This is the last “favorite baby stuff” post I will be doing because….holy moly I basically have a toddler now??? I don’t know if I will do toddler faves post the way I did the baby products posts (broken up like 12-18 months and then 18-24 months) or if I will just do an Our Favorite Things post that will cover Riley stuff plus my fave things. Let me know what you’d like to see!
Notes: At the bottom I will note what baby products we are still using from the 0-6 month stage and I’m omitting most toys from this baby products & gear post as I will be doing a whole post about our favorite toys from the first year but added a couple of the BIG ones that she’s smitten with.
The 6-12 months stage has been the most fun, I’ll tell you. I mean, it has it struggles but oh man it is fun. Her personality has emerged like crazy and she is just a little teenager in the body of a baby.
We didn’t buy a ton of new gear or baby products during this time because she simply doesn’t NEED a lot of gear which is great because YAY LESS STUFF. But we definitely did find some big changes to warrant a new baby product here and there!
Graco Extend2Fit: We officially had to get rid of the infant carseat because Riley outgrew it so we had to buy one of the most important baby products. If you read the 3-6 month baby faves post you will know we got an amazing deal on the Graco 4Ever convertible carseat and we put it in Will’s car because I was still using the infant seat because it was easier for me when it was cold out and with all the stuff I was carrying back and forth with nannying. When she really outgrew it we moved it to my car and then were waiting on a deal to get one for Will’s car. We were holding out for another 4ever seat but when we saw this deal (our 2nd choice on our radar) we snagged it. I think I still prefer the 4ever better but I’m getting more used to the Extend2Fit (it’s in Will’s car so I don’t use it as much) and I think it’s a really great convertible carseat.
Find it at: AMAZON/ BUY BUY BABY / TARGET
Jordan Step 1 Baby Tooth Brush: Ri’s got all these teefies now (omg I just actually typed in teefies…I’m that mom I hated before I had a baby but AH WELL) so we have to brush em. I LOVE that this is short because it’s easy to maneuver to brush her teeth (shes so squirmy and impatient). I also like that that they use colored bristles to show how much toothpaste is supposed to be used.
Baby Banana Teether/Toothbrush: We bought ALL THE TEETHING STUFF during the 3-6 month period but this was the new one that we bought recently. It can be a toothbrush but we just use it as a teether.
Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup: THIS CUP IS SO COOL — one of MY favorite baby products for this stage. Okay at least I thought it was the coolest cup as I was trying to figure it out. It mimics drinking out of a real cup (with no spout) but without her dumping the whole thing down her. IT’S MAGICAL. Like it just comes out when you take a sip a certain way but it doesn’t spill out. MAGIC, Y’ALL. It took her a little bit to figure this one out but now she’s a pro!
OXOtot Transition Straw Cup: This one seemed to actually be easier for her to get the hang of. I love this weighted straw so much and really like that it has the ounces labeled.
Find it at: AMAZON / BED BATH & BEYOND
Vtech Walker: Riley started using this just to sit and play with it but then pretty early she started cruising with it. Now that we have more space? SHE IS ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH IT. She practically runs with it.
Find it at: AMAZON / BUY BUY BABY
Go With Me Chair: This has been the PERFECT chair for eating outside and going to outdoor things or if you do camping. I wish the tray seemed a little more sturdy (or maybe we just have been not doing it right) but it’s a really good portable chair and I love that they can use it for a while to come.
Plastic table placemats: This are a MUST for eating out. It only took a couple times eating out with her that I was like OKAY I NEED SOMETHING but I don’t always want to bring our own suction cup plate to go out to eat but I can’t give her the plates at the restaurant because she will throw them and they will break and I get icked to put it on the table for her to eat. Enter these things!! They stick right on the table and then we easily pick it up and toss when we are done!
Snack Cup: This thing is awesome. She can get her little hands in it but the snacks don’t fall out!
