merlin suit. it only worked for a few months, but for those few months, nap time was a breeze.

I’ve tried countless baby bath tubs. The best IMO is the skip hop moby 3 stage tub.

Babyzen yoyo
Agree on trip trap - my 3 year old still uses it and so we got one also for my 18 mo old
Frida nose sucker thing or an electronic one
White Noise machine or we used our amazon echo for white noise
Bookbag diaper bags

As another poster said, so much of this is lifestyle dependent. I have barely touched out Vista (I’m petite and it just isn’t…) but the Jet, which I got on sale, has been all over the world.

Baby carrier that you can use easily while tired is absolutely key especially for a colicky baby. My K’tan got miles and miles of walks. My husband liked the Ergo with newborn insert.

Short person recommendation again is the Guava Lotus. The side zipper is a game changer.

Lots of good recs. I will just add to the chorus that my number one by far best thing over time is the stokke Tripp trapp chairs. My 2 and 5 year old will be sitting in them to eat dinner shortly and no where close to shopping. They are insanely worth the cost.

Kekaroo is so overpriced for what it is. We got one as a gift and I just don't get it at all. There is a Skip Hop version for half as much and then just a regular diaper changing pad for $20-$30 (I think ours is munchkin brand) that has a waterproof cover (so you can clorox wipe it easily) has been just as good for us through 2 kids.

Lotus Guava is great though and we used that as our bassinet and now its our pack n play equivalent.

Swaddles depend on the baby but either velcro or one of the arms up swaddles depending on what your baby likes is a game changer for sleep.

Hatch light. Still using it at 4 years old and got a second for kid#2.

BabyBjorn carrier was great for the newborn stage because it was so easy to get on/off and I could transfer baby without waking them. Ergo has been great for 4+ months through toddlerhood.

I have the Cruz stroller and the Mountain Buggy Nano. Don't love either. Wishing I got a snap and go frame and then the Yoyo.

I have most of the items folks have listed and the only things I would absolutely recommend are the keekaroo and woolino sleep sacks. Everything else, eg. vista and Tripp Trapp, we don’t think are must have-you could go with something different and still be fine.

In the beginning, a few must-haves for us were:
1. Velcro swaddles. Several types. We sucked at swaddling with the square blanket and baby kept breaking out of them and then waking up.
2. Some sort of swing to help lull baby back to sleep.
3. A carrier that I actually knew how to use before baby came. I couldn't figure out the one I had.

Also, as a city-dweller who prefers a more minimalist lifestyle and enjoys travel, I would have gotten:
1. A changing pad on top of a dresser/shelf. Separate changing tables take up so much space.
2. A travel-friendly pack and play like Guava Lotus or Baby Bjorn
3. An everyday stroller that also fits in airplane overhead compartment (YoYo, etc.)

Snoo

Keekaroo

Babybjorn carrier

Dutailier glider + moving footrest

Boppy pillow

Lalo highchair (easy to clean! IKEA Antilop is another easy-to-clean option)

Pack 'n' play

I never used the bassinet because our neighborhood is hilly and I felt like the baby just slid around in there. A friend in a flat neighborhood used it constantly. It all depends.

Anonymous wrote:If you plan to take walks with your newborn, consider a bassinet attachment for your stroller. I didn’t do this until my second kid, and still feel bad about having my first in a carseat while on walks.

Uppababy Vista came with one by default three years ago, but I don’t know if they still do.

I agree with this, we used that bassinet all the time - also good for naps when visiting someone. We had a hand me down Vista, but found a used bassinet easily on the local listserv.

If you plan to take walks with your newborn, consider a bassinet attachment for your stroller. I didn’t do this until my second kid, and still feel bad about having my first in a carseat while on walks.

Uppababy Vista came with one by default three years ago, but I don’t know if they still do.

Nosefrida. Gross but works when you need it.