👶 The 6-12 month baby top 10 essentials
Everything I loved for Reid in the last few months
Hi! Wow, am I delinq.
When we last talked, I shared Reid’s newborn essentials. Reid is officially 10 months old today! I’m finally back with more must-haves, and this is my top 10 list for months six through 12. Let’s get into it.
Real talk: I’ve tried a LOT of diapers this year. Many I’ve purchased, some I’ve received to consider writing about. I’ve probably tested 15 brands. My number-one favorite that are the most affordable for the quality? Rascals, which work just as well as Coterie’s wildly expensive diapers. Rascals is Walmart’s house brand, formerly Rascals + Friends. These are incredible for overnight and long car trips. I always make sure to have these on hand. Each size works for a LONG time, too. When CVS has diaper sales on Pampers Swaddlers, I love those, too. The quality is amazing and when on sale, these are a fabulous buy.
Coterie wipes
While I think Coterie diapers aren’t worth the cash, I DO think the brand’s wipes are. They’re huge, which is key when you’re dealing with—well, you know what. Because we go high and low with wipes and diaps, I find Huggies makes the best cheap wipes. We stock up on those on sale at CVS for travel and post-meal cleanup. I loathe Waterwipes—not sure why those were so universally recommended to me!
This high chair is spendy, yes—but it includes wipeable straps, which is KEY. It also comes with a little silicone placemat you can clean easily and converts to a child chair later on. I received one to test for a review for an editorial client, but I like it better than the one I spent more money on.
These are just the best for nighttime and they come in stunning colorways. They’re an investment, but I find the ease of getting my son in and out of them for diaper changes is worth it. Plus, they come in different weights to keep him snuggly and warm no matter how drafty our house gets. I also love the huge selection of colorways that match every possible decor on the planet.
This brand is just superior. I bought the plastic dishes with lids and spoons and later repurchased them so I always have them. Silicone ones are nice too, but I find it’s easiest to reach for these. My nanny agrees. They’re also $7!
Mon Chou Paris Convertible Footie Pajamas
How are other people dressing their babies in real clothing more than fortnightly? I cannot, alas. My new trick is zippies (i.e., footie outfits with a two-way zip) with a sweater and that looks like an intentional outfit unless we’re going somewhere special. Between the diaper changes and outfit changes from messy mealtimes, it’s just what we need to do to get through the DAY. I love new baby brand Mon Chou, which offers convertible footie pajamas with a cute collar (so it looks like Reid is wearing an actual LEWK) but is beyond soft and can be worn for play or sleep. I top it with this chunky 7AM Enfant sweater these days and he looks like a little gentleman.
I have a weirdly-shaped, small living room and being able to create my own playpen adventure for Reid has been invaluable. I’ve already put this thing in a square, rectangle, and pentagon to best suit different furniture configurations I’ve tried. It also has a door you can zip and unzip so your baby can come and go from his/her gated community as he/she pleases. Genius.
Joymor convertible cosleeper and pack and play
I used to make so much fun of people who slept with their babies. I just couldn’t understand why anyone would do that. And then I had Reid. And I swiftly understood that it wasn’t always a choice parents make. He’s getting better at spending MORE time in his own bed. But it’s an ongoing process. He’s in our bed at least 50% of the time but I just purchased this pack and play/crib you can affix to the side of your bed so everyone has their own sleeping surface. For a little over a hundred bucks, it’s a godsend. It’s even worth having to pretty much pole vault out of my bed at the foot of it.
I use this in the kitchen when I’m feeding Reid and it entertains him sans screens. That’s not to say we don’t employ a healthy amount of Ms. Rachel. We do. Just not during meals. I bought a mix of music and storytelling toppers and am building up a collection for him. The toppers run around $15, so they’re also great for anyone looking to gift him something inexpensive.
Stokke Yoyo stroller
I LOVE this thing. It glides like it’s on rails, in the parlance of Vivian Ward from Pretty Woman fame, it folds up to almost nothing so you can use it for plane travel, it looks chic and comes in tons of colors. It’s also narrow enough to push down a plane aisle. I’d readily recommend this one!
I hope Stepmom life and babymom life are treating you kindly x