As a first time mom, I feel like each month with Emmie just keeps getting better. It's cheesy to say but it is true how amazing children are and how quickly they change. I look at Emmie daily and watch her in amazement as she does something new and grows before my eyes. Months three through six, we finally got into a groove. We were all sleeping (thank goodness), we were following Taking Cara Babies and having a nap schedule, Emmie started actually playing with toys and interacting with us in a whole new way. By the end of this phase, she was sleeping in her crib, starting to sit up, chewing on everything imaginable, and bursting with her cute little personality.
Similarly to how quickly they change, so does the baby gear and toys that come along with it. I had done so much research and buying for the newborn stage but didn't have much for her once she was a bit older and honestly, at first I felt lost! Thank goodness for friends, Amazon, Google, and Instagram! Over the course of these past three months, we found ourselves always reaching for the following 12 products. Of course every child is different but these worked so well for us and I hope they work for your little one too!
- Magic Merlin Sleep Suit - This suit really is magical and let me tell you why. We switched out of the swaddle at 2 months which Emmie did well with but while she was sleeping she'd still wake herself up with her startle reflex. This suit not only kept her warm, but it prevented her from waking up as she fell asleep.
- Teething and Building Blocks - I love these blocks because I know they'll be a staple for her for a long time. Now she uses them as teethers and to learn cause and effect as she knocks them over. In the future, they have shapes, numbers, and patterns on them that will come in handy as she becomes more aware of them. Added bonus - they're super easy to clean.
- Glow and Discover Light Bar - She is the daughter of a music teacher but Emmie loves music. This light bar is great because not only does it light up and play music but it also has a kickstand and a rattle. It is great to lay flat for tummy time and now that Emmie is sitting up, we use the kickstand and it'll entertain her for 20 minutes!
- Sit-me-up Seat - This product is seriously amazing for that inbetween stage of laying down and sitting up. Not only is it more forgiving on their hips than the bumbo, but it has a little spot to attach toys while having a small footprint. The fabric is easy to remove and clean. This is one of my favorite items from the entire list!
- Nanit camera system - At five months, we decided to switch Emmie to her crib. We did this for two primary reasons. First, she is tall for her age and was outgrowing her bassinet that we had in our room. Second, she had started flipping herself around in the bassinet while she was sleeping and I no longer felt comfortable with her being in the bassinet with shallow edges. When we switched over to the crib, knowing Emmie was okay was the only thing that allowed me to sleep at night. Nanit allows you to see video on your phone and listen to audio even while opening other apps. They also have a travel stand that allows you to bring the camera to grandma and grandpa's house which we have done a few times now and is very helpful. It also provides little "insights" about when your child woke up and fell asleep which is very helpful!
- Hatch Sound Machine- As Emmie spent more time in her nursery (first with naps in her crib before we moved to nights) we had this sound machine in her room. It is amazing for middle of the night feedings and changings because it can provide a dim light while also being able to control it on your phone.
- Bath toys - Around 5 months, Emmie started getting a little bored in the bath which made it more difficult to bathe her. I ordered these toys online and although she mostly chews on them, she loves waving the water towards herself to get the toys floating in the bath! Plus these ones are cute - we even named ours!
- Nested Bean Sleep Sack- This goes along with number one but as we transitioned out of the swaddle, I didn't want her to get used to any one specific product so I would switch between the merlin suit and this sleepsack. In the beginning I think it helped her transition.
- The Big Book of Organic Baby Food- You might have seen on instagram (you can follow me here if you're not already) that I was very nervous to start solid foods. I'm feeling much better and will have a post coming out soon about what we used but the first item was this book. Not only does it do a great job of explaining general ideas on introducing foods, but it provides recipes, and a possible schedule to follow if you're like me and like structure and something to jump off of!
- Mushroom teething toy + rings- No explanation needed. These teethers are amazing and are her favorite. The mushroom is very light and easy to hold especially when Emmie wanted to chew on things but most of her teethers were too heavy or big for her to actually get into her mouth. The mushroom is still a big hit months later! The rings are also pretty light but have a simple shape that she can easily use!
- Burp cloths- Although Emmie thankfully didn't spit up a lot, we found we had more messes and LOTS of drool once she hit 3 months. We have them around our house for all the "bubbles" she makes and to wipe her face. These are soft and I like the texture of them!
- Activity Center- My favorite part of this stage has been watching Emmie interact with her toys in exciting new ways. The first toy she really took to was her activity center which she started around 4 months. Week by week we saw her play with the toys differently and eventually she figured out how to spin herself around in the seat. It is great for when I'm cooking in the kitchen and she still wants to see what is going on but I know she's in a safe place. It also has a little "piano" that she loves playing on.
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If you'd like to read more from Meagan, check out her blog, A Dash of Bruck!
Please note that these are affiliate links and Meagan may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. She has personally used all of these items herself and hopes these will help out all the new mamas who are in need of some new ideas!