This page is dedicated to discussing some of my favorite mommy items. I want this to be a resource where we can share our must have items and help each other find great products that make mothering easier.  If you have other must have items email me a link to the item and a description of what you like about it so I can add it.  (If you are going to buy the product from Amazon please use the link on this page because we get paid for the referral.  You might want to check prices at Walmart, Amazon, and Babies R Us because the store with the best price can vary by item.)
 

Safety:

Breathable Baby Universal Crib Bumper - I just got one of these and am so grateful for the peace of mind.  Jeremiah is really active in his crib and kept rolling onto his tummy with his face against the bumper.  Since he couldn't yet roll back over I wasn't feeling very good about letting him sleep like this.  This bumper is great because he can breath through it and no more worries for mom.  (Well at least no worries about bumpers).They have other breathable products that look great too.  (BreathableBaby.com)

Diaper Time:

Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers - These are the best diapers, and most moms I have talked to agree.  They seldom leak.  When you start getting blow outs it is time to move up a size.  Costco seems to have the best price (starting at size 2) but Walmart's price is almost as good.

Butt Paste - This product was recommend to me by a mom, and it is the only thing we have used to prevent diaper rash.  It works great.  Goes on and wipes off easily.  

Diaper Genie II Elite Pail System - We had a Diaper Genie II and loved it.  Totally controls odor and the refills aren't that expensive.  However with the regular one you had to stuff the diaper through an opening with your hand and hope you didn't get any on you.  I tried the Elite version at church and it was so much better.  It has a foot pedal which opens it.  You just drop it in and take your foot off the pedal to close it.  It was so much nicer that my mom bought me one.  Spend the extra and get the Elite if you can.  If not, get the regular version (Craigs list has a bunch of them). If you are concerned about the cost of the refill bags I heard that some just use the diaper genie for poopy diapers and use a regular garbage can for the rest.

Feeding Time:

Boppy Nursing Pillow with Slipcover - I don't know how I would get by without it.  I also have a My Breast Friend which works well when they are little but overall I prefer the Boppy. (Helpful tip: The whole thing is washing machine safe, but putting a burp rag under their head when you use it keeps you from having to wash it as often.) 

Infant Spoons by Munchkin - We had the Gerber spoons and felt like it was difficult to get much food in his mouth.  We got these Munchkin spoons instead and love them.  They are small enough to fit in a young babies mouth (4 months) and large enough to get a good quantity of food in their mouth easily.  The food stays on the spoon well and is easy to use. (The Gerber spoons do work well for some thicker foods.)

Baby Cubes 2 Oz. Baby Food Storage - We needed a way to freeze the baby food we are making and these are the containers we picked.  We have just started using them so haven't tested them long term.  I like that unlike ice cube trays these are portable. (Babies R Us is now selling a similar product by Especially for Baby that gives you twice as many cubes for the same price.)

Storage:

ClosetMaid 9-Cube Organizer - We recently put this in our living room to help organize Jeremiah's toys.  The soft bins are great for storing toys and make for quick and easy clean up.  You buy the cubes separately and they come in lots of fun colors. 

Medicine & Supplements:

Culturelle for Kids - These are a great probiotic that are safe for babies.  Probiotics are really important to take after antibiotics as well as any time they are having tummy troubles.  Jeremiah had thrush and his tummy was really hurting him after all the antibiotics he got in the hospital.  We started him on these and it cleared up the thrush and really helped him feel better.  Now we are using them on a regular basis since I'm nursing and some of the things I eat seem to upset his tummy.  They are good for overall digestion.

Little Tummys Gas Relief Drops for Newborns, Infants & Children - These gas drops have been such a blessing.  Whenever Jeremiah is having gas pains we give him these and they help within minutes.  They have the same active ingredient as Mylanta.  We always have these on hand.  Little remedies also makes other products that we have not yet tried.  LittleRemedies.com

Graco Nasal Clear Nasal Aspirator - We bought this recently when Jeremiah was sick.  He HATED the traditional bulb aspirator.  He would scream and swing his head around making it extremely difficult for baby and parents.  I read a review of this, and it said babies didn't mind using this.  Sure enough, Jeremiah doesn't mind us using this on him at all.  He sits totally still with no crying.  Night and day different experience.  I would highly recommend this product.  (We used Little Remedies Saline Nasal drops with this product.)

