Our Favorite Baby Items for Six Months & Younger

Apr 16

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Our sweet baby Taz turned six months this past Easter weekend {!!!!!} and it's blowing my mind how fast time has gone! He's getting SO big and has reached so many fun milestones at this point. Taz is scooting all over the place on his bum, constantly wanting to move, loves to giggle and jump, and started eating solid foods! He's the happiest, sweetest baby and we are forever thankful he's ours.

We've used a lot of baby products in his short six months of life, so I thought I'd round up a list of our top 20 favorites {in no particular order}, plus a bonus review at the end of all the courses I've taken! In case you missed it, I shared a newborn + new mama essentials list here. That list contains items used solely for newborns {I wrote it when he was six weeks old}, and this list below is more extensive for older babies. Still completely recommend everything on the other list, too! Also, here is Taz's nursery if you're interested!

Bathtub
We love this tub and it's under $20! We've been using it since Taz was born and the best part is there's a newborn sling that's removable as baby gets bigger. It fits in our kitchen sink, too. I recently moved Taz's bath time to our tub with his inside it because he was splashing water all over the kitchen! This tub is great because baby sits in the water and can always be warm. You can read more about our bath essentials in this post.
Aquaphor Baby
Still one of my #1 recommended baby items... and you can literally buy it anywhere {Target, Walmart, your local drugstore, etc.}. We love Aquaphor and their baby ointment is what we use exclusively on Taz's little bum bum, any dry patches, and little scrapes! I use it with every diaper change and he's never gotten a rash! The best part? We just finished the first tub last week... which means ONE tub of Aquaphor Baby lasted us almost 6 months! The best bang for your buck for sure.
Jolly Jumper
We got this jumper for Taz when he turned four months and it's been his very favorite thing ever since! He's a squirmy little baby that constantly wants to be on the move... and he was ALWAYS trying to jump in our arms. The amount of JOY this baby item brings him is so cute! He truly loves it so much. We have this version that comes with a stand, but it also comes in a door clamp version if you have a more compact space. We put this sensory water mat under his feet while he jumps and he loves it!
Nanit Baby Monitor
We didn't use a baby monitor until we sleep trained Taz at 19 weeks {he's currently 27 weeks}. Up until that point, he slept in our room at night in a bassinet and when he napped in his crib during the day, we could just hear him! I do wish we would have put the monitor in his room earlier, only because it bring so much peace of mind! We love the Nanit! It's a smart baby monitor and you just download the app, so you check on baby anytime, even when you're out of the house. Because we have a mural above his crib on the wall, we don't have it mounted and instead use the multi-stand {sold separately}. You don't get analytics, but honestly all I wanted was to be able to see/hear him. It works great! The only downside is that because it's an app, you have to have your phone going all night. Just be sure to always keep your phone plugged in while you sleep and use the "night mode," which dims your screen light.
Artipoppe carrier
My mom gifted this beautiful carrier to me for my birthday, when Taz was just under two months old! I seriously LOVE it. I know it's a splurge, but I love baby-wearing and wanted something a little more... chic {we have the Ergobaby too and while Robbie uses it and it IS an incredible product... I just wanted something cuter for myself!}. The one downside compared to the Artipoppe is that you can't wear baby front-facing. BUT, you can wear baby on your back with it {I haven't tried this yet}. Taz lived in this the first 3-4 months of his life when he wasn't napping on his own and I needed to get work down. I'd just wear him and he'd go right to sleep! I even purchased one for my BFF as a baby shower gift, that's how much I love it. I have a referral code here, where you can get $56 off!
Lovevery Play Kits subscription
Another item gifted to Taz, but one I would 100% spend our own money on! His grandparents got him this for Christmas and we use the Lovevery toys every single day and they are his favorites. Lovevery sends a box full of age-appropriate toys ever two months for baby's first year and they are all Montessori-style {toddler play kits are sent every three months until age two}. The entire mission is "playtime with purpose" and I love that every toy is meant to help baby develop and learn skills!
Ollie swaddle
We used this swaddle until Taz was fully rolling front to back and back to front. It's great because unlike some swaddles, it's transitional for different stages. When he first started rolling, we would leave one arm out. You can also swaddle with both arms out {at that point, we removed completely, but it's still a great option}! It's great for baby's developing body too because it leaves their hips and shoulders loose. We had two in case of blow outs a clean one was available to use!
Kyte sleep sack
We use this for every nap and night time sleep now to keep Taz nice and cozy warm, while also providing him a sleepy cue that it's time for a snooze! During the day he sleeps with the .5 TOG {it's lighter} and at night he sleeps with the 1.0 Tog for added warmth. We started with the 0-6 month, and I just bought a 6-18 month!
Baby Brezza Sterilizer
While not necessary, this is one of those items that makes life as a new mom easier. Up until very recently, I would sterilize Taz's bottles every single night. Now, I mostly just wash them to clean, but I sterilize pacifiers and some teethers in it nightly! It's peace of mine for me knowing that germs aren't getting into his mouth easily, especially with the current Corona Virus situation. I just purchased this sterilizer, as another means to keep toys, phones, and every day objects clean in our home. You can't be too careful during this time, in my opinion!
Nuna Pipa Lite Car Seat + Nuna Mixx Stroller in Birch
