13 Products to Help You Feel Less Anxious as a New Parent

There are few things more stress-inducing as a new parent than trying to figure out if your baby is gaining weight properly and eating enough to grow and thrive. This innovative product takes something you’ll need anyway—a changing pad—and adds a built-in wireless scale, making it easy to seamlessly track your little one’s weight gain via a free app that pairs to your phone. (You’ll also be able to track feedings, diaper changes and length of sleep.)

The scale is a bit of an investment, but the peace of mind it can provide is priceless, especially during those early months or if you’re a breastfeeding parent and can’t measure your little one’s milk intake. You’ll use the wipeable changing pad well into the toddler years, another reason we don’t mind the higher price point.

A sick or fussy baby is a surefire way to send those new parent anxieties skyrocketing. This collection of unique tools solves for tons of common newborn problems and can help you manage your nerves when your baby starts acting out of sorts.

The bundle includes a nasal aspirator, a tool to relieve gas, an easy-to-use nail clipper (because few things are as stressful as cutting teeny, tiny nails) and a peri bottle to provide some relief if you’ve had a vaginal delivery. You may also want to check out FridaBaby’s Sick Day Prep Kit to help you feel more prepared to deal with baby’s first sickness.

And speaking of fussy babies…no one wants to think about their little one’s first cold, but it’s bound to happen. Having a thermometer on hand can help you feel a little more prepared (and a little less nervous) when you encounter baby’s first sickness.

We love the Kinsa for a few reasons, namely because it can be used rectally (the recommended method for checking babies’ temps), orally and under the arm, gives a reading in eight seconds and links right to an app on your phone.

Anxious parent confession: we’ve lost count of how many times we’ve snuck into our baby’s room after bedtime to make sure they’re breathing. The Nanit Complete utilizes innovative, user-friendly tech to solve for this common new parent anxiety and help everyone sleep a little bit easier.

This bundle is a traditional monitor and a breathing motion detector rolled into one. (It also does lots of other cool stuff like track sleep metrics.) The video output is crystal clear, even at night, and the wearable motion detector band has a black and white pattern that’s picked up by the camera to monitor your little one’s breathing and alert you if something seems off.

And while we’re on the topic of worrying about your baby while they sleep, this crib mattress that’s made from 90% free air is the ultimate in reassurance if you’re worried about your baby’s breathing during naps or throughout the night.

The core of the non-toxic Newton is made from a patented Wovenaire technology that’s 90% air and 10% food-grade polymer—so your baby can literally breathe right through it. It’s been shown to reduce the risk of suffocation and CO2 rebreathing and doesn’t contain any foam, adhesives, springs or glue. It’s even recyclable.

Too warm, too cold or just right? Figuring out the right temp for your baby’s bath water is a bit of a head-scratcher for most new parents—but this cute little duck holds the answer. If the water’s too warm, the word “hot” becomes visible in white letters across the duck’s bottom. It’s a simple, ultra-affordable toy that provides a ton of reassurance.

While some parents find that monitoring their baby’s every move makes them more anxious, many find that keeping tabs on their little one’s sleep, feeding schedule and diaper changes can actually help them feel more in control and less anxious. If you think you’re going to fall in the latter group, then a baby tracking app is something you should check out.

Baby Connect makes it easy (and actually sort of fun) to track anything and everything you’d like to for your new addition. You can add several authorized users to each account—think grandparents, sitters or daycare staff—and entries are immediately and automatically synced. The app is extremely user-friendly and makes the information easy to view and digest.

It’s easy to find yourself in a stressful situation when it comes to a new baby and a bottle. It’s not uncommon for babies to be pretty particular about what brand of bottle they prefer—and they have no problem showing you just how unhappy they are!

Save yourself some stress and grab a bottle box from the get-go instead of committing to one particular brand. You’ll be able to try some of the most popular ones before you spring for a full set. And if you prefer glass over plastic or silicone, there’s a box for you, too: Babylist’s Glass Bottle Box.

The fourth trimester—those first few months after your baby is born—can be a tough time for babies and parents. Infants love lots of skin-to-skin time, rocking and movement during these months, and it can be stressful (and tiring!) to keep up with it. A wrap can help.

The Solly is one of our favorite wraps, especially for the first few months. It’s easy to get the hang of and really comfy for both you and your baby. It lets you keep little one close and frees up your hands for when you want to soothe your baby but also get other things done.

There are a lot of things you’ll get as a new parent, but sleep is unfortunately not one of them. Lack of sleep can raise your stress and anxiety levels, which is why we’re all for anything that helps babies get even a little extra rest.

This bassinet uses a built-in microphone to listen for your baby’s cry and then responds with various movement settings to help soothe your infant back to sleep. It also features white noise, vibration settings and music. The mesh sides provide breathability and visibility, and the mattress cover is washable in case of a mess.

If you’re formula-feeding your baby, a blending pitcher can help make the process faster and easier and help you to feel less stressed out every time you need to make a bottle.

This one from Baby Brezza is motorized, which may sound a little strange but is actually a really smart addition. The mixing wand blends up to a day’s worth of formula in a touch of a button and doesn’t leave behind any air bubbles or clumping. It also features a spill-free lid (phew) and easily stores right in your fridge.

We don’t think a sterilizer is a must-have for most parents. But if you’re extra concerned about germs or if you’re parenting a preemie or immunocompromised baby, it can definitely help to ease your anxiety and make cleaning bottles, pacifiers, toys and other items quick and easy. We love this one from Philips Avent because it’s easy to use (it pops right into your microwave) and can hold a good amount of baby stuff.

Did you ever imagine that going to the grocery store could be stressful? As a new parent, trying to figure out what to do with your baby when you’re shopping can be more anxiety-producing than it sounds. (Does the car seat go in the cart? Where do I put the groceries? Do I wear the baby?)

This hammock easily clips right on to most shopping carts and provides a safe, secure spot for baby to lounge. It hangs elevated so it leaves plenty of room for groceries or other items beneath it. When your baby is older, you can switch to this Shopping Cart and Restaurant High Chair Cover from Boppy.