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Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best finds here!!

Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Cara, with the Moby wrap, we found Aidan did better with the standard hug hold (where he faces you and straddles the cross straps) vs the newborn hug hold. I feel like it's more secure as well. I'm slowly starting to get the hang of it, but I have a hard time getting it wrapped tight enough. I feel like Aidan ends up too low on my body. Yesterday I took him out to Target and Homegoods and used our carrier for it. We have a bjorn-styled Infantino. It worked really well and Aidan passed out immediately, but it hurt my back by the end of the day. It might be something for DH to use more than me.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

FYI: My Target has A+A swaddles in 4 packs in the store now! $29.99
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Just thought I'd update on the ergo. Its now super comfortable for me to carry as well as my husband, I think my hips just took a few weeks to recover from pregnancy/delivery. So I definitely recommend it, with the caveat about the newborn insert being a sleeping bag. Which is actually a feature when it is coldish outside (no concerns about freezing the baby!) but its not so compatible with hot weather use.

LV, my husband insisted we get the temporal as it is more accurate/easier to use than the ear one, based on his six weeks of giving well-baby exams in med school. Infants dont like you sticking things in their ears, but it turns out they also dont like you positioning their head and scanning something along their forehead when they are already too warm! Hence I still have problems using it and getting a good reading. I have to use the rectal method to get a number I believe, which often involves minutes of screaming. But maybe its just me? My husband is a little better at the temporal one, and generally when it messes up it gives you something you can dismiss out of hand, like 87.3 degrees, so its not likely to mislead you, you just should have a standard thermometer around for backup. But until I get better at using it, I cant say that the temporal one was worth the cost.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

HOUMedGal|1289930918|2768590 said:
FYI: My Target has A+A swaddles in 4 packs in the store now! $29.99
Click to expand...

The Target A&A's are typically slightly smaller (44x44 vs 47x47) and are a different muslin than the ones you find at boutiques. The Target ones are typically a slightly thicker/rougher muslin than the boutiques. The boutique ones are super soft and thin.

BRU has them as well...they are 47x47...I got them and they seem slightly thicker than boutique and a little rough even after being washed as much as the boutique ones. I have never touched the Target ones.

Confusing right?!?!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Loves Vintage|1289930332|2768571 said:
Have we discussed thermometers here?

Temporal http://www.toysrus.com/product/inde...romRegistryNumber=46140061&product_skn=491212 vs. Ear http://www.amazon.com/Braun-Thermoscan-Thermometer-ExacTemp-Technology/dp/B001FWXKMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289929818&sr=8-1[/url]

The benefit of the Temporal is that you won't wake the baby, right? But, perhaps the Ear therm is more precise? Do we have a favorite here?
Click to expand...

My friend who is a pediatrician said to only use a rectal thermometer when they are really little (I think he said the first three months) for accuracy. He actually bought us one as part of his gift: http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?asin=B001FXSQ9S&colid=1KX9DICSK27EV&coliid=IR7UZVFTJGX2J&bckreg=baby
It has worked very well for us and is quick!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

I use a normal digital one under the armpit and then add 1 degree farenheit to get the same as an oral temperature. Always found it to be pretty accurate. It can be tricky clamping their arm down and holding the thermometer in the right place under the arm, but much easier than doing a rectal or oral temp in a squirmy child.

They do make ones that look like paci's, but I never tried them as Daisy wouldn't take a normal one so it would have been just as much of a battle.

When Daisy and I were in hospital the first week and they were taking her temperature every 2 hours day & night they had special strips that they put into the armpit and they changed colour to the temperature of the baby and were then read against a chart.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Bump...

Just beginning to think about baby stuff, but I'd love to hear about more the stuff you love or couldn't live without.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Found my initial pre-baby reviews of stuff on pages 19 & 20 of this thread and thought I'd do a 19 month post-baby review:

Crib: Arms' Reach Mini Co-sleeper - brilliant, was a godsend in a very small size house. I never bothered attaching it to the bed so that I could push it out of the way easily to get in and out of bed. Didn't make it any less stable or inclined to move on it's own and we have wooden floors.

Cot: Stokke Sleepi - Daisy has yet to spend a whole night in this but it is very pretty, holds a load of crap and extends to a junior bed so still give it a thumbs up!

Stroller: Stokke Xplory - for an urban stroller it can't be beaten especially if you use public transport a lot. I am crazily in love with the new model and if it wasn't totally ridiculous I would upgrade...

High-Chair: Bloom Fresco - I'm not really keen on this at all and Daisy goes through phases of loving and then hating it. If I was buying again I would 100% get the Stokke Tripp Trapp which does the same things and is much smaller and easier to clean (the textiles on this DO NOT CLEAN EASILY). I'm very tempted to stick it on eBay next time she is in a hate relationship with it and get the Tripp Trapp instead. Fortunately I should easily make all my money back and probably a profit if I do sell it!

