Chicco Keyfit 30 infant carrier- we got the Chicco Bravo stroller for travel system and I am a huge fan of the one-handed fold and release.
Nose-Frida. There's a mental leap to hurdle in using it, but it's crazy effective and a lot easier to clean than a bulb syringe.
The K'tan carrier. I also have a Solly baby, Ellevill, Moby, sling, and Ergo. The K'tan is so easy and great if you don't want to go through the whole wrapping scenario. I love the soft material of my Solly baby and use that one a lot when traveling because it folds up small. And I wouldn't use anything other than the Ellevill for a back carry- it's awesome! The Moby is fine, but makes me hot. And I hate my Ergo.
Swaddle-mes. Easy and effective!
For bottles for pumping moms: I tried a couple different systems and can't recommend enough the Kiinde bottles!! Pump straight into them, feed straight from them, and then throw it in the recycle bin! No washing. Has a freeze-flat organizer. And they have another attachment so now we also use them for food pouches.
Our pack n play was one of the most used items we bought. We'll use it this time too.
Don't pick one type of bottle and assume that's what you'll use. Buy a few types because babies can be picky.
Onesies. Lots and lots of onesies. That's really all my kids wore for the first 4 months and sometimes we went through half a dozen in one day. Easy to switch out. Don't both with the cute outfits until they are older.
Swaddle Me's were great. All of my current new mom friends swear by the Merlin Sleep Suit. It's apparently magic.
I can vouch for the Merlin sleep suit being magic. We ended up having it in 2 sizes and she was sleeping through the night since a little over 2 months. It truly is magic and now we give it as a shower gift to all our friends having babies.
Our pack n play was one of the most used items we bought. We'll use it this time too.
Don't pick one type of bottle and assume that's what you'll use. Buy a few types because babies can be picky.
Onesies. Lots and lots of onesies. That's really all my kids wore for the first 4 months and sometimes we went through half a dozen in one day. Easy to switch out. Don't both with the cute outfits until they are older.
Swaddle Me's were great. All of my current new mom friends swear by the Merlin Sleep Suit. It's apparently magic.
I can vouch for the Merlin sleep suit being magic. We ended up having it in 2 sizes and she was sleeping through the night since a little over 2 months. It truly is magic and now we give it as a shower gift to all our friends having babies.
The only negative I've heard about the sleep suit is transitioning to not using it is difficult. How did that go for you guys?
I can vouch for the Merlin sleep suit being magic. We ended up having it in 2 sizes and she was sleeping through the night since a little over 2 months. It truly is magic and now we give it as a shower gift to all our friends having babies.
The only negative I've heard about the sleep suit is transitioning to not using it is difficult. How did that go for you guys?
It was actually not bad at all! We used a sleep sack/wearable blanket for a couple of weeks after and that helped with the transition. But then she was fine with just pjs. I definitely thought it would be a lot worse. We plan to use it again this time around, hopefully with similar results.
Question on carriers, but this is more for toddlers/bigger kids. DS is too big for the ergo, name your favorite back carrier!
zengal, you say the Ellevill is your favorite, is that a wrap? Is it good for a toddler who weighs 31 pounds?
Yes, the Ellevill is a woven wrap. IMHO the woven wraps are the only way to go when the babes get bigger- feels more secure to me. And it's gorgeous too
I don't have a particular brand suggestion but I encourage folks to get a glider/rocker. I waited till DS was 6 months old to get one and when I finally did I was pissed at myself for not getting one earlier.
Post by annapunkalunka on Feb 4, 2016 20:00:42 GMT -5
Swaddle me's for the first 3-ish months Halo sleep sacks (cotton and fleece) Arms reach cosleeper- perfect for the nb stage and we probably used it through 4 months when we caved and started cosleeping. Avent naturals bottles Moby wrap Tula carrier Dohm sound machine is amazing (we got one for ourselves) Boppy pillow (ended up getting 2- one for upstairs and one for downstairs) Chicco Nextfit- love this seat Lots of one piece ZIP up cotton pjs. Nothing irritates me more than snaps in the dark. And they're nice for daytime too when you're just lounging around the house. Ohhh ETA: our pack-n-play with the infant napper attachment. She hardly ever slept in it but it's the perfect place to do diaper changes!
Question on carriers, but this is more for toddlers/bigger kids. DS is too big for the ergo, name your favorite back carrier!
zengal, you say the Ellevill is your favorite, is that a wrap? Is it good for a toddler who weighs 31 pounds?
You should be able to use your ergo on your back, but some brands have a baby and a toddler size. I have a Lenny Lamb and I absolutely LOOOOVVVVEEE it! It was my Christmas gift though, so j didn't use it when he was smaller. This is the one I have. This is obvs not me, just a pic I took off the website.
I don't have a particular brand suggestion but I encourage folks to get a glider/rocker. I waited till DS was 6 months old to get one and when I finally did I was pissed at myself for not getting one earlier.
I personally love my Dutalier!!! The cushion was much thicker than the others that we looked at. A bit more expensive, but we plan on having a small army so it was worth the money for the amount of use it will get!
