12 Useful Tips and Products for New Moms

Bumper pads are considered to be a hazard. For a few years now there have been several articles and studies about the risk of bumper pads in a crib. If your baby rolls up to the pads and has their face buried in there, it can lead to suffocation/SIDS. Read more here.
Nasal Aspirators are dirty. You know those ole school nasal aspirator bulbs that you always saw sitting around in your mother or grandmother's bathroom drawer? Well, they are hard to clean and especially hard to dry which can lead to a moldy, nasty environment. I just recently cut open one of mine (that I rarely used) and found a blackish, watery substance floating around in there (I'm assuming snot mixed with mold). There are many alternatives, we love the electric nasal aspirator.
Diaper Genies are not necessary. Many people that I know who have used these things absolutely hated them. Even before I cloth diapered, I had no diaper pail. I simply placed the disposable in scented plastic diaper baggies and threw them in the garbage once the bag was full (usually at the end of the day). Diaper genies just take up space and can stink!
Under the arm and rectal temps are much better than forehead thermometers. We splurged on the fancy thermometer that just rolls along baby's head to get a temp. While it is super easy to use, on small infants a rectal one is the most accurate and then an under the arm one is the next best choice.
Breastfeeding is hard but it gets better. Yea breastfeeding can be beautiful and it can suck all at the same time in the beginning for some people. Hang in there and it gets much better and easier (please see this section for my breastfeeding posts).
Homemade baby food is easy and real. If you're an avid reader of my blog, then you know I love homemade baby food and I love to make it. It's easy peasy and actually a lot of fun to make! I promise you really don't have to dedicate a lot of time to it. It saves money, space and it's so much healthier.
Vibrations shouldn't be used all the time. While my child sat in her bouncer a lot in the beginning, rarely was the vibrating mechanism on. You don't want your child to become dependent on that motion. But hey, what works for you...
Don't just choose any teether. Prior to my "crunchy" journey, I had registered for several, cute teethers that were just a common brand and common teether found at any big box store. After learning of the chemicals in them, I quickly learned too that many of them broke apart and could become choking hazards. After looking at them, it was CLEARLY the most ridiculous teether for a baby. A plastic beaded toy that could break off and shove a bead down her throat...no thank you.
Plugins, air fresheners and the like aren't that great. Immediately we want to purchase the cutest scentsy warmer and warm up the best baby nursery scent ever, but actually too much of that stuff can be a bad thing causing respiratory issues and allergies.
They make wipes and pods for pacifiers. They now make cleaning wipes that are safe for a pacifier (I love the baking soda ones) and they make cute little "pods" to hold your pacifiers safely for baby while keeping them germ free.
They make disposable changing pads. These things are amazing whenever you need to lay baby down to change them somewhere that's kinda iffy and you'd rather not lay down your $25 Vera Bradley changing pad. They are my favorite!
Motherhood is a job. It's the best job ever and the most amazing blessing in the world. Just like any job though, it's okay to feel stressed and overwhelmed. That's the beauty of nap time.