When I had my first baby, it felt like the “nursery” slowly took over my entire house. There were swings in the living room, play mats in every corner, and more baby gear than I knew what to do with. At the time, it all felt 100 percent necessary–I had no idea what to expect from becoming a parent, let alone what I actually needed for my postpartum home setup. But looking back, it mostly just made me feel overwhelmed.
So with my second, my mindset completely changed. At this point, I joke that our house belongs to the kids, but I still want it to feel like my home, too. I’ve realized that I don’t mind the toys, the artwork, or the evidence of a lived-in family space. In fact, I love it. But for my own sanity, I need the bigger, everyday items—the ones that live out in the open—to feel calm and cohesive. I gravitate toward neutral tones and pieces that blend into our decor so my brain doesn’t feel overstimulated the second I walk into a room, which is exactly why I turn to Nuna.
That’s really been my guiding principle this time around: less stuff, but better, more intentional pieces. The kind of pieces that actually make life easier and don’t add to the chaos.
My top 3 newborn items for a smoother postpartum life
This time around, I kept things simple. Instead of filling every corner “just in case,” I focused on a few multi-functional pieces that could adapt as my baby grows. Three products actually make my day-to-day easier: the BRYN Newborn Rocker + High Chair, the PAAL Playard, and the CUDL luxe baby carrier. Here’s a breakdown of how I use each of them daily:
This has become one of the most-used pieces in our home. I use the BRYN both as a rocker on the floor and attached to the high chair—and yes, I move it around constantly depending on where we are. It’s lightweight enough to bring from room to room, which my older daughter loves. She’ll sit on the floor and gently “push” her baby sister, which has turned into one of their sweetest little bonding moments.
But my favorite part? How much it simplifies mealtimes. My second baby is a full-on velcro baby and hates being put down. Before this, I was eating dinner one-handed while holding her with the other. Now, I can bring her right up to the table at eye level. Even though she typically refuses to be set down, the BRYN is the one exception. She’s happy as long as she can see everyone.
Nuna
Dinner used to feel chaotic, but now it feels doable. We can all interact as a family, and I’m not rushing through a meal. For a velcro baby, that eye-level connection makes all the difference.
Right now, we’re mostly using the PAAL in bassinet mode, but I already know it’s going to become a staple in our living room as my baby grows. One of my biggest hesitations with playpens the first time around was how bulky and intrusive they felt. But this one feels different. It’s streamlined, easy to set up, and doesn’t overwhelm the space.
And when I say easy, I mean easy. It’s what I like to call “grandparent-proof.” There’s one button for opening and closing—that’s it. It folds and assembles quickly, which makes me feel confident it’ll be ideal for future travel. I’m especially excited to use it more once my baby is mobile. My older daughter is deep into the Polly Pocket and Barbie phase, which means tiny toys are literally everywhere. Having a safe, contained space where my newborn can still be part of the action but far away from those tiny pieces will be huge.
Nuna
I already know this will be one of those pieces that grows with us. From bassinet mode to a safe play space where baby can move around freely without worrying about what’s on the floor.
We keep our carrier hanging in the front closet so it’s always within reach, and trust me, it gets used daily. Having a second baby means you’re almost always multitasking. There’s no sitting still for hours soaking in newborn snuggles when you also have a preschooler who needs you. I started to feel guilty about constantly putting my baby girl down just to keep up with big sister.
This carrier has been the best of both worlds. I get to have both hands free while still keeping her close, which has made such a difference both practically and emotionally. Once it’s on, it’s comfortable, secure, and honestly pleasing to the eye. And most importantly, I don’t mind wearing it for long stretches of time.
Nuna
The carrier has been my go-to for those in-between moments: making breakfast, helping my toddler, tidying up. It lets me stay present for both kids at the same time.
My advice for first-time moms worried about newborn clutter
If you’re in the thick of building your registry or feeling overwhelmed by all the options, I’ve been there. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: you need less than you think.
What matters more is choosing items that truly make your life easier, like the pieces that reduce your stress, lighten your mental load, and actually work for your day-to-day. Multi-functional products that grow with your baby are always worth it. And once you find a brand you trust, stick with it. For us, that’s been Nuna. We started with their car seats and quickly realized how intuitive and well-made everything is, which made it an easy decision to expand into other products.
At the end of the day, this phase is short. The stuff can feel overwhelming, but it fades into the background faster than you expect. The second time around, I’m so much more aware of how quickly it all goes, and I’m trying to soak it in as much as I can. Even if that means just being present for the little moments… and finding a few minutes to shower and maybe fold my own laundry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Allyson Trammell, Editor-in-Chief of The Everygirl
Allyson first joined The Everygirl Media Group back in 2012 and subsequently worked in marketing, social media, and influencer outreach at Lulu and Georgia. Now a mom-of-one and the editor-in-chief of The Everygirl, Allyson leads the brand’s editorial strategy, growth, audience development, and all content.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
McKenna Pringle, Assistant Editor of Branded Content
As the Assistant Editor of Branded Content, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
This post is sponsored by Nuna but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
