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I am Future You telling Present You ... if you think you don’t need the snot sucker and the magic “poop chair,” think again.

As a Senior Shopping Writer at BuzzFeed, I specialize in a broad range of topics, including beauty, cleaning, fashion, personal care, home, fitness, and my beloved “TikTok made me buy it.” My work has been featured across lifestyle and writing publications during my ten years in the digital media space, including Bustle, HuffPost, HelloGiggles, and The Washington Post.

Promising review: "IT’S MY GO-TO ITEM! 🙌 Just spray it on, wash it, and the stain is gone! I especially love it for kimchi stains, which are usually SO difficult to remove. This stuff gets them out completely. Seriously, a lifesaver and a must-have! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️" —Kacey

Get it from Amazon for $7.97+ (available in seven sizes). 

Promising review: "The Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother has been an absolute lifesaver in our house! My baby absolutely loves it — we jokingly call it his 'TV' because it instantly grabs his attention and calms him down. I honestly use it every single day, and I’m already thinking about buying a second one because it’s been that helpful. The songs are clever, soothing, and calming without becoming repetitive, and the little sea animals are adorable and move so smoothly. The light is just right — not too bright — making it perfect for naps and bedtime. The battery life has also been excellent, and the crib attachment keeps it securely in place. Overall, this has been one of the best baby purchases we’ve made. It has brought so much comfort to our little one and made our lives easier. I truly couldn’t imagine parenting without it, and I highly recommend it to any new parent!" —Kelly K. 

(I did not get my son one of these because I wasn't really on TikTok when I was pregnant and apparently missed this cult entirely, but for what it's worth, my son really loved this mirror my mom installed in his crib — he'd stare at Mirror Baby and talk to him until he went to sleep!) 

Get it from Amazon for $34.92 (available in four styles). 

Promising review: "I wish I had bought this device months ago! It would have saved a lot of tearful wrestling matches with our sick baby. I popped it in our 1-year-old’s mouth today, and she immediately sucked and gnawed on it while I gave her the full 3.75 mL dose of her medicine in three quick squirts (with brief pauses in between so she could contentedly play with it). No tears or fighting; no vomiting up the medicine immediately afterward. This thing is gold! An absolute staple in our baby medical kit now. The syringe that comes with it is also fantastic — it has clearly labeled measurements for both ibuprofen and acetaminophen dosages, which was a thoughtful detail." —BVS Family

A lot of families use this as an instant sleep space for long days at the beach or at outdoor family events, too! 

Promising review: "​I bought the Guava Family Travel Crib for my granddaughter, and it has been an absolute game changer. Setting it up is incredibly quick and easy, which is a lifesaver when you have a tired toddler ready for bed. ​The lightweight backpack design makes it effortless to transport. It is compact, comfortable, and feels very sturdy and safe. My granddaughter sleeps wonderfully in it, and the side-zipper door is a fantastic feature for easy access. If you are a grandparent looking for a high-quality, portable crib for visits or travel, this is worth every penny!" —Timothy R. Mayberry 

NOTE: Babies shouldn't sleep with these on! 

Promising review: "My daughter absolutely NEEDS this! We just sized up from 0m+, and she’s six months now. The velcro and flexibility of these belts are definitely worth the money; they last forever! Super flexible, she can still move around. It smells so good, no leakage from the heat pad, and 100% pain relief for her!" —Melissa Jett

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three styles and two sizes).  

Promising review: "This has been such a good find for my baby! Whenever my baby gets really gassy and uncomfortable, I use the Frida Baby Windi, and it helps a lot. The relief is usually very quick, and my baby seems much more comfortable afterward. I also like that it’s made with natural and safe materials, which gives me peace of mind as a parent. It’s easy to use once you get familiar with it, and it has honestly been very helpful during those difficult, fussy moments caused by gas. Every parent knows how hard it is to see their baby uncomfortable, so having something that actually works makes a huge difference. Definitely recommend for parents dealing with gassy babies!" —Natalia

Get a set of 10 from Amazon for $12.74. 

