Parenthood often feels like rapid-fire problem solving — especially those first few months with a newborn. Even the most minor tasks are made challenging with a newborn. But every year there are new baby products hitting the market that are aimed at making parents’ lives easier.

Now that my son is undeniably a toddler, I’ve come across a few products that have really made me wish I’d known about them sooner. I’m not sure when (or if) I’ll have an infant again, but I’ve bookmarked these six products that I know will be essentials for the next time around:

The Bökee

When you have a newborn, sometimes the simplest tasks become a major production – especially those that require both hands. The bökee makes the task of preparing a bottle a snap by securing the bottle to the counter or any flat surface so that it can be easily opened or closed… with one hand. No more busting out the baby carrier or moving the bassinet to the kitchen to open your water, soda, or anything with a screw-on lid.

ChooMee SoftSips

Baby food pouches are great, but in the tiny hands of a not-quite-toddler, they can be a challenge. The constant threat of a puree explosion at the hands of a tiny human is a bit anxiety-inducing — not to mention the uncomfortable sound of my teething child chewing on a hard plastic pouch spout. ChooMee SoftSips attach easily to the hard plastic spout of food pouches so that early eaters can chew to their heart’s content, all while enjoying their meal with less mess.

The Ceres Chill

When you’re a pumping mom on the go, temperature-controlled milk storage can be tricky. The heartbreak of losing a full day of pumped milk because your ice packs melted or your cooler didn’t close all the way or you just couldn’t access a fridge is enough to make you desperate for a solution. The Ceres Chill is a mom-invented storage system that can hold up to 34 ounces (!) of expressed milk at a stable temperature and can be filled directly from your pump.

Boogie Bottoms Diaper Rash Cream Spray

Diaper rash cream — that you can SPRAY! Need I say more? File this one under, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Totes Babies Car Seat Holder

For the entire time my son was in a bucket seat, my grocery trips were pretty limited. I knew I had two options — hook a tiny basket on the back of the stroller, or place the car seat in the cart and play grocery Tetris around the baby. The Totes Babies car seat carrier attaches to the main part of the shopping cart to hold your little one’s car seat safely, while still allowing for use of the cart. And don’t worry — it fits Target carts too!

The Baby Shusher

OK, so this isn’t a gadget I discovered “too late,” but it’s been so helpful that it has become my go-to baby shower gift. The Baby Shusher is a portable device that uses a recording of a human voice “shushing” your baby to sleep. It seems a bit strange (if not borderline creepy) at first, but after a few long nights of shushing, it was so nice to outsource the task to this little device. I know there are many phone apps that do the same thing, but having a dedicated device to set next to the crib is great for both home and travel.

Hindsight is certainly 20/20 when it comes to parenting, especially in the first year when everything is uncharted territory. So we take our lessons learned with us — especially when it means paying it forward with tricks and gadgets to share with future new moms!

Hannah DeLisle-Stall
Hannah grew up in rural central Massachusetts and now lives in a teeny tiny town in the Berkshires. Hannah has BS and MS degrees in engineering and has spent most of her career working as a manager in the manufacturing industry — where there are few women, and even fewer moms. She is currently a Senior Manager in the Aerospace Manufacturing industry, working on parts that go into Commercial and Military Airplanes. Hannah and her husband met during college, when they were both volunteering at a local food bank. After graduating, building their careers, traveling, and even living on opposite coasts for a few years, they were married in 2015 and welcomed a son in 2019. Together, they love to camp, travel, and hone their DIY skills. In 2023, they completed a 3-year project to design and build their family's forever home. Hannah loves to volunteer, especially with organizations that help women and mothers advance their careers.