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Fisher Price Aquarium Take Along Swing The only thing I didn't like about this was that you can't turn the lights off. Otherwise it was fantastic.
Bumbo Baby Sitter I would have gone completely bananas without this. The baby can safely sit in it before she can sit on her own (but after she can hold her head up, of course). You can use it as a feeding chair, in the bath (for hair washing), even on the kitchen counter, as long as you are less and an arm's length away. Aerin loved hers.
Avent Steam Sterilizer You will need this even if you don't use bottles. You can sterilize binkies, toys, pump parts, syringes - anything that you need to sterilize and will fit.
Nursing Stool Before Aerin decided she didn't want to nurse, this was extremely helpful. It keeps your knees up without you having to point your toes. I use mine with my rocking chair now (I'm short) and it's great.
SwaddleMe Infant Wrap I'm not a great swaddler - I just can't bring myself to wrap the blanket tight enough. These are great because they use velcro.
Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat I bought a fancy old-fashioned wood high chair and Aerin was fine in it for a couple of months. Then I got this for restaurants and Aerin loved it. We started using it at home and it made mealtimes so much easier. Aerin loves sitting at the table with us and stopped fussing at all. We didn't need to waste all that money on a high chair. Oh well, live and learn.
Buggy Bagg High Chair/Buggy Cover This is much better than your typical buggy cover because it's padded and comes with a pillow to prop up the baby. It also has handles when folded and zippered compartments. You can use it as a diaper bag, though I don't.
WubbaNub Pacifier These are essential for preemies, but they are great for term babies, too. You can prop the binky in the baby's mouth and it stays in. It's light enough that the baby can push it out if she wants to. It was approved to sleep with by my neonatologists and developmental specialists and pediatrician, but I recommend checking with your own doctors, too.
Aerin slept in her own room since the second night she was home and it was fine. She did much better for some reason and it wasn't any harder on me. Plus she was sleeping through the night at 2 months adjusted.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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For toddlers and up the Bananan Boat sun block with "Dri-Block" is great -- it goes on smoothly, does dry so that it feels like baby powder and isn't sticky.
And good for adults too -- the least annoying sun block I've ever used, and no burns yet.
<---is such a white boy.
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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We had a bassinet right next to the bed. She was right there if I needed to nurse, and we often ended up falling asleep together in my bed anyway ... but having the bassinet made it easier to put her down when she fell asleep before I was ready to go to bed. Then I could go to bed when I was ready and not feel like I was disturbing her, and sleep until she was ready to nurse.
We also have only a double bed and hubby could only stand the baby in bed with us for about 6 weeks ... after that, when I was done nursing - if I'd fallen asleep - he'd take the baby & put her in the bassinet.
Posts: 1522 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Absolutely don't cosleep if you have cats that sleep with you or that can get up on the bed. In fact, I would recommend making sure that the cats cannot get into whatever room the baby is sleeping in. Also, you cannot safely cosleep if you have a pillow-top mattress, so please keep that in mind when buying a new one.
We had a bassinet that lifted off the frame and doubled as a Moses basket. It was okay, but I'd probably just get a regular bassinet and a separate Moses basket if I had it to do over again. Though we're just going to use Aerin's crib for the next baby (no, I'm not pregnant, just thinking ahead). I've never really understood the advantage of a co-sleeper over a bassinet myself.
Posts: 3037 | Registered: Jan 2002
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quote:Absolutely don't cosleep if you have cats that sleep with you or that can get up on the bed. In fact, I would recommend making sure that the cats cannot get into whatever room the baby is sleeping in.
I co-slept with cats that sleep on our bed. I found that the cats take a while to get used to the baby; by the time they are bold enough to want to cuddle WITH the baby, the baby is old enough to roll over and defend herself. In the mean time the cats would cuddle with my feet. I never had a problem.
And I disagree that you can't co-sleep with a pillow-top mattress. It depends on the pillow top and the bedding.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Thanks for the congrats. It's still so new and mindblowing. There's so much to figure out!
I think I'm due late February. I can't remember the date of my last cycle--I only know that it was somewhere between two weekends. I'm hoping the doctor can help me figure it out.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Kat, they'll probably do an u/s to figure out when you're due.
I chart my periods but I'm totally irregular; neither due date based on date of last period has been accurate for me. An u/s is much more accurate for many women.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Yeah, I've had bouts with irregularity, too. But not recently.