Promising review: "This spray is great! I wanted something to use after poopy diapers if I wasn’t able to get my little guy right into a bath. This is perfect. It has a natural, nice scent, and it’s not drying at all on his skin. I actually feel like it’s helped to prevent diaper rashes. I also love that I can use this all over his body, too. I used it on his newborn 'acne,' and it definitely helped that. The price is great too. This will last me a LONG time. Definitely recommend to any parent with a baby!" —Michelle H. 

PSSSSST — this is especially a must-have for GRANDPARENTS who want to easily scoop their littlest buddies! 

Promising review: "I will forever be a Tushbaby advocate! Every new mom gets this recommendation 100%! I keep this in the car for those times when a stroller feels a bit overkill or in the way. It also has a huge pocket to put a diaper and a small pack of wipes, and even a toy or two. There’s a bottle holder and a small pocket for credit cards/ cash or whatever you need it for. This thing saves my arms and my back, and I swear by it. My son likes that he can stay close to mom and seems to find it comfortable as well." —Alyssa

"This has been a game changer for me! I can now hold my grandbaby without any pain or effort, and I can do it in several positions! I love this product, it is very sturdy and easy to use, I can pack it anywhere, and it has plenty of storage space. I got the black one with the gold zipper detail, which gives it a very nice look. It's also easy to put on and wear, and very comfortable." —Sherry H. 

Get it from Amazon for $68+ (available in five styles). 

My son's hands were in "mitten jail" for like the first two or three months of his life because, like all babies, he was born with TALONS, and like all babies, he yearned to scratch his perfect little face with them. His hands were so teensy weensy that the idea of getting near them with a clipper made me way too nervous. I loved this nail file for quietly and easily trimming them down without worrying about hurting him! He never noticed or cared, and I had peace of mind. I use a small nail clipper now that he's older just to save time, but I still use this to round the edges of his nails, since they can be sneakily sharp even after cutting. 

Check a TikTok of the Baby Shusher in action. 

I thought this was a scam and a half when my mom suggested it to me — what is a machine going "shhhh" going to do that I can't?? — but oh, what a fool I was. This gizmo came into my home and is officially my co-parent now. My little guy was a super reflux-y, bad sleeper who was up literally every hour at night for the first three months, and it was hard to transfer him back into his bassinet. Once this little thing was introduced, it started calming him right away. There were nighttime wake-ups where I could literally just turn this on before he fully opened his eyes, and he'd let out a little sigh and go back to sleep. Absolute witchcraft. For me, it was a very handy tool for figuring out whether he was just having trouble connecting a sleep cycle and wanted to go back to sleep, or if he was genuinely hungry for a bottle (at which point the Baby Shusher wouldn't work, and I'd get up to feed him). 

Pro-tip: this goes out of stock a LOT, and usually takes a week or so to ship. If you know someone who is expecting and you want to get them something genuinely useful, order this for them before the baby is born! 

Promising review: "This bouncer is amazing. Not only does it work perfectly for the reason we bought it (to allow the baby to sit up, hang out with us, and use the mobile), but it also serves another much-appreciated purpose. We lovingly refer to this bouncer as the 'poop chair.' Within 20 minutes of being in this bouncer, a poop is guaranteed! With a baby that has stomach and gas issues, this helps so much. When she gets too fussy or shows signs of gas, we pop her in the chair and wait. Great buy if you want a multi-purpose tool for a tummy issue baby." —Rebecca

This was purchased with innocent intentions! I just wanted a safe place to put the baby for a few minutes whenever I did something I couldn't wear the baby during! But wowwwww, did this hack work long before I realized it was a well-known hack. My son is still under the 20-pound weight limit at eight months, so you better BELIEVE I'm using this several times a week for desired results. 

Promising review: "My 10-month-old has struggled so much with sleep, it’s actually ridiculous! From gas to reflux to CMPA, we’ve done it all! When I realized she has a sensitive temperament and responds well to the heartbeat/touch, I thought I would give this product a shot! She absolutely LOVES it!! I have it on the breathing and heartbeat, and she sleeps so much calmer! I used to HATE naps/bedtime, but now I feel much better knowing she feels comfortable with this stuffy! So thankful for this!" —Alyssa Walker 

Get it from Amazon for $35.15 (available in otter or bunny versions). 