ALL OF THE BABY GATES: Of all all the stuff you will buy, baby gates will probably be the most important baby product in this stage. We had ZERO baby gates in the one bedroom apartment even once she was mobile! We just put one of our laundry baskets to block her from the kitchen and bathroom. Now that we have a lot more room in the new house we needed all the baby gates. I kid you not…we have 4 different kinds. We have one for the top of the stairs, one to block off the kitchen and one for the bottom of the stairs that we had to get because we have an irregular staircase and we couldn’t get anything to work the way we wanted it to!
After a lot of playing around with different ones I am FINALLY happy with our setup!
For the top of the steps — Evenflo Easy Walk Through Top Of Stairs Gate: It tricked my dad when he was here but I think it’s super easy to use yet not easy enough she’s going to figure out yet. I was really picky about which one would be at the top and I’m glad we went with this one! It seemed pretty easy for Will to install but he is rather handy.
For the bottom of the steps — Regalo Adjustable Gate and Playard: This one is cool because it can adjust to fit the way you want it so that really worked for around the large banister of our stairs. The way our stairs were at the bottom the only place to put it was still pretty high up and she could climb up two stairs and I was just envisioning her letting go and falling backwards onto the hardwood. We love this gate! We probably won’t ever use this for a playard but it works that way as well.
Then for the kitchen and the laundry room (there’s no door to it..BLAH) we have to different ones. Didn’t anticipate but we got one for the bottom of the steps and it didn’t work so we just put it in the kitchen entry way and then had the other for the laundry room.
Regalo baby gate: This one was meant for the bottom of the stairs but it didn’t work, like I said. If you have normal stairs and banisters it would be fine. Works great for the entry way so we kept it!
Supergate Ergo: This one works in the entry way great! I will be honest..it took me a little bit to figure this one out and I was getting SO frustrated. Now I have the hang of it! Was definitely my least favorite for a while. We at first had it just up and you had to step over it but then Will made it into a swing gate so we still step over it but we can also open it up if we want which is helpful when carrying stuff or being in and out. Or when she goes to sleep. Especially for Finn’s sake to just be able to walk through rather than jump over (which HE CAN and DOES because he has no chill).
Small Intex baby pool: I was debating between this small one or a bit larger one but I went with this one and next year will upgrade for sure. This is definitely a BABY pool but it’s been perfect for us in our yard because she just sits and splashes and plays with her toys in it and we even took it on our beach trip. I am planning on cleaning it out after summer is over and then using it when it gets cold out as a ball pit inside.
Badger Baby sunscreen: I’m real picky about what goes on her and this is the only sunscreen I have used for her since she’s been born. I love it! It blends in decently for a natural sunscreen and IT WORKS. She’s been to the beach and the pool and the park and she’s never gotten burnt. I am religious about reapplying though and listen to what it says on the bottle….as someone who is pasty white and gets burnt always. Definitely an essential baby product for summer!
Find it at: AMAZON / BUY BUY BABY / TARGET
Reusable swim diaper: We were going through 1-2 swim diapers a day (swimming at my sister’s and then she’d come home and go in her little pool) and I was going nuts with having to buy so many because those suckers are EXPENSIVE so I decided to try one of these I’m mad I didn’t buy them earlier! She hasn’t pooped while wearing it yet so I can’t speak to if it holds it in well!
Beach tent: Loving this thing! It’s definitely a seasonal baby product but I had to include it! We’ve used it at the beach and it was super easy to set up! Provided the perfect shade. I’m glad we will have this for years to come!
Little Tikes Water Table: This water table was the best investment and I know she’ll love it next summer too! We have used this so often since purchasing it.
