Stephanie Howell

Hi everyone and happy Thursday!! I thought, that after 10 years of parenthood and five (I still can’t believe it) babies…it’s time to share the baby products I love and use religiously.

If you hang on until the end of the post, you can enter to win two of my favorite products. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments and I will answer there!

Oh- and we haven’t navigated teething with Cora yet (like all my other chickies, she’s a toothless wonder!) but I’ll share my teething favorites at a later date. It’s highly possible I forgot something, and if I did I’ll just add it on later.

 

Enjoy!

 

1. Little Giraffe Blankets // Cate and Lucy have the large versions of this blanket and they are worn to shreds. They are still so soft, though. Cora has the version below and has to rub it on her face to go to sleep. So sweet. We love Little Giraffe.

 

2. Fisher Price Rainforest Jumparoo // All of my babies have LOVED their Jumparoos. This is probably the only toy that all five have adored.

 

3. Halo SleepSack // These are perfect for transitioning from swaddling. They also keep little legs warm without the suffocation hazard.

4. Organic Thermal Swaddle Blankets // I like the muslin blankets for itty bitty babies, but I think the stretchy thermal/waffle blankets are the BEST swaddle blankets around. All of our babies have loved being swaddled and I think that’s why we have such great sleepers. The nurses in the Italian hospital (where I gave birth to Cora) asked Jimmy for swaddling lessons!

 

 

5. HappyBaby Teething Biscuits // Cora is not that great at crackers/etc. She chokes easily and these are the only wafers she can tolerate. They are AWESOME. I also love HappyBaby baby foods.

6. Avent Bottles // I’ve tried ALL of the bottles out there. I like the Medela bottles for teeny babies, but these are my favorite bottles over all. They hold up beautifully over time, too.

7. Tula Baby Carrier //  I don’t like this one for newborns, even with the insert. See my newborn rec below. But I do LOVE my Tula. Cora, not so much. Okay, let’s be honest. She hates being worn. Like…she shoves off of me with both hands and screams. Independent much? GAH! I use it anyway. It’s a lifesaver when grocery shopping!

8. BinxyBaby Shopping Cart Hammock // BUY THIS NOW. Just do it. It’s a game changer. Truly. Every time I was out with this hammock I got stopped. I contacted the business to get business cards to hand out. True story!!

Oh, and I’m giving away one today! Read to the end of the post to see how to enter.

 

9. Moby Wrap // THIS is what I carry my newborns in. It snuggles them right up to you, just like they are back in the belly. It takes some practice (it’s one long piece of fabric you have to learn to tie) but is fabulous.

 

10. White Noise Machine // I’ve tried many and purchased many iPhone apps. THIS is my favorite. We even take it with us when we travel.

 

 

11. Boudreaux’s Butt Paste // Magic. Tiny baby butt magic. We’ve used this on many tiny Howell hineys.

 

12. Ella’s Kitchen Baby Food Pouches // We use this brand for Cora’s dinner pouches. She loves every single one of them.

 

13. MAM pacifiers // We’ve bought them all, we’ve tried them all, we’ve probably lost them all. But MAM is the Howell family winner for best paci.

 

14. Honest Bubble Bath // Honest Shampoo+Body Wash // These smell delicious and are natural. I use them on all five girls, but mainly Cora. Sometimes I add them on to my monthly bundle, sometimes I order them from Amazon or grab them at Target.

 

 

15. Itzy Ritzy Nursing Infinity Scarf // So cute and functional too. I didn’t really need it in Italy though- people are far less judgmental of nursing mamas there. But I still loved it when I did use it!

Oh, and also I’m giving  one of these away today! Read to the end of the post to see how to enter.

 

16. Honest Company Dipes and Wipes Bundles // I wish I would have had this service for all of my girls. Cora has never had a blowout or rash in these diapers. Plus the patterns are TO DIE FOR.  I have never regretted paying for a bundle. This would make a great shower gift,too.

 

17. My BrestFriend Nursing Pillow // SO SO SO much better than the Boppy. I mean.. no contest. Every new mama needs one of these. There is a travel version,too.

 

18. LittleHighbury Headbands  // I won’t even admit how many of these Miss Cora owned at one point. HA! How CUTE are these? And I love supporting mama-run small businesses.

 

19. Earth’s Best Baby Food Pouches // Yes, I know I can make my own baby food. But…COME ON. That ain’t happening. More power to those of you who do, and as Amy Poehler would say… “Good for you, not for me.” I had the best of intentions, but when it came down to it, I bought some dang pouches. Cora especially loves the fruits mixed with oatmeal and brown rice.

 

 

20. Rock N’ Play // This is a new discovery to me, these weren’t around when my other girls were babies. We LOVED our Rock N’ Play. Cora loved it. It was her happy place. 🙂

 

21. Nose Frida // yet another new baby item. And YES. I know it looks gross. Jimmy refuses to do it. But..people, it’s another game changer. And theres a filter. A filter. The snot is not going in your mouth. Trust me here, this thing is amazing.

 

22. Gerber Cloth Diapers // These make the absolute best burp cloths. The best. I have used them religiously for all five babies.

 

Okay, here’s where I’d like to throw in a couple of pre-baby/childbirth suggestions. I decided pretty early on that I wanted to try to have Cora without an epidural. I think I was successful due to a lot of things, but I definitely credit the two things below. The whole story will have to be saved for another day. Maybe I’ll finally write that birth story?

 

23.  Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth // I learned SO much from this book. So much about what my body was capable of. It totally changed the way I looked at childbirth.

 

 

24. Hypnobabies // I did not get to study this program as much as I should have. Hello..I had four other littles. I didn’t dedicate enough time to the program, and I admit that. But this helped me prepare for labor and helped me get through some really bad contractions in the hospital. I totally believe in the power of Hypnobabies.

 

 

Comment below for a chance to win a Nursing Infinity Scarf (value of $25 – #15 above)  or a BinxyBaby Shopping Cart Hammock (value of $49.95 – #8 above). Please specify which item you would rather win. I will announce the winner on next Wednesday. International entrants welcome!

Good Luck!!

xoxo

Stephanie

 

This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. If you aren’t into that, then don’t use the links- that’s okay too! xoxo