also breathable and firm which is necessary for newborns and toddlers.
These mattresses are about as organic as it gets. No foam, no plastics at all (the naturpedic still has some plastics). It is all organic cotton, wool, natural latex and coconut husk. Not breathable though so that is why it is a runner up. It is the most non toxic option I have found.
What about a Newton? There is a lot of hype around the Newton b/c it is extremely breathable so could prevent the baby from suffocating if they happen to make it face down. I wasn’t comfortable with the Newton b/c it is made of plastic, it’s not certified organic and a lot of people complained about a strong plastic/chemical smell with it right out of the box. However, it is greenguard gold certified so the amount of chemicals should be extremely low and all should be safety tested. Perhaps I am just being too cautious.
What about the Eco by Avocado? I didn’t choose this one simply because it has metal coils and metal = bad for sleeping (adults and children) as it is a conductor of electricity.
Pact Organic cotton baby clothes
They have affordable baby clothes that are staples in organic cottons!
Burts Bees Organic Baby Clothes
Also affordable and organic cotton! You don’t want to spend too much money on clothes since they grow out of them SO fast.
I bit more pricey, but also beautiful organic cotton pieces
If you catch the sales, you can get really cheap clothing in all organic cotton!! I bought a lot of pieces from here just for affordability since they go through clothes so quickly.
I LOVE this brand. They have tons of non dyed options in completely natural organic cotton. It’s definitely NOT cheap, but I liked having some non dyed options for the first couple weeks.
One thing you definitely want is ZIPPERED pyjamas! It makes it easier to change the baby than the snaps as it’s more time efficient. We got tons of these zipper PJ’s from gap, Toey and Pact.
This is not so much of an item but more of an idea to consider. Elimination Communication (or EC) is the idea that the baby does communicate it’s needs to you even toilet needs. Many parents never change poopy diapers when using EC as the baby learns to use the mini potty to go. I hear that pee diapers are more complicated. But, imagine never changing a poopy diaper! How cool is that. The company Go Diaper Free sells courses, a book and the mini potties for starting EC. I hear it is a learning curve, but with my poll on IG, 97% of parents who tried it said it was awesome, but that it takes way longer for the baby to learn not to pee in the diaper, but hey, I’ll take it!
I here that disposable diapers are a personal preference, but this is a non toxic option that is meant to be super absorbable. Mom’s rave about these!
Non disposable Diapers: Bambino Mio
We plan to transition to cloth diapers once the baby is not pooping in the diapers anymore. So, our plan is to use disposable for the first 1-2 months and then transition to cloth when we just have to clean pee :). We chose the Bambino mio b/c they are non toxic and always have amazing reviews.
I have heard WONDERFUL things about these for feeding. You can freeze breastmilk or fruit and put them in the non toxic feeder for when the baby is teething or when you are starting to introduce solids.
This is a nice introduction to the toothbrush. Non-toxic and easy for baby to “brush” his/her teeth.
Lovery Baby Gym and Subscription
The Roll’s Royce of baby gyms, lol! This gym and their toy subscription service was created by child psychologists to aid in baby’s brain development. Each item is chosen for a certain reason to promote proper brain maturation. It’s best to get this one right away so the baby has the full year- 18 months of use!
My Breast Friend Organic cotton breastfeeding pillow
This is meant to be one of the best one’s out there. It clips into place so the. baby doesn’t slide down into the crevice of the couch/chair and it is extremely sturdy. It also has an organic cotton cover and you can buy an extra cover in case of a blow out!
This is supposed to trap in all odors and it supposed to be one of the best diaper pails out there. It also comes in a variety of colors to choose from. Hopefully we won’t use it too much since we will be doing EC, but always good to have one just in case! Diapers smell HORRIBLE so a diaper pail is required.
My sister literally uses these all the time and says they are a lifesaver. If the baby has stomach upset/gas, you simply insert the little catheter and it releases the gas and pressure on the spot. The babies get SO much relief from this!
This is the classic “nose sucker”. You put the catheter in the babies nose, then suck on the other end removing the boogers immediately 🙂 Gross but every mom has told me it’s necessary!
I chose this one b/c it is totally hands free and portable so you don’t have to sit in a chair while you pump. Keep in mind you will need to get a lactation pump bra to hold them in place!
While these are not “organic” cotton, these are thick, durable and moms rave about them. You don’t want to get flat nursing pads, you want them shaped like little teepees.
Lansinoh Breast milk Bags
Buy a lot of these so you can freeze and store breast milk!
These are also awesome to store breastmilk in smaller quantities so none goes to waste!
Souper Cubes– 2 cups
These are the SHIT. I am food prepping one months worth of food for the postpartum period and these have been a LIFESAVER for prepping soups, stews, meat dishes. You simply put the food in, place in the freezer for a day, then pop them out into blocks and store them in vacuum sealed bags then label with masking tape. SOOOOO worth the price and you only need 2-4 trays.
This is the 1 cup version. It’s good to have a variety.
I decided to go with glass instead of plastic for obvious reasons! You don’t want to heat plastic and then give it to your little one. These are colic friendly and are shaped more like the breast for better feeding and mouth/teeth development. They come in various sizes so I would get a few different options.
This maternity sleeping pillow came HIGHLY recommended by moms and by my chiropractor. It was developed by pregnancy chiropractors and can be adjusted to desired firmness or height. I LOVE mine and sleep with it every night. I didn’t think I would want or need one, but WRONG…when you hit 26-28 weeks, you will WANT one! It’s definitely not a cheap option but the one that came most highly recommended. You can also shape it so that you can rest on your tummy if you want :). My chiro uses it on her table so that I can lay on my tummy while she adjusts me. It comes in a variety of colors.
© Copyright Two Purple Carrots 2021. All Rights Reserved. | Designed by Blinkered Media