Thank you Ju-Ju-Be and Bebe Au Lait
for providing us with products to review, free of charge.
These are our own honest opinions. 

New moms and mothers-to-be, this post is for you! Of course, more experienced moms are more than welcome to join in and comment on what they think are ‘mommy-sentials’ – those things moms can’t live without!

As a mother of 2, I’ve been told even since my first pregnancy that I’d need this or that. I was always very cautious with my choices because I strongly believe it’s easy to overspend on things we don’t really use when baby is there. Now that I have a toddler and a baby, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on what is really important and I’d like to share 3 of my favorite mommy-sentials with you.

First and foremost, you’re going to need a bag. What didn’t I say diaper bag? Because even though regular diaper bags are great, it seems more logical to me to get a versatile bag that doesn’t scream baby and that can be used for years. You know me, if I’m going to spend that much money on a bag, it better not end up in a closet after 2 years. Some diaper bags are actually designed with this flexibility in mind. My current ‘diaper’ bag is a beautiful BFF from Ju-Ju-Be. (Don’t you just love the new Mystic Mani print?) Ju-Ju-Be has been around for a long time and their products totally hold up to their reputation. Their bags are made to last and are packed with great functional features and details.

For example, there’s a Mommy Pocket up front with compartments for keys, cell phone, sunglasses, etc. The main compartment zipper goes all the way from a bottom corner to the next. This means that you can see all the way down the bottom of your bag and find that elusive squeaky toy in seconds! They also thought about choosing a light color for the linings which really helps. The BFF bag can either be worn as a backback or over one shoulder. I’m personally a huge fan of backpacks especially if I have to carry the bag for a while. It’s much more comfortable! Another neat feature is that the fabric has been treated with Teflon Fabric Protector so stains don’t stick. Not only that, there’s also an AgION Antimicrobial film on the linings which kills germs, mold, bacteria and all the other nasty stuff you don’t want in your bag. I could go on and on and on about this bag because it has many more great features but suffice to say based on my experience, the BBF will definitely become your BFF!

This bag is the perfect size for daily outings with a young baby when you needs lots of diapers, blanket, etc. but I also found it will be perfect as a daycare bag when both my daugthers will attend. (My youngest will start in just a few weeks! Yikes!) There’s definitely enough room for a change of clothes for both, diapers for my youngest, sunscreen, indoor shoes, and hats. It will be easy to pack and keep everything organized.

I love that Ju-Ju-Be offers so many different bags and tons of great prints too! In fact, my second favorite mommy-sentials is another Ju-Ju-Be bag: the Be Quick (the print I chose is the Syrah Syrah).

It’s a clutch or diaper pouch that you can either use on it’s own or place inside your BFF bag to maximize your organization. I personally opted for the former and have decided to fill it with a thin changing pad and a few diapers. I leave it in the car for those times when a 10-minute errand turns into a 2-hour one so I’m always prepared if I need to change baby. It’s also great for… ahem… dads, who may or may not have a tenancy to leave the house without the diaper bag. 😉

The last mommy-sentials is a nursing cover. If you’re going to nurse in public and want a little privacy, this is what you need. I’ve had a few different nursing covers. Two of them are from Bebe Au Lait which in my opinion makes some of the most stylish and practical nursing covers (here is my Bebe Au Lait Nursing Cover review of their cotton nursing cover). For example, their cotton ones have two internal terry cloth pockets for cleanups and storage. I can’t tell you how many times this came in handy to easily clean up spit ups. Throughout the summer though, I found it was more difficult for my daughter to latch under the nursing cover. Even though the Rigiflex neckline is great for ventilation, I could tell my daughter was getting fussy because it was too hot under the nursing cover.

Luckily, Bebe Au Lait had the perfect solution: a muslin nursing cover! We all know how soft and breathable muslin blankets are. Turns out this fabric is also wonderful for a lightweight, breathable nursing cover. They used the same rigid neckline as their cotton nursing covers but made them a few inches longer (it’s still lighter than the cotton ones). They offer 3 great prints at the moment and my favorite was definitely the Palazzo with its pop of orange. The light color and thin muslin is perfect for nursing outdoors but I like it so much I use it anywhere. If you don’t own a nursing cover yet, I strongly recommend looking at Bebe Au Lait’s muslin ones. They won’t disappoint you!

Tell me! What are, in your opinion, some mommy-sentials every mother-to-be should get?

Rachel