Products we are still using from the 0-6 month stage: The Ergobaby carrier// Dohm white noise machine // Pack & Play, // Infant Optics monitor system // Seventh Generation Diaper Cream // Ubbi Diaper Pail // Ultrasonic cool mist humidifier // Backpack diaper bag // teethers // Target overnight dipes (still have not had any nighttime pee leaks since using these) // Halo Sleep Sack // Chicco Booster Highchair (at my sister’s) // Cozy Cover Easy seat // Joovy Highchair //
What are/were your favorite baby products or gear picks for the 6-12 month stage? Tell me all the baby products you couldn’t live without..or the baby products you COULD have lived without! Those are always helpful to know!
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Dahlia Adler says
I haven’t even moved on from that banana toothbrush yet, honestly. I’m afraid to try again with a real toothbrush!
Some favorite things of mine for my bb’s room are the Rest sound/light machine (especially because you can set programs on it and turn it on and off remotely through an app) and the Summer Infant Buddies musical star projector thing – so, so good for having bedtime music and a nightlight when traveling.
Fave toys are definitely that little bead-handled music toy that only has one button and plays a bunch of different songs while lighting up; we would NOT have survived car rides without that one. We’ve also gotten a shocking amount of mileage out of the little ferris wheel toy. The way he engages with it has changed so much over the past year, and it’s such a trip to watch.
The colorful bowls with plastic lids have been amazing – I’ve gotten Gerber, Nuk, and Munchkin, I think, and all are good. (Though Gerber are the biggest, so I would not be able to do without those, most of all.) Also really happy with the Munchkin multicolored spoons – I once bought another brand and was SHOCKED at how quickly they got permanently dyed by orange baby food, considering that’d never happened with Munchkin.
Otherwise, very happy with my Graco high chair and Chicco Keyfit car seat (for some reason, it still fits, even though my kid is 31″ tall? but we just bought the 4ever anyway)!
Jamie says
Oh I need to get that toy because car rides have been not fun lately. She throws everything we give her and is just pissy. She used to be so good in the car!
Caitlin says
Omg I know exactly what toy that is, and I keep one in my diaper bag at all times! It will literally calm my daughter down even if she is in full tantrum mode. Every time we go to the doctor you hear at least 4 or 5 of them going off in different parts of the waiting room.
Jamie says
What’s the name of it?? I can’t figure it out! lol
April Books & Wine says
Welcome to our learning zoo we have so much to tell youuuu.
That vtech walker though, I will probably be singing the song from it until the day I die.
But also we have a water table too and love it – ours is one from Aldi though and was pretty cheap.
Also yes to all the baby gates. Our current gate that I love is this one: https://www.munchkin.com/easy-close-metal-silver-gate-29-5-38.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwkYDbBRB6EiwAR0T_-lCNsG95IsSLZSsSKRN5wIPOmJmaB5g2rtohgK0QreDAjmWmwLYtjhoCnUUQAvD_BwE but we only have that for one stairway. The other two gates we have are those cheap $10 gates and I hate them.
Also this reminds me I need to buy a new car seat for Teddy for when he is bigger but he still is under 35 pounds so we still use the Britax Elite.
Jamie says
omg that song will forever be in my head. Riley exceeded her infant one because of height! She’s crazy tall!
Kristi says
That beach tent may be a seasonal item but we still use ours all the time! And I also love Badger products!! The bug spray works really well too!
Jamie says
What else do you find you using it for? And oh good to hear about the bug spray…I had wondered! I was using another one I got at Whole Foods but it’s debatable if it’s been working.
Caitlin says
It’s the Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy! Its $9 on Amazon, but I think I got it cheaper at Target.
Alexandra says
Yay, I really like these posts, so I hope you do continue into the toddler days. 🙂
One of my sisters-in-law has a toddler, as does my best friend, but most of the rest of our peer group is just moving into that phase (either pregnant, trying, or starting the conversation) or not interested yet, so there’s not as many people in my everyday life to ask about details like this. And, assuming finances hold up, I’m taking a year off from my main job (though am taking less time off from my secondary but much more flexible job) so we’re pretty keen to try and keep purchases to what we really need and/or baby Felix will love and we’ll get solid use out of.