Baby gear guide — what we actually used

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When I was pregnant with my first, I spent an embarrassing number of hours researching baby gear. I had multiple spreadsheets. I read Reddit threads at 2am. I doom scrolled TikTok. I compared things that, in retrospect, did not need to be compared.

Now that we’re expecting our second, I’ve gone back through all of it — what we actually used, what collected dust, and what I’d do differently. This is that list.

A few things to know before we dive in: my first was a winter baby, I breastfed and pumped for 11 months (including a stint of triple feeding, which is exactly as exhausting as it sounds), and we travel more than the average family. That context shapes a lot of these picks.

Feeding

The feeding category is where I have the most to say — and the most honest notes about what didn’t work.

Bibs — KeaBabies Bib We started with the Lalo bib and it wasn’t great at catching food. For our second we’re switching to KeaBabies. Sometimes round two is the real review.

Bottles — Dr. Brown’s Plastic Bottles These worked well for us, but bottles are deeply personal to your baby. I’d genuinely recommend the Babylist bottle sample set before committing — it lets you try a handful before buying a full set. For baby #2 we’re switching to glass.

Burp Cloths — Yoofoss Muslin Burp Cloths Buy more than you think you need. We had stacks everywhere — the diaper bag, the car, next to every chair. Muslin is the move.

High Chair — Tripp Trapp with Newborn Set We genuinely loved the newborn set, which let us use it from very early on. The caveat: it’s not portable. Ours lived in the kitchen and stayed there. If you need something to move around or take to a grandparent’s house, this isn’t it — but as a permanent seat it’s excellent.

Feature Details
Works from Newborn (with newborn set) through childhood
Portability Not portable — stays in one spot
Best for Families with a dedicated dining area
Price Premium, but lasts for years

Bottle Drying Rack — OXO Tot Drying Rack Compact, no complaints.

Travel Bottle Drying Rack — Ubbi Travel Rack We tried the OXO travel rack first and water would just pool — bottles never dried properly. Swapping to the Ubbi for baby #2.

Bottle Cooler — Ceres Chill This was one of my most-used items as a pumping mom. It keeps milk cold for hours, works as a travel cooler, and I used it constantly on the go. If you’re planning to pump at all, add this to your list.

Bottle Sterilizer — Papablic Sterilizer & Dryer Did the job for baby #1. For our second we’re upgrading to the Momcozy Bottle Washer and Sterilizer, which came recommended by several families we trust. I’ll report back.

Breastfeeding & Pumping

I pumped for 11 months — including a stint of triple feeding early on that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. These are the items that actually got me through it.

Wearable Pump — Willow Go This is what made 11 months of pumping possible for me. Hands-free, quiet enough to wear in a meeting, and once my supply was established it became my primary pump entirely.

💡 Pro tip: The Willow Go is frequently on sale and is FSA/HSA eligible — check whether your insurance will subsidize it before you pay full price.

Traditional Pump — Spectra S1 I used this in the early weeks while supply was still coming in. It’s a workhorse and a good backup. Also FSA/HSA eligible.

Haakaa Ladybug — Haakaa Ladybug My lactation consultant recommended the Ladybug over the original suction Haakaa specifically because we were triple feeding. If you’re in a similar situation — or just want an easy way to collect letdown — this is the one.

Silverettes — Silverettes I don’t say this lightly: these were a lifesaver in the early weeks. Worth every single penny.

Item Link Worth it?
Wearable pump Willow Go ✅ Yes — changed everything
Traditional pump Spectra S1 ✅ Yes — great backup
Letdown collector Haakaa Ladybug ✅ Yes — especially for triple feeding
Nipple cream Silverettes ✅ Yes — lifesaver

Solid Feeding Utensils — DRKIO Fork & Spoon Set Simple, baby-friendly, and held up well through the messy phase.

Baby Gear

Car Seat — Nuna Pipa Rx Our infant seat pick. Lightweight, easy to click in and out, and compatible with the Nuna MIXX stroller — which made those first months so much easier.

Stroller — Nuna MIXX Next Our everyday stroller. It handled sidewalks, uneven terrain, and a lot of daily miles without complaint. The car seat compatibility was a big selling point.

Travel Stroller — Silver Cross Jet If you travel, a compact stroller is non-negotiable. The Silver Cross Jet folds small enough to fit in an overhead bin and is significantly easier to manage in airports than a full-size stroller.

