I really struggle with anxiety. It's something I've not only struggled with, but I've struggled with not labeling myself with it. I'm not ashamed to say that “I have anxiety” but at the same time the more I dwell on that label the more that I stick it to my forehead. The more time I spend telling myself that I'm anxious the more time I spend not living in the present moment.

As a Christian I've been really struggling with the concept of anxiety. You see, God says very clearly in Philippians 4:6-7:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Every time that I give into that anxiety I am in a sense disobeying God's word. Now I do want to preface and say that I believe that anxiety is a mental health issue, but I've seen it get extremely better when I continually surrender it to God in prayer. Every time it's at its worst I find that I have not been in prayer or the word and without God, I have every reason to be anxious.

Recently there's been a lot to be anxious about, but if I truly believe that God is who He says He is, I have to let those things go regardless of how much I want to hold onto them. Even though I have absolutely no control over them for some reason my sub-conscious tells me that if I hold onto them that I have a little control. But yet I'm still just as anxious. It's a nasty and frustrating cycle.

Recently I came across a song by We The Kingdom called “No Doubt About It”. It's an absolutely beautiful song with stunning harmonies that melt my soul, but this lyric especially stands out to me.

“I hear a choir of angels, cheering me on. I'm not yet where I'm going but I'm a long way from where I was.”

https://youtu.be/JCvKzyj2Tu8?t=44

If you click play it will play the chorus where that lyric is, but I highly recommend the entire song.

This lyric is encouraging to me because I often forget that I am surrounded by flocks of angels, warriors that are protecting me and fighting the spiritual battles that go on around us. Even Jesus was encouraged by angels in the desert when He was fighting the temptation of evil during his 40 day fast (Matthew 4:11). How amazing is it that even God's own Son was gifted with a fleet to protect and encourage Him?

And yet He's willing to give us that too?

He loves us so greatly and wants to deliver us from the evils of our mind. We just have to let Him.

Anxiety is a daily battle for me and I think it's going to be that way forever, but I can take comfort in that I can daily give that back to God and He won't be disappointed in me. He knew that I'd struggle with anxiety, I mean the devil seeks to kill and destroy all peace, it's only logical. And that's why He gives us an army of angels and the Holy Spirit to walk with us and help pick us up when we fall.

My anxiety, no matter if it is based in trivial things like clothing and shelter or if it's based out of the spirit of fear, has a remedy. Peace. And God knew, so much so that He put it in the word for reassurance. Because of that, I don't have to be ashamed of when my mind goes off the deep end because He's right there to catch me and pull me back up again.

These two lines from Matthew alone are so reassuring because God just knows.

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I want to end here with two passages that very much encourage me. As we're walking through the process of buying a house right now, I'm scared. I'm not even going to lie. These things fall through all of the time and we are on a very short time line until our son is born and we need a place to live. At this point everything is completely out of our control and we are completely dependent on the decision that the bank makes and that's terrifying. The odds are stacked against us, but yet I have more peace than ever before. Regardless of how this works out I keep hearing God say “watch me work”. I don't know what's going to happen in the next month or so but I know that it's going to be amazing whatever it is. Because if God can provide so abundantly for the birds and the flowers of the field, how much more will He provide for His children, made in His image, that love Him so much? I have to have faith and rest in His spirit and have self-control with not allowing my mind to spin out.

Please know that I am not undermining the severity and the struggle that is anxiety. It is not a walk in the park and like I said, even with God it's still something I struggle with, some days, some moments, more than others. I'm human, it doesn't just “go away”. But I do believe that I can live with the peace that surpasses all understanding because my God is more powerful than my mind and He fights for me every single day if I let Him.

Regardless of what you believe, I'm always here to talk and provide support or prayer if you're struggling with your mental health. It is not a path that we can walk alone.

xoxo – Ry

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.“ – 2 Timothy 1:7

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:25-34

I'm starting a relationship column called... Relatable! Let me explain.

I have officially been with Dustin for two years. We started dating on August 30th of 2018 which honestly feels like a lifetime ago. Now obviously we don't celebrate this date, we celebrate our marriage anniversary in April, but it's still special to me. I spent the whole week looking back on texts and pictures and reminiscing about the butterflies I felt when we were in those first few weeks. Our relationship moved fast, but it was exactly how it was supposed to be and I learned a lot in that time. In fact looking back I can't help but smile about all of the things we did right. Granted, we did a lot wrong too and we've had a lot of hard moments but overall our relationship has been pretty great. I chalk that up to a few things and these are things that I tell all of my friends about.

As the first to get married amongst the majority of my friends I am the go-to for a lot of relationship and marriage advice. I find this kind of funny because I am the last person I ever thought would be giving relationship advice, but here I am.

I've learned a lot in the last few years and because I get asked questions like “how did you know he was it?” or “what did you do to prepare for marriage?” or “would you change anything?” all of the time, I figured I'd start a relationship series.

I'm choosing to call it “Relatable” because I often feel like relationship advice online, especially in like magazines and such isn't that relatable. It's all very generic advice without real-life or faith based experiences and it can be kind of misleading. Even if you aren't a Christian I think that a lot of this advice can be helpful to laying the foundation of your relationship and can take you from friends, to dating, all the way through engaged and married.

There's also not a lot of relationship advice, let alone marriage advice, from a 20 year old because usually we don't have our crap together in this department at this age. I count myself blessed and think that out of this blessing I should share my experiences and advice, especially for those who are also my age considering serious relationships and marriage. By NO means do I have everything together or am I perfect in any way- FAR, far from it, but I do think that there's value in showing up where you're at. There will always be someone walking the path behind you looking for advice.

That being said, for the first few installments of this series I'm going to be giving dating advice! These are the things that I wish I would've really known when I was first dating. I'll be covering some of the things that I did right that contributed to the success of our relationship and even a few things I did wrong when I started dating Dustin.

Today's topic: Building A Solid Foundation.

Relationships, at least in the beginning are exciting. They're new, they're fun, they're full of romance and woo. And then you get a few months in and you start to take off the rose colored glasses and see the reality. It's at that point you have to make a choice about whether or not you're going to stick around and make things work. Whether or not you're going to get to know who that person really is and whether or not you're going to let them know who you truly are. You see, in order to make the relationship work you need to build a solid foundation and really, I suggest you build it from the start. Not just when things get hard. Because you will lose your spark eventually, that person you are so infatuated with will change. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. And that's okay! We are humans and we are expected to change and evolve and go through hills and valleys, but if you don't prepare for that with a solid foundation for your relationship you're going to have a hard time staying together through those difficulties and those changes. Building a solid foundation looks like being open and honest from the beginning. It looks like explaining your love languages so that there's no miscommunication about what you do and don't like. It's about establishing open communication from the get go and not letting the little things build up. It's about talking through the hard topics, EARLY in the relationship, so there's no huge surprises. Things like kids, politics, finances, dreams, goals, marital responsibilities, health and wellness, faith- those are imperative to learn about one another so that you never feel like you have to sacrifice on those fundamentals.

Let's make this relatable- hah, see what I did there- with a few tangible takeaways of how you can build a solid foundation.

When something is bugging you, tell the other person immediately. If you let it fester it's only going to blow up and become a bigger issue than it needs to be. It kind of blows my mind how many couples I see that will tell everyone and their mama about what bugs them about their partner before their partner every hears about it. Your S.O. cannot read your mind and honestly, they shouldn't have to. If you're old enough to be in a relationship, you're old enough to communicate your feelings in a kind and respectful way. Many fights can be prevented by simply speaking up. Working things out immediately, even if it's a bit inconvenient will help immensely. If you're the kind of person that needs a little bit of space, take your 15 minutes to breathe and then come back together while everything is still fresh. The longer you let it sit, the worse it's going to get. And really, do not go to bed angry, it does nothing but ruin that evening and the next morning. And as morbid as this sounds, you never know if you're going to wake up the next day so don't leave anything unsaid.

