THE NECESSITIES.

photo from our walk this morning by papa. my dress is by ace&jig.

many of you have asked me to share some of my basic and simple baby product preferences with you and so... here goes.

first and foremost, i want to suggest that any and every mom, or non-mom for that matter, invest in getting amazon prime. no, they did not pay me to say that, i am telling you this because it is a life saver and the most convenient tool for a busy mama or papa. it costs around $80/year and it gives you free two day shipping on everything eligible for prime, which includes most items. i buy diapers, paper towels, toilet paper, coffee filters, books, homeschooling supplies, shampoo, toothpaste, records, toys, birthday gifts, christmas gifts and pretty much everything else that i possibly can on prime because i don't have to leave the house, it's usually cheaper, packages are fun to open and it's free shipping. win, win, win, win. okay moving on...

diapers: we try to cloth diaper most of the time, but i do use disposable diapers as well. we use them for the first week or two after baby is born (until the baby's cord falls off) and i like to have them on hand for long outings, out of town trips and for when it's just more convenient. my two favorite brands are earth's best and pampers. they don't leak and are readily available at most places. i always keep some on hand.

cloth diapers: i am a bumgenius lover. it's the only brand of cd's we use. i like their newborn size diapers, which i feel are a must when cloth diapering a little baby because the one sized are just too big. they can wear them for a couple of months before having to graduate to the one sized cloth diapers. usually 10-12 newborn diapers should be enough, you just have to wash them every night. for bigger babies i prefer the bumGenius 4.0 diapers. we absolutely love them! 20 should be enough to get you all the way through potty training.

diaper wipes: we love the kirkland wipes from costco. they are super soft, super cheap and come in bulk.

baby soaps and things: we use mustela and california baby.

bottles: i nurse my babies but we still need bottles from time to time when i cannot be there. we use and love lifefactory bottles. they are glass bottles so they are naturally BPA free and they come with a silicone sleeve to protect from breakage. we have had several bottles tossed, dropped and thrown across the room at high speeds and only one has bit the dust. i highly recommend them. they come in two sizes and make sippy caps to convert them from baby bottle to sippy cup. oh and they make them for adults too.

baby blankets: we stock up on muslin swaddle blankets and bamboo muslin blankets. they are the best in my opinion.

sleep sheep: every baby and toddler needs a sleep sheep to drown outside noise. we prefer the travel sheep, it's smaller and can easily be attached to a crib, car seat or stroller. i swear by this cute little fella.

baby carriers: we are big time baby wearers over here. i have a few carriers that i love. they are different styles which come in handy in different situations: the ergo, the sakura bloom ring slings and i am excited to try our new wraps sent to us by solly baby. i love trying out new carriers, so if i find any others that i am a fan of i will be sure to share them with you in the future.

baby monitor: okay, so this is the monitor that we have and i am not a huge fan. there is a lot of interference. this is the one recommended by a friend of mine who loves it and i will be purchasing shortly. note to self: purchase new baby monitor.

nursing must haves: if you are nursing you need this. it will save your boobies, trust me. you will also need a nursing pillow. i have always used a boppy pillow and have nothing to compare it to, but i really like it. you are also going to want a good nursing bra and a good supply of breast pads. i also recommend both a manual breast pump and an electric pump.

that is all that i can think of off the top of my head. if i have missed anything please ask away in the comments below and feel free to add your own personal suggestions and experiences for others to find and read. these are just my own preferences.

update: a reader noted that i should mention the "amazon mom" membership to you all. it gives you three months of free amazon prime and several other neat benefits.