I can’t believe it, guys. Leo will be 6 months old in less than a week! It really freaks me out how quickly time moves with a baby. I just know I’m gonna wake up one day and Leo will be 18 — but I’m not gonna let myself think that far ahead! So instead, let’s focus on the now: our favorite baby gear that we used from 3-6 months old.
Over the last three months, we’ve seen a LOT of changes in Leo. He’s gone from a quiet, sleepy newborn, to a happy, screeching, bouncing baby who’s on the move.
We still use almost all the products from my 0-3 month must-haves post, but now we’ve added a bunch of new things as Leo gets older and meets milestones. In the last three months, he’s started crawling, sitting on his own, sleeping through the night, and has two teeth — lots of developmental changes requires new baby gear!
Disclosure: Some links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through an make a purchase.
Activity jumper:
The most noticeable difference from 0-3 months to 3-6 months is how much your baby wants to move, kick, roll, and anything else to show off their new muscles. Starting at about 4 months, Leo loved using his jumper. He was no longer happy in his swing or bouncer — he needed to be moving! There are basic jumpers out there, but I think having an activity center with toys, lights, and music is more engaging for babies. Anything to keep him safe and entertained for a few extra minutes while you shower or do some chores.
High chair:
Another huge change is Leo started eating purees at 4 months old. I looked at a lot of different high chairs, read plenty of reviews, but I ended up going with an inexpensive one from Fisher-Price that just straps onto our kitchen chair. And I love it! It worked perfectly for Leo when he still needed a little bit of support while sitting and should work all the way up until he’s out of a highchair completely. We have a pretty small kitchen, so I love how you can still push the dining chair into the table and you don’t have a big high chair taking up space.
Bibs with trays:
Even if your baby is ready for purees at 4-6 months old, they’re going to be pretty bad at keeping it all in their mouth. They’re learning how to use their tongue and swallow, so a lot of food is just going to fall right back out. Getting silicone bibs with the little catcher trays on them keeps your baby mostly clean while learning to eat.
Sleep sacks:
We did the Ferber method when Leo was 3 months old — so with that, we had to retire any sort of swaddle so he could bring his hands to his face to self-soothe. Sleep sacks just keep him warm and cozy since he can’t have a loose blanket yet. We’ve used Halo and Carter’s brand and both work great.
Mesh crib liner:
Since Leo no longer uses a swaddle, there’s been a few times his chunky little legs would get stuck in between the slats of the crib while rolling around. Normal crib bumpers aren’t safe because they’re a suffocation hazard, but mesh liners are totally okay! They create a soft barrier around the crib so no limbs can fit between the slats, but it’s still breathable — which is necessary because Leo likes to sleep with his face smushed up against it all the time.
Foam play mat:
Leo started crawling and sitting independently just before his 6 month birthday, so this 3-6 month period involved lots of falling over, belly flops, and scooting around. He needed a bigger area to practice these moves and I needed it to be as safe as possible. A foam play mat is great to help babies learn to crawl and sit up because it gives them extra little cushion when they do fall over.
Lillebaby carrier:
Remember how I said babies get extra active at this age? Well, he got too squirmy to use our previously loved Baby Ktan. He was constantly pushing away from me or trying to turn around to see what was going on, which isn’t safe for that type of wrap carrier — and just defeated the purpose because I had to support him with one arm anyway. So we needed a “sturdier” babywearing option that he couldn’t wiggle or lean out of. The Lillebaby is SO comfy for both of us and I feel like he’s much more secure now. I also love that I can easily wear him facing outward and he can watch everything I’m doing from a new perspective.
Teething toys:
There are so many teething toys out there, and each baby has their own preferences, so it’s a good idea to try a variety of textures, weights, and materials to see what your baby likes. Leo had been teething since 3 months and got his first two teeth at 5 months. He likes anything silicone, but his favorites were this Comotomo ring, Mombella mushroom, and Nuby keys.
Other toys:
Of course, now any toy will be popular with a 3-6-month-old baby. Anything that rattles, squeaks, crinkles, or sings will keep your baby’s attention. At first, I was really adamant about no battery-operated toys, but then I quickly let up on that rule because I saw how much he enjoyed them. I still prefer “baby-operated” toys like his piano or little toy cars, but sometimes an annoying singing bird is exactly what he wants.
Board books:
Books are one of my favorite things to buy for Leo, even if he can’t understand the stories. Most nights before bed I’ll take him to his bookshelf and let him reach for a book and I’ll read it to him while he’s in my lap. And while I’m reading, he’s completely engaged, looking at the pictures and helping me turn the pages. My absolute favorites are Giraffes Can’t Dance, Little Blue Truck, and Mama Loves You So. He’ll also flip through the Rodger Priddy First 100 books by himself.
Cooler pouch:
I went back to work when Leo was 3.5 months old, so I needed a good way to travel with the expressed milk I pumped while at the office. I immediately transfer milk into bags (rather than those bottles pumps come with) because they take up much less space. So I found this ice pack bag that is the PERFECT size for 3-4 bags of milk. Just throw it in the freezer at night, then the next morning I bring it with me to work. I have a mini-fridge in my office, but I’m sure it would stay cold all day even if you didn’t have access to a fridge because the sides of the pouch are filled with ice pack gel.
Hopefully this is helpful for all the mamas out there who’ve got babies in the 3-6 month age range or babies that will soon be there. I always say this, but this isn’t everything you’ll need for your baby, but it should give you some good ideas on products that are mama-approved.
I try to be as helpful and honest as possible on these sorts of posts because there are SO MANY products out there that claim they’re “necessary for a healthy, happy baby,” but that’s just bullshit — sorry. I’d never want to be tricked into buying frivolous baby gear, and I wouldn’t do that to anyone else.
Sometimes I get caught up in the “Instagram-worthy mindset” and forget that a highchair doesn’t have to be $500 and babies don’t need all organic cotton clothes or wooden, Montessori toys. As much as I sometimes wish that were my reality, it’s just not. And no mom should be made to feel lesser because it isn’t her reality either.
I’ll get off my soapbox — but I just want all mamas to realize that they’re killin’ it, no matter what choices they make for their babes.
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