Carseat: Maxicosi Cabriofix Isofix. Great carseat, no complaints. If I was buying this year I would go with the BeSafe Izi Sleep that fits with the new Stokke Xplory or just have gone with our new one straight away as I honestly only used the carseat with the stroller 3 times. New one is the rear-facing BeSafe Izi Combi Isofix which we tried for the first time over Christmas and is great. Looks super-comfortable, D can look out of the windows and has masses of room to grow - best of all the safety and crash test results are as good as they get.

Changing Mat: Kuster Jelly Baby - was nice, but the rubber perishes at the edges and starts to split. To be honest I didn't use it all that much - put D in pull-ups at 6 months as she was too wriggly and so changed her standing-up or on my knee. DH did use it though. If I was doing it again I'd probably just use a pile of terry nappies or something.

Baby Alarm: My kid doesn't sleep... haven't really needed to use this as our house is so small I can hear her very easily without, but useful to have and is a good model.

Baby Bath: Tummy Tub - the nicest bucket we own which is great for doing the laundry! It was cute at the beginning and Daisy loved it, but then she and I just started taking baths together instead. If we only had a shower I'd have used it way more than I did. Still... it's a lovely bucket.... :bigsmile:

Towels: CuddleDry and Totsbots bamboo: wonderful, love them, still use them and they still feel amazing and soft.

Bottles: Tommee Tippee 'Closer to Nature' - brilliant, no faffy bits to lose or have problems cleaning. Also had their manual breast-pump and the microwave steriliser. Totally recommend.

Bath Products: I have nearly everything in the Burt's Bees Baby Bee range, but only use a few products:

Baby Shampoo & Wash: lovely (there's now a hypoallergenic one as well) and smells amazing. Daisy had a tiny bit of cradle cap and this cleared it up in 2 days and it never came back.
Buttermilk Baby Lotion: Tried this several times and think Daisy had a slight allergic reaction - may have been a heat rash - anyway haven't bought again, but it does smell lovely.
Buttermilk Bath Powder: Very expensive, smells nice, I use it for myself... not wasting it on a baby!:bigsmile:
Baby Bubble Bath: Daisy loves bubble bath and this is as nice as the rest of the range. I didn't start using it until she was around 15 months and asking for 'bubbles' in her bath.
Baby Soap: Still wrapped and unused.
Baby Apricot Oil: Love this and am on bottle number 3 - use instead of baby lotion.
Skin Cream: Very nice as face-cream and no nasty reactions.
Diaper Cream: Smells gorgeous but if you need a barrier cream that really works on nappy rash then Metanium cream wins hand's down.
Dusting Powder: Never used.

Baby Carrier: Baby Bjorn - I can't say enough how much I HATED, LOATHED & DETESTED this carrier. It was bulky, a PITA to do all the buckles and straps especially if DH and I wanted to take turns when we were out. The baby hangs by their crotch which isn't great for their spinal development and it puts huge strain on your shoulders. At 4 months I could barely carry her for more than 15 minutes. The worst thing I bought by a long shot.

I now have the Ellaroo Mei Tai and it's fantastic. At 21lbs and 19 months old, I can easily carry Daisy for several hours at a stretch with no pain at all (and I've had major spinal surgery). The baby is supported under their knees and hips which is far better for them and as they are wrapped round you it really helps distribute the weight evenly to your hips and not just your shoulders. You can also put them on your back. 'Officially' you shouldn't really do a front facing position with a Mei Tai, but it can be done although is much less comfortable .

Misc:
Diaper Genie - waste of time, just get a bucket.
Activity Mat - got little use as she was carried all the time.
Playpen - now known as 'Guantanamo' and is our time-out pen as she always hated it.
Jumperoo - A lifesaver for about a week, our friends' kids liked it for months... :knockout:
Bouncy Chair - a lifesaver for.... oooh... about 10 minutes max... once... :rolleyes:
VTech Walker - Wonderful, much loved even a year later (except by me).
Swaddling Cloths - check your kid can be swaddled before you buy too many of these. I gave away all mine unused.
Burp Clothes - Terry nappies (cloth diapers) are the best, muslins just aren't absorbent enough - ick just slides straight off them and onto you, the kid etc. Muslins are best used as sunshades over strollers in the summer....
Scratch Mittens - most sleepsuits seem to have the turnovers on the sleeves, D just pulled them straight off (this is the kid that took her ID tags off in the hospital - both wrist and ankle - 4 times though).
Socks - PITA, I used tights which can't be pulled off or lost.

ETA: Bumbo - total disaster. D learnt to stiffen her body and throw herself backwards and out of it within 30 minutes the 2 times we tried it. She was all of about 4 months if that (would need to check). Anyway, never used it again but gave to my brother and his kid loved it and never tried to get out!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

that is such an awesome thorough review Pandora!

i don't have the energy to go back and find what i posted after J was born but here are a few I still feel strongly about...

Aden and Anais muslin wraps, must have. keeps them warm and cool at the same time, fabulous for swaddling at first and then later use, we use them in his stroller for summer to keep the sun off him or keep his legs a little warm but not too hot in fall.

Grobag egg...still love this thing and use it daily. It's in his room. It tells us the temp. And after a while we learned what temp he was happiest at, when he was too warm, cold etc. His room also is a little colder and warmer than the rest of the house (depending on time of year) so we can't rely on how the other rooms feel to gauge his.

