Late infancy is a magical time – babies become little mobile communicators. It seemed like every day, Jamie was learning a new skill! Along with this magic, though, come some unique challenges. Eating and play become much more involved (and messy!), teeth start popping through, and early communication isn’t quite enough to actually understand WHAT your baby actually wants. Today, I’m sharing my 6-12 month must-haves: all the products that helped me survive 8 teeth in one month, our first plane rides with a baby, and the introduction of solid foods!
Note: this post may contain affiliate links (i.e., if you click my link and make a purchase, I’ll make a small commission at no additional cost to you). Read my full disclosure policy here.
Must-Haves for 6-12 Month Olds
Teething Must-Haves
- Nuby Banana Teether: Jamie LOVES this toy when he’s teething! It has also been helpful for him when learning how to chew food, and it helped get him used to the sensation of brushing his teeth.
- Toothbrush/Toothpaste: We started brushing Jamie’s teeth right after his first one came in. The Toms toddler training toothpaste has been our go-to, and Jamie loves it. (We decided on fluoride-free until he can spit since our water has fluoride, but ask your baby’s doctor and/or dentist!) Like adults, children’s toothbrushes should be replaced every few months, so we go with whatever is not outrageously expensive.
- Infant Acetaminophen (Tylenol): Jamie is a great sleeper except for when he’s teething! Occasionally he’ll have a short sleep regression, and we almost always find a tooth popping through in the next few days. Infant Tylenol helps a lot when he’s teething – we give a dose about 30 minutes before bed and it seems to help a lot! We use the Target brand acetaminophen because it’s cheaper and dye-free.
Travel Must-Haves
- Ergo 360: We love this carrier because Jamie can forward-face in it! It’s relatively easy to put on after some practice, and Jamie LOVES looking out! It offers great support, so it’s great for larger (read: heavier) kids! It also allows for back carries, which are great for when you need your hands free!
- Travel Car Seat: We love our Cosco Scenera Next; it’s inexpensive, light, and compact, which makes it very travel-friendly! We’ve used ours a few times when traveling, and it’s been great.
- Busy Book: I don’t have a link to our specific one because our MIL made ours, but it can be a great entertainment source when traveling! It doesn’t require electricity, they’re often very quiet, and the different pages provide a few different ways to play. If you want to purchase one, there are tons of great options on Etsy! (Here’s the one pictured above.)
Eating Must-Haves
- Feeding Littles: This infant course was extremely helpful for us when we were beginning to serve Jamie solids. Although the course focuses on Baby Let Weaning, it’s still applicable if you start with purees, since every baby must eventually learn to self-feed. I thought the safety information on serving food and gagging/choking was the most helpful. They also have a toddler class (which we’re currently taking) for babies and toddlers who are already self-feeding!
- Ikea Antilop High Chair: This high chair is cheap, easy to clean, and not offensive-looking. We like ours a lot and Jamie has been able to sit in it well ever since about 5-6 months! In the beginning, we put a rolled-up blanket behind him for extra support. We added a footrest to ours so Jamie can sit with proper posture when eating.
- Splash Mats: We used to use an old plastic tablecloth under the high chair to protect our floors, but switched to these recently and they’re a million times easier to clean! They are waterproof and machine-washable which we love. We wipe them off and shake them out after meals, and put it in the wash every week or so (we have two, so we just rotate them).
Play Must-Haves
- Puppet: We love non-electronic toys that encourage imagination and creative play, and puppets are a weirdly great toy for babies. Jamie loved this raccoon one and thought it was the funniest thing in the whole world for awhile. We recently put it back into his toy rotation and he still LOVES it!
- Musical Toys: These are great toys for learning about cause and effect! Egg shakers and rattles are easy to hold and shake even for pretty small babies, which makes them a great early toy. Jamie also loves real instruments, like our piano and Scott’s drum set, and honestly they sound a LOT better than baby toys!
- Books: Jamie started LOVING books around 10 months, and now brings us about 200 books to read each day. We keep a small, rotating selection of board books in our living room and have more books displayed on open shelves in his room so Jamie can a book to read before his nap (and after naps and after diaper changes and anytime we go into the room). A few of Jamie’s favorites at this age were Where’s Spot, Never Touch a Dragon, Brown Bear, and Guess How Much I Love You.
Two More Things
- Sometime after 6 months, babies can become crazy alligator-rolling, diaper-change-refusing monsters. If that sounds like your baby, try the Pampers Cruisers 360 diapers. They can be taken off and put back on standing up which is a real lifesaver. We have used and loved them for months and definitely won’t go back to tape diapers with Jamie.
- If you’re still pumping at this age (1) good for you and (2) all the pumping stuff from my 3-6 Month Must-Haves post still applies here too!