Treat them the way you want to be treated. A little kindness and respect can go a long way.

Learn about love languages and be intentional about loving that person the way they want to be loved, not the way you want to be. The five love languages website is a great place to start, but I also love this article.

Be honest about the things you struggle with and don't be afraid to tell them your triggers and what they can do in those situations so they don't feel frustrated, worthless or escalate the situation. When you start to feel triggered because of a childhood memory or something that happened to you in your past, talk to them and explain why you're reacting that way. They'll be much more understanding than if you just blew up on them.

Be intentional about your time and your preferences and don't change for the short term. For example, if you like to spend Saturday night hanging out with your friends, don't suddenly act different for awhile and spend every Saturday with your significant other. Let your S.O. know that Saturday's are a priority for your friends and if your friends won't mind, invite your S.O. to come, but let them know that's how you spend Saturday's. If you just disappear with your S.O. every Saturday night for the first few months and then start going back to your friends not only is it going to set unrealistic expectations for your S.O. and they're probably going to be pretty upset and see it as “abandonment” but your friends probably won't like your S.O. very much. I am not saying that your S.O. shouldn't be a priority, but if you jump in and make them your everything, all the time, from the beginning, it's going to end up with someone upset and leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouths.

Set non-negotiables. These are your boundaries, repeat after me: boundaries are healthy. If you do or do not like something, let them know. Let them know what you will be flexible with, as every relationship is give and take, but if you're not budging on something, you have every right to that, but you better get to telling them.

There's obviously more to the foundation of a relationship but I believe these are a few key pillars and if you intentionally put effort into all of these areas you're going to find yourself in a healthy relationship or you will quickly realize it's not healthy. I'm going to talk about red flags and trusting your gut soon, but when you work towards healthy, anything that goes against that will become glaringly evident. And if it is a healthy relationship, you've made it 10x more resilient and healthier simply by taking the reins and setting yourself up for success on a rock solid foundation.

Until next time, love and be loved.

xoxo – Ry

Driving around through small towns and squares you have to look closely. Every door has paper signs, is it requesting for you to wear a mask or is it informing you that they're going out of business?

It's sad really, before this year small businesses were booming and especially in small towns boutiques were thriving. Now when you look around there's a lot of unknowns. I've actually been delightfully surprised at the few small businesses that I've seen open post-lockdowns and seem to be doing fairly well. I'm not sure if that's because they're attracting the people who have been stuck at home for ages or if it's because real estate is so available right now or a mixture of both.

Either way, especially in the areas where there has been a lot of rioting and looting, small businesses are suffering. Those with store fronts are having a hard time moving inventory, keeping up with their rent- if they aren't already behind from the months of lapse- and they're having to decide whether to downsize, close their doors or try and keep pushing through.

According to LaborCUBE & the McKinsey Global Institute Analysis approximately 30 million small business jobs are vulnerable and those with less than 100 employees are at the greatest risk.

As someone who grew up in a little downtown area, helping out at my parents small business from the time I was 9 or so, this is devastating for me to hear. I think about all of the businesses who were just getting started or who were finally starting to see a profit and then it all came crashing down. The difference between these businesses and the major corporations are the people behind them.

People who have put everything on the line to not only provide for their families, but to provide an experience and contribute something to their local community. I instantly think of all of the families that I knew growing up who ran the other small businesses in the square where my parents was. I wonder if they're surviving and how long they have until they have to give up on the dream they've worked so hard for.

I think of their hearts as they've had to let go of some of their employees who are far more than just that- they're family. That's devastating to me.

Many small businesses are choosing to take their businesses online but the reality is that there is a learning curve and it takes time to really get established online. Not only do you need to know social media pretty well, but you have to have an established customer base, money to pour into a website, images and advertising. It's a lot and if that's where you're trying to quickly generate all or most of your sales from, it's likely that it will take too long to actually make a profit.

Now the overhead cost of running your business online is significantly less than if you're trying to maintain a store front, but depending on your local reputation and again, your online commerce skills, only a few will quickly rise to the top with this method.

So what can we do?

1. Be intentional about your purchases.

In my opinion this will actually help you save money which we all probably need to do after all of the online quarantine shopping or if you were one of the thousands furloughed or fired. Instead of going to your local box store and shopping the aisles frivolously plan out your purchases and set aside some of your money for local businesses. Need a specific item? Instead of heading to Walmart or Target and grabbing extra things you don't actually need, swing by a small local business that has the same item and just get that. Sure, it may be $2 more there but isn't that worth it to try and keep the local economy alive? Keep in mind that if we let all of our small businesses fall apart, not only is that hurting families but it's going to hurt the area in general. Local businesses bring life, tourism and a better housing market.

2. If you're going to order online, make it small.

I'm not saying that you can't ever order from Amazon. Let's be real, Amazon is just too freaking convenient. But I do not like how they're run, their sketchy tax practices and how they treat their employees. I am trying to reduce the amount I order from them directly but unfortunately they have dominated e-commerce and it's really hard to avoid them. Regardless, need a new shirt? Skip the Amazon Essentials line and buy something quality from an online boutique. Little changes can make a big difference for small businesses. If you want to learn more about the ethics and why shopping at small businesses is often better (they tend to carry more ethically made products) check out Sophie's post.

3. Share, Share, Share!

For the businesses that are trying really hard to increase their online sales you can do them a huge favor simply by sharing their content. They need free advertising! Take the 2 seconds to re-share their recent post on your Instagram stories. Share their website on mg.social or Facebook. Like and follow their Facebook page and their Instagram! Engage on their posts so that the Instagram algorithm shares their content more. These things all take literally 2 minutes that you were already on social media anyways and it doesn't cost you a dime.

I know it's not our responsibility to save every small business, the reality is that some just aren't going to make it and it's sad but it's true. But I do think that if we as a collective took more steps to support them, that we could save quite a few of them. A lot of these businesses are much cleaner than your box stores, are taking a lot of precautions for those nervous about the virus and they're going above and beyond to provide an amazing experience right now. They care far more about you than any employee at Target or Walmart is going to. Many of these businesses are offering curbside pickup as well, just call and ask!

We can make a difference in the lives of those who truly care about our communities. Give back to them what you can.

xoxo – Ry

Hey beautiful, let's chat.

This last weekend your friends left. You probably hugged them all goodbye and cried a little bit because you realized that things will never be the same. But this is just the beginning.

Let me prepare you for what's to come.

This fall is going to be really hard because for the first time in your life you don't have a first day. Maybe you decided to take a gap year to save money or maybe you know that God just isn't calling you to go to school. Both of those things are okay. But when you've lived the last 13 years of your life on a schedule that consists of your first day, your last day and a few breaks in between, it can feel like you're floating when that structure disappears.

Maybe you have a few friends who are going to school locally, but chances are most of them are farther away than you'd like them to be.

You smile because you know they're going to be amazing and have such a great time and you're happy for them, yet you feel the burden of the fear of missing out.

You fear that they'll forget you, that'll you be an afterthought that only comes up on holiday breaks and when it's convenient.

You fear your relationship crumbling as you slowly fade away. You used to know every little daily detail and maybe you'll share those for the first few weeks, but eventually their class load and onslaught of new friends will take precedence.

Love, it's going to be hard.

Seeing the pictures of the parties you weren't invited to- but why would you be? It'll be hard.

You'll be double tapping the crap out of your friends new relationship status because she finally moved onto a new pool of guys at school, while your own heart sinks at the lack of options around you.

You may feel like your life has no purpose as your friends all dive into the classes that will supposedly shape their careers and set them up for success.