Itzbeen timer--must have for new moms. I just lent mine to a friend... it was the one thing I said "I must have back!". It has buttons to track when you last did something, aka change a diaper or breastfed or when baby slept. In the first month or two your brain is mush so forget keeping track of stuff--just press the button when you do something and then you can pick it up and look at it an hour or two later and go 'oh it's been 2hours since feeding, no wonder he's fussy!'.

Hooded bath towels, loved them and we still use them.

Halo sleep sacks (and A&A has them too), love them and still use them (on and off but J runs warm lately so we leave them off and dress him in footie PJs). the fleece and velboa are the softest.

Newborn or 0-3mo clothes with hand mittens built in. Our kid would pull his mitts off even in the beginning, so we needed clothes/tshirts that had them sewn on. Priceless. I know not all Moms like them but J was a clawer and so they were necessary for us.

Cloth diapers for burp rags, yes, must have, they are big and hold a lot. The little burp cloths called 'burp cloths' always had barf slide down them and onto us and were too small.

Our kid also needed a ton of bibs since he had light reflux and now needs them for crazy teething drool. Your kid may not. So maybe get a few to start (or peeps will prob give you more than a few) and then see if you need more. We didn't use many socks as most of his clothes had footies. And then in summer we didn't sock him at all. Depends on your weather/when the kid is born IMO too. Same with hats.

We used the Baby Bjorn at first and it was fine for both of us. Now we use the Ergo--I just used it for the first time the other day and wore J for over an hour at an outdoor event, he's 20 lbs and I didn't have any pain except in my knee later (I was not wearing the right shoes) and felt fine the next day. You can get the Ergo on Baby Steals quite often for about 40% off.

We borrowed the lamb swing from a friend and loved it. We gave it back at 7mo because he outgrew it and was bored in it. But he slept a bunch in it in the beginning. Bouncy chair--we got some FP model. It was fine, and we used it to feed him in when he was older and starting solids til we got a booster chair. I would not spend a lot on a swing or bouncy chair, if you can borrow them from someone even better!

We use Aveeno bath products on J and have since he was born and love them. Someone gave us a bottle of CA baby so we'll use that next. He's 11mo and we haven't had to buy a bath product--we got SO many as gifts.

That's all I can remember now. Newborn is kind of fuzzy in the brain. ::)

Oh and stroller, I did crazy research and waited til the kid was like 3mo til I bought anything but we got the Bumbleride Indie and STILL love it... it's great for all-purpose or long walks, I love to walk. We got a MacLaren umbrella recently for outdoor events and crowds for $60 on eBay!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

I'd also add the NoseFrida, and My Breast Friend to my best finds list
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

totally forgot about miracle blanket..!! that saved our lives after J busted out of the regular A&A.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

You ladies rock. I am taking notes and ordering all the great things you're recommending!

It is SO amazing to have such intelligent moms give these recommendations! Nothing I've ever gotten from a PS recommendation has ever let me down! Thanks to you, I've gotten the Miracle Blanket, Halo sleep sacks, Tummy Tub, Itzbeen timer, Arm's Reach Co-sleeper, My Brest Friend pillow (Thanks, Bella!), larger A&A blankets from the boutique and the NoseFrida!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for the taking the time to write such thoughtful reviews and share these gems with us. It really really helps! As a new mama-to-be, I can't tell you how reassuring it is to know that I'm getting items that have been tested and approved by such smart women. :wavey: Everything right now seems overwhelming and it's SO nice to get this kind of advice!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

The end of an era has come, at 12 weeks old Charlie now busts both arms out of his A+A swaddles. No matter how tightly we swaddle him up. It does not instantly wake him up but it does make him sleep much more lightly. I am wondering if we should try the woombie? He likes to keep his hands close to his face so I think the miracle blanket might piss him off. Any suggestions?
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

I figure I might throw up a review or two:

A+A swaddles - we use these daily as a swaddle and as a blanket to cover up C when he is napping in his bouncy chair. We love the 47x47 boutique ones better than the ones purchased from buy buy baby, much softer and more lush. Other A+A products we use are the burpy bibs and the dream blankets and we LOVE every thing we buy from A+A.

Halo Sleep Sack - Charlie hated it when we first tried it, I am not too scared about the blanket since he is swaddled and we tuck the blanket along the sides of the crib mattress. Maybe when he starts to move around we might need to revisit.

Swaddle Mes - Charlie hated these as well, he seemed to be VERY restricted in them and he kept trying to push his way out.

Woombie - He loved the one we tried but we returned because we got the similar result from the swaddles, now that he is breaking out we might need to revisit these as well.

SLeepers with snaps - HATE, nothing is worse than trying to snap a baby with a million snaps in the middle of the night in a zombie state.

Sleepers with zippers - love :) especially childrens place sleepers.

Fisher Price Whale of a Tub - We love it, Charlie has been in this tub since he was 6 days old, and he is completely comfortable in it, it converts to a toddler tub when he can sit up unassisted.

Ergo Carrier - LOVE we carry him in this all the time, it saved my life in early weeks when all he wanted to do is be held. I wore him while I did my chores around the house. We never bothered with the infant insert he had great neck control from early on.

