6 Month Review: Baby Gear & Nursery Essentials

A look at the baby gear and products we’ve used and loved the most with a 6 month old.

Well friends…we have finally hit James’ half year mark. I can’t believe he is 6 months old already. When mired in the colicky sleepless haze surrounded by dirty diapers and covered in spit-up, time was glaaaccciiiaaalll but then all of a sudden that bubble bursts and you’ve got a babbling smiling baby. I cannot express adequately what a joy he is everyday and how grateful I feel. To think that last June we transferred this hopeful little embryo with a wish and a prayer, and here he is! This verse has never meant so much:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

James is fearfully and wonderfully made! Everyone is, but somehow being a mother makes that so much more poignant.

I do not claim much expertise in this area, but I wanted to share the baby gear and nursery necessities we have loved the most because I’ve received several questions about the items we are using and because personal reviews are so helpful when you are buying all this stuff! So much of the baby gear sounds so similar with minute differences that it can feel impossible to choose between strollers, carseats, bassinets, etc. I found parents’ reviews the best resource along with these videos from Babylist.

I’ve broken this down in to sections: products for baby and products for the nursery. I will do a postpartum essentials review soon! We have tried to be really conscientious about James’ exposure to toxins, so as often as we can we choose the lower chemical, plastic free, organic, EWG verified option. If the cost of baby gear has got you down, a great resource for gently used or open box baby products is Goodbuy Gear! I purchased several expensive items for a fraction of the cost from this shop.

Baby Gear & Stuff

HealthyBaby Diapers – These are so soft, made using organic cotton and expertly engineered. No blow-outs! Seriously, we haven’t had a single one since I switched to these 3 months ago. But that’s not the best part…HealthyBaby diapers are non-toxic (no Parabens, no chlorine, no fragrances) and EWG verified (the only diaper that is). We also haven’t had any diaper rashes! I recommend starting a subscription, but you can also buy them at Target!

On an aesthetic side note: I love that the diapers are plain white. No cartoon characters! There is also no wetness indicator because of the toxic chemicals those use, but I don’t find I need one. You know when the diaper is getting full – just feel it.

Get $20 off by using this link! We are also using their laundry detergent and diaper cream.

Speaking of laundry you need the Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater spray. It has removed every stain so far! Every stain!

Nuna Pipa RX Infant Car Seat – my hubby who is a retired fireman says this is the safest baby car seat he has ever seen, and he use to see a lot of them through his department’s installation trainings. I feel so good about using this seat with baby James. It is lightweight. It is easy to transition from car seat base to stroller, and it has a lot of smart functionality like the magnetic snaps and the buckle holders.

I bought this adaptor to transition the car seat to our Uppababy Cruz 2 stroller, which I am very happy with and would recommend. This video convinced me to go with the Uppababy.

Playard & Travel Bed – We got the Maxi Cosi 3-in-1 playard for travel and I love how easy it is to fold out and up. You can basically do it with one hand, and there are no hidden locks that you have to struggle with securing. The newborn bassinet topper has worked great for James to sleep in when we are at grandma and grandpa’s house!

Toys & Teethers – James loves this crinkle bee book, his Sophie giraffe, this get a grip teether, and we use the Lovevery play gym daily. I’m highly amused by this rubber radish teether. I mean just look at him devouring it….it’s the funniest!

Clothing – like most babies James hates having a onesie pulled over his head — yes you can go bottom up — but these kimono style onesie are better! They snap on the side and look darling. The Magnetic Me footies and coveralls are a game changer plus very sweet patterns! Try the convertable one for an option they won’t outgrow in a month. For more traditional clothing, I’ve ordered from these boutiques: Bella Bean and Little English.

For the Nursery

Sleep – we started James in the Snoo bassinet from Happiest Baby. I definitely credit it for making him such a great nighttime sleeper! He started sleeping 8-10 hours at night when he was about 3 months old. We rented ours, and as long as you return it before 6 months and don’t damage it you’ll come out a bit better than buying (if you know you won’t need one for a second child). Transitioning him out of the Snoo was easy with the weaning mode. He has been sleeping in this crib for 2 months now and doing great at night as long as there are no gas attacks.

I love the organic mattress we bought from Naturepedic. It is two stage, meaning we can flip it for a softer feel when he is older, and the protector pad is both breathable and waterproof. I feel great knowing James is sleeping on safe materials with low emissions and the most non-toxic option out there. Pro tip: buy two protector pads, so you can easily swap when messes happen!

Bouncer – we were graciously gifted a BabyBjorn bouncer from our registry, and it is the best! James loves sitting in it and bouncing away. It is our go to when we need to sit him up, so he can watch us in the kitchen or be with us at the dinner table. Get the toy bar too! We call it Mr. Googles, and James will bat and babble at it for ever.

Hatch Rest+ – we use this sound machine everyday all day! You can set different modes that are easily accessed with a gentle tap on the machine or via your phone, so we have a mode for waking up, for playtime, for our sleep routine, and for sleep. The modes are so customizable. You can set the light color and brightness, the sound, the volume, the timer, etc. A must add to your registry!

Monitor – we bought the Motorola Pip for our nursery baby monitor and I like it just fine, but my parents bought the Vtech baby monitor for when we are visiting and it is better. The picture quality is better both on the app and parent unit. The signal strength goes farther, and the in-room camera serves as a nightlight and sound machine.

I hope this quick review of the baby gear and products we’ve used and loved helps you make your own smart choices! As we enter this new phase of babyhood, we are shopping for a playpen, a highchair, and all the baby proofing paraphernalia, so if you have any recommendations please share below.