For Fun - STMs, what was actually WORTH the money?

[bootsorhearts]

I forgot! Baby Deedee sleep sacks. We started using them at 3 months, and now DS is 2.5 and we still use them. They are the bomb. The key is the arms unsnap so you can put it on if they're totally asleep and not wake them and you can do diaper changes without taking it completely off too.

www.babydeedee.com/

[bootsorhearts]

Lucy I had the same problem with pumps I spent a fortune on the rental. The Medela freestyle is a piece of junk. It didn't get milk out and it sounded like a jet engine.

[Lucy]

May 12, 2016 20:52:43 GMT -5 bootsorhearts said:

Lucy I had the same problem with pumps I spent a fortune on the rental. The Medela freestyle is a piece of junk. It didn't get milk out and it sounded like a jet engine.

YES. I had a Medela PIS and it just didn't do anything for me. The rental worked a tiny bit, but I had milk blisters from the stupid thing. I thought maybe the 2nd time around would be better, but it didn't work after my 2nd baby either. Nursing is going to be an all or nothing thing for me. I'm not pumping. 

[WineNChocolate]

Okay a lot has been said here is my list:

-Nose Freida - SAY NO to the nasty snot sucker that you can't clean. Gross

- TULA ALL THE WAY.. I am not a fan of Ergo I think Tula fits better..but that's personal opinion...Tulas are a cult just warning. You can ask kaydee0402, lol.

- Halo Sleep sack, get them for winter and make sure to get them for summer too. These things saved my life. Why cause I suck at swaddling..lets be honest and my daughter was Houdini.

- Glass bottles..NOT everyone likes them but I am a huge fan because they look clean after I put them in a sterilization bath or machine wash them. The other bottles turn colors and it drives me whacky. The plastic starts to get foggy and I can't tell if its clean or not.

- Wipes warmer..might be the only one, BUT ellie used to scream her head off while getting changed until I started using warm wipes. I am sure being warm and cozy and than brutally cold wipe on your stuff is a rude awakening.

- Britax car seat - We got Britax and the matching stroller and we loved it. HOWEVER if I could of convinced my hubs to the get the City Mini like mrsp121308, I would of..they are pretty damn awesome. But my britax did its job. Not to mention I wore ellie a lot so stroller really didn't get utilized like that. BUT you are having twins sooooo you might want to invest in an awesome double stroller.

- White noise machine...to this day ellie sleeps with it. We used to play classical at night but now its spa music with white noise..lol. She would listen for us and this background noise is a dream.

- I have a Medela PIS and well I loved it. Just want to say you should try it..it should be included in your insurance. Mine was! Or they should have some type of pump available for you.

- SLEEPERS - ignore all the clothes for now..save yourself the bother and just get a crap load of Sleepers. Oh and the kimono shirts you don't have to put over their newborn heads. I hated the way I had to maneuver over ellies fragile head and neck. Go to amazon and search "Kimono Newborn undershirt" there are so many some with bottom some without.

[kaydee0402]

May 12, 2016 14:30:05 GMT -5 emilie said:

I am so happy there are so many STMs on here to help us clueless people

Also, re: thermometers. I just can't imagine sticking a thermometer in my baby's butt. I can't. Aren't there digital ones that go in their ear or something?

I used to say that too, but it's amazing what you will do when your four month old has burning forehead at 2 a.m. and the Nurse's Line will only accept a rectal temperature because it's the most accurate.  Now I do it without even thinking about it, and it doesn't seem to bother DS. 

Also, when your baby is super constipated, the best cure is to stick a rectal thermometer in.  It helps get things moving.  Another thing you think you will never do until your six month old has pooped in four days and is screaming from gas pains. 

[trufflefries]

Definitely the Motorola video monitor! My DD is 2.5 and I still use it. Uhm, I hung a butterfly next to it so she thinks the butterfly talks to her when I tell her to go to sleep over the monitor.

[redsoxgirl10]

Ergo 360, video monitor, Nipple shield (I was given it at the hospital but I eventually bought more) ...

[rockiesnugget]

I did not buy a travel system because I knew I wanted BOB Stoller and didn't want an additional big stroller. I bought the Chicco stroller caddy for while LO was in the infant car seat and found a Chicco umbrella stroller for traveling and short out and about trips. The Chicco Liteway came out after LO was born or I would have gone that route.

I loved my Ergo, of course the 360 came out after LO was born and I wish I had that option.