UppaBaby Vista- I looked forward to this stroller since finding out I was pregnant. It is a bit bulky, and heavy but we still love how functional it is. We used the bassinet for only a few weeks, he hated laying down. We use it with the car seat or the toddler seat all the time. The basket is HUGE which is a big plus.

Baby Gym - Fisher Price Jungle Gym - keeps Charlie entertained for at least 20-30 minutes :) which is a great thing for when you need to get something done or eat a meal without a baby hanging on you.

My breast friend - Swoon...the best nursing pillow ever. Paul calls it the baby serving tray. I used it exclusively for the first 8 weeks of nursing.

Bottles - Dr. Brown wideneck bottles, Charlie struggled with the flow of all other bottles and we tried 3-4 different types until finally settling on Dr. Brown. The parts are a PITA to clean but its worth it for my little guy. We also have the Dr. Brown bottle warmer which we love.

Pump - Medela PISA I have pumped from day one and love this pump, though I loathe pumping.

Hands free pumping bra - simple wishes hands free pumping bra saved me from insanity. I can pump for longer periods of time while having my hands free. I recommend this 100%!!

Pack and Play - Charlie stayed in our room for 7 weeks and slept in the pack and play, looking back I wish we had gotten the arms reach co sleeper, it seems more comfy, maybe for baby #2.

Summer infant video monitor - now that we moved C to his own room I love the video monitor, it saves me a trip into the room when he makes noises during the night, he is a loud sleeper. We live in an apartment and occasionally get static but still love it.

Bebe AuLait hooded towels and burp rags - I got this on clearance, no way I would spend $40 on a hooded towel but I got it for around $10 and we love it! Very plush and generously sized, the burp rags started coming apart at the seams, we have 6 and 2 started doing this. We love them however.

Bouncy Chair - Fisher Price froggy calming vibrations Charlie loves this thing and spends a ton of his time in this playing and sleeping.

Crib - we got the Graco Lauren and spent around $175 for the crib and mattress and could not be happier.

Bottle Brush - Born Free wide neck bottle brush is awesome!

We love burts bees and method baby products, clothing from baby gap, and our boon flair though we haven't tried it yet.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

ditto Bebe Au Lait hooded towels, I got some on BabySteals recently for 50% off and we llove them. J is outgrowing regular hooded towels and these are bigger.

Allie... if he fights the swaddle, then maybe try the Woombie. J was pretty into the swaddle, not that he loved it, he would fight it for a few seconds and then just pass out. So I felt like he needed the restriction. We just totally deswaddled once J was breaking out off the miracle blanket. Good luck!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

ChargerGrrl: I have heard a lot of great things about the Rock 'N Play Sleeper, do you love it? Or anyone else have it and have something to say about it?

I was wondering if I get this, do I need a bouncer? Do you use it in your room for the baby to sleep in? Or would you also recommend getting a pack n play?
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Now that I know how much we love them I might pick up a second towel on BabySteals when they come up again. The towels are seriously awesome. I lucked out when Diapers.com was having their huge GLITCH sale, and they were marked down for like 75% off I got one for us and two for my sister that is expecting twins. They only had one color however.

Charlie loves the swaddle, he did from day 1, he passes right out once he is swaddled. He has his night where he fights in and will continue to fight it through the night, but they are rare. Last night daddy swaddled him and he was still perfectly swaddled when I came in to nurse him at 3am and also at 6:30am when he was up for the morning. I have no clue what the deal with this guy is :). I am going to grab one woombie on amazon and maybe a few more when they come back up on mamabargains.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Thanks so much to the ladies that have recently added their product reviews and raves - especially Padora, Mara, AllieLuv. I really appreciate hearing what new moms have to say about their must-haves and don't-bothers and I really appreciate you sharing. I have lots of research to do now :)

Of course feel free to keep them coming.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Cass|1293951046|2812163 said:
ChargerGrrl: I have heard a lot of great things about the Rock 'N Play Sleeper, do you love it? Or anyone else have it and have something to say about it?

I was wondering if I get this, do I need a bouncer? Do you use it in your room for the baby to sleep in? Or would you also recommend getting a pack n play?
Click to expand...

Daisy loathed the bouncer and would barely stay 10 minutes in it. Our neighbour's kid loved it and would sit in it for hours. Personally I wouldn't let a baby sleep in one on a regular basis - I'm not sure it would be good for their back.

We have a Pack N Play, but it's used for time-outs. When Daisy was tiny but able to crawl (5 months) I would put her in it while I went to the bathroom or something but that was it.

With all my reviews it is worth bearing in mind that I had a child who had the most terrible separation anxiety from 5 months through to 16 months - literally no-one else could pick her up and I couldn't leave the room without hours of screaming - baby-sitters refused to ever come again! Basically I just held her all the time till she could walk (10 months) so things like activity mats, Pack n Play, Bumbo, bouncer, jumperoo etc were not a great success for us. If I was doing it over again I would be very tempted to have bought one of the expensive 'neglectomatic' swing things as I think it might have been acceptable to madam.

