Spanx and Diaper Genies - My Baby-Momma "Must Haves"

{Rather than a photo of a diaper pail or industrial strength undergarments, how about some nursery eye candy courtesy of Serena and Lily?}

I made it through my first week completely on my own with my little boy while his dad was on a trip. It was so great to spend all of that one-on-one time with Gray, but man was it exhausting. Throughout my time alone with him I kept thinking to myselft "gosh, am I thankful to the person who designed this....and the creator of that was a genius" etc. So, I've decided to share with anyone who cares my ultimate guide to new baby-momma "must-haves". Here we go...

Spanx: (For YOU not baby) These puppies are great for sucking in all of that lovely skin and baby fat from your tummy area and thighs. I'm still wearing mine after almost three months. I left the hospital still looking 7 months pregnant and I now just look like I have a major muffin top, but NOT when I wear my Spanx. Woooooo, SPANX!!!

Diaper Genie: I had no idea what one was until I was pregnant (I mean, why would I?) and I thank my lucky stars everytime I toss a stinky diaper away that we have one. It's basically a fancy garbage container that keeps all odors inside. Why don't they make these for the kitchen??

Miracle Blanket: This is an IRREPLACABLE item in our nursery. I remember breaking down into tears one night when our little one wouldn't settle down and our miracle blanket was still in the dryer (I never let that happen again!). This is the BEST swaddle blanket out there. It keeps the baby's arms tucked nicely to the side and they end up sleeping soundly for hours. Gray didn't like his at first, but after a few tries, he started sleeping much longer than without it.

Boppy: Another thing I was clueless about. This "U" shaped pillow is the best for positioning baby for feeding and taking the load off of your arm. It's also great for when baby gets older and is trying to sit up and also for "tummy time". It's so washable and soft as well.

Oeuf Baby Lounger: These are great because not only are they practical but they are also attractive. We don't have a large house and I didn't want to have too many baby swings, chairs, etc. around. This is the only one we have and our little guy LOVES it! It's super lightweight and portable too. Love this!

Comfortable Glider: Don't skimp on this one. Our nursery is tiny and our glider takes up almost half of the room, but I'm so happy we got the one we did (from Serena and Lily). It's seriously the most comfortable seat on our entire house. It's slipcovered in machine washable fabric and comes out of the dryer softer than it went in. You're going to spend endless hours in your glider so you better love it!

A Rockin' Stroller: The task of purchasing a stroller is mind-blowing, isn't it? I remember being brought to tears in the middle of Babies R Us because I was SO overwhelmed with the options. The stroller you chose really depends on your lifestyle (are you a suburbanite with a SUV, a subway-riding city dweller, etc.). One function of the stroller that I can't imagine living without during the first couple months is the carseat adapter option. To be able to snap that carseat onto the stroller base is great. We got a stroller with a bassinet option and NEVER used it (used the carseat instead). I had all of these romanticized visions of walking my little newborn in his bassinet, but he hated it - cried his eyes out everytime. I was warned by a few of my friends that this may happen, but did I listen to them? Nope. Huge waste of money for us.

Nursing Bras and Tops: Nursing can be a daunting task so make it as easy as you can by getting the proper "gear". Nursing bras and tops allow for easy access and can make life just a little bit easier for you. I thought I could get away with pulling straps down and just lifting my shirt up, but that proved to be an annoyance after a while. Trust me, they design these garments for a reason. You'll want them.

Good Bottles: This is also one of those very personalized items. We tried Avent, Adiri, and Dr. Browns, all either were leaky (Adiri) or gave our little guy bad gas because they didn't "vent" well enough (Dr. Browns). I LOVE Born Free bottles because they seem to produce less gas. We still use Avent on occasion and can definitely tell the difference (huge burps after feeding, etc.).

Baby Gap Sleepers: Their sleepers are so soft and light and they wash great. They also have sleeves with hand covers on them (great for protecting your baby from scratching himself which happens a lot! - cutting baby fingernails is nerve-wracking). The sleeper "sack" is also fantastic for nighttime diaper changes (no snaps to worry about in the dark).

Cloth Diapers as Burp Cloths: I use these all the time instead of my "pretty" burp cloths because they are WAY more absorbant and I don't mind throwing them in the wash (with Oxyclean) over and over again. After a few projectile vomiting sessions with Gray, these babies were champs! They're so not cute, but they work!

A&D and other booty ointments: We were told at the hospital to use A&D on baby's tushy to create a "barrier" between him and his wet diaper. We ran out of it once, he got a little rash a couple days later (after using a different ointment) and more A&D cleared it right up. It doesn't smell nice (kind of medicine-y), but oh well. I'd rather my baby's tushy be rash free than smell like Johnson & Johnson baby powder. I also really like Lasinoh Diaper Rash Cream. I used both at once when he got a rash and it cleared up in a day. I didn't like Destin at all. It just didn't seem to work for some reason and Gray cried harder (like it was painful) when I put it on him. Lasinoh cream seems to have less zinc oxide and more soothing ingredients like Lanoline.

Of course there are a million other items that are needed to stock your nursery with, but these are just a few of my most favorite things. Hope it can help at least one mommy-to-be out there!