Dear Maternal Instincts,
The other day, several of you left great comments regarding baby things that were helpful/not helpful to you when your children were little. It left me wanting to know more! So...
1) What are the Top 3 items that you used with your little ones?
2) What are the Top 3 things that you could have lived without?
3) Any other advice?
Please and thank you.
Love,
Mrs. Tidyman
The other day, several of you left great comments regarding baby things that were helpful/not helpful to you when your children were little. It left me wanting to know more! So...
1) What are the Top 3 items that you used with your little ones?
2) What are the Top 3 things that you could have lived without?
3) Any other advice?
Please and thank you.
Love,
Mrs. Tidyman
You know some people's "must haves" are on other people's "don't need" list, right? That being said...
ReplyDeleteOur Must Haves:
1. Baby Papasan...vibrated and/or plays music. V basically lived in this...poor second child.
2. Swaddle Blankets...we used the Kiddopatamus SwaddleMes, but there are lots of brands out there.
3. Trumpette Socks...they are pricey, but were the only socks that would stay on D's feet. Bonus: cute.
Honorable Mentions: hair bows, dishwasher baskets for bottles, binkies that don't have a top or bottom & a good baby carrier.
Don't Need:
1. Travel System...we didn't get the stroller and didn't miss it one single time. We just used the our Baby Bjorn or a cheap sling until we could use our umbrella stroller.
2. Baby Bathtub...most people disagree with me on this. We didn't have one...just did bathroom sink, then kitchen sink, then bathtub.
3. Bassinet...how many beds does a tiny person need in their first year of life?
I think if you are going to have more than 1 baby, you should skip the travel system and go straight for the double stroller that I have in my basement =).
ReplyDeleteAlso on the don't need list is a diaper genie, plastic bags work just fine and a garbage can in the garage.
Must have newborn nightgowns regardless of who is growing in there, they work the best for night time diaper changes when everyone is tired and overwhelmed and crabby.
JJ
First things first: take all advice with a grain of salt and trust your instincts. :)
ReplyDeleteLoved:
1. High chair/shopping cart cover. Loved it with all three. Mine is similar to this: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11428119.
2. (If your brave/willing) Cloth diapers. I used them starting around 3 months of age with #2 & #3 and love them. I use BumGenius brand. Pricey investment, but worth it in the end (I rec'd a lot as gifts).
3. Burt's Bees diaper cream. Hands down, the best diaper cream out there.
Not so much:
1. Travel system stroller. I used one with all 3 quite a bit, but if I was starting over, I'd probably opt for a nice umbrella stroller instead.
2. Diaper Genie. Silly, really. And super stinky.
3. Toys/Clothes. Not that I want my kids to be naked and bored, but people will buy this stuff for you anyway. When someone asks you what you want, think more along the lines of diapers, wipes, baby wash, bibs, food, etc....the stuff you're going to "have" to buy.
I have to agree with those above who mentioned the Trumpette socks (my FAVS with Miss B), swaddle blankets (although you should definitely have the nurses teach you how to swaddle with a regular blanket before you leave the hospital....trust me), and newborn nightgowns (even if it's a boy).
Ditto on Heidi's comments...there's a plethora of advice out there, but in the end do whatever you want and feel comfortable with!
ReplyDeleteI loved having a Boppy pillow for nursing. Used it when they start sitting on their own to for support.
Also loved swaddle blankets and used SwaddleMe's w/ #2. But only for about 3-4 months b/c they say they need to be able to move around in their sleep after that to develop gross motor skills. So I quit after that.
We use our Pack 'n Play w/ bassinet frequently when we travel. My kids slept in that until we moved them to their own beds and still do when we are away from home. We have the cheapest one you can buy btw. No need for those fancy ones.
Don't need:
We never had any of the big baby gadgets (swings, rockers, jumparoos, walkers etc.) Some people like them but they're expensive here and didn't seem worth the investment or space.
Don't worry though. You're first one is kind of like a practice run. The main objective is just to keep it warm, dry and fed. If you do all that, you win! Then the second time around you'll figure out all the things you stressed about for no reason! Being a first time parent is rough. There's quite a learning curve, but babies are resilient and you'll be great I'm sure.
Bumbo with a feeding tray-WONDERFUL! I also used it in the tub-of course you can't leave the baby alone in there, but it's the absolute best thing to hold the baby up in the water so you don't have to and it's snug enough around him that he/she won't slide. It's a MUST have!
ReplyDeleteDon't Need- Bottle warmer-just use a candle or mug warmer and put a mug with warm water on it and then put the bottle in that.
Baby food maker-blender works great and can make more.
It differed with the kids, ie Lindsey loved the swing, Dinah hated it, so we got rid of it and cleared up a nice chunk of space. We were living in tight quarters both times so we did without some big space hogs like walkers and Exer-Saucers, and a bassinet (we used the Pack-n-Play). We didn't have a glider like everyone else b/c they give me motion sickness, but we spent a lot of time in the recliner in the living room.
ReplyDeleteReally nice to have, but not necessary:
--vibrating bouncer (we even used this in restaurants, under the table--you get some weird looks but a happy baby is a quiet baby!)
--SMALL, lightweight stroller that fits in your trunk and leaves room for groceries--travel systems were way too much for this small town girl!
Necessary for me:
--Lansinoh! (if you're nursing)
--sling (the kind that comes with an instructional video, can be washed, and can be used from birth to toddlerhood are the best)
--lots of burp cloths
--a couple of big, lightweight swaddling blankets
--waterproof lap pads, which can also be put on top of the crib sheet so you don't have to change all of it in the middle of the night, or be used as a makeshift diaper changing "table"
--small diaper "fold-up" that held a couple diapes, small thing of wipes, and one extra onesie, that was much lighter to haul around than the big diaper bag. We usually left the big one in the van and went back if there was a problem--a big enough blowout and you're pretty much going home anyway!!! I left my little one in an Olive Garden in Kentucky and they couldn't find it--I was devastated.
--the little u-shaped thingie that cradles a baby's head in the carseat until they're bigger. Best $8 you'll ever spend.
--carseat cover for winter--that way we didn't have to mess with snowsuits
--shopping cart seat cover to keep them safely buckled, and to keep them from chewing on the gross handles!
Things we lived without, that everybody else had:
--baby monitor (we lived in a small place, and the baby was normally with me)
--pacifiers, with Dinah, she hated them, and Lindsey started sucking her thumb which was much easier from my point of view!
--baby food--both kids preferred mushed-up table food
--bottle warmer--I nursed most of the time, and I also had an experienced mom tell me "Why get them used to a warm bottle? If all you ever give them is cold ones, they'll like that best. Which do you prefer, cold milk or warm?"
--wipe warmer--dries them out too fast for this cheapskate!
--travel system (see above)
--bumbo seat
--Boppy pillow
Baby equipment will take over your whole house for a while--then when they turn a year old you'll look around and realize you don't need any of it anymore (unless you're working on #2)! Have fun shopping!