Oh and regarding separation anxiety there is NOTHING you can do except endlessly reassure and wait for them to grow out of it. Trying to make them more independent makes it much worse especially if they have a very persistent personality.
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Well I'm 4 months in and thought I'd do a little review of some baby items. I read through this ENTIRE thread at least twice when I was pregnant and the advice was all really helpful so I really want to contribute for future moms!

Stroller:
We bought the Maxi Cosi Foray because it was practically the only one in the store that I could easily fold. Well, that ship has sailed! It was nice because you can use it as a snap and go (the actual seat comes off). But it is bulky and difficult to get in and out of the trunk. We went back and forth between getting a City Mini or a Chicco Liteway to replace and it and the Liteway won this past weekend! So far it is great... super easy to fold. Its about the same weight as the Foray actually but its more compact since its an umbrella stroller so I feel like that makes it easier to pick up and carry. I'm going to start taking our public transportation more often now that the train will begin to run all day instead of just mornings/evenings. This will be really great for that. It reclines all the way also so it can be used from birth.

Carseat:
We bought the Maxi Cosi Mico because it fit with our stroller. Its been great... I think its the lightest infant carrier on the market. However, we had to have the passenger seat allllll the way forward to use it. I'm only 4'11" and I felt cramped in the front seat. We were planning on getting a Britax convertible later on and ended up finding an online return for a really low price so we got it. We installed it in the middle and both my husband and I can have our seats wherever we want! We also realized that we can have the Britax Roundabout in the middle and the Maxi Cosi on the passenger side at the same time so thats great! We want more kids but don't know when we can get a bigger car so that was a really nice discovery. This is in an '06 Nissan Sentra for anyone interested.

Bottles:
I bought a First Years Breastflow to start out with because I was really worried about "nipple confusion" Well, turns out that my child isn't the type to get confused about her food and the double nipple was pretty messy anyway. We also had some 5oz Dr. Weil bottles. She liked those but they eventually weren't big enough. We ended up with some Evenflo glass bottles... just the basic ones with basic nipples and they work great!

Swing:
We bought a full size Graco swing at a consignment sale and she naps in it every afternoon. I highly recommend one!

Diapers:
We use cloth diapers and LOVE them. Apparently alot of husbands hate using them, but my DH loves them just as much as I do. We spent quite a bit on one particular brand of pocket diapers and then had elastic issues. They fixed the problem but now they just don't seem to be absorbent enough since she is older. We ended up with whatever fitteds we can find cheap (used kissaluvs and sandys mostly) and some Blueberry, Sweetpea, and Econobum covers. We actually like the Econobums and Sweetpeas best even though they are cheapest.

Wipes:
We have tried several brands and off-brands and Costco's Kirklands wipes are by far the best! They are really nice and thick.

Changing Pad:
We have a minky cover for it but haven't actually used it since she was about 2 months probably. We just use the bare pad... much easier to wipe down. So a cover isn't something I'd worry about too much.

Carriers:
We have a Sakura linen sling and also a Mei Tai made by a WAHM. (http://www.etsy.com/shop/twirlybirdbaby) We (yes, my husband uses it too!) use the Mei Tai for long trips (shopping, grocery store, etc) and I use the sling for quick things. I love having the two different options. The girl who makes the Mei Tais does a lovely job... they are very nice and secure.

Breastpump:
I started out with an Avent Isis Manual but had to get a double electric due to having a low supply. I went with the Lansinoh Double Electric which is the exact same thing as the Ameda Purely Yours. No cross contamination if you lend it to a friend or something. Its worked really well. I didn't really like the Isis even though it had good reviewss. My lactation specialist used some sort of tool and measured the suction... it ended up not being consistent w/each time I pumped the handle.

Mattress:
We have the Sealy Soybean Foam-core. I definitely recommend it. It doesn't have any weird sagging and its a perfect fit with our Davinci Jenny Lind crib. Alot of the mattresses in the stores seemed flimsy and floppy but this one isn't.

And this isn't a baby item but just have to add a rave for it. I got a Lifefactory glass water bottle with silicone sleeve for Christmas. This is great especially for breastfeeding moms since we need lots of fluids! Its glass so it won't absorb any weird smells and you can put the whole thing in the dishwasher.

Thats it for now! I'm sure I'll think of more stuff later though!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Miracle blanket! at first we just used a&a, then he needed something stronger than the velcro swaddles and we discovered the MIRACLE. If someone tells you their kid can get out of it, they just are not doing it tightly enough. Have you seen the movie Babies? You could bounce a dime off of E once I wrapped him in the MB. We used it till he was more than 6 months and could crawl all over the house. i didn't want to cut him foot holes...so transitioned with the woombie, which lets them feast on their little paws and then one day he just was fine in a sleep sack. No drama like I had feared. I give away all of his clothes, but just in case we have another beast, I mean baby, I have asked for all the swaddles back.

You need a breast friend. No, the boppy is not the same. Well, if you think that holding your arm in front of someone is the same as a seatbelt, then sure, its the same. I have the deluxe, right now my hot silver macbook pro is on the edge of it and baby is nursing himself milk-drunk without being disturbed. Register for it and bring it with you to the hospital. The pillows they have there are slippery and you will get a stiff neck on top of being post labor.