Love, it's going to be hard.

When you go to family dinners and they ask you about your job as a barista, you're going to embellish the details to make it seem better than it is.

When they ask about your plans for school next year you'll rattle off a bunch of options, just so they'll be proud of you- but really, you have no idea what you're doing.

When they ask why you don't just go to the community college so you don't just “waste your time”, you'll smile and say “next semester”, just to appease them.

Love, it's going to be hard.

But let me tell you what's in store for you, what will be amazing.

You're going to fall in love with yourself.

For the first time ever you won't be making every little decision based off of what your friends think or what they're doing. You will start to establish your own unique opinion and way of doing things. You're going to see yourself in a way you've never seen yourself before- you'll be your own hype woman.

You're going to discover what you're capable of.

You are capable of doing hard things and this year will prove that. You will see yourself rise to the occasion and be the kind of person that you never thought you could be. You will have lunch by yourself and you will enjoy it. You will establish a routine that is completely and 100% yours. You will find a new drink you love and you will find a favorite spot to sit in at the coffee shop.

You're going to make new friends.

This sounds scary, I know, but hear me out. When your friends go away it's really hard not to focus on just “getting by” through the months they're not home and living off of the few holiday breaks where you do get to see them. But I promise that you can make new friends and still enjoy the moments when your besties are home. You can have both. You're going to naturally make new friends as you dive into community events and groups that catch your attention that you'll start going to simply because you're bored. You're going to naturally make new friends at whatever job you land at because you're all working the crappy job and you bond over that. Don't fight the new friends, embrace it because it's a new start and you deserve to be happy and to be loved.

You're going to find out what you're really passionate about.

Suddenly you're not surrounded by friends that influence your every move and interest and you'll start getting really interested in things. As you dive into more free time than you've had since you were 3, you will start to see passions rising to the surface. Things that interest you that you will dig a little deeper into. You will start to discover a deeper understanding of where your heart lies and the talents that you have and how they all connect. These are the moments that you live for because they make your soul come alive. These are the moments that will shape you because they're going to help you figure out what you want to “do” with your life. So if you felt shame for not knowing that in high school and that's why you didn't go to college, you can let that go right now. I promise you, most if not all of your friends who are setting up their dorm rooms right now don't actually know what they want to “do” with their lives either.

Growing pains are hard and letting go and trying not to think about what you're missing out on is infuriatingly difficult. But I promise you'll get through this. Even if you never get to go away for college, your life will not be over. It just means that there is a different path laid out for you.

Enjoy this time and frolic in your freedom.

Get the fun job that you've always wanted to try.

Take the road trip.

Try all of the coffee.

Save the money.

Volunteer.

Take trips to see your friends.

Talk to strangers and make new ones.

Be proud of yourself for not taking out loans or taking classes you didn't know if you even wanted to take just for the sake of being able to say that you're going to college.

Beautiful, this is going to be a hard year and you will find yourself feeling lonely and sad that you're missing out on certain experiences. But I promise that there is something incredible in store for you and God wants to romance you this year, let Him. Let Him show you around and hold up that mirror and show you a version of you that you've never seen before.

Do not compare your journey to that of your friends. It is a completely different story and you want yours to be unique. I know that because I am you and I know what you're going through and how you're feeling.

Get ready for the adventure and try to enjoy every minute of it because before you know it, it'll all be over and you will be wishing you could be back to the late night closing shift belting Ed Sheeran at the top of your lungs with your co-workers and grabbing Thai food with the cute boy you never noticed before who's going to the local community college. It's going to be grand.

xoxo – The girl who was only going to take a gap year and ended up never going to school, moving halfway across the country, getting married and is having a baby at 21 and couldn't be happier cheering her friends on as they enter their last year of college.

If you missed

If you've ever wondered how many words you can publish on Coil before it just stops working— 10,000. That's why I'm here and I've split up this list into two parts. In part one I covered

• Giftcards
• Nursery & Decor
• Baby Gear
• Transportation
• Kitchen

On to part two..

Nursing (Don't forget you!)

+ $38

This one I actually went against the grain a bit. Everyone told me to get the traditional Boppy nursing pillow, but after looking into more I decided to go with this one instead. My reasoning: everyone SAYS to get the Boppy, yet a lot of people also say that they stopped using it within a month because it was hurting their posture, it wasn’t supportive enough to get a good latch and if you don’t have a relatively small build it doesn’t work very well. That didn’t sound good enough to me so I started looking into this pillow. I found raving reviews, a ton of comparison videos which showed me that this pillow really seemed better than the Boppy and I was sold. Perks: removable cover (unlike the Boppy which you have to buy a separate one to wash), pocket for your phone/nipple cream/burp cloth/water bottle, supportive back pad and clip so that you can clip it on and it will stay where it needs to be instead of slipping down. It’s important to remember that you bring baby to breast, not the other way around. And unfortunately that can happen really easily with the Boppy which creates bad habits, a potentially bad latch and neck and back problems. Upon receiving this pillow it’s extremely soft, very supportive and it fit clipped around me even pregnant and is adjustable for plus size mama’s. I’m excited to use it, I will for sure do an update!

+ $10.95

Although it's a bit more expensive, it's 100% organic, cruelty free, lanolin free, plant based and you don't have to wash it off before you nurse. I've heard raving reviews about this cream and I'm hopeful that it works well.

+ $8

These were recommended to me for during nursing. They’re soft and instead of having to tuck a burp cloth in, snap one of these on and the ridge will help keep milk out of your baby’s neck folds.

+ $13

I wanted to try out two types of birth cloths. I've heard awesome things about these muslin ones.

+ $10

These cloth diaper inserts came highly recommended as burp cloths!

+ $30

This is a #1 on everyone's list and from all the research I've done, I see why. I have friends that have built their entire freezer stash just by collecting their letdown on their other breast with this pump. I am 100% on board for anything that will keep me from actually pumping all the time.

+ $25

To keep my freezer as organized as possible, I wanted a storage container. I love this stand up one because it'll allow my milk to freeze flat on the top shelf and then it turns into a dispenser every time I add a new bag. I have a top door freezer, if you have a drawer, you're going to want to find a different type of organizer. Remember to find something where the milk will freeze in flat strip so it doesn't pool in the bottom and it's easier to see how many oz you actually have.

+ $12

I also did a ton of research on these ones. I like that these have the measurements, instructions, a name, date & volume tab and that they're known for not breaking or leaking. I also have a pack of Up&Up and Lansinoh but I've heard both of these leak and break so we will see!

+ $7

These nursing pads seem to be the best bang for your buck. They include daytime and nighttime pads. They're individually wrapped and according to the 4.5 star rating they are pretty absorbent, leak proof, vented and no-show.

+ $14

These after ease drops help with the contractions that you get while nursing after birth. These contractions get worse and worse with each child but I want to have these on hand for number one. These come highly recommended by several friends.

+ $7

This is soap is supposed to be the best for bottles, the Haakaa and pump parts. It's been personally recommended and it has great reviews. Typical soap supposedly clouds up the bottles and haakaa and can leave behind residue. I'll do an update on this.

+ $25

As a first time mom who has never breastfed before I am expecting a learning curve. I expect this will include learning to breastfeed in public. I have no problem with doing this, but until I do it, I'm not sure how covered up I will want to be. To start I figured I'd grab a nursing scarf so that I have something to throw on if I need to. This scarf is ventilated at the top with mesh and has a thin strap. I unboxed it and the material is very light and breathable. Get back to me when there's a warm baby and it's summer in Tennessee. 😅

Bath Time

+ $9.96 (8)

Another “splurge” but it costs the same as a regular pack of washcloths. You can totally use washcloths you already have, but babies skin is usually sensitive so I wanted to start off with a new pack and the soft bamboo ones are great. These are ridiculously soft and they seem well made.

