Let’s just state the obvious: there is *so* much baby crap out there. It is overwhelming for a first-time parent to know what is the best, what is truly needed, and what will make life easier (because isn’t that the primary goal?). Given that my family and I were moving shortly (i.e., three weeks) after Waverley’s birth, we couldn’t acquire every baby item right away: We simply couldn’t pack it all therefore had to be quite choosy about what we purchased. I believe this really helped prevent several unnecessary purchases and forced us to prioritize what was legitimately worth it. Also, during our six week road trip we stayed at numerous people’s houses with young children which provided the opportunity to trial nearly every baby product out there that has been produced in the last six years. This carefully curated list is inspired by that experience and is brought to you by my multiple personalities: the science geek in me who spent hours researching products, the occupational therapist in me who values function and safety above all, and the snob in me who wants everything to look cute, modern, and scream “BABY” as quietly as possible. These are the items I couldn’t have done without during Waverley’s first four months.

ONE: As an Assistive Technology Professional and positioning specialist (yes, I am totally credential-dropping), I got so many questions about car seats and strollers at work. I love the Maxi-Cosi Mico for its safety, sleek design, light weight, and ability to fit into a small SUV without taking over.

TWO: The Quinny Buzz stroller is worth every penny. It is lightweight, easy to fold, durable, turns on a whim, can handle a little off-roading, and is pretty chic-looking as far as strollers go.

THREE: The 4moms Mamaroo is the fourth swing we tried and it’s amazing: quiet, compact, and offers a variety of motions. We loved being able to hook our iPhone into it to play non-annoying music that is standard amongst most swings.

FOUR: My über milk-producing sister suggested the Medela Pump in Style and I have zero complaints. This gadget and I spent a lot of time together and it has held up perfectly. Don’t forget the hands-free bustier!

FIVE: To keep a baby occupied for just a bit. Waverley still loves it. So does Charlie.

SIX: We needed a bassinet that could be disassembled and assembled easily on our travels and folded into a compact bag. The BabyHome Dream Cot was perfect for that, plus I love the rocking capabilities and its small size to move throughout the house when needed.

SEVEN: You’ll need this. Really.

EIGHT: I prefer the Ingenuity Baby Seat to other floor sitters (like the ever-popular Bumbo) because it promotes better positioning, offers more safety features, doesn’t squeeze the thighs as much (poor chubby baby thighs), and is more versatile. (Side note: Floor sitters are actually quite controversial among therapists. I believe short periods of time {e.g., less than 10 minutes at once} are okay once the baby has developed proper neck and trunk control.)

NINE: I like these teethers for their texture variety and ease of holding.

TEN: Another great product for traveling, the Boon Tub can collapse to fit in small spaces and is versatile for many ages.

ELEVEN: We received the patemm pad as a gift at the beginning of our road trip and have been using it ever since. It is truly the best changing pad out there. (Thanks Megan!)

TWELVE: Awe the Moby Wrap! At first it seems impossible (I would just stand there helplessly while my sister wrapped it around me) yet then it’s incredibly easy to tie in a split second once you get the hang of it. Waverley took countless naps wrapped up in this while I made dinner/went on walks/unpacked the house/you get the idea. I think it offers a much better holding position for newborns and small infants compared to other carriers, yet now that she’s bigger I use the Beco Gemini.

I hope this list is helpful in your own baby quest or for baby gift-buying. What do you all think, is there any other gear you couldn’t live without?