My set of Aden & Anias muslin blankets are still a favorite at 2.5 with LO. They were the best swaddle blankets.

Swing - Life saver - we got a small compact one and used it constantly. LO was a good sleeper for a baby, but a horrible mapper, so we ended up doing naps in the swing.

[sayastar]

+1 for muslin blankets - incredibly useful as swaddles, of course, but also as a nursing cover, a sun-shade for car seats or strollers, and a toy to "parachute" down over baby's face or to play peek-a-boo. I still always have one with me when I leave the house with my daughter.

I also loved the Aden & Anais burpy bibs, which are a bit oversized and very absorbent. Used them as bibs, burp cloths, and padding under baby's head when she was laying on the floor - saved a lot of cleanup after inevitable spit-ups.

[mrswillie]

City Select stroller, especially if you plan on trying for more than 1. We had a Graco travel system with DS1, but I needed something for both with DS2. The other doubles didn't fit in the trunk of my Honda Accord, which is pretty big and barely in the back of our SUV. This thing is amazing! The wheels snap on and off, seats easily go on and off, etc. we fit it in the trunk with everything else for a week long vacation! When we're done with it, we can sell it for a decent price.

Ergo + infant insert
Video monitor
Swaddles and sleep sacks
Sound machine
Baby exercise mat
Exersaucer

[emilie]

May 12, 2016 10:07:56 GMT -5 legalbeagle said:

I'm not sure it matters except probably the PNP has a firmer mattress than the Lotus since it is raised up and I would prefer baby to be off the ground if possible, but we use our Lotus only for travel (probably starting around seven months of age) and portability was the bigger thing for us. DS (3.5 and a skinny 30 lbs, but pretty tall) still sleeps in it when we travel since it is directly on the ground.

Edited to add: my DH would say that it is pretty difficult to put the sheet on the mattress and get everything set up -- the frame is just as easy as it looks in the video but the sheet/mattress always takes him longer.  We're still happy with it but just fair warning.

legalbeagle resurrecting this thread with a question. Did you buy or are you buying the lotus bassinet converter for the travel crib? Wondering if it is worth it.

[mrswillie]

Sept 11, 2016 11:31:30 GMT -5 crimpgirl said:

In regards to thermometers, I would ask your doctor what they recommend.

I have heard of lots of offices that will only accept a temperature a certain way.

I talked to my doctor because I wanted an ear one, and she said go ahead. She did warn me that while babies are very little it's hard to get a good reading, but said if the temperature is high enough we're going straight to her/ER anyways.

Our pedi only does rectal temps up to a year. Thankfully it was never too terrible for us to do it that way and not too many times that a little something came out while doing it.

[kaydee0402]

Sept 11, 2016 18:47:16 GMT -5 mrswillie said:

Sept 11, 2016 11:31:30 GMT -5 crimpgirl said:

In regards to thermometers, I would ask your doctor what they recommend.

I have heard of lots of offices that will only accept a temperature a certain way.

I talked to my doctor because I wanted an ear one, and she said go ahead. She did warn me that while babies are very little it's hard to get a good reading, but said if the temperature is high enough we're going straight to her/ER anyways.

Our pedi only does rectal temps up to a year. Thankfully it was never too terrible for us to do it that way and not too many times that a little something came out while doing it.

Ditto. And I said earlier in this thread, you'll be amazed at what you can do as a mom when your baby is sick. It's incredibly empowering. I now take rectal temps like it's NBD

[WineNChocolate]

okay here I go:


- GRIPE WATER - I bold this cause gas and other unforeseen things will occur that you have gone through your 5 things, "why is baby crying" and nothing else works...YOU better have a bottle. It saved my sanity..helps with gas and acid issues. I know its 12 dollars or 15 whatever buy it.
- Gas relief drops
- TULA
- Rock N Play
- Summer Sleepers - Swaddlers with Velcro
- kimono undershirts, no over the head nonsense
- NIPPLE GUARDS - if you are deciding to bf and your nipples tear up..you will want them.
- wubba nubb- Paci with animal attached
- Carseat cover - It ties to the handle bars for those cold days and naps on the move during the day.
- Rocker chair- I have a glider too..but I loved my rocker its over sized an more comfy no wood all cushion.
- BF cover - BF mommies one that is large enough to cover the whole side of you and has a neck strap for when lil one starts to pull
- Storage bags for BM - I liked the lansinoh, get them when they are on BOGOF..never have enough.
- Pacifiers - we are a paci family find the right ones and buy at least 6. Stash them everywhere.

