Meet Finley! + 1 Month Must-Haves

I’ve mentioned Finley on here a few times but have not formally introduced her. As you guys know, I was due on February 16th. She came into the world 6 days early on February 10th. My water broke on a Friday night at about 2AM and after about 30 hours of labor and her big noggin getting stuck, she was taken out by c-section.

She was born 8 lbs 10 oz, 21 inches long and with a thick head of dark hair.

I can’t believe she has been earthside for a month (actually 5 weeks) already! How is that possible? Feel’s like we were just getting sprung from the hospital yesterday. She already weighs 10 lbs 8 oz and her hair has doubled in length!

She has been a great baby so far. She chugs her bottle, farts like an adult and lets Meatball Paul lick her toes. She already only usually wakes up once a night (immediately knocks on wood).

But a newborn is a newborn and they each bring with them a different personality and different challenges for every family. I am sharing today our one month must-haves. These things helped us survive the first couple of weeks.

Let me tell you about this bassinet first. I know everyone is all about the Halo bassinet. But when I checked it out in store it just didn’t seem like it was for me. It seemed a little unsteady, especially with a chunky dog at home. Meatball is a sweetheart but definitely a bull in china shop. I really liked the simple look of the Chicco Lullago Nest bassinet and it has not disappointed. I was drawn to this one because it is lightweight and designed to be portable for travel. She has slept in it every night of her life since leaving the hospital and has slept great. Is there a connection? No clue but I am sticking with it. It is a great height for being right next to the bed to. I can reach right in an plug her with the binky without getting out of bed. And I can attest that it is great for travel now. Finley went on her first weekend trip to NH this past weekend and it was easy to breakdown and set up, very light to travel with and compact enough in size to fit in a smaller bedroom.

On the topic of sleep, we could not have lived without the Halo Sleep Sacks. Neither me or my husband ever quite mastered the swaddle. So without these we would have been at an absolute loss for bedtime. I had registered for and received a few different kinds/brands and these ended up being the front runner really quickly. The zipper from the bottom is a lifesaver for late night diaper changes. You don’t have to jostle her too much which keeps her sleepy and relaxed.

Another absolute must for keeping Finley in sleep mode has been the Hatch Baby Rest Night Light and Sound Machine. I kept seeing this on all the ‘Must-Have Registry Item’ lists. I honestly thought it was a little bougie at first blush but decided to add it to my registry anyways. I am SO SO SO glad I did. At night when it is time for a diaper change or feeding I just tap this to turn it on and get to business. It offers enough light to see what you are doing but doesn’t make the room bright enough to wake the baby. It has an awesome accompanying app. You can customize the color of the light and it has a variety of sounds to play as well if your baby needs a little white noise. I could go on and on about how much I love this but I think I’ve professed my love enough already about this night light/sound machine.

Just because we sucked at swaddling doesn’t mean we didn’t get a lot of use out of swaddle blankets though. We love the Aden + Anais muslin swaddle blankets for cuddling with her and using to cover her up when she is in a swing or seat.

As for swings and seats, we have been using the Boppy Newborn Lounger and the Fisher Price Rock n’ Play. And we LOVE both! The Boppy Lounger is super lightweight since its basically a pillow so it is perfect to drag around the house for use in every room. Finley fits snugly inside and loves lounging in it and looking around (before she usually drifts off to sleep). There are tons of cute covers you can buy on Etsy and other places which is great too. EVERYONE I talked to reccomended the Rock n’ Play when I was setting up my registry. Now I see why. Finley is obsessed with it. She is always happy to sit in it and can be in it for hours comfortably without fussing. It is so nice to have something she likes to set her down in safely so I can do dishes, laundry, etc. It is again lightweight so very easy to move from room to room. It also has a pretty small footprint so it doesn’t take up a lot of space which I like. I will literally be buying this for every shower I get invited to in the future.

We’ve also gotten the most use out of the Britax B-Lively/B-Safe 35 travel system. I registered for this one based on the great safety reviews. It was a top pick on every safety list I reviewed. And it has worked out great since putting it into use. This stroller is so easy to open and close. It is pretty light. It maneuvers so smooth and the car seat clicks in and out so easily. I don’t think there is anything more you need in a travel system. It has already gotten a few good spins around Target and Home Depot. It hasn’t disappointed.

We have used other items and products in Miss Finley’s first month of life (hello diapers, changing pad, towels, etc.) but these were our absolute favorites and things that made our life easier. What were your one month must-haves for your newborn baby? What should I look into for month 2?