Nursing tanks. Love! GlamorMom makes the best, targets are getting better but they still crap out after getting dried a ton and you will wash these a ton if you do BF. I am still wearing them under other clothes as its easier for pumping.

I got the Ameda Purely Yours from a friend and it works great, burnt out its motor and got a new one (I pump a lot and on high to make it faster). Easy to clean, easy to carry around, quiet, and 1/3 the cost of the pump in style though just the same thing....

Love our Beco! Carrying him on my back is so freaking awesome! I still like the bjorn though (even though he is currently 18.5lbs). Know that there are several different bjorns, ours was hand me down so i have no idea what the name is, but it has a stiff back support panel, this is key, the ones that just cross in back are designed to kill parents.
If someone gives you one as a hand me down, burn it to protect others.

Slings, love slings...but i'm pretty tall, even if not very long waisted. E bfs while I walk (wearing my bf tanks!) and no one knows he is snacking in there. I got two maya wraps hand me down and love them so much i'm not sharing, he is so snuggled in there he just goes to sleep after looking around for a minute or two. Soon he will be in the hip carry and that seems comfy too -love the pocket for keys and wallet.

Crib, Ikea, mattress, ikea. Euro safety standards are better than the US, they all convert to toddler beds, its under $100 including the pad and sheets, and on craigslist they go for 75% of full price so I can sell the crib when he moves on to a twin.

Bumbo, great for early feeding. by 5/6 months he could tip it over, so maybe try to get it used. Going price on CL around here is $15.

highchair, we were given the stokke tripp trapp, it is lovely, not super easy to clean, but he really is at the table with us and it is nice furniture, blends in with antique wooden chairs. Did not get tray or pillow (looked like it would get covered with food) but the babyset is really cute and he is happy as a clam in there.

We use the prince lionheart wipes warmer (with the antimicrobial pad) and fuzzibuns wipes (2 packs of 10) so only have to occasionally get some of the pre-moistened wipes for the skip hop container when out and about. We wash the wipes with the cloth diapers, but one could just do cloth wipes, keep them in a wet bag (lots on etsy) and wash them as a single load -maybe get 3 packs then for a more full load. Its great to get everything up with one wipe, and I mean everything, even those first squash poops are just one wipe with cloth and they are soooooo soft. we have never had a spot of diaper rash. cloth diapers are discussed elsewhere so I will spare the more gentle readers.

Tummy time mirror by sassy. So awesome, E was always a tummy man, but had total head control at 2 months etc because of his bee and the spinning ball that hung out with the smiling baby in that mirror. He loves the baby in the mirror, loves.

We got a jumperoo on CL, they are all fine, babies don't seem to prefer one to jumperoo or exersauser to another we were given and passed on several, E never noticed. Would have liked the door jumper but our doorways are too high, he would have dangled above the ground. But they look awesome.

Munchkin spoons are great for feeding, tried the bamboo ones but the splintered off (!) and the ikea ones were really flat while the other one at target seemed too deep....I donno, only 2 months into the food thing.

Nuk milk storage bags are the best. So many others just leak when defrosting. try to get out all the air though. I thought the canisters were cool looking but spendy and took up so much space. We bought a deep freezer on amazon to store milk, great for leftovers too.

Nursing covers seemed like something i would need, but the a&a blankets were more useful for sopping up milk, providing shade, keeping him off a dirty floor, swaddling, sticking down my shirt when the pads were soaked, etc, etc, that I stopped carrying around both and just ditched the cover. Now it distracts him too much and I no longer care if anyone knows I'm nursing (also the frenzied weasel eating sounds are hard to muffle).

I love the indie bumbleride. Love it. seagrass is just delicious! see happy warm baby below! We went snowshoeing with it after the blizzard and he stayed warm in his smooth ride. It fits in the back of our cars.

Never got a monitor, when he screams I hear it. We were given one of the groeggs but he did not seem to care about temp, (or sound so returned the sleep sheep). However E just hates any light in his room so got black out shades at target. Never got a thermometer either...should, but our pedi said the nurse will ask for rectal temp only. So maybe ask your pedi before purchasing something fancy that they don't give much stock to?

any socks other than trumpette and gap seem to come off instantly, these simply stay on for a few minutes.

Happiest baby on the block (dvd), nursing mother's companion (book) and Wonder Weeks (book) have been invaluable. The last is a week by week stages explaining what is going on. Dutch authors so no judgy "you should do this or your baby will become a stripper" vibes.

You don't need as many clothes as people say you do as long as you own a washing machine. I needed more flannel blankies than I thought was possible.

The boulevard is too huge, we should have gotten the marathon.

