crazily normal: My Top Baby/Mama Product Picks

Adjusting to the life of parenthood can be challenging, so I've compiled a list of items that we found helpful during the first few months. Some are big ticket items, others are just small items that made a difference.

1. Receiving blankets. They work for everything. To lay on the floor so baby can play. A light blanket for sleeping (and used to swaddle Palmer when she was a newborn). And of course, a baby barf rag! Palmer also like to just play with her blanket, put it over her head, suck on it, etc (don't worry, I don't giver her the barf one)

2. Bumbo We loved it. The only thing is, now she is too big for it. Her chubby legs don't fit anymore. But, we still loved it for when she was smaller. It helped her with her head control and core strength, and it was great to use when I was in the kitchen; she would be close and be able to see what I was doing.

3.Medela Calma Bottle This bottle was suggested to us by the lactation doctor. We used it for the first month after Palmer was born as she was having a hard time nursing. It provided us with a great transition tool to switch from bottle to nursing.

4. Snugli Carrier This was given to us by some friends and it was great to use for everyday things. When Palmer was small, she always wanted to be held so it was good for getting things done around the house like laundry, vacuuming, etc. Now though, she is too heavy for me to carry in it for any length of time because there is no lower back support, but when she was smaller, it was wonderful!

5. Munchkin Wipe Warmer This also was given to us by some friends, and it's the best thing ever! Nice warm wipes for Palmer's little bum. What more can I say?

6. Baby Bullet Now that Palmer is eating solids, the Baby Bullet is a quick and convenient tool we use. Easily blends up food to make purees for her. We also used the silicone freezing tray that came with it to freeze pumped milk in convenient 50ml sizes. Definitely a good item!

7. A nursing pillow. Not only did we use it for nursing, but we often used it for tummy time to prop Palmer up because she didn't particularly like being flat on her stomach.

8. Graco DuoDiner Highchair We started using a highchair early, I think around 2 months we were using it. This one has a recline option, which we used when Palmer wasn't able to hold her head up well yet. I also like it for its other features. You are able to adjust the height to match the table you are sitting at, so it can change from counter height to table height easily. It can also be used as a booster seat. I have been taking it apart and using it outside so she can sit up and see what's going on!

9.B.O.B. Stroller We purchased our stroller used off kijiji and we are so glad we did. It's a very durable, lightweight jogging stroller. It was great because we could clip the car seat into it for walks, and now that Palmer is older and able to handle the bumps of running, we use it for that too. It steers very well and is an overall smooth ride for her!

10. Ikea Flower Light Although it doesn't look amazing hanging on the wall during the day, at night it gives just enough light to see baby. It was great for middle of the night feedings. I didn't have to burn my eyes turning any lights on. We still use it now as a light glow in the room - makes it much easier to check on Palmer when she is sleeping.

11. ERGObaby carrier Ok, so this one isn't something we have yet, but it's certainly on my "wishlist" We tried one out a week ago and it is so comfortable, you can barely even tell you are carrying a baby. There is such good lower back support and the materiel is so soft and comfortable. Also, its good for up to 40lbs (vs 20 with the other carrier we have), and you can do front, side, and back carries! Maybe one day we will have one?!?

12. Nibbler I forgot to add this in the original post...but we have one of these and I love it. You give whole foods and baby can suck on it through the mesh, getting the taste and you don't have to worry about choking! Ya, Palmer gets pretty messy when she uses it (we've done watermelon and bananas) but its great because a) it keeps her busy b) she is able to "regulate" how much food she eats from it and c) you don't have to puree everything, so if you just want to give a little snack, you can!