The 20 must have items to navigate life with a 9 month old.
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The baby industry is crazy. There are so many things you stumble across and think, "wow, I never knew I needed that!", but guess what, most of the time, you don't. There is a short list of items that we use every single day though with our 9 month old and figured it was worth sharing for you new mamas or soon to be mamas out there.
Maybe you're setting up a registry or maybe your little one is entering a new phase and you're wondering what can make life easier - whatever the reason, I'm sure you'll find some simple new ideas to make your day to day life with a 9 month old just a little bit easier.
If you haven't' figured out by now, you go through A LOT of wipes with babies. Buy those bad boys in bulk and get a great dispenser like this one.
T loves this toy, and so do we because it's really like four toys in one! Each side has different types of activities and it's the perfect height for T to start pulling herself up on and using to help balance while standing.
Throw Pillows
Babies are wobbly. You can't sit next to them all day everyday but you can toss some throw pillows behind them to protect their heads during that occasional backwards tumble!
Best. Highchair. Ever! The infant insert made it safe and comfy for T to join us at meal time early on and now that she's eating what we're eating and feeding herself finger foods, this high chair is the BEST. The tray pops off for easy cleanup, the seat covers are machine washable and the whole thing is easy to wipe down. It wheels around too so I can easily scoot her over to the island while I cook. When she gets older it transforms into a booster seat as well!
Early on, T hated to be rocked. We had to bounce around with her taking laps around the bedroom to get her to sleep. Thank goodness times have changed. Now she loves to cuddle up and read some bedtime books, have some milk and sing some songs, all in the comfort of this terrific glider.
T LOVES these cups! She thoroughly enjoys showing off her big kid drinking skills with fun tricks like one handed drinking, gargling and her fountain impression. For kids who just want to drink out of a normal cup like mom and dad, these are a must! They can flail them around and you don't have to worry about water or milk going everywhere.
Until your kid is walking, is there really any point in putting them in real clothes? T lives in her sleepers most days. Stock up on more than you think you need at this age as meal time tends to be a little messier than it once was. This way baby's always ready for a nap when those tired eyes strike and diaper changes are as hassle free as they can be.
I have a large mixing bowl next to the sink that I throw all of her spoons/cups/whatever of T's that needs to be washed throughout the day. After dinner I fill with hot soapy water, hand wash and throw it on the boon grass to dry. This way I know that I always have what I need ready for each day and don't have to worry about intense dishwasher detergents and residue lingering on her stuff. Bonus? The rest of the bowls make great kids toys.
While the boon grass with tree extensions were great for pumping/bottle parts early on, the grass is still just as useful 9 months later for sippy cups, bowls, spoons, etc.
You've got your hands full with a squirmy 9 month old. This diaper bag backpack keeps those hands free for the things that really matter. Open side pockets make getting to burp rags and sippy cups a breeze.
Once baby starts rolling, a video camera is a great way for neurotic new parents to get some peace of mind. We love our nest cam because it's controlled via our phones so we can flip it on and off to check on her whenever and from wherever we want.
This simple and inexpensive baby monitor was all we needed early on and we still use it every day. We use this for nap time and overnight, that way the Nest Cam doesn't have to be on all the time using up our bandwidth.
Not sure what it is about this little French giraffe but babies LOVE her and T is no exception. Sophie is T's travel buddy, going everywhere with her. You should see her face light up when she hears that dog-toy like squeak and knows Sophie's near.
This is our favorite baby lotion that stands up to cold and dry Minnesota winters as well as sensitive skin. We started with Johnson & Johnson's baby lotion and it just wasn't cutting it - there's no comparison.
Best. Diaper rash cream. Ever. My sister-in-law recommended this brand and it seriously works like a charm.
I just about always have a throw blanket down when T is playing in carpeted rooms. It's a lot easier to throw a blanket in the wash when she spits up than it is to get out the spotbot and clean the carpet.
These bibs are the best for a little foodie! Once T started eating finger foods this proved to be the best bib for her. The trough helps contain messes and the silicone material makes cleaning and reusing it for multiple meals a day SO easy.
We've been using this nightlight every day since T started sleeping in her own room at 5 months old. It's AWESOME because the body lights up, it projects stars onto the ceiling AND it plays music/makes noise depending on the setting you put on. Best part? There's a timer feature so you can set it and forget it.
We have a base in each of our cars so traveling with baby is a breeze. Just snap her carseat into the base and pop it back out when we arrive at our destination. Running a quick errand is easy as the car seat clicks right into the stroller. The stroller pops up and collapses effortlessly so I can have it in and out of the trunk in seconds.
You literally cannot start reading to kids too early, nor read too much. Board books are a must for this age as they A) like to put everything in their mouth and B) want to start helping to turn the page. These are just a few of T's favorites right now!
What are your go-to items that you use on the daily? Comment below and help us new moms work smarter, not harder!