I bought this because everybody on the internet told me to, and boy, am I grateful I joined that bandwagon. My kiddo started daycare at four months when I finished leave, and he got like three colds in a row, and basically produced snot like it was his job. It was hard for him to drink his bottles with his nose stuffed, so I'd have to bring this puppy out a few times a day. He'd get mad when he saw it, but once I started playing the music in it he'd go into a little baby trance and let me suck his snot out. It was SOOOO effective and deeply satisfying to see all that gross goop get evicted from him, and he was so much more comfortable after I used this! Just a heads up — sometimes it helps to loosen the snot with some baby saline, wait a minute or so, and THEN suck out the boogies! 

I didn't get this version, but I had one like it, and I am SO glad I did. Sometimes dry boogers get so deeply rooted up their little nostrils that you genuinely have to excavate, and tools like these make it super easy! 

Promising review: "High quality, easy to use product. Makes cleaning my baby’s nose and ears so much easier. I also really enjoy the feel of the material used. It doesn’t feel like cheap plastic." —Bonnie A. 

Get it from Amazon for $9.98 (available in three styles). 

Promising review: "I wish I had this product with my first baby! We purchased it for our second baby and, at first, we weren't sure if it would be worth the price. Now, I honestly don't know how we lived without it! We have a two-story home, so this has been especially helpful during those middle-of-the-night feedings. We can warm a bottle upstairs without going downstairs to the kitchen, which is a huge convenience when you're already exhausted and trying to keep a sleepy baby settled. It's incredibly easy to use, warms milk to your desired temperature. We also never leave the house without it because it's so useful when we're out and about. It has quickly become one of those baby products that we use constantly and genuinely recommend to other parents. If you're on the fence because of the price, I can honestly say that for us, it has been well worth the investment!" —LoCo

Get it from Amazon for $79.99 (available in two colors). 

Promising review: "I’ve purchased this mat in 10 different combinations and colors, I love her. So inexpensive yet so helpful, it doesn’t cost much, or weigh much, and it’s so simple to clean and travel with. I have one in every diaper bag and every car; you can plop it anywhere and turn the place into a changing table. The material doesn’t irritate baby’s gentle skin, and it has marks so you can re-fold and store again and again. Overall, in my three years of motherhood, these have been a game changer, and I swear by them." —Liked and Linked

Get it from Amazon for $4.99 (available in three colors and packs of two). 

My sister-in-law had one of these for my nephew on an international flight, so when I saw how much he loved it, I tried it on my little guy too — total hit! It didn't suction to United's weird tray tables (sigh), but I held it down myself, and it entertained him on and off for a long six-hour flight. Now that we're home, he still delights in watching it spin. We have more flights planned for this year to visit family, and I'm bringing this on every single one of them! 

Promising review: "I'd previously purchased Loop Experience 2s for concerts and had begun using a pair to help block out noise to manage migraines at home. When my toddler began being a little louder, and my wife and I planned to welcome a second baby into our home, I knew I'd need something to take the edge off. The Engage 2 is perfect for me. They fit well (the largest tip size is perfect for my ears) and, honestly, I forget I'm wearing them! They block out all the excess noise while what I want to hear (my child talking, conversations, etc.) comes through crystal clear. The price is $35, and that's a price that's perfect for what you get! There's a lot of value here. I'm sure as time goes on, I'll use these more and more." —Indyrock

Get it from Amazon for $35.95 (available in four colors, including a pink PARIS HILTON VERSION, just a very chic heads up!!). 

I didn't get these exact ones because my sibling gifted them to me when they visited and realized my son was chucking pacis so often that I had six backups in the diaper bag, but I swear by the concept in general! These are especially nice because the silicone is fun for babies to chew when they're not using the paci, and easy to pop into a sterilizer to clean.

Promising review: "Really happy with these pacifier clips. They seem well-made, the silicone feels durable, and I like the one-piece design. The clips stay attached to my baby’s clothes and work with different pacifiers without any issues. They’re also easy to clean, and the colors are cute. Great quality for the price." —Corey A. 

Get a set of six from Amazon for $5.95. 

This is also a great way to sterilize pacifiers and small toys! 

