Baby Items We Cannot Live Without

after 3 children i have gone through a ton of baby gear. i feel like i have whittled it down some over the years, i have used things i didn't need and found the things i cannot live without. there are basics you might need and others might not. a stroller for one, i think is a need, others don't need one and carry their child around all the time. i use both, i have a nice stroller and a nice carrier i use for different situations. that leads to a carrier, one might not need one unless they know they will use it. i have an ergo now, but loved my bjorn too. a crib might be a need, but others use a family bed. i do both. i use a co-sleeper, a crib, and i sleep with my child. a car seat is a no-brainer, they won't let you leave the hospital without one. diaper bags are nice, but you can use another type of bag just as well.
these 12 items are my favorite, i can't live without them things.

my cloth diapers...i use fuzzibunz and weehuggers. the fuzzibunz have the pocket insert and the weehuggers have the tabs in the front and back that hold the trifold cloth diaper in. i use only snaps, because i think they will last longer and i hate velcro. i wash them in the washer with dye free, fragrance free detergent. i thing dreft is a marketing ploy. i then hang dry them. easy peasy.

sophie and the original rubber duck are popi's favorite chew toys. she would be perfectly happy with only those 2 things, she could give a rat's tooshie about stuffed animals, baby dolls, or blocks. don't get me wrong, she will love that stuff, but just not now. our lamb stuffed animal is not a play animal, it is a sleep noise maker, it makes wave noises, white noise, whale songs, and a heartbeat that all keep my child asleep at night. popi's amber necklace is a new one for us. teething with the girls wasn't too bad, i used teething drops and tylenol. kristen used amber teething necklaces for the twins and swears by them. so when popi got terribly drooly i made one. making one is cheaper than buying, i thought i'd give it a whirl and see what it did, if it helped it helped, if it didn't, i had a cute baby necklace. well, her drooling cut back a ton. now i'm a believer. also for little babies you will need lots and lots of blankets. you use them for everything, really.

next items....a dresser. i use my dresser here instead of a changing table. a changing table is a waste of money. the dresser does double duty and can be used way after diapers. i keep her changing pad on top, keep diaper stuff in top drawer, and clothes in the bottom drawers. a dresser can go from baby to big girl in no time flat. the next thing is my car seat cover, if you have an infant carrier during cold months this is a must, all my children were in an infant carrier through the winter and used one of these. it keeps the wind from chilling my little one. i love it! that bag i have there, it is a ditty bag for my dirty diapers, since i don't trow them away i put them in there when i am out. it might be nice too for disposables, sometimes you are out and can't throw it away. i almost have to have this bag because of cloth diapers. the last thing i love is a baby seat or swing, just something to put the baby down in. babies are best in your arms, but sometimes you have to cook or shower. the bouncy seat is a life saver, and it vibrates, she loves it....sometimes.
i know you might use other things, but really a baby doesn't need much. i am happy with what we use, don't take this post as an insult if you do something else:)