While living in NYC and having a baby I've lost count of how many emails I've received from friends that were planning a trip to buy baby stuff in America (NYC and Miami are the best places in the world to do so). After sending my tips several times I’ve decided to publish them to help others accomplish this difficult task (specially for first-time moms)… I apologize the overwhelming list that follows, but I’ve included everything that I bought and approved. And I'll keep the list updated. Notice that some products have links to the store where I bought them, but I highly recommend comparing prices before buying. I'd like to thank Camila Schuback for helping me build this list (as her son is older than my daughter he was the guinea pig for most things)!
Where to buy:
My favorite general-stores are:
- www.buybuybaby.com - I recommend you sign up for Bed, Bath & Beyond emails (same owners). They send 20% off 1 item coupons that you can use on their site (that has all the things sold at BuyBuyBaby) to buy expensive things, such as stroller/ car seat, etc.
You should subscribe to their newsletters to get coupons and sale alerts…
Bath time:
- Bathtub: in the first 2 months I bathed my baby in a Puj Tub
inside the bathroom sink because the height was more comfortable for me. Just notice that here in America everyone bathes their babies in the large kitchen sink so the bathtubs that are said to fit sinks usually don’t fit regular bathroom’s sinks… PujTubs do. After 2 months I started to use a larger plastic bathtub (Fisher Price, Safety First, First Years, Primo
are good brands and the products are very similar) on the floor of my original bathroom bathtub; in my bathtub or even in my bathroom floor I don’t have enough area to put a Stand
. You find all of them at Amazon and diapers.com.
- My daughter loves to bathe in the Tummytub - I put her in the late morning to relax, and then bathe her (this time with soap and shampoo) at night in the tub... (update: she fitted until 5 months old)
- In the maternity the staff gave me some amazingly soft disposable washclothes
they use there to bathe newborns. So until the umbilical stump fell off I used them too. I still buy them because they are great as all-purpose tissues/ burp cloths/ washcloths.
- I started using this Sephora “brush" in my daughter's scalp with that Mustela foam shampoo to avoid cradle crap, and it works like magic, way better than a baby specific one I had bought before…
Gear:
- There isn’t a perfect stroller. You have to look for one with features you consider important but have in mind that unfortunately it won’t have it all… I recommend watching reviews in youtube before buying… I love BabyGizmo reviews… Important features for me are: lightweight & easy to fold (I don’t like strollers that you have to remove the seat to close, because it’s impossible to do that holding child, diaper bag, etc). For traveling, great options are the incredible Yoyo (the only stroller that is allowed as a carry-on luggage in flights) and the Mountain buggy Nano. (compare them here)
- I haven't seen in person yet but I loved the videos of the new Doona car seat/ stroller (fits only until 12 months old).
- Stroller hand warmers 7AM WarMMuffs
(so you don’t have to wear gloves and avoid the hassle to take them off if you have to assist the baby…). This brand, as well as JJCole (the brand I bought the carseat/ baby carrier muff), make stroller muffs too that are great for cold weather.
- Car Seat: I suggest you choose your stroller first and then buy a carseat that fits it. If you want just a car seat, not to be removed from your car very often, I love the Peg Perego. For traveling after 12 months old (car use only) I love my Immi Go. For 2.5 years old the Ride Safer is an excellent option too.
- Baby carrier BabyBjorn . I recommend the Cover
as well in cold/ windy/ rainy days (in Manhattan we walk a lot, the subway stations usually don't have elevators, so strollers can be a problem).
- Baby monitor : Summer Infant - I own the baby touch and love it. Look also for silicone cover and screen protector, because you will end up dropping it several times...
- Booster Seat 4-12 years: Mifold
- Stroller rider/ skateboard (when you have to carry 2 kids): Englacha Rider
Diaper Bag:
- Bags
to dispose dirty diapers when out of home
- Disposable Changing Pad
- I use them at home to protect the changing station and also when changing diapers in public spaces.
- Wipes to clean pacifiers and toys (when you don't have soap and water): Pacifier Wipes
.
- Diaper Wallet: I recommend this one, it's great to carry some diapers, the disposable changing pads, water wipes and bags I've mentioned, but you won't need this if your diaper bag has a built-in wiper dispenser (see next item).
- Diaper bag: I love these 2 backpacks, they are not fancy but are really good: DadGear Backpack
(larger, great for traveling) and Fisher Price (smaller, great for everyday use).
- When potty training:
I liked this potty that turns into a step stool. After that I loved like the toilet seat adaptor with steps to leave in her bathroom. For public restrooms I recommend this cover. For on-the-go potty I recommend the Oxo with liners (very useful when going to playgrounds/ parks with no restrooms and also serves as toilet seat adapter)
Feeding:
- Nipple balm if you will breastfeed: Lansinoh
is the best seller but I prefer the Mustela
one.
- Nursing pad: Lansinoh
is the best one.
- Breast pump: Medela (double electric) and I highly recommend their Bra
to keep your hands free.
- Baby bottle sterilizer: I love my Wabi baby, it's the only one that sterilizes and dries. A must-have!