All babies are different creatures so sometimes its good to meet your creature before getting all this stuff...we can all only speak to our own. Then again, Target with a little guy is its own special challenge and I try to avoid babies r us at all cost. My very best to all embarking on this journey.

snugsnow.jpg
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Swimmer - E is just :love: :love: :love: :love: I just got the fuzzibunz wipes per your rec...they are super soft! I can see why you would like them, I cant wait to try them out :)

Not a Mom (yet) but wanted to pass on my pump tip for anyone looking. A friend pointed me to addalittlelove.com. They ARE an auth. Medela dealer but their prices are CRAZY low. You have to email them for quotes. A girl from my due date board called to check they were authorized, and also they accepted a manufacturers coupon I had so I feel pretty confident. My pump just got shipped but my customer service was EXCELLENT. They worked with me on the coupon, etc. and I ended up getting a Medela Freestyle for $270 shipped. A total steal. I plan on not opening it and if for some reason I dont get to need it, I can sell on eBay for the same price I imagine.

Now, if my pump arrives and is duct taped together or something, I will come back and rescind this advice :)
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Just a note for those shopping for pumps...when we were in the hospital our LC told us that her hub worked for Medela's parent company and they are the same company who owns and manufactures Ameda pumps. She recommended either, but Ameda is much cheaper. I got a Purely Yours for I think $120 on diapers.com after my new customer discount shipped free. Just another option to consider... Medela is definitely the brand that everyone hears about, but I am glad our LC turned us onto Ameda! I used the pump for 6mo. I never used a Medela so don't know about comparison on power etc, but I think they are pretty comparable.

Mischa... addalittlelove was also recommended by rockpaperscissors who is an LC as well so I'm sure it's reputable. ::)
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Mara - awesome! Now I feel even better :))
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Miscka - Thanks for the tip. I'm going to order my replacement parts from them. (I received a pump in style from a friend.) Their prices are great!!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

I'm at 4 months PP now as well so here's my review(s):
Stroller:
We bought the UppaBaby Vista and we love it. We got it for about 70% off because we purchased it directly at the factory/headquarters in MA. If you live anywhere near MA it's worth making the drive for the savings. I'm a huge fan of the brand now and we'll probably end up going with the G-lite for a small umbrella stroller down the road.

Carseat:
We bought the Graco SnugRide 35, which snaps onto our UBV with an adaptor. I love the look of the seat and I love that it can be used up to 35 lbs but I don't know anyone who could carry their child around in it at 35 lbs. Aidan is about 14-15 lbs and it's tough to carry him in it sometimes.

Bottles:
We bought Tommy Tippee bottles at first because they're similar to the breast and are anti colic. We used them for the first week or so but then switched to Dr. Brown because we needed a slow flow nipple and DB makes a preemie speed. They've been a lot better for us. The only nipple confusion Aidan has ever had was going back to the TT bottles after DB. He couldn't deal with the nipple.

Swing:
We registered for the FP My little lamb papasan swing (I believe it's recommended more for small infants/newborns than the stage we're at now) and we got it for our shower but we returned it and borrowed the same swing from a friend. I'm glad we did that because Aidan hates it. We got a few good weeks of use out of it when he was really little but we haven't been able to use it without screaming fits since about 8 weeks. He likes the swing at dc but it sits up more like a seat vs reclining like the FP swing. If we buy another swing it will be an old school swing (though battery operated!) and will be from the local consignment shop or a yard sale.

Diapers:
We're disposable diaper peeps. The only diapers that so far bother A's bum are the Pampers with DryMax. He can use other pampers, huggies, luvs, and U&U with no issues so I buy whatever is on sale or I have coupons for. We did have to make the switch to using an overnight specific diaper because A kept soaking through at night. So we went with the Huggies overnights in sz 3 and they've been great.

Wipes:
We have tried several brands and off-brands and we buy whatever is on sale. I bought a big case of Up&Up wipes at Target's last big clearance sale last year that has lasted us until just recently. I picked up a case of Parents Choice from Walmart and they're fine as well. We're sticking with sensitive skin wipes.

Pacifier:
Avent. A hated soothies

Changing Pad:
We have a basic contour pad on top of A's dresser that we use. We have a cover on it because he hates the feeling of the cold plastic, but we use a puppy pad on top of that for spills and squirts.

Carriers:
We have the infantino version of the bjorn and it kills my back and is hard to get into so I've only used it a few times. I love the moby and so does Aidan. He passes right out in it! I'd love an Ergo and plan to get one at some point soon but money has been tight since A was born.

Breastpump:
I loved the Medela Symphony I had in the hospital but had an Ameda Purely Yours at home. I liked it. It was easy to use and clean. I ended up selling it to a friend. My mom bought it for me new in the box off of ebay.

Mattress:
We have a Sealy mattress, just a middle of the road one (about $120 I think).

PNP:
We have a Graco PNP that I bought on clearance at Target. It's been a life saver as we live in a 2 story house and we need a changing station downstairs and somewhere to throw all of A's junk when the dog is around. He naps in it as well sometimes.

FP Ocean Wonders Bouncy Seat (w/calming vibrations):
For me this is my MUST HAVE baby item. It has saved us on numerous occasions and was the only way we could get A to sleep for the longest time. The bouncing motion is very soothing for him for some reason. We have one in the living room and one in the nursery for nights when he's having trouble sleeping. It's really just his hang out spot though.

