Top 14 Baby Must Haves (6-12 Months)

When your little bundle of joy hits six months, there is a massive shift in how they see the world. At this point, they are starting to fancy the idea of solid foods. They are also crawling about and mumbling to themselves, even beginning to get ready for teething.

All of these changes will take place between 6 and 12 months of age, so you need to be prepared with the right essentials to help your tot navigate the world fluidly. In this piece, we are taking a look at a list of baby must-haves to accelerate your child’s growth and make it even more enjoyable.

Bib

Your baby needs essentials to stay clean even as you feed them. Babies are messy feeders, so the right bib will make your work a lot easier. Silicon and cloth are the most common materials for these accessories, and while both have a great and a not so great side, silicon easily edges cloth. Silicon bibs are soft and more easier to clean because nothing sticks on them. As your child moves away from 6 months and close to 12, you will need to find a bib with sleeves. This way, they won’t try to move the piece away from their chest and get food all over their clothes!

What We Liked

• The Bib is super absorbent.
• It’s material is super soft.
• Easy to clean.

What We Didn’t Like

• It’s material is not organic cotton.

Bendable utensils

At some point, your tot wants to feed themselves or grab on to the spoon even as you hold it. This is an exciting environment, but it does get messy down the line. Avoid regular metal spoons and go for bendable spoon and forks. These will allow you to feed the baby at all types of angles and still get the food to their tiny mouths with minimum spillage. It even gets easier when they start trying to feed themselves because whichever way they hold their spoon or fork, food will make its way into their mouths.

What We Liked

• Both the spoons and the forks are smooth and light.
• They are great quality.
• Perfect for babies learning to feed themselves.

What We Didn’t Like

• Easily stains.

Snack holder

Snacks are a massive hit with most babies out there. You want to teach them early on to hold their snacks for themselves, even feed themselves if possible. A great snack catcher avoids spillage and makes sure that the snacks do not stick to the sides and make it hard for the tot to feed. There are a lot choices in the market at the moment. You will find something that works for the needs of your child.

What We Liked

• The container is sturdy.
• Easy to clean.

What We Didn’t Like

• Not so dish washer safe.

High chair

You are always trying to make sure that your child develops independence early on. With a high chair, she gets to sit at the same height as the rest of the family members during meal times and bonding sessions. This is very important in helping her develop socially and in her eating habits. Most patents make the mistake of going for a chair that is too low. As a result, the child doesn’t feel part of the family experience and develops slowly because they are not in sync with everyone else. The right chair should place her eye line above the dining table and help her to sit up straight without assistance.

What We Liked

• Has a removable & washable tray insert.
• Easy to assemble.
• Easy to travel with.

What We Didn’t Like

• Hard to clean the chair.

Baby carrier

Baby carriers are love savers, no doubt about it. They are great when you are trying to comfort your baby and also work wonders if you have to do chores around the home while holding the baby. Most carriers can be adjusted to either allow for the placement of the child at the front or back. Most parents prefer having the child at the front where they can see them and maintain eye contact. That forward position is, however, sometimes tedious, which is why switching back and forth is at times recommended. When looking for a baby carrier, you need to think things through. Some are made for people with big frames, while others work for the average parent. The budget is a consideration as well, with carriers ranging from $20 to $150 in price.

What We Liked

• The carrier is sturdy.
• t’s Lightweight.
• The straps are really comfortable.

What We Didn’t Like

• No neck or head support.

Walker

Walkers should be up there in the list of the items you need for your baby. They help them learn to explore their environment and spend less time on the floor. Some walkers come loaded up with rollers, songs, and piano keys, which makes for a great sense of entertainment. The professionals will tell you that several walkers take off rather fast, so be sure to stay on the lookout first few days.

Health experts warn parents not to use walkers for too long because this might end up hurting the flexibility of their babies and impeding movement.

What We Liked

• Has affordable price.
• Easy to assemble.

What We Didn’t Like

• Poorly designed.

Baby bath seat

At around the 6th-month mark, your baby will get too big for his baby bathtub. At this point, a baby bath seat is an ideal choice. These seats are meant to be placed inside a regular bathtub, with the child fastened inside. This way, you can take a bath with your tot and be safe with the knowledge that they are secure and enjoying the experience. It works even better if you have another child and want the 2 to take baths together. Just keep in mind that these bath seats are not meant to replace the presence of a supervising adult. You can’t leave your child in there alone even for a minute as the units have been known to keel over due to the movements of the child in there.

What We Liked

• Easy to clean.
• Super packable since you can deflate & fold it up.

What We Didn’t Like

• It’s plugs won’t close sometimes.

Portable toy

Babies become very active after their 6th month. Your little one will want to hold on to things in the house and out of it. To keep them engaged and distracted, invest in a portable toy that you could take anywhere you go. They will get used to this, and it will help them from becoming restless or irritable. Find a toy with multiple functionalities. For example, some toys come with songs, sirens, or even more easier games for babies. Since your kid will be carrying the toy everywhere, they go, make that possible by finding a relatively small and regularly shaped piece without sharp geometrical edges.

A good idea would be to go for bendable toys that wot cause any pain or injuries when stepped on.

What We Liked

• The teether is compatible.
• Easy for the infant to hold.

What We Didn’t Like

• Unfortunately, the rubber part of tail peels off.

