I was compensated for this post by Baby Cubby, a thoughtfully curated online store that aims to make the shopping experience easier for parents.  All opinions and recommendations are my own.

5 Things Mom Needs For Her Second Baby

  1. A quick fold stroller. When my second child, Stella, was born, my first, Alice,  was only 21 months old. A double stroller was a no-brainer but double strollers are not practical for every situation, especially if you live in an urban area.  When wrangling two little ones, one-hand fold stroller like this one is a lifesaver.
  2. An ergonomic baby carrier. With my first, I was all about ring slings but I always found myself instinctively holding on to the wrap, which didn’t really make for a hands-free experience! With a soft structured carrier like this one from ErgoBaby, my infant felt more secure and I felt more comfortable using my two hands to push the stroller or helping my toddler.  (Early on, I used this to position my infant correctly in the carrier.)
  3. Toys for the big sibling.  Especially when nursing, I needed a quiet, engaging activity to keep Alice occupied. This Magnatab toy has the added benefit of being portable. This chalk book is GENIUS, along with this multipack of chalk that comes with a holder. (Siblings often have to do a lot of waiting, so quiet toys like these are so helpful!)
  4. A swing. My mom jokingly calls this swing a ‘Neglect-O-Matic’ but I don’t know what I would’ve done without it. Apparently, my mom didn’t know either because she surprised me with it, as a gift!  Babies love this swing, and it made it super easy for me to help the older kids with the bathroom or even just to get anything done around the house.
  5. A bag that’s easy to use. I swore by my diaper bag. Because I was using the baby carrier a lot, I didn’t carry a backpack and it was annoying to hoist a shoulder bag. This diaper bag hangs from your stroller without a separate attachment–you just buckle it around the handles. Hanging the bag from the stroller also made it a lot easier to dig around for something I needed.

What were the things you needed the second time around?