Anyone who has been on the road to motherhood has encountered tons of advice—some solicited, and some less so—on the approximately one million "must have" items she must acquire before baby arrives. Don't get us wrong, we loved receiving those spreadsheets from friends, but sometimes you're left thinking: "What items on this endless list will I truly find useful?". In the spirit of answering that question, we asked five moms to weigh in on the single most helpful item that got them through those first six months with their little one:
1. Dock-A-Tot
"The one thing that made those early months so much easier, and so much sweeter, was the Dockatot. It allowed us to keep our daughter Rosie safely snuggled nearby at all times. Ours was white, but they’ve just released a very chic collaboration with Morris & Co - a newborn nonnegotiable for Baby #2."
—Alexandra Willkie Pasanen, Fashion Partnerships at Maisonette
2. Hatch Baby Rest Sound Machine
"This Hatch sound machine has been a life saver, and helps keep my daughter sound asleep even when the house is full of commotion. My husband and I especially love the sound of rain option - we may have to steal it from her one day!"
—Giovanna Campagna, Beauty Entrepreneur
3. Electric Baby Nail Trimmer
"Nobody warns you how often you’ll find yourself trimming their tiny fingernails, which can unfortunately turn into talons in the blink of an eye. This nail file is foolproof."
—Julia Arnhold, Director of Women's at Jack Erwin
4. Baby Bjorn Bouncer
"The baby bjorn bouncer - that thing was basically my babysitter when I needed to get work done and had no one home to help me."
—Ariel Okin , Founder of Ariel Okin Interiors
5. Nanit Plus Baby Monitor
"I don't think I could have lived without the Nanit monitor. It helped me keep track of my son, Wyatt’s sleep schedules when my brain was too tired to function in the early postpartum days. It also gave and continues to give me comfort that I can see and check in on him when I go out to dinner and he stays home with the grandparents!
—Ashley Abbott Wilson, Ashley Abbott Events