Promising review: "I love this bag! I don’t have a dishwasher, and when it came to sterilizing my baby's bottles, I was dreading it. My girl had a NICU start, and there they used these plastic sterilizer microwave bags. I came to Amazon to look them up, but the ones the hospital used were only good for 14 washes. That’s when I found this guy. It’s silicone, so you can keep using it. It definitely gives peace of mind and ease of use." —Victoria

It even features storage pockets for toys and bath supplies! 

Promising review: "This is a life (and knee) saver! The thickness is perfect and super convenient, and easy to use. Being a mama with a baby who loves baths and attention during them, this has helped me stay comfortable during bath times. Thank you for making this product! I’ll be buying this for future baby showers." —Taylor

Promising review: "As a busy mother who frequently struggles with stubborn car seat buckles, I find the UnbuckleMe Car Seat Buckle Release Tool to be an exceptionally well-designed and practical accessory. The tool reliably disengages buckles with a single, smooth motion, eliminating the need to pry with my nails and allowing me to maintain my manicure without compromise. Its compact form includes a secure attachment point for keys, so it travels with my everyday carry rather than getting lost in the diaper bag." —Jen M. 

Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in six styles). 

I cannot recommend this enough for SO so so so many reasons, but I'll start with the first — my little guy was a late-term preemie and just barely five pounds when I took him home. He had all these weird preemie breathing habits that scared the heck out of me. My anxiety was through the roof, especially when I took him home, and none of my swaddles fit him without him wriggling and managing to shove his mouth and nose into the fabric. After two weeks of frantically testing swaddles, Love To Dream's preemie size was the only one that legitimately fit him well, and finally let me relax a bit — it didn't creep up his face, it was compressive enough that it was super easy for me to see him breathing, and it was super easy to slide him into it after nighttime feeds without waking him up. It remained his perfect sleep solution for months, especially as he learned to self-soothe with his hands as he got older. 

The other reason I recommend this? Transitioning babies out of swaddles when they get to rolling age is HARD. But Love To Dream even has transitional swaddle sacks that make it easy for you to wean them off it, instead of going cold turkey like a lot of other swaddles and making nighttime feel like total chaos. My son used Love To Dream from week one all the way to month four when he started rolling, and I owe them a lot of sleep!! 

Get it from Amazon for $34.95+ (available in five sizes, three fabric types, and dozens of styles). 

Promising review: "The Boon Countertop Lawn has been an unexpectedly versatile and adorable addition to my kitchen! While marketed for baby items, I quickly found it incredibly useful (and cute!) for so much more. It's perfect for drying small glasses, reusable straws, bottle parts (yes, still!), and even delicate utensils. The design is genius: the 'blades of grass' hold items up just enough so they actually dry properly, unlike flat mats where water can just sit. No more puddles or damp spots! It's easy to clean, adds a playful touch to the counter, and truly excels at airing out those tricky-to-dry items. Highly recommend it for any small, air-drying needs!" —Amanda S. 

I was instructed by many mom friends that I needed to get this precise mat for my little guy, and I'm so glad I did. The vocals from the singer are gorgeous and soothing and fun?? I know all the songs by heart now and love singing them to entertain my baby. But the thing I love the most about this mat is that IT IS THE ONLY REASON I EVER GOT TO SHOWER when I didn't have family around to scoop him! Even when my kiddo's tolerance for being away from me was like .2 seconds at best, I could lay this just outside the bathroom and watch him kick to his heart's content. He's almost 8 months now, and I STILL use it for this (although now that he's rolling, I stick it in his crib with him to make sure he stays safe!). 

Bonus!! It grows with your baby, so it'll prop up when your kiddo can sit, and they can use their hands on it. Plus, a lot of parents on TikTok hacked it by putting their babies in bouncers and setting the kick and play in front of it — a great way to help keep a reflux-y baby propped up, and more entertaining since they can see the piano more easily before they're sitting up on their own! (The GIF above is when I used it that way for my son!) 

Promising review: "As a new parent, I wanted an easy way to make sure the bath water was at a safe and comfortable temperature, and this little thermometer has been great. It gives a fast temperature reading, so there's no guessing whether the water is too warm or too cool. The duck design is adorable and floats nicely in the tub, which keeps my baby entertained while also serving a useful purpose. The display is easy to read, even in lower lighting, and it provides peace of mind knowing the water temperature is right where it should be." —Sean S. 

