{BABY STUFF}

These days we have a ton of friends who are ready to pop or just popped! Some are having their first little babies and some already have little ones but regardless I seem to get a lot of questions about what I used for my little loves! Paige is 4 and Grant is now 3 so I’m certain things have already changed & improved since they were babies.  However, I thought I would compile my list of favorite baby products that we discovered were helpful along the way. Everyone is different in their approach and methods for baby rearing…so feel free to take it or leave it.

Swing: I could not have lived without it. Paige & Grant both loved it but some kids are not big on it.  I know some people don’t “believe” in them but our kids napped in them and even slept in them at night when they were sick!

 Swaddlers & Swaddle Blankets: Paige & Grant both loved being swaddled and both used it for like 8 months.  It calmed them down and helped them focus and know it was bedtime. We only used them at night and both kids loved them!

Bumbo Chair: Great for travel too!  Loves it! Great for Paige and short lived for Grant {this is not a MUST HAVE}!

Metro Wrap or Mobi Wrap: I cannot say enough good things about this. I put Paige & Grant in it everyday when they were newborns.  Three reasons I loved it: it would put them to sleep, I felt close to them and they could hear my heartbeat. Loved it, loved it, loved it! (Check out Paige below with her baby wrap…i made it with a scarf when she wanted to be just like mommy with baby Grant in mine…so cute)

Ergo: This baby carrier is AMAZING! You should not get me started on how much I love this. I could go on and on and on. I used it for the kids until they were toddlers and it was easy on my back and a great way to get some things done while keeping baby happy next to mommy! Grant would sleep in it on my back for a few hours sometimes!

Bath Net with Wire Frame: Baby lays on it in the sink or tub.  It’s great for traveling. I wish I had not bought the small bath tub because we rarely used it, however I have had some friends absolutely LOVE their baby baths and find it easier to use than this.

Nursing Cover: I had two (and with Grant I had 3). One for home and one that I kept in my diaper bag so that I never forgot it. I’m one of those scandalous women who whipped it out anywhere I went and in front of anyone!  Well not “it” but I would use the cover and let my babies nurse. So I know, I know…very scandalous.  The good old-fashioned method, a blanket, is fine but can get really hot and tends to slide off.  So I loved my Hooter Hider! With Blake it was so hot in the summer when he was born that I ended up using one of the Swaddle Blankest {made out of muslin} to cover myself most of the time. They are so large and light weight that I just tied it around my neck and it worked. But it didn’t have the wire frame to help me see him so there was a downside to that for sure.

Boppy Bouncer/Chair: Paige lived in this the first four months of her life (and Grant did too but not as much since Paige was so little and often wanted to touch him if he was on the ground level). I would also put it by the sliding glass window and the baby would look outside or just fall asleep…so great. If you are thinking about practicality I will say they grow out of it quickly so if you got a swing instead that could work too.  It is just nice to keep babies safely occupied so that Mommy can actually enjoy a moment of peace or even a shower!

High Chair, Booster or Clip-On Chair: I think any kind will work although Paige did have a removable toy tray that was great because I could put her in it for a while when I made dinner or was at the computer and she needed to be eye level. For practicality a Booster that attaches to a chair you already have is the best option because it grows with the baby.  Most have clip on trays as well! We used the Clip-on chair with Grant (it attaches directly to your table and their cute little feet dangle below) and he loved that! Plus it is great for a small space & travel! The only down side is that some tables are too deep for it to clip-on properly.

Nursing Pillow: I didn’t use this a ton but I did like it in the beginning and know that some people cannot live without them. I used the Boppy pillow but I have also heard people recommend the “Breast Friend.” This may be a good item to share back and forth with a friend since again you only use it for a short time.

Play Center/Walker: Paige had a combo of this and she loved it. Grant was not interested at all!  It’s not a necessity- but nice to have if you can. This is another great item to share back and forth with friends or get second hand!

Jumper: We had the kind that hung from the door frame and Paige absolutely adored it! Again it’s not a necessity but FUN to have. Paige had this little move that we called “The Prancing Pony” when she played in it!

Stroller: WE LOVE OUR PHIL & TED stroller!!! And they’ve even improved it since we got it!  But this is another thing I could talk about for hours…and many people feel the same way about their favorite one. This was our third stroller and we wished we had bought it first so I will just say do your research when you look for yours because they are not all created equal!  I can tell you we love it because it’s a jogging stroller that can easily become a double (front to back and not side to side) and has a front wheel that can lock or unlock.  It is small and easy to fold up.  It maneuvers well and the kids love it.

Co-Sleeper and/or Pack-and-Play: Both kids slept in our bed a lot. I know, another scandal, but it worked for our family! I loved the option of sticking them next to my bed in the Co-Sleeper (which has a drop down and safely attaches level to the side of your bed) when I wanted more restful sleep or in between feedings.  Thinking practically you can simply use a Pack-N-Play in your room to serve the same purpose.  We put Paige & Grant in their own rooms around 6 or 7 weeks old but I loved having her in our room during those first weeks when she was feeding so much at night!

Make Your Own Baby Food Equipment: I know it may sound crazy but if you have the time I assure you that making your own baby food is fun, more nutritious, cheap and easy! We used the magic bullet to puree steamed/cooked food and put it in ice cube trays made with safe plastic and lids to freeze for later.  We also brought a small food mill to the table to mashed up the food we were already eating (such as veggies or proteins) and mixed the mashed food in with rice cereal or apple sauce to make things easy. I would have loved the BabyCook tool because it does it all in one step. There are several books, tools and resources out there to make your own baby food and I highly recommend them all.

Cloth Diapers: If you would even consider cloth diapers there are TONS. We used BumGenius for about 18 months with Paige.  It was very easy and economical and of course better for the earth! When Grant was born I had two in diapers we said “Peace Out” but if we have more kids we’ll try it again!

Bath Seat: These are hard to find but I love mine.  Paige was in it for like 18 months…way too long…but I just loved the extra measure of security it brought and it made baths a whole lot easier.  My back was very thankful!

“Anywhere Chair” (Pottery Barn) or some kind of kid chair: I love this chair that both Paige & Grant got from Grammy for their first birthdays. Paige’s is the big one and it easily fits an adult and kid or two kids.  It does not tip easily and has a big slot in the back for books. Love it!

UPDATE:

Convertible Baby Bath: Aaron came home with this great bath {I really love the fisher price one} that converts through several sizes for Blake. Check it out online HERE.

Rock & Play: Since Blake had tummy issues we ended up getting this. Many reviews on Amazon said the angle of this sleeper is great for hurt tummies. So we got it and love it. It’s easy to move and convert and is great in the front room when we are hanging out or next to out bed.

Snot Sucker: This one is great! Seems gross but it’s not. It is really easy to use and sucks that snot out well!

If you are babyBOOMING I wish you the best & hope you find this helpful!