Teether

Some people will call it a pacifier, dummy, binky, or dodie. Whatever you call it, this little nipple has been used for centuries. Its role is to help to teethe children relax and keep them occupied. That is why it has also been referred to as a comforter. In some instances, a comforter is used to prevent babies from sucking their fingers. There is also a connection o between pacifiers and the decreased prevalence of Sudden Death Syndrome. The right teether needs to have a big handle to eliminate the possibility of choking or swallowing.

Teethers need to be kept very clean at all times. Some parents ensure this by actually dipping the piece in hot water and starting it in a clean, open bowl when not in use.

What We Liked

• The teether is durable
• Easy to grip with his/her little hands.
• Easy to clean.

What We Didn’t Like

• The gel or the fluid inside the teether is harmful for the baby.

Feeding bottles

You are going to leave the house from time to time, and this is where feeding bottles come in. The right bottles are light enough for the baby to hold or place on his chest. However, it is highly recommended that the person feeding the baby hold the bottle themselves and not put it on the child’s person. Good bottles also need to have a soft nipple that feels natural. Your child might not like the first batch of bottles you buy, so don’t go all out; start by buying a couple and see how she reacts to them as babies tend to be selective about their bottles. When you get the hang of what she wants, go out and buy half a dozen.

You can make things even more enjoyable by buying a specific teether toy. There are colorful designs out there that mimic the shapes of animals and even dolls. This way, the teether is more of a toy, therefore highly appealing to your little one!

What We Liked

• Easy to store pre-portioned formula.
• The bottles are durable.
• Easy to wash.

What We Didn’t Like

• The plastic of the medela bottles has a strong odor.

Board book

Some parents out there might think that this is too young an age to introduce books in, but that is not the truth. Board books are made for tiny children. They are profoundly playful and pictorial, which means that kids will notice the images inside them very fast.

A board book makes your child aware of the things around them. Some of these books are all about sight, touch, and feel as opposed to actual reading. It is also a massive opportunity for the parent to nurture a reading culture in their kids from an early age.

You can plan for this early on, even before your child is born. Buy a board book each week of your pregnancy, and you will see a small pile accumulate over time. Another approach would be to allow your friends to come to the baby shower with little board books as opposed to cards.

What We Liked

• The texts are simple to understand.
• The book is short and precise.

What We Didn’t Like

• The quality of the book is poor.

Baby gate

Kids are known to play about quite a bit, and if you afford yours the time, they will crawl into dangerous places within a short amount of time. A baby gate allows you to confine your tot to a safe playing area. For example, you could cordon off the kitchen and the hallway, allowing them to only play in the sitting room.

A baby gate can be used in all manner of scenarios, even though all houses are designed fundamentally differently. When you fashion out a playing area, you create a sense of safety around your child. They are not gigging to hop off to the kitchen and cause damage. Neither will they be able to crawl into random spaces such as under your furniture.

Finally, they can play without supervision, and you will be safe in the knowledge that they are not going to come into any harm.

Keep in mind that baby gates work in pairs almost all the time unless one of the areas you are cordoning off already has some separating barrier, such as a wall or piece of furniture.

What We Liked

• Easy to open and close.
• They are versatile.
• Well constructed.

What We Didn’t Like

• The gate is abit flimsy.

Baby stroller

Whether you are headed to the park or flying between oceans, a baby stroller is a definite must-have. Carrying a baby around is a huge hassle, whether they weight 5 or 15 pounds. It helps to have a unit that allows you to push them along.

The right stroller needs to allow your baby to strap in tight but flexible. It also has to allow for various reclining angles because, at this age, your little one cannot support the weight of their own back.

Make sure the upper end of the stroller provides a roof to shade your child from the sun and allow them to watch all the going on as on your stroll without having to squint or bat away at imaginary rays of light!

If you are the kind of parent that moves about a lot, invest in a stroller that is easy to fold, easy to unfold and transport in the back of the car or even in your luggage. The right stroller is versatile and gives you years and years of use.

What We Liked

• It’s Lightweight.
• Easy to assemble,
• The stroller is versatile.

What We Didn’t Like

• Poor customer support.

Baby car seat

An infant car seat keeps your baby safe and prevents them from being thrown about as you drive. This car seat is attached to the regular car seat and easy to install.

Here, you need to get it right the first time; find a seat that is larger than the baby because infants grow pretty fast. Find something with secure straps, a soft seat, and a sense of convenience without having to compromise on the aesthetics.

What We Liked

• It’s material is high quality.
• Easy to install
• Great for all weather.

What We Didn’t Like

• Hard to fold,

Babies are as exciting as they are demanding to raise. What you want to do is make the experience wholesome for everyone. You can do so by investing in an avalanche of bits and essentials that make things a lot easier. Always keep your budget and the safety of the child in mind.

Buy items that have an excellent safety record and make sure that goes hand in hand with a sense of convenience. Plan well ahead of time and avoid a last-minute shopping spree that might get you all the wrong stuff and guarantee multiple return trips to the store.

What other baby must-haves do you recommend a first-time mom? Leave a comment below to let us know!

Be sure to join the conversation on our Facebook Group to see what other moms around the world are saying about these must-haves for your baby. Check us out on Pinterest or Instagram for more fun content on motherhood. See you there!

Other Posts You Might Like