- Dr. Brown's Bottle Brush
- the best!
- Mash & Serve Bowl: great for fruits. A must-have also.
- BEABA Babycook Pro
: a machine that cooks (steam in a basket) and blends. It's really easy to use. It has accessories such as the rice/ pasta/ quinoa insert
. It is good but not a must-have (a Steamer
and a blender works perfectly also).
- Presto
: to grate the vegetables you will cook in the beaba.
- To freeze baby food I suggest ice cube trays (I like OXO
because it is easy to use), and after it is frozen I remove it from the trays and store in ziploc bags to save space in my freezer.
- Baby food recipe books : Renée Elliot
and also Karen Ansel
- Munchkin Silicone Spoons
Clothes:
- Bodysuit : Carter's and H&M are cheap and great. But I love the french brand Jacadi that are open in the front.
- Footies/ overall/ Jumpsuit/ one-pieces: I love those with one zipper from neck to ankle (they are quick on and quick off) from Carter’s.
- Coat: Every child hates to wear coats... I love Angel Dear
because it is super easy to put it on (elastic sleeves) and it has a great hood so you don't have to put hats on them (another thing most babies hate). A must-have.
- Bibs: in the milk phase I love the burpy bibs Aden Anais
, because they serve as burp cloths to put in your shoulder or you can fix them (they have a snap closure button) in baby's neck as a bib. I also recommend green sprouts
and Tommee Tippee
.
- For when introducing foods I bought BABYBJORN 
- Bibsters
disposable bibs for on-the-go: highly recommend them!
- For when they start to feed themselves (and it is not summertime, when you can just leave them in diapers...), I love these sleeved bibs from bumkins.
- Socks: Gap's are the only ones that really stay in their feet. Tip: The elastic band is so tight I usually fold it over the sock to avoid leaving skin marks.
More:
- Pacifier: for the first 2 months I recommend Wubba nub (the plush toy ends up holding the paci in baby's mouth) and after that tommee tippee, nuk, avent, dr brown.
- Nail trimmer- a must-have in the first 2 months when you can't use scissors... ZoLi BUZZ
- Links
that serve as toy, and also to fix toys in the carseat, stroller, etc.
- Toys Lamaze, Fisher Price, Bright Stars, Sassy, SkipHop…
- Headphones
(great for iPad during flights/ restaurants)
- Crib sheets: these ones with Zipper
are really practical (buy also an extra topper). But if you are looking for cute ones I recommend Pottery Barn Kids, New Arrivals or Restoration Hardware…
- Swaddle blankets: Aden Anais are huge and serve as stroller cover, nursing/ sofa/ floor cover . But for swaddle my favorite by far is Polarn O Pyret.
- Hand sanitizer: I love this one - foam alcohol
- it doesn’t dry my hands and the wall mount is great (I’ve installed mine between the diaper station and the diaper pail).
- Wipes: I love the versatility of Derma H2O wipes (only 99% water and 1% grape oil). It is amazing because you can use them to clean baby’s face/ eyes as well. I place them in that Oxo wipes dispenser with weight.
- Diaper Pail: Playtex Genie Elite 
is not the cutest one (like Ubbi) but the foot pedal is a must-have feature for me...
- Sippy Cup
I love this one because you can replace the straws and the baby can drink it while laying down.
- Teething toys: My daughter loves these: MAM
(it's the best one to freeze, because the handle doesn't get cold and also comes with a great strap/clip), Manhattan Toy 
, Sassy Flutterby
and Nuby
. Remember to clip
them to prevent falls (but be careful- never leave anything with a strap/ cord close to an unattended child, because of the risk of strangulation).
-Toothbrush: this 360 degrees toothbrush is amazing! It has 2 stages.
- To prevent flat head syndrome (in the beginning I wasn’t using any pillows because here in America they say you should’t have pillows, loose blankets, toys in the crib because they increase the incidence of SIDS… but my daughter started to flatten her head on the right side, where she used to lean most times…. So I changed her position in the crib (so if she wants to see the world she has to look to her left side) and also bought Pillow
. In 1 month her head was symmetrical again ;)
- Mosquito repellent: California baby and also the Simba stickers and Bracelets
.
- Graco Jumper
- A Vaporizer is essential in dry climate regions. I love the Dyson
(it's really expensive but if you live in an apartment with heater and AC on all the time is a must-have!).
- Lint shaver
to leave the baby's cloth as good as new! (trust me, you will wash them more frequently than you could imagine, and the fabrics will end up getting pills!)
For travelling, see my other
post!
Nursery decor:
- Giggle has the best brands but I also love Land of Nod…
- Pottery Barn Kids is great for furniture, bedding, toys (I love their personalized stroller blankets)
- I bought a nursery wall recall on etsy.com, they have lovely ones!
Must-read:
Best apps:
Best Blogs:
baby,General
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baby,General
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. I usually wash them with this 
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:Oxo is the best one! A must-have... 
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(open in the sides, it is easier when you have poop) 
and the ear 
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