Toys:

Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Deluxe Gym - This is a toy that we have gotten a ton of use out of.  Jeremiah started using it as a newborn and still uses it.  He has spent many happy hours playing on this mat and with the toys that came with it.  I also added Lamaze Freddie the Firefly to the play mat.  Freddie was his favorite toy for several months and he still plays with it on occasion.

LeapFrog My Pal Scout - This is a toy that Jeremiah still needs to grow into, but I think it is going to be a great one.  One of my favorite features is that it is customizable.  It says your child's name, favorite color, favorite food, etc.  I love it when the little puppy says, "I love you Jeremiah."

Travel:

Britax Marathon Click & Safe Convertible Car Seat - We have this car seat only without the added click and safe feature.  Jeremiah started using it at around 3 months of age and it has worked great.  We like that it is rear facing to 35 pounds and forward facing to 65 pounds.  Another nice feature is that it is taller than most seats and will accommodate taller babies.

Infantino Front 2 Back Rider Baby Carrier - Matt used this carrier when we flew to Spokane.  It is great if you need to carry your little one and have your hands free.  It is a little difficult to adjust, but works well once you get it adjusted.  I have a sling and we use the carrier for Matt.  Jeremiah seemed to like being able to ride facing outwards and never fussed in it.

Cleaning Supplies:

OxiClean Baby Stain Soaker -This is a great stain remover.  In 6 months I have only had one stain I couldn't get out using this product.  I just put the clothes in a plastic tub and let it soak with a little of this product for a few minutes.  I have been using the same 3.5 lb tub for 6 months and still have a lot left.

Books:

On Becoming Baby Wise: Giving Your Infant the Gift of Nighttime Sleep - This book has been tremendously helpful.  It is important to read it before you judge it.  There are a lot of misconceptions out there about what this book teaches. This book does NOT teach you to starve or neglect your child.  It actually teaches you to do what is best for your child which is help him get the rest he needs and have the security that comes with order.  It is about feeding on a flexible routine.  Jeremiah slept through the night at a young age and both mommy and baby are grateful for the sleep.  Jeremiah goes down for naps with barely a wimper and wakes up happy, smiling and rested.  As with anything, take the principles it teaches and adapt them to yours and your child's needs.  It is a great starting point.

Blender Baby Food: Over 125 Recipes for Healthy Homemade Meals - This is a great recipe book for making your own baby food.  The recipes are arranged by age so you introduce the right ingredients at the right time.  The recipes are straight forward and sound yummy.  

The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child (Sears Parenting Library) - This is a great book if you are wanting to be informed about the different vaccines available for children.  It spends one chapter on each vaccine and goes into detail about the disease, statistics, vaccine ingredients, side effects, etc.  It also gives alternate vaccination schedule suggestions for those wanting to partially vaccinate or spread out vaccinations.  (One piece of advice we implemented from the book is giving probiotics before and after vaccinations to help the body's immune system.)  

What to Expect the First Year -This is a good book that covers a lot of the first year questions.  There are chapters for each month of the first year that cover development, doctors visits, and other general information relevant to each month.  It also has a good reference section.  (The book gave instructions on how to get medicine in a baby. When we changed to this technique we had much better results and got most of the medicine in him with very little protest.)  

What to Expect When You're Expecting: 4th Edition - This is a great book during pregnancy.  It goes through what is happening month by month and has lots of helpful information.

Websites:

AskDrSears.com - This is my go to website when I have parenting questions.  He is a pediatrician (and the author of many books including The Vaccine Book above.)  This website is full of great advice especially when your little one isn't feeling well and you are trying to figure out what is going on. 

Wholesomebabyfood.com -  This is my go to website for homemade baby food.  It is full of nutrition advice as well as recipes.  They also have a great 500+ page E-book that I purchased for $4.95.  

Diapers.com - Good prices on baby gear. They price match and offer free 1-2 day shipping on orders over $49.

What to Expect - This website is based on the What to Expect When You're Expecting books and has lots of miscellaneous parenting info.

Services:

Tina le'laine - We used Tina for my maternity pictures and Jeremiah's newborn pictures.  Why we love her: She comes to your home.  Her prices are reasonable compared to the competition.  You get all your proofs on a CD and can make all the prints you want.  She does an AMAZING job.  We love the work she did and plan to continue using her for photo shoots down the road.  (See if you can find all 6 pictures of Jeremiah on her website.  I'm on there 4 times as well.)