+ $29.99

I went back and forth about if I wanted to store and deal with an actual plastic bathtub, but my gut said yes and I’m glad I did. The sink in the house we’re trying to buy is very shallow and once he’s outgrown his flower bathtub that was given to us by my sister in law, we won’t be able to use it for baths anymore. Instead placing the bathtub inside our tub seems way more efficient and easier to manage. I actually read a lot of reviews on bathtubs, weird, I know, and the competitor, the Angelcare, was sleek, but after seeing it in person (it was also gifted to me) I’m glad I chose the Boon. The Boon has an adjustable bottom piece so that you get the best positioning for when they’re a newborn, infant and toddler. It also has a soft head rest and a color changing drain plug which makes ending bath time easier (it’s hard to hold a wet crying baby when you’re trying to dump out and rinse a bathtub, pulling a drain plug is much easier). The Angelcare on the other hand he would have grown out of much faster, the water falls straight through the holes, and some parents complained that their baby would slip down on it if they didn't have a washcloth underneath them as a grip.

+ $11

Definitely another non-necessity, you can use a cup. But I do love the lip on this to avoid pouring water down your baby's face. Plus it's cute and good storage for bath toys when you reach that stage. I wouldn't buy myself, but it made a great gift.

+ Pipette Products

After a ton of research I finally settled on Pipette for my main bath products. They are EWG certified, you can get unscented for sensitive skin and they have extremely great reviews. I chose to try out the

Lotion - $10

Baby Oil – $10

Baby Shampoo & Wash – $12

Baby Balm – $13

I have also received products from Honest Company and Burt’s Bees so I’ll do a comparison later on when I know what I like!

+ $15

I've gone back and forth on these but after much deliberation I decided that the hooded towels were worth it because they're soft and the hood is helpful. That being said, they're definitely not necessary and you could definitely use regular towels.

Diapering

+ $70

I was definitely hesitant to put this on my list because I've been told countless times to just get a trashcan. But here's the deal. If I'm going to have to buy a trashcan for his room anyways, why not buy a diaper pail? The reason people don't like them is because they wait too long to empty them and they get disgusting. Part of the problem is that the inserts are supposed to last a long time and they're expensive. But if you're using regular cheap trash bags, you can change them on a daily or every other day basis. This one is steel which locks in the odor and it takes regular trash bags so you don't have to buy the expensive inserts that are very annoying to install. Multiple people recommended this one to me and I like the sliding aspect over the foot pedal. It also comes highly rated so it's a win for me. We'll see how we like it!

+ $20

Another Gathre mat dupe, I found this leather changing mat that was recommended by a friend. I am not doing a changing station so I wanted something that I could roll up and store easily and take throughout the house.

+ $10

These waterproof liners are technically to top a changing pad, but I'm going to use them as a rollable changing mat for changing him in the middle of the night on our bed. These were recommended to me. Upon unwrapping them they are thin, but soft and the backing is water proof.

+ $6

This is a dumb one. I'm aware. But listen. If I can make my life easier by not dealing with sticky diaper cream getting everywhere, washing my hands 20,000 times a day and I can get an even application with this, I'm going to do it. Don't judge me. This is a cheaper version from the competitor that everyone on Instagram loves.

+ $10

With a 5 star rating these are hard to beat for the price. You can obviously use a recycled grocery bag, but a reusable bag with zippers seems like the better option for me. These are a must have for the diaper bag for accidents, pool days, and life's unexpected moments.

+ $15

There are raving reviews about this diaper balm, it's definitely a must have. It is certified organic, cruelty free, great for yeast imbalances and has a 5 star rating.

+ $11

A competitor to the Motherlove balm, I wanted to try this one too. Organic herbal ingredients, no petroleum, parabens, or artificial fragrances. This one is dermatologist tested and chosen by hospital NICU's.

+

These water wipes truly speak for themselves. They are well loved by many families and some of the best for sensitive skin.

+ 66 ct. $24

Like I mentioned above, I'll be using the DYPER delivery service for our diapers. But until I know how big he is and until his belly button has healed, I will need these. They have the cutout for the umbilical cord stump as to not irritate it and they're very soft and hypoallergenic. These come highly recommended by friends and family.

Health

+ $13

You never know when you're going to need to give your baby medicine. It may be on a regular basis or even in the middle of the night. Rather than wrestle a scoop or a syringe into their mouth, it's way easier to stick a pacifier in and then dispense it. Kind of a splurge but my friend who's a nurse swears by it and so I had to add it.

+ $8.99

I love this one because it's freezer friendly, bendable, super cute & BPA/Phthalates free. There are a ton of options besides the raccoon. This was my choice over the Sophie Giraffe teether which I wanted until I saw several reviews complaining about the dye coming off of the teether after their baby sucked on it. You’re also not supposed to freeze it and both of those aspects led me to cross that off the “want” list.

+ $87.99

I'm not going to lie, this one was really a last minute decision that I'm really glad I made. Having a baby is a scary endeavor and with my already existing anxiety, I knew I wanted a breathing monitor. The problem is, I am not comfortable with the Owlet or any of the other monitors that require a censor that connects to wifi. After looking into the radiation and the EMF signals it was just too high. I watched a ton of reviews, did a lot of in depth research and after everything I chose this monitor. It does not connect to my phone which I like because of the radiation risks and it is basically just an alarm. The reviews are really great and given that I plan to have him in my room for the first 6 months or so I feel okay going with this one. I don't look down on parents who use the Owlet, but with the radiation burns from the first model and the EMF reading off of the second one, I just wasn't comfortable exposing him to that, especially when his body is so tiny. I am interested to see how it works with his swaddles and when he starts to roll over, I will do an update on this product for sure.

+ $26

This touchless ear and forehead thermometer seemed to have the best reviews and frankly, the only one available given the current situation where thermometers are in high demand. Most people recommend rectal thermometers but frankly, I don't feel comfortable with that and this seems to be the next best (most accurate) option.

+ $20

Now you could obviously get a cheap pair of regular clippers, but so many of my mom friends have raved about these clippers. It's really just an electronic filer. It's great because the buzzing will keep them distracted and you're at a lower risk for cutting your baby's fingers. Totally a splurge, but if someone gifts it to me, it's worth it.

+ $13

I discovered this product when I was watching a video about the Nose Frida and what it's good for. I still do not want to use the bulb as it is impossible to truly clean and apparently when snot is crusted – sorry, gross, b

+ $18

Yup, it's gross. You literally suck the snot out of your child's nose. Granted, you don't actually get anything in your mouth because of the filter, but you've got to do what you've got to do. Everyone from my Nana to my good friends to my sister in law have raved about this things. It's even been known to suck cocoa puffs out of toddler's noses.

+ $25

I highly recommend looking into what amber necklaces can do for fussiness, drooling and teething. Many friends have raved about amber necklaces but you have to remember to get the right/safe size for your child and understand how to use them. They're not safe for sleep and they're not to be actually chewed on. But if you have the right size they can't really chew on them. You also want to get pure, 100% amber. This company is great and I'm really excited to see if it works as well as everyone tells me.

+ $10

Cradle cap, it's real ya'll. But by avoiding over washing your baby and scrubbing their head gently with a cradle cap brush you can prevent it or treat it quickly. This one came highly recommended by a friend and the reviews are great!

+ - 2 Pack $20

Gripe water is great to have on hand for stomach issues and Mommy's Bliss is some of the highest rated and most recommended by my mom friends. You don't want to use it often but it's nice to have on hand.

Swaddles & Accessories

+ $8.99

These are stretchy and are sized 0-12M. They're really cute and the fabric feels really soft and high quality for the price.

