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There’s the stuff you know you need when you have a baby: the crib, the swaddles, the diapers. Then there’s the stuff you really need but didn’t know you’d need. Like that thing you use to suck boogers out of your baby’s teeny tiny nose when she has her first heartbreaking cold. All hail the NoseFrida!

When it comes to what you really need for Baby #2, who better to turn to than Chelsea Hirschhorn, president of Fridababy –– maker of the Nosefrida — who is due next month with her second boy. We recently visited Chelsea in her Miami headquarters and got some perspective on how the baby world has changed between her first and second-born, as well as her definitive list of registry must-haves for Baby #2.

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How is this pregnancy different from the first?
With the first, I had a lot more “me time” to focus on the actual pregnancy. This time around, I’m finding the months are flying by, as I’ve been focused on growing the Fridababy product line, getting all of my work related travel in before third trimester, and spending as much one-on-one time with Hunter as possible before I have to divide my time between two — which seems daunting! My mom always says that moms innately figure out how to “split a tic tac,” so I’m hoping it’ll come naturally, but the thought seems foreign right now!

What’s it been like to think about baby products this time around as a seasoned mom?
When I first started at Fridababy, everything baby and parent was new, and “innovation” of whatever kind seemed enticing. Now I’m much more deliberate about the products I’m pursuing, and the problems I’m trying to solve at the helm of a brand known for smart solutions. I’m making sure that they solve a universal need on a very macro scale — not just innovation for innovation’s sake, which I think trips up a lot of new moms. It’s a very oversaturated category of baby products out there, and helping parents sift through the noise to identify what they’ll really need and use has become our forte.

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How have you seen the baby market change since your first?

There has definitely been an infusion of technology-driven innovation the past two years, but there’s a very fine line between a tech-based “need” product (which defines the Fridababy approach) vs. a “nice to have” product. I’m not a self-quantifier (I don’t think monitoring a baby’s oxygen intake all night, for example, is necessary), but with the FeverFrida, we’re letting parents rest easy knowing we’ll do the worrying for them. Not waking a sick sleeping baby unnecessarily falls on the “need” side for us. As far as non-tech trends, multi-use efficiency has caught my eye. For example, car seats that do double duty as strollers, or strollers that fold into the overhead compartment of an airplane (hello Babyzen Yoyo and goodbye gate check!) are really exciting, particularly for on-the-go parents!

What are you most looking forward to with having Baby #2 in the house?
Seeing my older son Hunter step into his role as big brother! I’m the oldest of three, so imparting the joys (and responsibility) of that title will be a big priority for me! And, of course, having another source of inspiration for Fridababy — necessity is totally the motherhood of invention!

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Chelsea’s Top 10 Registry Picks for Baby #2:

1. Infant Car Seat. We love the Peg Perego Primo Viaggio because the breathable mesh lining is perfect for the Miami heat, and the leather is so easy to maintain, unlike some cloth alternatives. Note: This depends a lot on the age gap between your first and your second. I’ll still have Hunter in a convertible car seat when baby #2 is ready for his, so we’ll have to add another to the list! If your kids will have a larger age gap, that may not be necessary.

2. Boogie Board. While we’re talking transportation, a Bugaboo comfort wheel board attachment for Hunter. He’s already beyond excited that upon baby brother’s arrival, he’ll be riding in serious style alongside his mini-me.

3. Travel Stroller. We’re frequent fliers, particularly the Miami –> New York route to see family and friends. The Babyzen Yoyo Stroller with the newborn attachment means we no longer have to wait for a gate-checked stroller. The simplicity in design is also impressive!

4. Stroller Accessories. if you’re re-using most of the big ticket items from Baby #1, which most of us do, it’s easy to make small updates so they feel fresh for the new addition. This can be as simple as swapping out the canopy on our Bugaboo.

5. Baby Pajamas. Some new bedtime attire is also a must after nights upon nights of leaks or spit up. Oeuf and Tane Organics (for the onesie stage) and Tiny Cottons or Goat-Milk (for the two-piece stage) make the softest pajamas that wash incredibly well, and the muslin sleep sacks from Aden & Anais are light enough for our tropical climate!

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6. Bath Towels. Bath towels are another item that get a bit worn with time. The RH Baby & Child hooded animal towels can be personalized per child, and also make great gifts – especially when combined with the matching slippers!

7. Passport Holder or Luggage Tags. Sometimes the best registry items are the ones you know you’d never get yourself! Our go-to gift, especially for families who travel, is a monogrammed passport holder with matching luggage tags for the new baby. It’s so fun to think of the lifetime of travel and adventure that those gifts will see, and also nice to remind new parents that there’s a light at the end of the 4th trimester tunnel when you’ll be able to leave the comforts of home with your growing brood!

8. Waterproof Travel Pouches. Speaking of travel, I will definitely be stocking up on my Roberta Roller Rabbit waterproof pouches. I still use them for Hunter to keep all of his essentials in one place in my bag, and if I switch bags, it’s easy to transfer knowing I haven’t left anything crucial behind. One tote or diaper bag can easily accommodate 2 or 3 pouches. Use a variety of sizes to organize the small stuff (NoseFrida & Neosporin-type stuff) and the big stuff (change of clothes and diapers).

9. NoseFrida Snotsucker. Here I’ll get biased: every stuffy nose deserves their own NoseFrida Snotsucker. Even though you can wash and reuse them on multiple children, it’s helpful to throw one backup in your diaper bag and keep another one for easy access in the changing table or your first child’s bedroom. And we now have our own all natural saline mist, the NoseFrida SnotSucker Saline Kit that is specially designed for newborn noses and beyond. Having one bottle for each child prevents the transfer of germs.

10. Personalized Books. One of Hunter’s favorites is his I See Me! personalized book. They’re so fun to read, particularly as the kids learn their names, and the joy on their face when they hear it come to life in a story is contagious — another great gift!

Bonus Pick: Fridababy Momwasher. This is something I wish we had finalized before Hunter was born: the Fridababy Momwasher. If you hung on to that hospital squirt bottle they gave you (I did too!), you can safely ditch it in preparation for #2. This one is specially designed to be held upside down, and angled to get the water gently where you need it. It also comes with a waterproof travel bag for on-the-go healing! Second time moms have typically blocked this part out by now, but when I’m packing my hospital bag, I have a feeling it’ll all come back! For new moms, this conveniently gets left off even your best friend’s recount of her delivery details. Consider yourself warned: it gets messy!

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Photography by Judith Rae for Well Rounded NY.

SHOP CHELSEA’S REGISTRY PICKS

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