Lincoln turns 11 months tomorrow, and it’s so crazy to imagine that it has been almost a year that he’s been in our lives (on the outside) and that we’ve been parents for that long. With this milestone approaching, I’ve been reflecting on all the decisions we’ve made and the questions we’ve asked as parents of an infant – which pediatrician fits our philosophies best? Which kind of diapers are the most effective while causing us the least amount of guilt both environmentally and health-wise? When should we introduce him to solids, and what kind of foods do we want him to eat? The list, of course, goes on…
I thought I would document on here a list of my personal favorite baby products we’ve found over the last year. This includes everything from toys to bubble bath to clothing:
1. The Honest Company: founded by Jessica Alba, her company seeks to provide to consumers natural products without all the harsh chemicals. This is really important to me; a lot of the mainstream baby items that are unquestionably used by so many contain an epically-long list of chemicals that we can’t recognize, let alone pronounce. I know that some people dismiss the concept of label-reading, but it’s important to me that I use products I trust on my child. We get their diaper/wipes service every month – they’re reasonably affordable, natural, work well, and they’re really cute! We also frequently purchase their bubble bath, and I recently ordered their dishwasher detergent so we can try it out 🙂 http://www.honest.com
2. The Nose Frida: arguably the weirdest product we’ve purchased, it’s also one of our favorites! This bizarre but effective Swedish “snot sucker” is effective, non-abrasive, and easy to clean. The only thing is, you have to get used to using your own air to suck the snot out of your baby’s nose…don’t worry, there’s a filter blocking anything from your mouth! But really, it’s awesome – way better than those bulb syringes that don’t allow you to see what’s coming out or to clean it easily. Let’s face it, babies are snotty, so it’s important to find a “snot sucker” you like! http://www.nosefrida.com
3. Babyganics: I’m putting the whole company on my list; I’ve purchased several different products from these two dads. My favorites are the body lotion, all-purpose cleaner, and high chair cleaner. I can be a little crazy about cleaning baby surfaces, but I don’t want to use something that might harm my child, and these contain all natural ingredients that also do a great job at cleaning. The cucumber lotion smells great and is a nice/safe alternative to Johnson’s & Johnson’s. http://www.babyganics.com
4. Swaddle Designs: Grandma Sharon first bought one of the receiving blankets and a couple of burp cloths for us before Lincoln was even born. Their products are so soft and absorbent! After that, I bought another blanket and more burp cloths (L was a very “spit-uppy” baby for awhile there…) I love that they’re made in America – Seattle-based, even – and their designs are so cute 🙂 www.swaddledesigns.com
5. WubbaNubs: the most-used baby product/item by far; Lincoln has five of them and loves to switch which one he carries around or has in his mouth. We heard a lot of mixed information about pacifiers before he was born, and we tried to avoid them momentarily, but it was inevitable: he’s a pacifier baby. Both Blake and I were, too, and we turned out fine 🙂 These particular pacifiers are great because there are adorable little animals attached that make them easy to grab (once it is developmentally possible), and the actual pacifier part is silicone, BPA-free, and very “nipple-like” for breastfeeding babies. Lincoln LOVES his Wubbas 🙂 www.wubbanub.com
6. Green Toys, Hape, and Melissa & Doug: We love these toy brands! The first two are both great quality AND made from sustainable or recycled materials. We love Melissa & Doug because the toys are classic, educational, and don’t make lots of annoying sounds 😉 Though Lincoln likes the lights and sounds, he’s often happier putting other toys in his Hape push-walker or hitting things with his wooden mallet. These companies also make toys that seem to last longer, both because of quality, but also because they are appropriate and fun for many ages. Below is the Hape Wonder Walker he received for Christmas from our friend, Kacie 🙂 http://www.greentoys.com www.hapetoys.com http://www.melissaanddoug.com
7. Mini Boden Clothing: Now, I know I’ve blogged before about baby fashion, and I recall it being fairly tongue-in-cheek, but I will admit to being a mom who seeks to dress my child in comfortable, but also ADORABLE clothing. There are tons of brands I love – some organic, some just cute – but one I’m going to focus on here is Boden. I’ve only seen this brand at Nordstrom, but I have only ever purchased online. They are both in the US and the UK and have fantastic adult fashion, too. Mini Boden is the children’s/baby line, and it is SO CUTE. It’s pretty classic solid or striped designs, some cute prints, and outfits as well as basics. It’s fairly pricey, so I’ve only ever bought things when they were on sale, but it’s really good quality and super comfortable (from what I can tell…) His plaid pants have gotten more compliments than I can count. Love Boden! http://www.bodenusa.com
So those are some of my favorites – quality products I feel good about using/buying for my baby. If you know anyone expecting or with a wee one, I highly recommend any and all of them as a satisfied consumer. A few others that I will just list: Earth’s Best, Plum Organics, Tom’s of Maine, OXO, TOMS Shoes, Burt’s Bees, Wee Gallery, Little Lark, Medela, and Avent.
And…I suppose I’ll throw in a cute Lincoln photo to keep my audience happy 😉
Life with LASH - moments, mementos, & musings 