Honestly...this wasn't the smartest thing we've ever done. But it's happened, and now we have to figure out how we're going to manage. I believe that new babies should be celebrated, and that it's okay if I freak out a little every once in a while. Which I do! Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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I think the general guildeline about cats and co-sleeping is to protect against tragedy. Whether the arrangement would work with specific cats and babies would depend on the animals and baby involved. I definitely plan to have any interaction between cats and baby be very closely supervised until both are comfortable with each (and I'm comfortable with them). As it is currently, one cat sleeps for a few hours each morning at the very foot of the bed and the other sleeps on her own pillow on my husband's side of the bed. So, while co-sleeping with cats may not be a problem in our particular case, it's not something I want to assume from the get-go.
Kat - Your doctor will probably send you for an ultrasound some time in your first trimester to pinpoint a due date for you. According to the tech who did mine, the due date from that first ultrasound is the most accurate (at that stage, development is pretty constant, and it's based on a single measurement). My ultrasound showed that the due date based on my last cycle was waaaay off (like 3 weeks). Also, don't be worried about freaking out. Even though this was planned, I still vacillate between freaking out and being excited all the time. Posts: 5879 | Registered: Apr 2001
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You'll manage. My last pregnancy was a total surprise, but the more I worked out how I was going to get care, and how we were going to make room for the baby, the better I felt. And now I couldn't do without her!
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Everyone says we'll manage. I have to believe they're right.
I guess what I really don't like is that I'll have to go back to work. I always wanted to be a stay at home mom, and I don't understand how I let this happen now when I can't manage to stay home for the next 5 years. I'm desperately trying to figure out how to make it if I cut back to part time, cut expenses, etc.
Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Well, look into day care costs before you make that decision. I don't know your situation but most of the women I know who are stay home moms couldn't afford to work full-time if they wanted to...
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Don't forget to look at the possibility of staggering your and your spouse's work hours so that part of the time when you are at work he can take care of the baby and part of the time when he is at work you can.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Well, I'm the only income provider right now.
That's why I said this wasn't the smartest thing we could have done.
Ugh... it's depressing to think about. I have thought a lot today about solutions and extra work I can do in the next few months. I think I'll give myself a break for the evening (I'm about to go home), and worry about it some more tomorrow.
Thanks for the product ideas and all. Posts: 2880 | Registered: Jun 2004
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Oh, I wanted to add as far as product recommendations that I could not stand the Dora prints on the Pampers training pants, and Emma didn't like the Disney Princesses on the Huggies, but we've found that CVS training pants (which have Dragon Tales prints on them) work quite well, and they are oh-so-much cheaper than regularly priced Pampers and Huggies (and about the same as Pampers or Huggies training pants on sale with double coupons.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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As far as the bassinet v. co-sleeper debate, I vote for neither. I much preferred a cradle. All my kids loved being rocked, and having the ability to rock 'em to sleep at 3 am without getting out of bed was a blessing.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I second the aquarium swing that Mrs. M linked to. My daughter loved it, and spent large chunks of her first few months in it. Some people say that babies should always sleep in their cribs for naptimes, so that they learn that they should sleep there, but I never had any problem with letting her sleep in the swing. And since it's soft, and she only slept in her crib at night, there were no issues with the back of her skull flattening.
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It's the same swing Boon recommended up-thread 2 years ago, and which I was so thrilled about. (My brother and SIL still love the one I bought them, as have both of their sons.)
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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rivka, I prefer a bassinet just because of the wheels/portability issue. They make bassinets that rock, like a cradle, they even have ones with motors like a swing, but have wheels on them. If I wanted rocking that's the way I'd probably go.
My bassinet has a vibrating option that Emma found extremely soothing (Bridget was such a good sleeper we only used it once or twice with her.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Oh, also: I think I said this in the pregnancy thread at one point, but we have found that the absolute best burp cloths are small white terry towels we find in the auto care section at Target. They are absorbent, can be used for many things other than just burp cloths (like cleaning up messes and lining car seats to protect the new outfit from a diaper blow-out that happened while you were out or even as an emergency changing pad or a liner for the changing table in the nasty public bathroom), can be washed in HOT water (unlike pretty patterned burp cloths), and are less than $0.25 each (price per towel depends on the size of the package you buy)-- so if one gets REALLY REALLY grody, you can throw it out and not feel guilty! My mom gave us a few when Emma was a baby (she uses them for cleaning) and we grew to like them so much that we bought a whole bunch when we had Bridey (and have even given them away as part of baby gifts!)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I looked when we were shopping for one but didn't find one that had wheels that we could remotely afford.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Ok, you are right. The diaper Genie is good for the first six months or so. After that, the combination of heavy use and changes in the quantity and odor of what is in the diaper, render it ineffective, in my experience -- even if you empty it often and clean it out. I suppose it's fine if you can buy a new one every six months.
I also found loading it needlessly complicated and trying to track down the cartridges for it was annoying (may not be an issue for most people -- but was in the Bay Area).