Bumbo:
We have one that I bought at a yardsale for $15 with the tray. A tolerates it but I don't think he loves it. He'd rather be propped up with pillows or sit on your lap. We've been using it to get him used to the idea of a high chair.

High chair:
We don't have one yet, I want to get a FP space saver.

Jumperoo:
We were given a second hand baby einstein jumperoo and Aidan hated it. It didn't bounce well and the activities are pretty lame. He got a FP Ocean Wonders jumperoo from santa and he loves that. We got it on sale at BRU.

Floor mat/activity gym:
We didn't have one of these and Aidan used to just play on the floor on a blanket but he had the chance to play in one when we were at a friend's house and he flipped for it. So we asked my parents for it for Christmas. He LOVES it and will literally play in it for an hour or more if you let him.

Baby Crack Machine: i.e., Homedics lullabye sound spa. Only $20 and well worth it! They now sell it at Target.

Other white noise machine:
We have another white noise machine that I picked up at TJ Max for $7 before I got the BCM. We use it for the white noise and we use the BCM for the lullabye so we have both playing all night. The white noise is necessary because our stupid dog barks at all hours of the night.

First Years Bottle Warmer:
Still in box, never used

Munchkin auto bottle warmer:
Never used

Wipes warmer:
never used

Boppy and My breast friend:
We used the boppy more for propping A up on the couch and for tummy time than for BF'ing. I preferred my bed pillows for feeding support. The MBF was loaned to me by a friend.

Itzbeen;
I borrowed this from a friend and only used it for the first few weeks. It was definitely helpful to have.

Arms reach co-sleeper:
Borrowed this from a friend. Used it for a few weeks. A is now in his crib.

Bibs:
Aidan is a drooler and a spitter so bibs with waterproof linings are a necessity. I get mine at Target.

Bath products:
California Baby and Earth's Organics are what we use. They smell great and work well with A's eczema.

Diaper cream and all purpose ointment:
Aquaphor and triple paste rock my socks

Nasal aspirator:
I ordered the nose freda after hearing great things about it. A hasn't had a stuffy nose since then so I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

Toys:
So far his favorites are his sing-a-ma-gig, sophie the giraffe and the "winkle"

ETA:
Crib:
Graco Lauren from Walmart.com. It was $127.99 and the shipping was only $.99! Fantastic quality for the price.

Dresser:
Hemnes from Ikea. Perfect height for changing table use and tons of storage.

Glider:
Swivel rocker glider from BRU (I got it for $60 on CL and had a cover made for it).

CIMG0085.jpg
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

recent posts made me think of a few more...

wipes warmer, bottle warmer...didn't use them.

crib mattress: this is one area i was a bit particular on. a friend has a son with asthma and she has done a lot of research on things like bedding etc--her son's dr also gave her some information/reading material recommends. you can also google for AU mattress toxic vapors but there are some studies in AU that think that toxic vapors from some crib mattresses can contribute to SIDS. in the end we got a naturepedic organic crib mattress for $250 at target and the organic mattress cover. i love it.

sheets: we have mostly circo and dwell, i like their deeper pockets. the pbk sheets are ok too. i have a few gerber jersey sheets and while i love the feel, those things are a PITA to get on the stupid mattress--they are totally almost too small. i swear i lose 5lbs everytime i wrestle one on.

baby crack machine: how did i forget this?!?! MUST HAVE!!! lifesaver. and it's $20. hello!

sleep sheep: we also got one of these and i used it before i had the BCM. it's great for on-the-go (we got the smaller version) and when we would take J out somewhere we'd put it on his carseat and turn it on and it would help with white noise in a busy setting. worth it.

bumbo: J hated it...and grew to kind of sometimes tolerate it. we borrowed it from a friend, glad we didn't buy it.

we had the graco snugride... ditto HH on not carrying him in it over a certain weight. we moved him at about 17lbs mostly because of height but carrying 17lbs in that thing was ridiculously hard!
 
Re: Preggo stuff, Baby Stuff, Toddler Stuff...post your best

Swimmer -- I just wanted to say I was laughing when I was reading your last post. Very funny. :cheeky: We have the same type of humor.

As a brand new mom, here are my must haves:

Medela steam clean bags -- 1.5 min in the microwave and bottles, pump parts, etc are clean.

Nuk bra pads -- very necessary if you are a dairy cow like me.

Bouncy seat -- like HH and Aiden, Anderson loves to sleep in his. Probably not good for his back, but I somehow feel safer when he is wrapped up in an A&A blanket, that it won't cover up over his face like it will if he's lying flat on his back.

Sleeping gowns -- oh so necessary at 3am.

Breast wipes -- feel super good and then put on Lansinoh cream.

Bottles -- we like the Born Free bottles with newborn nipples.

Nipple shields -- necessary for my barracuda. See aforementioned breast wipes and Lansinoh.

Boppy -- I don't know why, but I hate mine. He doesn't reach my boob, so I just hold him. I've put pillows under it, but by the time I've situated myself and the pillows, I have a red, screaming yam. Not good.

Spinning drying rack -- yes!

Baby 411 -- I love this book! No one really talks about it on Pricescope, but I refer to it pretty much daily.
 
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