[WineNChocolate]

I just realized this was old SORRY!! lol..

[littlelion]

Sept 12, 2016 8:12:25 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

STMs, what did you guys use for overnight sleeping? DS hated his pnp bassinet so we mostly co slept. I'm not against co sleeping again, but would also like some other kind of bassinet.

We used this with DS. It attaches to the bed. As ftm it was very useful to have him at eye level, close to me. And small enough to fit comfortably in our room. And no getting up required! I borrowed it from a friend. This time we are planning to use the crib in our room. Just because I want to start the habit of him sleeping own his own. I'd like to avoid cosleeping.

SPOILER: Click to show

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[littlelion]

Sept 12, 2016 9:12:42 GMT -5 @kc295905 said:

littlelion I would like something just like that ! They had one on my local B/s/T group not too long ago. How long so they fit in there? I also thought about putting the crib in our room, but not sure it'd fit. Plus DS still sleeps in it.

He slept in there until he was 5 mo old. Which is about the age the product description recommends (that or by the time they can push up to hands & knees). This was his last night in it. Getting too big for it for sure.

SPOILER: Click to show

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[hmr11913]

We had G sleep in a rock & play for the first few months, then she moved to a pack & play and then eventually her crib. Ideally, I'd like for this baby to start out sleeping in the crib from the get-go as it was a VERY difficult transition to her crib and she still is not in her own bedroom...... haha.

[legalbeagle]

emilie, crimpgirl, wow did not know there was a bassinet converter option now. I think we will wait on buying unless we plan a big trip/lots of small trips while I'm on maternity leave. One of the things I love about the crib is that I could open the side up and lie down to nurse him to sleep. I like the idea of the bassinet for a newborn-ish baby but I'd probably be comfortable with a 3-4 month old on the floor. My son was also in a mattress on the floor from month five so my standards my be different from yours! crimpgirl, glad you are loving it!

[emilie]

Sept 12, 2016 16:01:04 GMT -5 legalbeagle said:

emilie , crimpgirl , wow did not know there was a bassinet converter option now. I think we will wait on buying unless we plan a big trip/lots of small trips while I'm on maternity leave. One of the things I love about the crib is that I could open the side up and lie down to nurse him to sleep. I like the idea of the bassinet for a newborn-ish baby but I'd probably be comfortable with a 3-4 month old on the floor. My son was also in a mattress on the floor from month five so my standards my be different from yours! crimpgirl , glad you are loving it!

You're in the city/smaller living space, right?  What do you do for sleeping with a newborn? 

[ImAPepper]

The Ergo

The convertible crib

Breast pump bag that your insurance probably won't pay for

[lola]

Sept 13, 2016 11:36:14 GMT -5 ImAPepper said:

The Ergo

The convertible crib

Breast pump bag that your insurance probably won't pay for

Okay, do you need the specific bag, or will any cooler bag do? I've been going back and forth on this one.

[ImAPepper]

Sept 13, 2016 11:38:04 GMT -5 lola said:

Sept 13, 2016 11:36:14 GMT -5 ImAPepper said:

The Ergo

The convertible crib

Breast pump bag that your insurance probably won't pay for

Okay, do you need the specific bag, or will any cooler bag do? I've been going back and forth on this one.

I ended up getting the messenger bag and cooler for my Medela because I only got the pump. If you get that brand the ice pack is shaped so you can store 4 bottles in the cooler without them falling over. LOVED it!

[kaydee0402]

My hospital gave out cooler bags. Does every hospital not do this? I love my cooler bag. It came with the curved ice packs, which my sister stole after having her baby.

[legalbeagle]

emilie, yeah we definitely live in a small space, but we have a mini crib from the first time around so we're going to keep that in our room. We also ended up doing a lot of co-sleeping so I think this time I'm going to get some sort of nest situation for the baby in our bed. And then the nursery will have a Sniglar Ikea crib.

[ImAPepper]

Sept 13, 2016 12:08:09 GMT -5 kaydee0402 said:

My hospital gave out cooler bags. Does every hospital not do this? I love my cooler bag. It came with the curved ice packs, which my sister stole after having her baby.

I wish! My hospital didn't give us shit! I got one pair of mesh panties and 3 diapers to take home with me and that was it! 😂