Experienced Mom Must Haves for Baby

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NurseryMusts #CollectiveBias

As a new mom I had no idea what I really needed to be ready for baby. I planned to breastfeed but I was returning to work after my leave was up so I knew bottles would be a must. Cute clothes I had purchased obsessively through out my pregnancy, so I had that covered. It was all the other things I was clueless about, so I registered for EVERYTHING. We had so much stuff that we didn’t need or that never even got used! Now when I go to baby showers I like to get creative and put together a little gift basket full of our favorite baby things. The things you really need but don’t know it until you are on the other side looking back. 

A few key things I like to include in my gift basket are; Our favorite bottles, Playtex VentAire. My sister in law turned me on to themafter several failures and we loved them, wise experienced mamma that she is. They are great because they have an anti-colic vent on the bottle and I loved the angled design to help prevent ear infections. 

Soft comfy clothes- As much as I love all those adorable tiny overalls and the button up shirts I bought, soft and comfy clothes are the key. Babies sleep a lot and the soft clothes are perfect for them. 

Diaper Genie Complete– No one wants guests to come over to see that sweet new baby and worry about the house smelling like dirty diapers. The Diaper Genie Complete will lock in the odors and it holds up to 270 diapers! 

Receiving blankets- Great for swaddling, burp clothes and just enough to cover their car seat without over heating them. 

Large soft blanket– We spent a lot of time laying on the floor and playing with our little guy. A nice soft blanket is perfect to be able to lay down anywhere for a little space just for baby. 

Cloth bibs- You need so many of these! I found that the soft cotton ones are idea and don’t rub too harshly against sensitive skin.

Lovey– This is huge at our house! We have several loveys and they are a big part of our success in functioning. My little guy has been holding on to his lovey since he was just a few months old. It’s great for kids to have a security item that they can snuggle and recognize it’s scent. 

Lavender bath wash- We still use this at almost 2! Not only does the lavender scent make your baby smell amazing but lavender is great for helping babies have a restful sleep time. You’ll never by regular soap again.

Monster Trail Mix– So this seems a little unconventional, but hear me out. As a new mom you are about to work your booty off. Work like you have never worked before. You are going to have messy hair and stained clothes and forget the last time you ate. In the end it will all be worth it and you are going to look back and love it. You have to eat! This was a big one for me since I was nursing and needed the calories. This is my favorite trail mix and it’s great for a quick snack when you’re crazy busy and just need some delicious protein. Buy buckets of it, you will thank me. 

When I’ve gathered up all the best items of an experienced mom I pick out a cute basket that can double as a usable storage container and I arrage all the goods together. I love shopping for baby gifts at Target because they have everything I need in one place to complete my gift.  Add a cute bow and a heartfelt card and you are ready to go. I include on my card why I love some of the items so they understand why they are special. 

Do you have a nursery must?