+ $60

This wasn't actually on my registry but at my first baby shower I was gifted this and now it's definitely on my list. First of all, the material is unbelievably buttery soft and it's big so it will last a long while which definitely makes the price worth it. It's important to have a mixture of enclosed swaddles and sleeveless sleep sacks on hand to see what your baby prefers.

+ $30

When looking at swaddles this one continually came up as the most popular. I'm not really sure why anybody manually swaddles anymore when the zip ups are SO much easier and safer (only because there's room for error with wrapping yourself). I love this one because it helps with the startle reflex and they can self soothe because their hands are by their mouths.

+ $35

Once your baby starts rolling it's important that you transition them into a swaddle with their arms open or a sleep sack. If your baby is used to the Swaddle UP, this is the perfect swaddle to transition because you can zip off one shoulder sleeve at a time.

+ $28

This is a swaddle from Happiest Baby which is a very popular company. This swaddle does swaddle their arms down, which I wanted to have at least one on hand in case he doesn't like his hands up. This is a zip up swaddle with a velcro strap on the inside for his arms. If you like simple and minimalistic, the grey and white star design is the simplest.

+ $25

Swaddle blankets can be used for everything so definitely throw a few on your registry even if you plan to use zip up swaddles for sleep. Copper Pearl is a really high quality brand and the fabric is luscious. These are stretchy swaddles so they make a great car seat cover and if you want to do a traditional swaddle it's easier to do with the stretchy cotton material.

+ (2) $24

Muslin swaddles are great for the summer months, tucking your baby into their swing or for a little bit of shade over the stroller on a sunny day. A lot of muslin swaddles run at $20 for 1 so this set is a great price. The reviews are great and the color scheme of this set is really cute. It's hard to find neutral rainbows which I'm all about for our rainbow baby.

+ $20

Mebie is known for having beautiful clothes and swaddles and this muslin swaddle is beautiful. I really don't think you can have too many swaddles.

+ $19

Baby bandana bibs are not only adorable but they're incredibly functional. This set of 12 from Egmao baby have great reviews and give you the best bang for your buck. Plus the colors are neutral and did I mention, adorable?

Clothing – Newborn

(Don't go overboard they grow quickly!) I will link what I chose. I don't love animals/bright colors, so keep in mind I have a ton of neutrals. These onesies come in packs so some do have animals, but I figure in the moment I won't care. Note that I went on the lesser side with NB clothes, if he ends up being really small I will send my mother in law or someone to the store to get more sleepers but I'd rather not over buy/over wash.

+ 1 pack of long or short sleeved onesies - [](https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Joys-Carters-Long-Sleeve-Bodysuit/dp/B07JL1RL46) Carter's

+ 1 pack of footie pants - Carter's

+ 1 pack of newborn hats (not a total necessity) – MMBaby

+ 1 pack of newborn sleepers (3-5) - Carter's

+ Hospital Outfit - Little Miss Dessa or Lou Lou & Company are awesome!

Clothing – 0-3M

+ 9+ sleepers - Touched by Nature, Owlivia, Carter's, Burt's Bees

+ Sleep Gown(s) - Spearmint Love

+ 4-8 Short Sleeved Onesies - Cloud Island

+ 4-8 Long Sleeved Onesies - Cloud Island, Carter's

+ 3-5 pairs of Pants - Carter's, HonesBorn

+ Socks - Touched by Nature

+ Booties - Sawimlgy

Let's talk about this last one. Babies really shouldn't wear shoes, it's not good for them when they're learning to walk and it's not great for their foot development. They're also expensive and could likely get lost. But, we also know that socks do not stay on babies for anything and in winter months when my baby is going to be small, I'd like to have some kind of shoe/sock hybrid that I know will stay on and won't interfere with his growth. Enter: Sawimlgy Sock Slippers. They're really cute, they're functional with the elastic ankle and they're reasonably priced. We'll see how they go!

You may have noticed I chose a lot of basics. But let's be real. In the first three-six months of life your baby is going to live in basic onesies and sleepers. I did add a few cute pieces and I grab stuff when I see it online or out and about, but I'm sure you've got that taken care of already!

Clothing – 3-6M

+ 6+ sleepers - Primary, Cloud Island 1 & 2, O2Baby

+ 4-8 Short Sleeved Onesies - Mac & Moon

+ 4-8 Long Sleeved Onesies - Carter's

+ 3-5 pairs of Pants - Cloud Island, HonesBorn, Carter's

+ Overalls ('cuz they're cute) - Carter's

+ Chinos & Dress Shirt w/ Suspenders – H&M

+ Sweatshirts - [](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YGGVTKP?tag=blvisitor-20) Hanes

+ Romper – Carter's

Clothing – 6-9M

+ 6+ Sleepers - Cloud Island, Lamaze, Cat & Jack, Primary

+ 8-10 Short Sleeved Onesies - Mac & Moon, Hudson Baby

+ 5-6 Tank Top Onesies – Yoga Sprout

+ Cotton Shorts - Carter's

+ Khaki Shorts – Carter's

+ Rompers – Hanes, Bagilaanoe

+ Overalls - Unistylo, PatPat

Clothing – 9-12M

+ 6+ Sleepers – Cloud Island, Gerber 1, Gerber 2,

+ Jogger Set - Seyurigaoka

+ Short Sleeved Onesies - Lamaze, Carter's

+ Long Sleeved Onesies - Hanes

+ Khaki Cotton Joggers - H&M

+ Cotton Joggers - Carter's, H&M

+ Jeans - H&M

+ Jeans & Suspenders - Sangtree

+ Sweatshirt - H&M

Toys

The only two things I didn't include in this list are a swing and a bouncer. Both big items, but I was gifted both of these things from Ingenuity & Graco and don't have a strong opinion on either thing as of now.

+ $70

Sue me, but I don't want my house to look like a toy shop exploded all over it. It's inevitable but I will hold it off as long as possible. In the meantime, I wanted a play gym that is aesthetically pleasing, still a bit colorful because unfortunately babies don't like monochromatic color schemes and also doubles just as a play mat. After looking at the super popular LoveEvery one, I decided on this one that is half the price. I can take the top off and just use it as a mat, it does have color, but it's also sleek and the black and white is perfect for the infant months when they love looking at black and white simple shapes.

+ $39

I am so excited for this play gym! It's a great change of scenery to go over his play mat or his bouncer.

+ $28

I am a huge fan of wooden toys and these are raw wood which I love. I will probably seal them with coconut oil myself to make them safer for when he starts teething, but this is the cutest set! Wooden toys are really expensive usually so this set was a great deal. Upon opening them they didn't have a smell at all and the wood is very smooth. I'd definitely recommend.

+ Organic Wood Montessori Styled Baby Rattle $15

This rattle came highly recommended by several friends and is sealed in coconut oil for teething.

+ $15

These cups are all the rage on Instagram and there's a reason for that- they're adorable. Super great quality and the new retro set is perfect if you're having a boy.

+ $129

This is such a cute activity center, it often sells out. It is colorful enough to make your baby happy but it's not themed and obnoxious where it stands out too much. The bottom jumping plate is adjustable, the piano you can move for their feet or on top and after you're done using it as an activity center it converts to a table.

+ $17

From 0-3 months you're supposed to have basic black and white shapes for your baby to look at. This mat is able to be hung with ties so you can attach it to a play gym, like the wooden one I linked above, or you can have them lay on it for tummy time. You could also hang it up on the wall for them to look at. It is double sided so that when they're a little older you can flip it around for colorful shapes.

+ $10

These blocks are BPA free, squishy for small hands and perfect for your baby's first block set. I found these looking for a gender neutral set.

