When we find products and resources we love, we want to shout it from the rooftops. Below is a list of products moms swear by and have used (a.k.a. mom-approved)

WORK/Life // PREGNANCY + BIRTH // NEWBORNS // toddlers // KIDS + TRAVEL // SELF CARE // responsible consumer

• These key items may help you feel more confident returning to work post-baby:

  • Longchamp bag (easy to wash and you can wipe it out)

  • Rothy’s shoes (best work flats ever, stylish, machine washable, and made from recycled water bottles)

  • Loose, long top and boyfriend cardigan (conceals tummy and back side, IF you want to)

  • Fitted/skinny stretch pants (Boden is sooo good for pants, though they could offer more sizes)

  • A colorful statement necklace

  • Capsule wardrobe anyone? Also check out Trunk Club and Stitch Fix to explore new looks for your beautiful post-baby bod.

• Universal Thread and Torrid jeans

• A good to-go coffee mug (favorite: HydroFlask)

• Cell phone holder with credit card holder (favorite: Mujjo) - simplify!

• Wireless headphones (favorite: Beats X) - amazing for falling asleep at night, listening to an audiobook or walking around the office

• Checklist taped to the front door of what you need to bring for you and baby (for the first few months at least!)

• Garment steamer (favorite: PurSteam because who has time for ironing or picking up dry cleaning?)

• A big washing machine and dryer (favorite: LG top loader washer)

• A small, collapsable garbage can for your car/commute (if you drive)

• An affordable, reliable cleaning service. Even once a month helps SO much. A good place to start is on Nextdoor.

• Everything Mrs. Meyers (household cleaning products)

• Post c-section undies from Motherhood Maternity

• Earth Mama Organic Skin & Scar Salve

• Lidocaine patches for post c-section healing (ask the hospital for these)

• Belly binder for post C-section healing

• Postpartum disposable undies

• Robe

Essentials

• Good NEW carseats (favorite: Chicco KeyFit 30 for infants)

• Toddlers: Graco 4Ever for happily ever after, also good for big kids). Note: The Car Seat Lady is a great place to start. Also check out the Target carseat swaps too.

• Comfortable rocker/glider (recommend Posh Baby - great selection, good price point)

• Solid stroller (favorites: City Mini and Uppa Baby G-Lite-for travel)

• Traveling diaper changing pad (favorite: Skip Hop)

• Graco Pack N’ Play

• Frida Baby Nose Frida (snot sucker FTW!)

• Baby carrier (favorites: Solly Baby and Ergo Baby 360)

• Bathtime knealing pad (favorite: Millard Bath Knealer)

• Mustela bath products (they smell so good)

• Diaper wipes holder (favorite: OXO)

• Huggies diapers and wipes (favorite: One and Done Cucumber Wipes)

• Motherhood Maternity nursing tank top

• High chair (favorite: IKEA)

Sleep

• Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit (omg omg omg best invention ever)

• Wubbanub pacifiers

• White noise machine (favorite: Dohm)

• A good swaddle and sleep sack (favorites: Halo swaddles and sleep sacks, Miracle Blanket, Zipadee-Zip and SwaddleMe)

Feeding

• Dr. Brown’s formula pitcher mixer

• Breastfeeding pillow (favorites: Boppy and My Breast Friend)

• Bottles (favorites: Avent all sizes and Comotomo)

• Bottle drying rack (favorite: Boon)

• Bottle scrubber (favorite: OXO)

• Breast pump (favorites: Spectra S1 hospital grade pump, Medela Freestyle and Medela Pump in Style Advanced)

Feeding

• Toddler cups (favorites: Munchkin 360 cups, Boon silicone sippy cup lids, Housavvy smoothie cups with silicone straw)

• Bibs (favorites: OXO, Baby Bjorn and Tommee Tippee)

• Plates + utensils (favorites: Silicone plate by ezpz, Re-Play everything, Gerber utensils)

• Booster seat for dining (favorites: Fisher-Price and Prince Lionheart portable soft booster seat)

Potty Training/Sleep

• Potty training seat (favorite: BabyBjorn and/or a convertible toilet seat)

• Daniel Goes to the Potty (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood book)

• Elmo’s Potty Time (video) and Elmo’s P is for Potty (book)

• Bathroom stool (favorite: Tundras)

• Mirari OK to Wake! alarm to help keep those pesky toddlers in their beds

Activities

• Kitchen Helper (favorite: Guidecraft)

• Mega Blocks

• MagnaTiles

Clothing

Buy used whenever possible! And if you have to buy new, these are good brands to stick to because you can consign/resell them easier.

• Melissa & Doug (for kids toys)

• Tea Collection

• Hannah Andersson

• Gap Kids

• H&M Kids

• Mini Boden

• See Kai Run (shoes)

• Gabri Isle (curated European clothing, hi Sevey!)

• Evenflo Tribute 5 DLX Convertible Car Seat (light, great for travel) + luggage cart for carseat

• Travel potty training seat (favorite: Gimars)

• Lotus travel crib

• Dry shampoo (favorite: Acure Organic Dry Shampoo)

• PHLUR perfumes (favorite scent: Sandara, and bonus: products exclude toxic ingredients like parabens, phthalates and BHT)

• Wet Brush Pro and small Wet Brush brush for kids (slides right through curly and thick hair when wet)

• BB and CC Cream (favorite: L’Oreal)

• Anti-aging serums (favorites: Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum and The Ordinary Retinol)

• Gummy multivitamins (favorite: MG - your kids will make you sick, literally and figuratively)

• CLCo. Tobac Ebonywood candle

• Amazon Prime is a mom’s best friend. But use it wisely: limit deliveries to a certain day of the week, avoid rush shipping if not necessary, and use Amazon Prime Now when possible. It’s better for the environment! Also try to buy used/refurbished on Amazon, if possible. For more info, watch this fascinating video from VOX.

• Lucie’s List and The Wirecutter are good places to find reviews and product recommendations.

• Buy clothes on consignment. There are so many great options for finding gently used, consigned and discounted clothing, thanks to Poshmark, ThredUp and consignment stores. It’s better for the environment and it can be better for your budget. Also, kids grow SO fast. Even better if you can find a “supplier” - hand-me-downs are great!

• Know before you buy. If being a socially and environmentally responsible consumer is important to you, here are some great resources:

  • Environmental Working Group for checking ingredients and their environmental/health impact.

  • Cochrane systematic reviews synthesize existing research on myriad topics like breastfeeding, spanking, etc. Evidence-based decisions rock.

  • Certified B Corp companies (like Patagonia and Athleta) are brands you can feel good about.

  • CSRHub rates companies based on their social and environmental impact.

  • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) status helps us make good investment decisions and otherwise.

• Buy Nothing Facebook groups are a great way to find used free kids stuff.

Note: The Mom Collective may receive a referral bonus for some product recommendations.