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: I looked when we were shopping for one but didn't find one that had wheels that we could remotely afford.
I borrowed one with kid number 1, and got one as a gift from my mom with kid #2.
This is fairly similar to the one we had. (Which my ex has now, and don't even get me started on that. )
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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anti-maven, that booster is just like the one I linked to but a different company!
And I love nappy bags for when we're out. I get them at the dollar store (250 for $1, much much cheaper than the Eddie Bauer equivalent or even the Munchkin brand, so I don't mind the lack of keychain holder thingy) and keep some in the car, some in the diaper bag, some in my purse... They're wonderful for public disposal.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I decided to try the Diaper Champ instead of the Diaper Genie since you can line it with any old plastic bag. I have mixed feelings about the results. Positives: 1. It definitely keeps down odor. I don't have to smell the old diapers as I toss in a new one. 2. No cartridges to buy or change. I've even stopped lining mine with plastic bags and just let the diapers fall directly into the can. If you're using disposables, I recommend a bag. 3. Pretty sturdy construction (I've heard the pusher part on the top flip mechanism can get pushed all the way out if you're too aggressive, but that it's easily fixed). Mine has served me for almost two years, and it's still in great condition. Negatives: 1. The can is too small to hold as many wet cloth diapers as I would wash in one load. 2. The top flip thing gets stuck easily and you have to sort of shake the can to adjust the contents and shove the top part down before it will turn over. 3. The lid is very heavy and permanently hinged to the can. If it closes on you while you're emptying it, it HURTS! Plus, if you try to pick it up and dump it out it's awkward and, again, may bite your hand. 4. Related to negative #3: It's not very easy to clean.
I wanted to go with an economic sling option, so I had a La Leche League friend make me a sling that turned out to be very comfortable and doubles well as a blanket. It's basically one large piece of cloth sewn into a loop and then folded in half to make a pocket for baby. It's similar in construction to the New Native Baby Carrier. The reason I like it is because it has a wide shoulder area instead of a strap that can cut into your neck muscles.
My first sling, the PreMaxx BabyBag, had the strap problem, although I'm making an adjustable shoulder pad that will Velcro onto the strap. I loved the BabyBag's zippered pockets and that it was sporty enough for my husband.
Our co-sleeping solution ended up being to place two very firm queen futons side-by-side on the floor. Not exactly House Beautiful, but our toddler can roll off and on with ease, and after the kids decide they want their own quarters we can sleep like the rest of the neighborhood in a "western" bed.
Other recommended items:
* Extra-long bibs, for soup and spaghetti dinners * Ricitos De Oro Shampoo - it was the only shampoo we could find that didn't irritate, plus it smells great and the cap doubles as a rattle! * Umbrella stroller (as has been mentioned by several others here)
Posts: 354 | Registered: Jul 2002
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I'd like to third the recommendations for the Bumbo Baby Sitter, with one caveat: my baby learned to escape from it by the time she was not quite seven months old. She leaned over the side, pushed off with the opposite leg, and flipped right out of it onto the table.
She was quite proud of herself. That afternoon we went shopping for a high chair.
Posts: 1512 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
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To be honest, the thought hasn't even occurred to me Katarain.
Of course, my daughter is older now and doesn't put things in her mouth.
Here's the thing that's been driving us crazy, lately:
We'd like to have a potty seat for the grandparents house, too, since they live so close. But nothing seems to fit their toilet and the potty seats don't tend to have good (or even have misleading) info about what types of toilet seats they fit. It's rather frustrating. If it was just a matter of a not-ideal fit, that would be fine. Nor is it an aesthetics issue. The problem is that we can't seem to find a seat that doesn't have major (potentially dangerous) slippage issues. Yes, we can help, but part of the point of getting a potty seat for the grandparents house is for her to get used to the idea of self-managing her bathroom usage even when she's not at home.
I think the toilet seat and potty seat manufacturers should get together and come up with a size/shape chart. Potty seats could then print what portions of the chart they work with on the box.
Am I just being silly or have any of you experienced this phenomenon?
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I guess I never posted about my stroller connectors. Great for those with two under three or four where one is getting too big to want to carry/sling all the time, for travel with kids (if the airline trashes your umbrella strollers, muuuuch cheaper to replace) or "emergency" use (we keep 2 umbrella strollers and the connectors in the car at all times, so if we make an impromptu trip somewhere we didn't think we'd need a double stroller, we have an option.)
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I've been thinking we should get this for the Grandparents' house. And maybe for home too. It's a toilet seat that has a smaller seat built in, so instead of having two flaps -- a seat and a lid -- it has three -- two different sized seats and a lid. No worries about slipping that way, and it doesn't take up any extra space.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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kq: you know, I'm not sure how to describe it, but it seems to be longer than what the potty seats are capable of handling. But the in-laws are moving soon anyway, so we're going to hold off trying anything else for now.
dkw: that's a good lead. thanks!