+ $10

I'm all about natural wood toys, especially for teethers. Babies love silicone as well so this is really the perfect 2 & 1. This is great for when I want a teether that doesn't need to be frozen and with the wooden rings it'll make double as a rattle.

+ $10

My friends raved about this toy and I see why. It's squishy, it's wooden and the complex pattern makes it fun for them to hold and look at.

+ $35

I love rainbows and if you've been listening, wooden toys. This rainbow stacker is adorable and it's finished with non-toxic oils. This is perfect for nursery decor until your little one is big enough to play with it.

Well that's all I've got! Really. It's a ton, I know. A few things I'd like to mention. I took the Bumbo off because of the issues it can cause with back development. I did not put a wipe warmer on here because, moldy or dried out wipes, ew. I also did not put a baby food maker, use your food processor or blender.

If you have any questions or any of these links don't work, feel free to send me a message on Instagram or Twitter- @riley_quin. Or send me an email at riley@rileyq.com.

I hope this helped you make informed decisions for your baby registry!

xoxo – Ry

If you know me, you know how much I love to research. Ever since the day I realized I was pregnant for the first time, I've been bookmarking posts on baby products and looking to see what the best options are.

Before we dive in you should know that I am not affiliated with any of these companies, none of these items are for a paid or gifted ad and truthfully, these companies don't know I exist, nor do I care if they do. I got really annoyed looking through these lists only to find out it was all sponsored and I didn't know if I could actually trust them, so just know, this isn't sponsored in any way shape or form.

You should also know that I created my registry on Babylist.com so as to be able to add products from a bunch of different stores to one registry! 10/10 recommend.

When I started actually creating my registry for baby boy I was focused on..

1. Usefulness
2. Aesthetics
3. Cost

I also went in with the mindset that I wanted things to last awhile for any other children we may have so I wanted them to be neutral, but knowing we'd be getting a small house I wanted something neutral that wouldn't take away from my decorating. That being said, I also wanted products that would fall down the middle of the price range so that they would last a long time, but I wouldn't be giving into the consumerism of the baby industry too much. Having worked with kids my entire life, I'm very well aware that everything is going to get covered in body fluids or eventually scribbled on by a toddler. Trying to find that balance of pretty but neutral, a moderate cost and useful all in one proved to be difficult. But I'm here to tell you that it is possible!

Now not all of these products are necessities, in fact, if I was buying everything myself I probably would've cut out a few things and used other household items to get the job done. But let's be real. Having a baby can be really exciting and you want to pamper yourself and especially if you're going to have a shower, it's okay to splurge on some not-so-necessary things. Just try to limit them so you do get the stuff you really do need!

This is where I come in. I wanted to share my ultimate list and WHY I chose certain products. That's where the frustration of other lists came in for me, they didn't share why they chose a certain product over another and it left me watching tons of review videos and comparing products in day-to-day vlogs so I could see how they were actually used. This helped me make a lot of my final decisions. I figure once baby boy is here I'll do a Cinnamon video update vlog going through this list and I'll talk about what I actually ended up using & if the products really did hit the mark.

With that, let's dive in!

Tips:

+ If you're creating on Babylist, you can create custom categories. I did this to keep all of my products organized and to make sure I didn't have duplicates. I even broke clothes down into Newborn, 0-3M, 3-6M, 6-9M & 9-12M. People like to buy for that first year so if you have preferences on a style of clothing, brands, etc., or want to keep clothes minimal and only have certain quantities of each basic, create each of these categories and choose what you want in each one. It was an experiment as everyone told me that nobody cares and will buy you whatever they want (which some will), but it actually worked surprisingly well for me! I've gotten a lot of clothes I genuinely love and I'm not getting an over abundance of certain things because people can see what's already been bought. Another perk of doing this is that you can pick out clothes that will match the season that your baby will be in when they're in these sizes. Even if people don't buy from the registry it'll help them to know what size to get with certain outfits.

+ Babylist will not tell you if something is out of stock unless someone tries to buy it. Stores like H&M baby, as cute as they are, go out of stock weekly. I ended up deleting almost everything from them because nothing stayed in stock long enough. I did check weekly, the weeks leading up to my first shower, to check on each product's stock. I recommend Target, Amazon, Spearmint & Mebie Baby for things that won't go out of stock quickly and have the best return policies.

+ If you use Babylist encourage people to buy from the actual stores on the website instead of the through the Babylist Shop. If they buy through the shop it makes returns difficult, the original purchaser sees it goes back on their card and you can get a giftcard to the actual Babylist Shop which has a limited selection. But if they click on the Target link or Amazon link listed by the product on your Babylist registry, it'll take them straight to the Target or Amazon site to buy the product and then will redirect them back to Babylist to put in the order details so it gets marked as bought. Reserved and bought are two different things, so if you see a product is reserved but never bought, you'll have to re add the product. For me Babylist is still worth it in comparison to having 3 different registries through various stores and not being able to add small businesses to my registry.

Anyways, these are the categories I created and what was in them & why. Keep in mind that the clothes are tailored more towards boys, but there are a lot of neutrals. I'm also going to prove in this that you can find cute, neutral boy clothes.

Gift Cards (Always give this option!)

+ Amazon

+ Target

+

Belly wraps are well known for assisting in the healing of your muscles after birth. They support your back and can assist with ab separation. It's important to remember the things that you'll need postpartum, the registry isn't just for baby! I totally understand not wanting to put everything you'll need for postpartum on the registry but I think things like your belly wrap, drops, salves and nursing items are totally fair game. They add up quickly and it's nice to feel pampered by your friends too.

+DYPER

Dyper is a bamboo diaper company. They are free of chlorine, latex, alcohol, lotions, TBT & Phthalates. They're unprinted, unscented, they've got a wetness indicator and they come in an awesome subscription each month with an SOS emergency service. Overall they are cheaper than other comparable diapers and subscriptions that cannot boast the same natural and environmental perks. I've heard amazing things about these diapers from every single parent I've talked to and I'm extremely excited to try them out. I will definitely be doing an update on these once baby boy is here. I love that they offer a gift card that you can easily add to Babylist so that your friends and family can buy you a month of diapers without you having to store them! As far as infant diapers before I start the subscription, scroll down to diapering to see what I'll be using for the first weeks until his umbilical cord falls off and he has healed and we know how big he is.

Nursery & Decor

+ $79

I have heard nothing but amazing things about this crib. It's neutral, cheap, high quality, and is very useful. It adjusts to two different heights and is convertible to a toddler bed which means we've got it for the long haul! I had originally wanted a Babyletto, but at a 1/3 of the price and with raving reviews from many friends that's the one we decided to go with. Some people think adding cribs to the registry is tacky, but with an $79 price tag, it was one of the first things bought off of mine.

+ Graco Premium Foam Crib and Toddler Mattress $69

Having almost 5 stars with over 10k ratings on Amazon, this breathable, non-toxic, GREENGUARD gold certified mattress seemed to be the way to go. Some people prefer the Newton mattresses which you can supposedly breathe through, but after talking to my sister in laws, we agreed that $300 for his mattress was just not going to happen. I encourage you to do your research on this one, but realize that your baby will not be sleeping on their stomach for a long while and mattresses like the Newton do not technically reduce the risk for SIDS, especially if you're following the rules of safe sleep. This mattress is firm, but not too firm and comes at a great price point for a baby's mattress. I will also note that the Newton, while I've heard great reviews about it, is being advertised by every influencer with a baby right now, so it's hard to hear truly unbiased and non-sponsored reviews.

+ Jersey Crib Sheets $10.99

When looking for crib sheets I wanted something breathable, easy to clean and you really only need 2-3 sheets. I got 2 from Amazon and then this cuter set from Cloud Island at Target.

