9 Baby Products New Parents Say “Saved Their Sanity”

Whether you’re planning on exclusively formula feeding or doing a combination of formula and breast milk, having a gadget that makes the bottles for you “saves time, sanity and thinking energy,” one Babylist parent said in our survey. The Formula Pro from Baby Brezza measures, mixes, heats and dispenses baby formula into a bottle with just the push of a button—all you have to do is fill the formula and water reservoirs and keep the machine clean.

It can prepare up to 160 ounces on one tank, so you’ll only need to refill it once or twice a week. That large capacity is also great if you’ve got multiple mouths to feed, like one parent of twins who wrote to us: “With twins, this machine has saved our sanity. Makes bottles within seconds, no heating or shaking necessary!”

One thing to keep in mind is that the Formula Pro does require regular cleaning (especially the funnel, where formula powder can get caked up and potentially mess up measurements), but compared to all the time and energy you’ll save not having to prep individual bottles, it’s worth it.

Making bottles isn’t the only thing that takes time and energy—you have to wash them, too. Some experts recommend handwashing your baby bottles (especially if they’re plastic bottles), but sometimes you just really need a gadget to step in and take the load off your shoulders. That’s where a bottle washer comes in.

“There is nothing I hate more than constantly hand washing bottles and pump parts,” one parent told us in their survey response. “[The Baby Brezza Bottle Washer] has saved me SO much time, energy and sanity to just be able to throw them in the washer and have them come out clean, sterilized and dried.” That’s right, it not only makes sure all the milk or formula is washed out of your baby’s bottles, it also sterilizes and dries them, too. That’s three different chores that are fully taken care of.

Babylist parents also recommended the bottle washer from Momcozy for the exact same reasons. It’ll keep your entire feeding routine efficient, especially if you have lots of small bottle and breast pump parts to clean, as one parent told us: “It’s saved our hands and our sanity since I’ve become an exclusive pumper!”

A bottle washer can save more than just your sanity—Alainna, mom of two, said it helped her and her husband resolve a major point of contention. “The Momcozy KleanPal Pro instantly restored my marriage to a happy union,” she says, since it acted as a compromise between her and her husband’s preferred bottle cleaning methods.

If you’re nursing or pumping, you’ll probably find out pretty quickly that leakage is a thing, and letdown can be tough to control—especially on the opposite side from where baby is nursing. Rather than accidentally letting milk soak into your nursing bra, a manual breast pump like the Haakaa can quickly catch any leaks without wasting a single drop—and you can collect enough to add to your freezer stash, too. Because as one parent said in our survey, “you DO cry over spilled milk.” And wasted breast milk can be enough to drive you crazy.

Parents also appreciate the Haakaa for relieving fullness if baby isn’t hungry or you just don’t feel like hooking yourself up to your main breast pump. Just a few quick squeezes and you’re all set for a little while longer. “Saved some sanity by not having to pump AS much,” one Babylist parent wrote.

Having the right baby sleep products can help keep stressful nights to a minimum and ensure both you and baby get adequate sleep. And the earlier you have these products, the better, as one parent said in our survey. “We suffered two months of no sleep before finally getting [a Snoo] and [baby] slept five hours in a row on the first night. It made her less fussy since she was getting better sleep and saved my sanity.”

The Snoo is definitely a splurge, but it comes packed with science-backed features like automatic rocking and white noise, plus a snug swaddle to keep baby feeling safe and cozy in a womb-like environment. If the Snoo’s price feels steep, it’s also available to rent for a few months instead of buying it.

You can add a Snoo to your Babylist registry as a group gift (so multiple people can pitch in for the full cost), or you can add the rental option. Either way, you’ll be one step closer to more restful nights.

Speaking of sleep, babies tend to sleep better with a low hum of white noise to soothe them. If you’ve got external factors making things noisy and you’re worried it’ll keep your baby awake, it’s time to add a sound machine to your registry.

The Hatch Rest is a particular favorite among Babylist parents, since it’s got a wide range of volume control and 11 gentle sounds. “We have noisy neighbors and it’s majorly helped keep our sanity by blocking out the noise and helping us and baby sleep,” one survey respondent said. You can even set bedtime routines based on baby’s sleep needs with the extra Hatch+ subscription.

And once baby is a little older, it doubles as a time-to-rise clock (which will save your sanity even further during the hectic toddler years).

And while you’re at it, add a portable sound machine to your registry too. While full-sized sound machines are great for your home, a smaller, travel-sized one can help keep you sane while on the go. “This sound machine has saved my husband and [my] sanity so many times!” one parent told us in our survey, mentioning that it’s great “on long car trips to see grandparents” as well as just for your regular out-and-about routine.

Another benefit to portable sound machines: they easily move from room to room, a feature that’ll come in handy when it’s time to transfer your baby from one sleep spot to another. “The fan sound is what we had in our room when [baby] was a newborn. Switching him to his own room went flawlessly since he was hearing the same white noise,” one parent explained in their survey response.

Sometimes babies are just restless and fussy, and the only thing they want is to be close to you. But you’ve got things to do (all that tiny laundry won’t clean itself), which is why parents who’ve been there say a baby carrier will come in clutch. One Babylist parent wrote in our survey that their carrier “saved our sanity in the throes of the newborn fog. It was the only way to calm [baby] during the Witching Hour. It was the only way I got anything done. So thankful for that thing.”

Whether you choose a structured carrier like the Ergobaby Omni Breeze (one of our top-rated baby carriers) or a wrap carrier like the one from Solly Baby, it’ll keep your baby tucked in close to you (their favorite place) while your arms stay totally free so you can go about your day.

A stroller is usually thought of as a must-have for any baby registry, but if you’re debating whether or not a jogging stroller is worth it, one Babylist parent said it “saved our sanity…helping me get back in shape and helping my husband when he’s overstimulated and needs to put a tiny human down.”

It’s a smooth, agile ride for runners looking to streamline their workout with baby in tow, not to mention the sanity-saving feature of just getting baby (and yourself) out of the house. It’s a comfy ride for baby with the near-flat seat recline too, making it a great spot for fussy babies to chill out.