Travel Car Seat — Cosco Scenera The budget-friendly travel car seat that actually works. We didn’t want to haul our Nuna on every trip, and this has been a perfectly good solution. The harness straps are finicky to adjust, but since we only use it for travel we can live with it.

💡 Pro tip: Gate check your car seat in a bag rather than checking it at the counter — the bag counts as a free extra bag and the seat gets handled much more gently.

Travel Crib — Guava Lotus Travel Crib Easy to set up, packs down well, and our daughter slept great in it. A must if your family travels frequently.

Car Mirror — Car Mirror Inexpensive and genuinely useful in the early months. Didn’t feel like we needed a camera version and have no regrets.

Item Link Notes
Everyday stroller Nuna MIXX Next Our workhorse
Infant car seat Nuna Pipa Rx Pairs perfectly with the MIXX
Travel stroller Silver Cross Jet Fits in the overhead bin
Travel car seat Cosco Scenera ~$50, great safety rating
Travel crib Guava Lotus Easy setup, packs down small
Car mirror Car Mirror Cheap and genuinely useful

Nursery

Crib — Babyletto Gelato This was a gift, and it worked beautifully. We ended up transitioning our daughter straight to a twin bed — timing worked out that way — so we never used the toddler conversion, but it’s there if you need it.

Glider — Babyletto Kiwi I spent a lot of time in this chair those first months. It’s comfortable, looks good, and holds up. No regrets.

Baby Monitor — Infant Optics We specifically wanted something not connected to wifi, and this fit the bill. Two years in, the battery life is fading — but we barely use it anymore, so it’s done its job.

Sound Machine — Hatch Rest+ We used this from day one and still use it for our toddler. The app control is genuinely useful when you don’t want to open the door and risk waking them. We’ve already gotten one for our second.

Room Thermometer — Govee Small, cheap, one less thing to wonder about at 3am.

Dresser Dividers — OXO Dresser Divider Tiny baby clothes are chaos without these. I got the cheap Amazon ones too and truly regret it — they didn’t work at all. Worth buying the real ones and adjusting them every few months as sizes change.

Health & Safety

Nasal Aspirator — Nozebot We started with the Frida NoseFrida and found it difficult to use. The Nozebot was a complete game changer — we used it constantly through the first year.

💡 Skip straight to the Nozebot. I wish someone had told me this.

Baby Thermometer — Braun Forehead Thermometer Reliable, fast, and easy to use on a wriggly baby.

Nail File — Haakaa Nail File Baby nails are terrifying to cut. A nail file is a gentler starting point.

Humidifier — Frida Baby Humidifier We used this a handful of times during sick season. Nice to have, not something we reached for constantly.

Cradle Cap Comb — Frida Baby Set If you have a winter baby, there’s a decent chance you’ll deal with cradle cap. This set made it manageable.

Brush & Comb — Safety 1st Set Affordable, does the job, doesn’t need to be complicated.

Diapering

Diapers — Huggies We tried a few brands and landed on Huggies. That said, diaper preferences are very baby-specific — what works for one kid may not work for another.

Changing Pad — Keekaroo No covers to wash, easy to wipe down. Pricier than alternatives, but worth it if budget allows. The SkipHop and Papablic options are solid alternatives.

Diaper Pail — Ubbi Pail Works well and doesn’t smell. For our downstairs we had a full secondary changing station — diapers, a travel pad, and the pail — and it was so nice to not have to go upstairs every time.

💡 Pro tip: Get one for each floor. Trust me.

Wipes — Costco We tried name brands. We came back to Costco. Bulk wipes is just the right move.

Sleeping

Crib — Babyletto Gelato (see Nursery above)

Sound Machine — Hatch Rest+ (see Nursery above)

Playing

Activity Gym — Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick & Play Babies love this thing. You will learn the monkey song by heart. You will hear it in your sleep. But it genuinely entertains them, and in those early months that is worth everything.

Chewable Books — A Tuffy Book & Indestructibles Books that baby can gnaw on without destroying. A surprisingly important category that no one tells you about until your baby tries to eat the corner off a normal board book.

Misc

Stain Remover — Miss Mouth’s Stain Remover A miracle worker. Buy the big spray bottle now — don’t wait until the toddler years like we did. It removes things that should not be removable.

That’s the full list of what we actually used and would buy again. If you’re in the thick of registry building and feeling overwhelmed, my honest advice: start with the basics in each category, see how your baby responds once they arrive, and adjust from there. You’ll figure out what works for your family.

No spreadsheet required. (Though I did make one.)