+ $27.95

When trying to find mattress protectors I was looking for something breathable, easy to clean and cushy. This set hit all of the marks and the 5 star Amazon rating sweetened the deal. I really love how soft these are.

+ $110

You're probably thinking, why the heck would you pay more for your bassinet than the crib? Well I have a few good reasons. I had been recommended the Halo, but after looking into it a lot of parents became frustrated with the tilt on the Halo and their baby easily rolling becoming a safety hazard. This bassinet has really great reviews and it’s smaller than the other options out there which is important because there is very little room in our room. I wanted him in our bedroom for the first 6 months or so and I know the crib won’t fit so a bassinet was my only option. It scoots right up to the bed, is easily adjustable to our bed height, has mesh sides and comes with the mattress.

+ $6

Soft, breathable & cheap which is perfect for the short amount that we will be using the bassinet! Don't forget 2-3.

+ $60

I will completely admit, I hopped on the bandwagon with this one. After watching so many reviews about it, I knew I wanted it. Not 100% necessity, but whatever I can do to make my life a little easier in the beginning, I'm here for it. This is definitely a product I wouldn't have bought myself, I would've stuck with a rechargeable basic sound machine, but this will be nice for several reasons. You can control both the sound machine and the night light feature from your phone. Even if my baby does not like white noise, it'll be helpful that I can slowly turn a dimmed light on for nighttime feeds from my phone instead of fully waking him (and my husband) up with a lamp or fumbling with the buttons. Once he is out of our room it can be programmed to turn on and off at certain times to help with his sleep and wake periods. Many parents skip this and instead opt for a battery operated sound machine or an iPad playing white noise from YouTube or an Alexa, but I didn't want it to turn off in the middle of the night or die. This seemed like the obvious choice, but it's definitely a splurge. As far as the EMF's being emitted, it's not that high on the scale and I felt comfortable with it. I probably won't have it right next to my head, but it puts out less than my phone which sits on my nightstand so either way, it's not horrible.

+ $8.99

I did not want a changing table because we frankly won't have the space and all of the diaper caddies are kinda expensive and not nearly as cute as these baskets from Target which when I'm done using them as diaper caddies, I can use them for other storage. The price of two baskets, one for my room and one for the living room is the same cost as one official diaper caddy so I call that a win.

+ $160

Baby monitor research took about a week of my time. I went back and forth between cameras, audio, WiFi, no WiFi, phone monitor, etc. Eventually I decided on two different monitors, let me explain. I knew I didn’t want a monitor that ran (solely) off of WiFi because things can always go out. I didn’t want a monitor that connected to my phone because a. they get hacked far too often and b. I use my phone for work 24/7, how can I watch my baby and use my phone at the same time? I can’t. I also didn’t love the EMF ratings on any of the WiFi enabled camera so I decided that was a deal breaker for me. Eventually I came across the VAVA which came highly recommended by a friend who had the one I originally wanted, returned it and got this one instead. The picture and sound quality is amazing and it has a rechargeable parent unit which I love. It’s got a 4.5 star rating on Amazon with over 6k reviews, which in comparison to other baby monitors and their ratings to review rates is amazing. This is the monitor we will use as our day to day monitor.

+ $30

This monitor on the other hand is our audio only monitor. I wanted this one for when we travel to my parent’s house so that we’re not having to take down the other camera and pack it up. I also wanted an audio monitor that I could easily throw in the bathroom that wouldn’t steam up too much when I’m showering or that I could carry around if he was napping in a place that wasn’t where the camera is set up. I also know that we have a wedding in the spring and my friend will be watching him at the hotel, we can easily throw this in a bag and have her set that up so she can be in her adjoining room and not wake him up. Two monitor sets may be overkill for some families, but this is what will work for us and the cost of both sets was still cheaper, and had better ratings, than the majority of fancy monitors on the market.

+ $2

Ok let's be real. There are some CUTE velvet hangers out there for all of your cute baby clothes. But for some reason they're like $20 for a pack of 10 which is frankly ridiculous. So here, if you want grey hangers so that they're a little different from the traditional white ones, you can snag these at Target for really cheap.

+ $8

If you're looking for cheap, but sleek storage baskets look no further! I'm obsessed with these Target ones. They're actually relatively big for the price and they're perfect for storing toys, books, blankets or swaddles!

Baby Gear

+ Baby Lounger – $40

This Boppy Lounger I've linked is the most neutral and cutest one I've found. I don't love all of the animal patterned ones- again, if it's going to be laying around my house I'd like it to blend in. I will admit though, I am thoroughly undecided on this one. I jumped on board with the Snuggle Me Organic train, but my mom and I ultimately decided to return it after there was a stain on the one we received from Amazon. I would've bought another one, but I received a Boppy Infant Lounger and after reading about how it’s great for acid reflux because it props them up, we decided to keep that one and see how it goes. I don’t believe in using them for overnight sleep in a bassinet because it is not safe for sleep, regardless of how it’s been advertised. I wanted it for day time supervised naps so that he can be flat and I can put him down and do other things or just have a break, which I don’t feel like I can do with the poppy lounger because it’s not a flat surface, but we’ll see. I have another “co-sleeper” contraption that someone gave me that we can always whip out if it become a problem. Or.. I’ll just order a Snuggle Me and have it in two days. Otherwise it may be an item that I decide is worth it for our next baby, but until then I'll give the Boppy a try and see how it goes. I'll definitely do an update on this item!

+ $18

A little pricy for a lovey, but I thought this one was really cute. It's super soft and precious. You don't have to choose this one but H&M has a few really cute ones and it's fun to pick your baby's first lovey.

+ $20

Maybe two lovies is overkill, but I heard raving reviews about all things Kyte baby, which seriously, softest material EVER. These teething rings are awesome and the lovey can be removed from the ring for easy cleaning.

+ $44.99

As far as other carriers go, I was gifted a Baby Bjorn Carrier and the Infantino, both of them which seem great. But I also wanted a soft wrap for those first few months when he's tiny. I had heard amazing things about the Moby wraps and after holding one in my hands I love the fabric, the stretchiness and the length of it. I'm very excited to try each of them out and compare.

+ $15

+ $39

Blankets are an obvious baby gift, but if you truly want something special it's fun to pick one out for your sweet baby. I saw these Saranoni blankets with a friend's baby and knew I had to have them. I chose the mini blanket for his carseat/swing and the receiving blanket for day to day use and cuddles. They are ridiculously soft and I cannot wait to snuggle him up in these beautiful blankets.

+ Pacifiers

When looking at pacifiers I like the traditional and flat ones. The round popular ones have been known to cause dental issues and my sister in law who is in pediatric dentistry warned me against those. I did manage to find a cute brand like the ones you seen on Instagram that do have a flat nipple- that is this first brand. The rest of them are ones that have great reviews. It's important to have a few different kinds to see what your baby likes.

• Ryan and Rose Cutie PAT Pacifier Flat $12
• NUK Newborn 2 Pack $4.29
• Boon Jewel Orthodontic 2 Pack $6.99
• Chicco PhysioForma 2 Pack $5.99

+ Pacifier Clips

When looking for pacifier clips you really have to pay attention to the reviews. A lot of the cute ones, parents complain of the clips breaking, wood chipping and silicone crumbling upon being sucked on. The following sets passed all of those potential issues and are cheaper than the same ones sold at boutiques.