Posts: 3423 | Registered: Aug 2001
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John's not quite big enough for it yet, but I think we'll probably get one soon. He's been going on his potty chair in the mornings 3-4 times a week.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Mrs.M: Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat I bought a fancy old-fashioned wood high chair and Aerin was fine in it for a couple of months. Then I got this for restaurants and Aerin loved it. We started using it at home and it made mealtimes so much easier. Aerin loves sitting at the table with us and stopped fussing at all. We didn't need to waste all that money on a high chair. Oh well, live and learn.
These are AWESOME. Although we don't use the insert that you see pictured, just the blue tray, as Thomas learned early just how to flip that thing out of there. But it's easy to clean, can go to restaurants with ease, we even travel with it as it fits fairly well in a suitcase.
Posts: 5422 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Zal, they make the one dkw just suggested for elongated seats.
But I've found that this kind (we have a Sesame Street print) fits fine as long as it's pulled to the front; when my daughter's had real trouble with it sliding on an elongated seat, I put some duct tape on to hold it down and we just use a different toilet if we need to go.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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My sister had some that had quite a few elastic gathers in place, and snaps in multiple positions. She said they were quite good, and she tried a lot.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I bought ours from green mountain diapers. We have the "prefolds" (which are flat and you have to fold them) rather than the fitted kind because they're cheaper and can be used for burp rags, changing pads, etc. We love them. We have used the flushable paper liners, but since we got the potty pail system to spray off the poop we don't use the liners anymore, except when we're traveling. We use the Bummis original and Bummis super whisper wrap covers.
Edit: We even did a 5,000 mile three week vacation last summer and cloth diapered the whole way!
We also bought a few "all in ones" which go on just like disposable diapers that we put in his diaper bag for Sunday and Wednesdays in the church nursery. Some of the nursery workers were a little afraind of the cloth diapers and kept putting him in a disposable from their stash if he needed changing.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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I liked the prefolds best too. We used a diaper service, which was great. But it's not nearly as cheap as dealing with them yourself -- and not an option at all in many areas.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I remember looking at this thread last year when I was pregnant with my first baby. I'd like to recommend the Nosefrida Baby Nasal Aspirator. It is so much better than the bulbs! It sounds really gross, but it is very effective. http://www.nosefrida.com/
Boudreaux's Butt Paste has worked wonders on my baby's diaper rashes.
I really liked the Bumbo seat, but if you buy one, do so early to justify the expense. I actually bought mine at a consignment sale.
Target makes some knockoff Robeez that are probably just as good.
BabyLegs leg warmers are awesome. They keep the baby's legs warm and protected when crawling. If worn with a onsie you don't have to take any pants off when you change the diaper! Plus they are so adorable.
Also, I highly recommend going to yard sales. It saved us a lot of money. The consignment sales were good too, but not nearly as cheap as yard sales.
Posts: 66 | Registered: Jan 2006
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I started with prefolds, and I like them almost as much as the Mother-Ease diapers because they can be adjusted to fit any age baby, right on up to potty training (I'm using them concurrently on Mini-Bee, 28 mos and potty training, and BeeBoy, 4 mos). I have around 50 diapers, and I wash every two days ( ), but I think every time I'm dumping the pail into the wash how much money I'm saving by not buying disposables and how much healthier my boys' bums are because I don't have to skimp on changing frequency.
I don't, however, like using pins. I have cracked and bleeding thumbs from a combination of chapped winter skin, constant hand-washing, and pushing on diaper pins. Owie.
I recommend the Mother-Ease covers most of all, because they breathe and they don't have velcro that gets full of lint in the wash. Whichever covers you get, I recommend line-drying them. I tumble-dry my diapers, but line-dry the covers because they can lose their waterproof quality in the dryer.
Additionally, I want to mention that I switched from using a dry diaper pail system to using a wet pail with 1/4 cup of BIZ laundry booster. My prefolds may be ragged at the edges and have a few holes here and there, but they're sparkling white! Since I wash so often I don't have to change the water daily, but if you wash less frequently (probable), you'll want to pour off the dirty water into the commode. Here are good instructions for washing cloth diapers, although I don't second his recommendation for Bi-O-Kleen. I use Arm & Hammer.
Posts: 354 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Also, don't be worried about freaking out. Even though this was planned, I still vacillate between freaking out and being excited all the time. ![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
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It's the same swing Boon recommended up-thread 2 years ago, and which I was so thrilled about. (My brother and SIL still love the one I bought them, as have both of their sons.)
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