I remember it like it was yesterday. D and I went to Target to do our baby registry. We created our registry list, received our goody bag, and then made our way back to the baby section with scanner gun in hand.



 We stood in one aisle and looked at all our options. A few minutes passed and we were still standing there...bewildered....dumbfounded. "Do you know what you want," D asked me. "No, do you know what we need," I asked him back. As new parents, we had NO idea what on earth we needed. There were a billion brands of bottles, dozens of baby monitor options, and a whole lot of things that looked neat but probably not anything that we would really need. Finally, we just gave up thinking and went crazy with the scanner. We scanned anything and everything. We even went to the diaper aisle and scanned a box of diapers and then put "100" in the quantity amount. We had heard through the grapevine that babies go through a lot of diapers.

Once Little Man arrived, we were able to quickly assess what we did and did not need. There were multiple things in his closet that were still in their original box. I hadn't really done my research, I'll admit it. But considering I was still teaching (which takes up a LOT of your time) and the fact that we moved during the last couple of months of my pregnancy, I think it's safe to say that I had a few other things on my mind.

Over the past 9 months, D and I have made several dozen more purchases for our Little Man. Certain items have definitely paid for themselves. Even if some purchases have been a little on the pricey end, they've been worth their weight in gold. A couple months ago, a preggo friend of mine asked me to inform her of things she should register for. On the spot, I was able to name a few things, but then I began to really ponder over my purchases and make a list of my personal "must haves". Take note that I said personal. I'm only accounting for things that have met my needs as a mother. I'm also only accounting for things that we've actually used. I realize that there are many, many more awesome products out there for moms and babies. This is not my wish-list but rather a list of things that have my stamp of approval on them.

So, in honor of Mother's Day and any new moms or moms-to-be out there, here are the first 5 of my 10 Mommy Must Haves (from birth to 9 months)!

For nursing mamas, this will be your best friend. I liked the  brand because it was thicker and waterproof. However, it was kind of hard to wash off of my hands. I received some sample sizes of the Medela brand. I liked Medela because it was easier to apply. Both work great, so it's just a matter of preference.


I've used my cotton nursing cover almost every day since Little Man was born. It was a baby shower gift and one of my most-used by far! It's lightweight and has terrycloth pockets for quick clean up and for storing pacifiers, tissues, etc. I also love the rigid neckline that allows me to have eye contact with Little Man.

I know this thing looks kinda intense but it was a lifesaver when Little Man had his first bad case of congestion. is battery powered and does a FANTASTIC job of clearing out the nose. I had been trying to use the little bulb syringes that I remember from my childhood. When I saw one of these at Walgreens for such a reasonable price, I couldn't pass it up. It has a little clear collection cup that allows you to see how much comes out of the baby's nose (a little gross, I know). When I first used it on Little Man, SOOO MUCH came out. I felt terrible that all of that had been up in his nose but I was thankful that it was finally out. The aspirator also plays little tunes to try and distract the baby.




I love seeing how fascinated Little Man is when I pop in his . When I need a free moment to get some laundry done or anything else that requires both of my hands, it's nice to be able to distract Little Man for a little bit with something entertaining and educational. Little Man is also a big fan of the  videos (featuring Jodi Benson...aka THE LITTLE MERMAID...which makes me a pretty big fan too).
My sister-in-law gave us a , along with a , as a shower gift. As Little Man was able to sit up more on his own, it was really convenient to plop him in his Bumbo and let him play. Once he got old enough to start eating baby food, I was able to feed him anywhere in the house thanks to this little seat and the handy-dandy tray.

You can view the next 5 items here!