Eta- mine also reclines and has a nursing stool! Both of which were a must for me! I'm glad I didn't budge on those, because DS would nurse for an hour or longer sometimes!!! I can't tell you how many times I fell asleep in that chair.
Video monitor (we have a Motorola that can automatically switch between 2 cameras, so that's great when #2 comes along)
Boppy (used every day for 2.5 years - DD nursed until 27 months & now we use it to snuggle at bedtime)
Glider (I was torn about whether to spend the $$ on a rocker/glider or just use an armchair we already had. My mom offered me the Dutalier glider she used with my little brother (which she got as a hand-me-down from a friend), and I can't imagine going without. Very comfy, and I love the motion - I still rock DD while we snuggle at bedtime. It's also sentimental because the glider is now 25+ years old and has been used for at least 3 babies, soon to be 4.
Baby carriers (I used the ktan when DD was very little - she would fall asleep every time she was in there, and it let me have my hands free for chores. She also hated the stroller for the first few months, so I put her in the ktan to walk the dog. It's also more comfortable to sit down in than the Ergo. I switched to the Ergo once DD was bigger because it gives more support. I don't use it often anymore because DD loves to walk, but it's fantastic for carrying her up and down the huge dunes at the beach in the summer.)
Snack cups (This is for when they're older, but the snack catcher cups are a must-have for eating on the go.)
FWIW, I have also really liked our car seats (Chicco Keyfit30 and then Chicco Nextfit), stroller (Baby Jogger City Versa - much cheaper than Uppababy, Bugaboo, etc. while totally meeting our needs), and bottles (Avent).
Realized this might be helpful for FTMs as well - I made a list of post-partum care items that were lifesavers for me with DD. I plan to order all of it a few weeks before my EDD so I have it all on hand. The list might be different for C-section mamas.
* means my hospital provided it (take everything that you can fit in your bag home from the hospital!), but it’s always good to have extra supplies at home.
•Comfy undies* (most hospitals provide these disposable stretchy mesh undies that are amazing - take as many pairs as you can get, but I would have some super-comfy undies on hand at home as well)
•Maxi pads* (my hospital provided giant ones, but I switched to Always Infinity after a few days at home)
•Ice packs* (the hospital provides these ice packs that you put in the mesh undies to help with soreness - I brought home a bunch and didn't buy any more after I ran out.)
•Dermoplast Spray* (have one in each bathroom of your house)
•Peri bottle* (have one in each bathroom of your house)
•Sitz bath* (you only need one, so just bring the hospital one home. I tried the Motherlove Sitz Bath herbs that you add to the water but didn't love them so just used warm water).
•Colace* (hospital provided 2 pills per day, but I would have a whole bottle waiting at home)
•Tucks/witch hazel pads* (layer on top of the pad and/or ice pack)
•Ibuprofen* (again, the hospital provided it as needed during my stay, but I had a bottle at home)
If you are planning to BF, add these items:
•Hydrogel nursing pads* (provided upon request at the hospital but good to have more at home)
•Regular nursing pads (washable or disposable - I prefer washable and really like Bamboobies ultrathins for daytime and one of their thicker options for nighttime, especially early on when you will probably leak).
•Lanolin cream* (my hospital provided Medela, but I strongly prefer Lansinoh)
•Medela Softshells
•Thermal Gel Pads (such as Avent - these can be used hot or cold)
•Hands-free pumping bra (depending on if/when you start pumping, you may not need this immediately upon coming home, but it will be a necessity if you plan to pump at work)
•Breastmilk storage bags (again, depends on whether you will be pumping and/or building a stockpile of frozen milk) - I used Lansinoh storage bags and never had a problem with them breaking or leaking. I prefer the bags to bottles for freezing because they are cheaper (though not reusable), and you can freeze them flat so they take up less room in the freezer.
^I find this easier to keep up with than a traditional baby book. Plus now that we're pregnant again, I've been recording some pregnancy memories too.
I love the line a day book! I started one about a year and a half ago and I love being able to look back on where we were a year ago (and more at some point!). It's not too hard to keep up with and if I get behind, I just catch it up with what I remember. Great for milestones too!!
Breathing life into this thread but do you plan on doing a baby book/memory book for your baby? I was about 20 weeks with DS when I started filling out his so I might pick one up this weekend for this baby. Not that I filled DS's out completely but I think I did a pretty good job.
Breathing life into this thread but do you plan on doing a baby book/memory book for your baby? I was about 20 weeks with DS when I started filling out his so I might pick one up this weekend for this baby. Not that I filled DS's out completely but I think I did a pretty good job.
I received one as a gift last time and never filled it out so I won't do it this time either. Mom fail.
Breathing life into this thread but do you plan on doing a baby book/memory book for your baby? I was about 20 weeks with DS when I started filling out his so I might pick one up this weekend for this baby. Not that I filled DS's out completely but I think I did a pretty good job.
My mom gave me these memory calendars - one for the first year and one for the second. She pointed out it's a lot easier to remember to record things that happen when there's a calendar hanging up right in front of you and you write right in them. They're cute and came with stickers to cover a whole lot of different "firsts".
I may pick up a book too in order to have something a bit sturdier, but I really like the calendars.
I've also been keeping a pregnancy blog for myself, so I may try to remember to write in that for every month old or so.
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