Real Moms Pick Their Favorite Baby Products - Rachel

I'm thrill to show here today the favorite baby products from a real mom, her name is Rachel Humpherys, she has a blog called Rachel in Real Life and I would like to thank her for sharing here with us.

You can also be featured with your favorite pick, just send me an e-mail at sweetlittlenursery@gmail.com with up to 5 products that you think its the most useful and you can't go without baby product, with a brief description why you love it and a picture of you with your little one. I run this once a month and you can be the next one to be featured here.

Now back to Rachel.

If I have learned anything from my mothering experiences it’s that motherhood is a very personal journey. The mothering styles of each mother are different. The needs of each baby are different.  Figure out what works for you and do it. Some mothers co-sleep, others don’t. Some use disposable diapers while others cloth. Some nurse and some bottle feed. And you know what? That is okay. Every mom is out there doing her very best to raise her children in the best way that she knows how. We’re all learning & growing & getting the hang of this one day at a time. 

When I was expecting I wanted to run out and buy all of the must-have products I saw. My baby needed the best of the best and lots of it! At the time, my husband and I were both full-time students living off of one income and a little bit of money I made nannying on the side. Going out and buying the best of everything wasn’t an option but I learned something very important, my baby’s happiness wasn’t determined by having the best. So, on my list of must-have items are the bare essentials that we needed as new parents on a budget. 

Rachel's picture credit: Kylee Ann Photography

1. Car Seat- The car seat is one thing we did spend a little more on. We chose the Snugride 35 from Graco. After reading many reviews, with safety as our number one priority, we felt like we made the right choice. If you are planning on having more children I would suggest going gender-neutral with the larger items such as car seats, strollers & high chairs. 
2. Health & Grooming kit- you can find these almost anywhere and they are essential. We wanted one that was all-inclusive so that we didn’t spend more money buying each item separate. 
3. Summer Infant Swaddle Pod- For our son swaddling was a must. We tried the good old fashioned way with swaddle blankets but that little Houdini always managed to get himself unswaddled. We eventually came upon the swaddle pod which was an easy and safe solution. We will definitely be using them again next baby! 
4. A baby tub- the thought of baby’s first bath can be very intimidating for a new mother. Babies are really slippery and trying to hold them up and scrub them at the same time isn’t as easy as it may seem. Our little whale tub gave me a sense of security while bathing my tiny baby. There are tons of baby tubs on the market but this one fit our budget & who doesn’t love a cute whale? 
5. Bouncer- If you ever need a minute hands-free to shower, fold laundry or just give your arms a break; you’ll want a bouncer or swing. Again, money was tight so we went with this bouncer which we found at Wal-Mart for $20. It worked out great for us & the little man loved it!