Besides struggling through the heat while very pregnant (the struggle is ACTUALLY real), I’ve been anxiously waiting to write about my favourite Kidcentral products for my baby.
One of the benefits of working in the industry and with Kidcentral for so long is that I’ve been able to appreciate and fall in love with our products – before, during, and most assuredly after my own pregnancy! As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, when I sat down to think about what products I wanted for my family and for my baby, it struck me how opinions can really differ, and that it’s important to give parents options. We all have our own way of seeing the world, and parenting is not an exception. No two families are the same, so why would their needs be?
Here are my personal Kidcentral Favourites for Baby Ciccarelli!
Nursery
Quickly becoming my favourite room in the house is the Nursery. I know I’m going to be logging a lot of hours in that room, between diaper changes and obsessively making sure the baby is still breathing (just kidding on this one – sort of…), so I want to make sure it’s a cozy space for all of us. While part of that coziness is determined by the furniture in the room, clothing and blankets will play a major part in keeping the baby comfortable and soothed.
The first little while we will be swaddling baby in the Lulujo Black & White Bamboo swaddles. Since we don’t know the sex of the baby, I wanted to keep it as gender-neutral as possible. Plus, Lulujo’s Bamboo swaddles are extremely soft – after the first “get ready for baby” wash, they got even softer! As another option for swaddling, we’ve chosen the ergoPouch Grey Marle Cocoon. I have loved these stretchy and breathable Swaddle Bags since we brought them on. The Grey Marle pattern comes in a thicker 1tog for those colder fall nights and includes arm poppers that transform the Swaddle bag into a sleeping bag with baby’s arms free. I also think the zipper-style swaddle will help my husband navigate the whole swaddling situation since he’s a newbie!
For PJs outside of swaddling, I loved the amazing softness of the Australian designed ergoPouch Long Sleeve 0.2tog Layers in Clouds and the bamboo Waves, and the tried and tested, super popular and super soft Juddlies Grey Fleck and Organic White/Grey. For the Juddlies collection, I went with the newborn sizes as they are sized a bit more generously than others I have looked at in the market and would fit a 7-10lb baby. As we are expecting a ‘higher in the percentile’ baby (😢 …ouch), we will most likely need the extra room!
In connection with sleeping, I’ve only heard amazing things about the wonder of white noise. Many friends with little ones rave about the fact that white noise machines can help them get in naps, more time to eat, and also just help baby be soothed if they wake prematurely. We picked up the Marpac Hushh so we can easily also take it on-the-go with us to help soothe baby when we’re not at home.
When it comes to a blanket for the stroller or around the house we chose the Lulujo Grey Cellular Blanket. As you rightly guess, it fits with my colour palette, but also gives me that sense of nostalgia. The design of the Cellular Blankets harkens back to my own childhood and reminds me of a blanket my grandmother might have knit with love.
Since I love social media, especially Instagram, I had been debating over which Lulujo Baby’s First Year set I was going to choose. When Lulujo recently launched their stunning new laurel wreath design, Hello World, I knew I had found the one!
Bath
I’m sure you can tell if you’ve been reading this blog that I love all things soft and natural! That’s why for bath products, it was a no-brainer to go with the Bellini Honeycomb Sponge. They are made with ecological integrity in Italy, and are, when wet, the softest things you’ll ever feel! Also, because they contain innate enzymes and minerals that help prevent nasty odours and bacteria, I feel safe using this on baby’s delicate skin!
Again, following the theme of soft and gender-neutral, we chose the Juddlies Bamboo Hooded Towel in White/Driftwood Grey. I love the simple design, the cozy softness, and the organic trim! Now I just hope baby loves bath time – fingers crossed.
Feeding
The conversation about breastfeeding can a scary topic to wade in to. Many people have very passionate opinions about all the ways we can feed our babies. From my perspective, I’ve always believed that women should do what they think is best, under the direction from their pediatrician. My plan is to try and breastfeed, and if I’m able to, I will do it as long as I can. With that being said, I believe that bonding time with baby when feeding can also be experienced by dads, as well as other family members. I also want to be able to go to appointments and have nights out with my husband eventually and would like the baby to be able to feed from a bottle.
On the chance that I can breastfeed, I’ve chosen the Philips AVENT Single Electric Breast Pump. For bottles, I’ve gone with the Philips AVENT Natural Bottles – the nipple promotes a natural latch on similar to the breast so we won’t confuse the little nugget too much!
Bottle accessories can be overwhelming and there are a lot of choices out there! For me and my family, I’ve stuck with the Philips AVENT line of accessories. Representing the brand over the years, I’ve come to trust their quality and I know I can rely on their customer service. I picked their Bottle Warmer because it can take milk that’s frozen or from the fridge and warm it as fast as 3 minutes! It also turns off after a while so I don’t have to worry about leaving it on by accident (#mombrain!).
For a sterilizer, I chose the Electric Steam Sterilizer because I can do 6 bottles at once, AND it converts to different sizes so you can sterilize pacifiers and tableware as well. Speaking of pacifiers, I have no idea what pacifier my baby will like, so I’ve stocked up on the Soothie and the Newborn Soother to start!
Health & Safety
Getting a video monitor was a no-brainer. If I am going to be able to eventually have the baby nap or sleep in a different room, I need the ability to see the baby on the screen and be able to watch their little chest go up and down for my own peace of mind. With today’s technology, why wouldn’t you? Again, because I know I can trust Philips AVENT’s products, we went with the Digital Video Monitor. It may not have all the extra bells and whistles that seem to be out on the market today, but it’s known for its super reliable and consistent video feed.
For the more health-related products, I obviously went for the whole Fridababy line! The SnotSucker Nasal Aspirator is legendary, Fridet the Momwasher will (unfortunately) come in very handy, and the SnipperClipper’s unique design makes me less afraid for clipping those teeny nails. Also, I will be using the Fridababy 3-in-1 Humidifier, Diffuser + Nightlight, which will be launching in September – perfect timing for my baby, and for the start of cold season!
Diapers & Personal Care
Because being natural and environmentally friendly is one my family’s criteria, we’ve decided to try out The Honest Company’s Diapers in Panda – perfect for a gender-neutral option! I love that they are environmentally conscious, super safe for babies, AND come in cute prints! We are going to start out at the newborn size, but depending on this baby, we may have to run out and grab more! Right now, this baby feels about 14lbs, but that might just be the exhaustion talking!
For bath time products, we went with Honest as well and picked up their Unscented Face/Body Lotion and their Unscented Shampoo/Body Wash. Their formulas are gentle and hypoallergenic and will ease my mind since we don’t know if the baby will have skin sensitivities.
Diaper changes are high on my list of things I’m not looking forward to. Let’s be frank – it’s gross. But we all need to do it – unfortunately. Following in our ecofriendly and as natural as possible mandate, we chose the Honest Wipes – they are over 99% water and plant-based and are ultra-thick and durable – they are really hard to rip! The most unpleasant parts for me is applying diaper cream – it gets under your fingernails no matter what you do! Thankfully, Baby Boo Bamboo has a Natural Diaper Cream Spray that eliminates the need for applying with your finger – problem solved! Except, you still must do diaper changes…
Those are some of my favourite products Kidcentral carries – for my baby – this baby. If we decide to have another down the road, our needs and our choices may be different. Customers you have, or even you yourself, if you are expecting, could have vastly different needs and wants. I love having options within Kidcentral to be able to share with friends, family, and customers to help find the perfect solution for their specific needs.
What are your Kidcentral faves? Let me know if you need a recommendation!
-Daniela (The Pregnant President)