Promising review: "Brilliant!! Just brilliant design. My baby took to it right away when I gave it to her at 3.5 months old. She spits out all the pacifiers, but she grips this and brings it to her mouth on her own. Bites it and pops in and out. Distracts her so well. It’s her favorite thing right now." —Zbart777

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in six styles and in two-packs). 

I got this for my little guy at around six months, when I first started using a jogging stroller with him. I wanted to be able to check quickly to make sure he was tolerating the motion, and also wanted to be able to see if the sun was in his eyes, and I needed to adjust his hat. This mirror is perfect for quick checks! The very cute consequence of this is that he has figured out he can also see ME during runs, and sometimes will just beam very happily at me in the mirror for a half a mile. 🥹🥹🥹

Psst — if you're looking for a cheap, reliable, no-nonsense jogging stroller, I'm using the Baby Trend Expedition here! And my son is wearing this very nifty, super portable baby sunhat that I never leave the house without. 

The first time I saw a friend of mine with one of these, I was like, WHY ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR BABY IN JAIL?? But all the babies I know who use this love their baby jails and apparently sleep much better with it, especially during chaotic vacations. I already bought one for my kiddo so I can use it when we travel! 

Promising review: "This is the best money as a parent I've ever spent. It has totally changed the game in terms of traveling with a kid. We can now sleep in the same hotel room without sneaking around in the dark after 7 p.m. It's surprisingly sound-blocking, especially if you put the sound machine IN the tent with them. It makes my life SO much better. I actually bought a second one for my other child. It's compact enough that you can travel with it on a plane without losing all your luggage space, it's quick and easy to set up, and is really durable. I would recommend this to anyone who ever has to share a room with a kid, especially if they're sleep trained." —Amazon Customer

Bonus: once the baby is old enough to reliably sit up, you can use the little "pool" at the bottom to keep them cool with water, so long as they're supervised the entire time. 

Promising review: "I give 5 stars! We used this for our 4-month-old at the beach, and it was great! It kept him comfortable and protected, and made our beach day so much easier." —Carolyn Pulgata

Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in nine styles). 

Promising review: "I recently bought this set, and it has been a game changer for our diaper routine. The soft silicone applicators make it super easy to apply cream without getting my hands messy. The suction base is a fantastic feature, keeping the spatulas within reach and preventing them from slipping off the table. The variety of colors is a nice touch, and having three in a pack means I always have a clean one ready to go. They’re durable and easy to clean, making them perfect for everyday use. I highly recommend this set for any parent looking to simplify diaper changes!" —Damankaur

Get a set of three from Amazon for $6.99. 

My son is deeply emotionally dependent on Philips Avent pacifiers. The only thing he loves as much as those pacifiers is CHUCKING THEM OUT OF HIS CRIB in the middle of the night. He is not quite old enough yet to figure out how to find a glowing paci in his crib and put it in his mouth, but the glow factor has been a huge boon for me, the pathetic mom belly down on the floor at three in the morning looking for the telltale glow of the abandoned paci. Switching to these glow-in-the-dark ones at night has been such a boon! 

Get a set of four from Amazon for $13.89 (available in two styles). 

When I accepted about a month into motherhood that breastfeeding wasn't going to work for me medically, my BFF sent me one of these and saved my new mom booty. My little guy was born a little early and super teensy, so he was HUNGRYYYY, and when he wanted a bottle, he wanted one NOW. His boohoos made me sad as his mother and nervous as an apartment-dweller with many neighbors, so it was an absolute boon to have milk on demand so so so fast without having to scoop and measure water by hand and wait for the bottle to heat up. It's very easy to use and easy to clean, and really comes in handy now that he's in daycare and I have to prep several bottles at once! 

I used these, and I'll be honest — they worked maybe 50% off the time. But that was still a SIGNIFICANT improvement from my very pee-happy son, who managed to pee not only into my face and my mom's face, but his OWN, MANY TIMES. My next-door neighbor told me about these, and I was supremely grateful to have something to mitigate the excessive amount of laundry I was doing to compensate. 

Get a set of six from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two styles). 

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BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.