4-5 months

You are on your way to becoming a seasoned parent!  This is a time when after the flurry of a newborn, you may be starting to get the hang of things, with a routine developing or already in place.  Less new items are needed, which is good news for your wallet, but there are a few key transition items.

Sleepsack– Once our baby started sleeping through the night consistently, we moved him from the Magic Merlin to a Sleepsack, to give more freedom of movement.  Since it is recommended that babies do not use blankets at this age, the sleepsack is perfect.  Depends on your region and temperature, but we used Carters babysuits underneath until age one.

Banana Brush– A teething lifesaver!!  The shape allows for easy holding and grasping, and when your baby is teething this perfect for their sore gums.  A friend described it to me as the difference between them crying for hours, and I took her word for it.  Seriously such a relief for teething babies.

Angelcare bath tub– Before your baby is able to sit up, this item is perfect for supervised bath time in the bath tub, so that your baby is surrounded by water, but stabilized.

“The iPod”– I called this toy “the iPod”, but really it is a musical toy for babies by baby Einstein that plays classical music.  Also doubles as a teething toy, and it is really fun as they get older to watch them figuring out how to press the button for music.

 

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Hard Books- I found this to be a great time to start reading to my baby.  Here are a few favorites, which at age one, are still favorites.

Jellycat If I Were a Lion, If I Were an Octopus, If I Were a Penguin

Goodnight Gorilla

Itsy Bitsy Spider

 

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6-7 months

Time for solid foods!  Also time for a high chair.  There are endless options, but I picked this Abiie high chair.  It is sturdy, and it looks like a piece of furniture.

Teething toys are a must, if you do not already have them.  I absolutely recommend the Banana Brush if you do not already have it, and anything that provides relief during teething.  I also liked this elephant teether, especially for travel.

Activity Center- Excellent for self play and containment, containment being key.  Being able to provide your baby a safe place to play and entertain him or herself is huge.  I got this Baby Einstein walker, but some pediatricians recommend that you do not use anything with wheels, so in that case, this Fisher Price activity center should do the trick.

Baby Einstein ipod– This thing is great!  I have watched several babies enjoy holding this, having music played to them, or even using it as a teething toy.  At age one, it is still a hit.

Sensory Balls– Excellent toys for self play.  A lot of options, but I ended up getting the Edushape Sensory Balls four pack.  At age one, still a favorite toy.

TRAVEL

We travel quite a bit, and adding a baby to the mix definitely adds a new element.  For airplane travel with a newborn, believe it or not, this was the easiest time for travel for us.  Between 0-6 months, our baby would be fed, then fall asleep for the remainder of the flight.  From 6-12 months, not one minute of sleep on the plane.  Below are the travel essentials.

Baby K’Tan– for when your baby is small enough that a stroller is not needed.  Excellent for getting through the airport and boarding the airplane.

Travel Stroller– I love this stroller so much!  The Baby Jogger City Mini 2 is the version that we got, and I love it for a variety of reasons.  1. It is super easy to fold and open, like insanely easy.  2. The wheels do not have tires, meaning they will not pop, 3. The Velcro windows in the canopy allow for ideal viewing of your baby as you stroll.  4. It is much more compact than a jogging stroller, like the BOB, so it is much easier to load into your car, and slim enough to store in a restaurant.

For your diaper bag- a soft book and a travel teether are good to have on hand.  If your baby likes pacifiers, a WubbaNub pacifier is great to travel with- it is easier to grab if it falls out of your baby’s mouth, and less likely to roll to a neighboring seat or row.