This wasn't the car sear + stroller combo we originally started off with, so let me just tell you how amazing the Nuna system is! The Pipa Lite Car Seat is the lightest infant car seat on the market and we LOVE it. Plus, I feel like the fabric works really well for warm weather climates like AZ. The Stroller is so chic with its leather handles, super easy to fold and unfold, tons of storage, and very comfortable for Taz. We switched to using the stroller seat {versus the car seat or bassinet with the stroller} a few weeks ago, and Taz loves it! We knew it was time to switch when he was always crunching up. Anyways, highly recommend this combo! I know it's pricey, but definitely worth it!
Bibs pacifiers
Taz's very favorite pacifiers! We tried SO many {that he would never keep in} until we landed on these. They are super lightweight, come in so many fun colors, and the cherry nipple seems to be a baby favorite {so many of my friends recommended!}. There's three sizes and we just started using size 2 {6-18 months}.
Lift-the-flap books
These are the books that Taz loves the most and keep his interest! His very favorites are Where's Spot?, Dear Zoo, and these seasonal books.
Baby Stance Socks
Since Taz was born in the Fall, we've pretty much always put socks on him. It's starting to warm up now and I can't wait to see his toes more, but we have loved using baby Stance Socks to match dad!
Zip-up pajama onesies
A game changer for parents! While I don't mind putting him in cute outfits with snaps or buttons during the day, at night it's another story! My favorite brands are Hanna Andersson, Monica and Andy, and Kickee Pants. They are all soft and have so many fun solids and prints!
Changing pad insert with buckle
As Taz has become more and more wiggly and mobile, a changing pad with a buckle is KEY. Such peace of mind for any mama when you need to step away to wash your hands or throw something in the wash and want to keep your baby safe. I also highly recommend having more than one changing pad cover because there will be many accidents, haha!
Nursing/feeding essentials
My number one nursing essential would be a boppy pillow, followed closely by a comfy glider in the nursery! I have used both of these items every feeding since day one. As for other nursing essentials, I loved my Haakaa manual breast pump, Spectra S1 pump and this pumping bra {I wear the size xs-large... it's VERY adjustable}. Taz has taken a bottle since he was born and loves the ComoTomo brand. We just got some of the 8 ounce bottles. My one tip would be to not forget to change out the nipples for different flows as baby gets older :] For supplemental formula, Taz likes Enfamil Enspire! This was the third formula we tried that he would take and so far, it's been great!
Water wipes
Our very favorite wipes! They are fragrance-free and 99% water with a touch of fruit extract. So gentle for baby's skin! I buy them in bulk and have them delivered every month or so.
Pampers Pure Diapers
We started out using Pampers Swaddlers {that's what the hospital used}, but quickly transitioned to these! I love that they are made without chlorine bleaching, fragrances, lotions, allergens, parabens, etc. Another item that is so gentle for baby!
Sleep Training
I know it's not for every family, but sleep training literally saved us. Taz went through a brutal first sleep regression that lasted almost five weeks... and we were both exhausted in every way possible. My friend Chrissy from The Peaceful Sleeper just happened to be in town {she lives in Vegas} when I texted her SOS for help. She came and helped us with the first night of sleep training {she uses a modified Ferber Method} and I am SO thankful she offers that service. It helped so much to have someone basically hold my hand and show me how to do it, while also helping Taz in such a gentle and loving way. You can check out all of her services and products here!
Last but not least... a supportive partner
I know you can't buy this. I know not everyone has this. But I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much of a difference this has made for me. I am SO thankful that, besides breastfeeding, Robbie and I pretty much share all responsibilities. He's always willing to change diapers, get up with the baby, feed him, play with him, and take care of him when I need to work or just need a minute to myself. Robbie has always done anything for me, and now he does anything for Taz. And I am forever grateful! As with anything in a relationship, communication is KEY when it comes to parenting.
BONUS: all the course I've loved!
As a first time mama, the amount of info available can truly be overwhelming. So I thought I'd share with you all the courses I've taken, whether in-person or virtually, that have helped SO much.
-Taking Cara Babies Newborn Sleep Class: I shared a review of this class here, but truly it helped us so much to get Taz sleeping as a tiny baby! We started when he was three weeks old. This course is NOT sleep training. It's simply learning how to soothe a new baby, how to look for baby's sleepy cues, and things of that nature. We took it locally since Cara is based in AZ, but her class(es) are virtual, too!
-Safe in the Seat: I wish I would have know about this course before Taz was born because I was a nervous wreck about his car seat! Michelle is an expert on all things car seat safety and it's so incredibly helpful. I would highly recommend taking this course before your baby arrives, so you can install the car seat correctly and learn lots of safety tips. She also has a travel course about bringing your carseat on planes, what to pack, etc.!
-Feeding Littles: I took the course for babies {they also have a toddler course} when Taz was four and a half months in preparing him for solids around six months! If you're interested in doing Baby Led Weaning {BLW}, I couldn't recommend this course enough! It teaches you all about what BLW is, how to feed baby solids, goes over allergies and choking versus gagging, and even provides sample menus for those of us mamas who like structure!
-Mastering Medical Emergencies for Moms: A lot of you mamas probably already follow my sister-in-law Shannon Tripp, and she recently launched her own course! She's been a pediatric ER nurse for 10 years and shares education and tips on how to help your baby/child for sicknesses and emergencies at home. Shan goes over important things like what to do when your baby chokes, what to do when your baby has a fever, ear infections, respiratory illnesses, head injuries, and lots more!
-Speech Sisters: I'm currently taking this course online! It's a speech and language course for babies called Talk on Track {there's one for toddles as well!}. It's designed for newborns to 14 month olds to help you know how to help your baby meet their communication milestones! Once completed, I'll be sure to share more of a review.