• Silicone Pacifier Clips 2 Pack $13
• Braided Pacifier Clips 3 Pack $8
• Wooden Pacifier Clips 2 Pack $8

Transportation

+ $395

This was an easy “yes” when I discovered it. Standing up to next to the Uppa Baby Vista- a luxury stroller that goes for $1k+ at half the price, I was instantly sold. It's a beautiful stroller, fairly light, easy to unfold and each one is custom made based off of the customizations you choose at checkout. Now obviously there are much cheaper strollers out there, but I didn't find one as light, as easily convertible to a double stroller while still maintaining the slimness and lightweight factor. It looks like a luxury stroller, it feels like a luxury stroller and yet it's the same price as some of the Chicco and Graco strollers. Their customer service is awesome, it has a lifetime warranty and unboxing it was a dream. It's got 19 configurations and with their adaptor is compatible with a ton of car seats. The reviews on this stroller from the internet and friends were amazing and after unboxing and feeling the fabric and seeing how easy it is to wash, I was so happy I chose this one.

+ $30

I'm about to talk about my car seat, but with the one we got it cannot be removed from the car. We were gifted a carseat that can be removed with the infant stroller skeleton, but I didn't want to buy the adaptor for a short term use with the other car seat because frankly that seat weighs a ton. I will most likely be out with Dustin when I'd use a stroller with the car seat, so we'll just let him handle that. That being said, I added on the infant seat insert for the seat that comes with the Mockingbird and the fabric is amazing. It'll be perfect when I just want to take him out for a quick walk and not hassle with the car seat.

+ $20

The only downside, which to me isn't a downside, of the stroller is that it doesn't have a cup holder/organizer built into it. But personally though plastic cupholders get nasty real quick and they won't fit my big water bottle or much at all for that matter. I added on this parent organizer to the stroller and the fabric again is super easy to wash, the front pocket zips and it will fit all of my stuff plus my ginormous water bottle that I never leave home without.

+ $375

This wasn't actually on my original list, but a friend wanted to buy this for us and after looking into it and then actually receiving and unboxing it, it's safe to say I’m excited. This thing will literally last us until he’s 8 or 120lbs. I’m not kidding. It rotates on a wheel, it’s got a great fire retardant on it, its safety ratings are amazing and did I mention, we’ll never have to buy him another car seat?! Now as I mentioned before, the only downside is that you can’t take the carseat out of a base like you can with a typical one, which is a helpful feature to have those first few months. My sister in law gifted us a Chicco Key Fit Zip, which we will use for the first few weeks while we’re getting adjusted to things so that Dustin can just pick up the carseat, click it into the stroller skeleton and go. But I will use the infant insert with the Mockingbird whenever we’re going on walks and such. I personally think the tradeoff of never having to buy another car seat is worth it. Plus that price is amazing given that it's worth 4 car seats.

+ $14

After reading about a mother who caught her baby choking on a rogue french fry that she found because of the car mirror, I instantly started looking for one. This one is shatterproof tested, easy to install and really wide which I like. It had the best reviews compared to other brands and is on a swivel so you can adjust it to your best view.

+ $29

As I mentioned above, I chose the Hatch Baby for our room sound machine. It is not portable though and I’ve been encouraged that if I have a sound machine at home, I should have one for the car. I’m all about letting your baby adapt to their surroundings, but sometimes you need a little consistency. I wanted to have this portable machine on hand if I need it, especially since we’ll have long car trips to visit my family in our future. This one is relatively cheap, has great reviews, came recommended by friends and is rechargeable with a USB which is perfect for long car rides- plus anything to avoid more batteries!

+ $22

I’m actually not a huge fan of car seat covers as they can cause your baby to overheat, especially when you live in Tennessee where it never gets too cold. But, this one is great because I can use it as a nursing cover, a shopping cart cover and if it’s raining really hard I can quickly throw it over his carseat. This one is from Parker Baby Co., comes with a 5 star rating and the material is stretchy and luscious, seriously so soft. But it’s not super thick so I don’t think he’d overheat too quickly using it as a nursing cover! Tons of great options for color and cheaper than its competitors, it was a win-win.

+ $14

Boujee? Maybe. But when your baby is overheated in their car seat or stroller, it'll come in handy.

Kitchen

+ $23

I have loved these bottles since I first fed a baby with one at daycare years ago. They mimic the breast and they're soft and easy for baby to hold onto. They are easy to clean and honestly, super sleek looking. My sister in law did give me a set of Avent and Dr. Brown's as well, but let me stress this to you: you do not know what kind of bottle your baby is going to like until you try them out. Do not buy an entire huge set of one type of bottle. In fact, I only registered for these two Comtomo because I've seen how well they work and if I do bottle feed some, I won't need but a few. I plan to breastfeed and only want to have these on hand because I plan to pump a little bit so Dustin and family can do a few feeds and I'm not tied to him 24/7 if we want a night out. (Already thinking about my mental health!) Unpopular opinion: only have a few bottles, wash them immediately and then you have less to wash and less to store! If you want one of each of the most popular kinds of bottles, grab this sampler from Babylist! Also- do not get the next size up (8 oz usually) until you know what kind of bottles your baby likes and if you even need them!

Note: If you plan to pump you'll need something to pump into. If you have a Medela, the Medela bottles are great. I have a Spectra but my sister in law gave me her medela bottles which are awesome for day time storage until you consolidate into freezer bags. I will just be getting a Spectra adaptor for the medela bottles. You can also pump directly into freezer bags (check out the Kiinde set) or look up which bottles are compatible to pump directly into on your pump's website.

+ $12.99

These are a tad bit expensive for a bib, but Mushie bibs hold a 5 star review. They're cute, neutral and you really only need one or two. Because they're silicone you just rinse them out and dry them off, you don't have to wash them like cotton bibs and have a huge supply of them. If you want something a little easier to roll up and store, I recommend checking out the OXO Tot ones.

+ $14.99

Practical and cute. I've heard this is the best set for cleaning all of your bottles, pump parts and fruit teethers. I love that the water won't go everywhere and that it's aesthetically pleasing. Other bottle sets where the nipple brush comes out of the bottom tend to get moldy. These will also be perfect for cleaning my metal straws.

+ Ikea High Chair & Accessories

This is by far the highest rated and cheapest high chair I've seen. With just a few little accessories to spruce it up you can make it perfect! Every mom I've talked to recommends this high chair over the traditional expensive and hard to clean padded high chairs. I love the support pillow because you deflate the sides when your baby is too big for it. It truly grows with your child. As far as the cover, you can get cuter (but much more expensive) covers at Yeah Baby Goods, but I liked this simple and cheap Ikea one that will probably get ruined quickly anyways. And for the foot rest, the most expensive part of this set up, I am getting it from Yeah Baby Goods. They make accessories for the Ikea high chair. It is recommended to buy a foot rest for better posture and support for your baby.

• Ikea Antilop High Chair $20
• Ikea Antilop Support Pillow $6
• Ikea Antilop Cover $4
• Bamboo Adjustable Footrest $25

+$29

Anyone who's on Instagram has probably obsessed over the Gathre mats. Unfortunately all of the ones I like are out of stock for the foreseeable future and I found this dupe that is much cheaper. I'm obsessed and can't wait to use it either under his high chair, or as an indoor or outdoor play mat.

+ $35

A bottle warmer definitely isn't necessary, until you have a baby that refuses a cold or room temp bottle. I didn't want to buy a sterilizer and a bottle warmer to sit on my counter, so instead I found this 2 in 1 with great reviews and a great price! Even if I never use the bottle warmer aspect I can still use it to sterilize pump parts, my Haakaa, pacifiers and teethers.

+ $15

My sister in law raved about these but I didn't want the mesh ones because they're impossible to clean and they get moldy. These silicone ones are way easier to clean and keep sanitized.

+ $19

I love this drying rack because 1. It's white and blends in. 2. It's big and will hold bottles and pump parts. 3. It comes apart and you can easily clean it (not dishwasher safe). This one comes with a “tree” attachment for nipples and bottle rings.

This has gotten VERY long and apparently I cannot save over 10,000 words in an article so here is part two.

xoxo – Ry