Thanks to OXO Tot for sponsoring this city moms post and making life a little easier!

 

One thing moving to Boston has made me realize is that being a city mom is different from being a mom in the suburbs.

(or at least being a mom in an apartment is quite different from being a mom in a house).

In Ohio I’d load my toddler into the car, do a little grocery shopping, and then either leave him in his car seat or let him play in the living room while I unloaded everything after we got home.

These days, I go down four flights of stairs, down a walkway, into another building, and down an elevator just to get from my home to my car… doing it in reverse with two toddlers and a week’s worth of groceries is nearly impossible.

Some things are a lot more fun – like running into friends a couple times a day without making plans because you all essentially live on top of each other. Other things take a bit more planning for city moms – like day trips without being able to store everything your toddler might need in the trunk because you’re taking public transit (parking in Boston is no joke).

So I’ve rounded up 10 baby/toddler/kid must haves for city moms or moms that just like to get out and go:

 

10 Must haves for city moms:

A lightweight stroller

A big bulky stroller is hard to navigate on tight city sidewalks and nearly impossible to get up and down subway stairs alone (some stops have elevators, not all). A compact stroller folds up easily when you need to carry it up the stairs to your apartment and doesn’t take up as much precious room in the car when you leave the city for a weekend.

But not all small strollers are created equal.

We are LOVING how light and easy to use OXO Tot’s Air Stroller is.

At 11 pounds, the Air weighs about 1/3 of what my toddler does. It folds up SUPER easily and even has a handy strap so I can carry it over my shoulder when navigating stairs. The best part, though, is that it still rides incredibly smoothly on the city pavement.

Maneuverability is key with busy sidewalks and I can easily drive one handed while I pull up directions on my phone or hand Adelaide a snack.

It also has a large expandable UPF 50 canopy (with a nice pop of color for added style) to protect from sun + rain when you’re on the go, complete with a peek-a-boo window that lets me check in on Adelaide without having to stop.

When looking for a good city stroller it’s important to consider weight, maneuverability, smoothness of the ride, storage space, and ease of folding. OXO Tot’s Air Stroller checks off all five.

A backpack diaper bag

For long walks, or full days out and about, a backpack is essential. You don’t need to worry about keeping the balance of your stroller (heavy diaper bags only stay upright when there’s a baby in the stroller, too). You have both your hands free and it is just more comfortable for long outings.

I shared my favorite diaper bag backpack here (and the one I loved as a cross body that converts to a less comfortable backpack here).

Heavy duty hook

I know, I know, I just said you needed a diaper backpack so you didn’t have to use stroller clips for your diaper bag, but sometimes you have to go shopping. And when you’re out and about with no car, you’ll either have to carry the purchases back yourself, or just regret not buying them. By adding a heavy-duty clip to your stroller, you can clip on shopping bags when necessary and save your arms from having to lug them home.

 

OXO Tot sells a stroller hook if you’re in the market for one.

 

note: Our OXO Tot Air does have spacious storage under the seat – I’m just often using it for my diaper backpack and lots of toys so it doesn’t cut it for a week’s worth of groceries.

Insulated bottle or sippy cup

When you’re out in all seasons, you would likely have a thermos for tea or an insulated water bottle (depending on the weather). Did you know they make something similar for kids? We love using insulated cups in the summer because they keep water (and milk!) cold and I’m excited to use it with warm drinks during the colder months.

Stroller Gloves

Did you know these were a thing? I’ve just discovered them recently and am excited to use them this winter. With buckles to do + snacks to unwrap + jackets to snap, gloves aren’t really a viable option for city moms. Instead of taking your gloves on and off, just use these attached to your stroller to keep your hands warm while you’re on the go.

Pacifier clips

We’ve had pacifier clips since Adelaide was a few months old, but we started using them MUCH more when we moved to the city. We’re out and about all the time and I can’t afford to lose a pacifier every other day. The clip also helps your little one be a tad more independent and able to sooth themselves by putting it back in their own mouth.

White noise app

Depending on how rigid you are with sleep routines, this may or may not be helpful. Our kids always sleep with the same white noise sound (you can read about the 4 cues we always use for sleep here). Sometimes when we’re out and about during nap time and we aren’t going to make it home, I’ll put a blanket over the stroller, turn on the white noise app on my phone, and tell them it’s time to go to sleep. The familiar cue signals its nap time and I’m less worried about outside noise waking them up because of the white noise right in the stroller.

A great baby carrier

With two little ones, we usually like to have a stroller (even if just to carry some of the stuff) but sometimes you just need a great baby carrier. I’ll use it for big crowds, hiking, or things like grocery shopping when I have to be pushing a cart. I talked about our favorite carrier that works with babies and toddlers here.

Water based wipes

The wipes we love to use are made of 99.9% water and a drop of natural extracts, and are perfect for taking on the go. They work just as well for sticky hands and dirty toys as they do for diaper changes. I’m not super comfortable used products with alcohol in my kids’ face and hands so these are great. And the bonus? The wipes don’t dry out very easily so if you leave them out, you’re still in luck.

Snacks. All the snacks.

So this is not singular to city moms but I found I had to really up my snacking game when we were gone from home for longer stretches. We’re always on the go here – even if it’s just down to the playground or the playroom for a few hours and I always keep a stash of snacks on hand.

You can check out my favorite quick + mess free snacks for toddlers + kids and let me know what you would add.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OXO Tot.