Day 4 of SnowVacation... we're getting a little bored. Even Jack is getting cabin fever. Luckily for him, a nap is a great way to fix that. While he does that, I'll do something I've been wanting to do for a long time.
When I was pregnant, I hunted for "New Mom Must-Haves" and loved reading what new Mom's thought to be the best (and worst) products for their new friends. As a new Mom, I had no idea what would be important. Why would I know? The only way to find out was learning from those who had been there. So now, I'd like to make my list of things that have made the past 4 1/2 months easier on us. I'm going to be brutally honest with this, as I'm sure I have some unconventional ways of doing things. But I don't really care - my "New Mom Philosophy" doesn't come from books, articles, doctors... it comes from my maternal instincts. Yes, my son is eating rice cereal at 4 months and he is healthy. Yes, my son sleeps on his belly because he likes it and he gets more sleep that way. Yes, my son slept in a rock & play for 2 months and his head isn't flat. Yes, I've co-slept with my son in my bed when I desperately needed a nap. No, I'm not a bad Mom.
Okay, I'm off my soap box. Really, these are things that I think are wonderful. I don't expect anyone to agree with me 100%, but for those of you who are doing exactly what I was doing 6 months ago, I hope this helps you a wee bit. (Links attached to the name of the product taking you to the cheapest place to purchase, just in case I've inspired you enough to check things out...)
THE LIST
(in absolutely no particular order or organization, much like my life right now)
This little guy has been with us since day one of being home, and I'm not sure Jack (or me, for that matter) could live without it. It's a basic white noise machine with 4 different sounds and a timer. But it's way cuter than a digital one. He velcros to anything. Sleep sheep has been next to Jack in his pack & play, rock & play, car seat on long road trips, Grandma's pack & play, and now his crib. Jack likes to grab at him when he is protesting sleep, but good ol' Sleep Sheep stays put. I've even seen Jack's hand holding onto his foot while asleep. It's adorable. Bonus: it helps ME fall asleep, even when my tired eyes are painfully staring at the monitor for no good reason... Sleep Sheep's waves lull me into lala land via the monitor. Until I wake up to Jack talking to no one 30 minutes later.
These blankets were given to me by someone who knew how awesome they are. And now I will give them as a shower gift whether you like it or not. There are a ZILLION blankets out there, and you'll get 40 of them at your shower. But these bad boys are by far the best. When Jack was a teeny guy and actually liked being swaddled, these blankets were so incredible. Thin, yet warm, stretchy and easy to maneuver (as new moms quickly learn that swaddling is a form of art)... the middle of the night didn't always end in a fight with a stupid blanket resulting in giving up and toes sticking out. Houdini Jack could not break out of these blankets. Around 2 months, he didn't like to be swaddled anymore, but we still use these blankets for everything else. Love em. Note: These are pricey, but you don't need the organic/made out of the hair of unicorns/touched by God versions of these. The simple, original 4-pack will do just fine. And don't spend $40 on a muslin burp cloth. It just gets dirty. Because that's the purpose of a burp cloth.
Get one of these BEFORE your kid gets his first cold. Don't wait until the cold, like I did. There are a million humidifiers out there, some even look like cute animals. Whatever. I like this one for many reasons: a) it's filter-free (you will NOT have the time or energy to change a filter when dealing with a sick baby), b) it is super easy to work, c) it's small and aesthetically pleasing compared to many, d) cool mist is way better for babies (and me, since humidity makes me want to puke) and e) you can put little Vick's pads in it for that yummy menthol smell to take over the room which helps kiddo breathe! Note: These are made for room size - this one is for a small/medium room (aka nursery) and one tank lasts for 30 hours. If you need/want bigger, go bigger! Vicks makes a million of these.
This one is a no-brainer. By far, the greatest invention of all time. I don't even think I need to go into detail into how awesome the Boppy is. So many uses, too! Feeding support, baby back/tummy support, mommy pillow for road trips, baby play thing, nursery accessory (lots of cute covers), drool collector, dog bed (when they sneak into the nursery. It's washable.) Really, it's the best ever. I got two covers which was a good idea for when one gets spit up or dog drool on it, just make the quick switch. But don't bother spending $30 on the super soft covers. I have one $10 cover and one $30 jersey cover, and they both are soft and work totally fine. Pick one that you like and don't fret about it's softness. You'll just end up washing it seventy times a week anyway.
That's a mouthful. But for those of you who couldn't breastfeed or chose not to, this guy here is a huge time saver. I really didn't start using it until Jack went to daycare, but it makes getting his bottles ready so much easier and is much quicker. I just whip em up the night before, takes about 5 minutes. Sure, it's only about 3 minutes less than making each individual bottle, but those 3 minutes can be added onto your choice of activity: shower, sleep, wine...the possibilities are endless. Jack didn't like Dr. Brown's bottles, but this thing rocks.
Jack's first choice in home relaxation! We were given a swing that Jack really didn't love, and we didn't want to invest in getting one... but we didn't even need to. The bouncer was the first seat (of the dozens of choices for infant seating in our house) that Jack was placed in upon his arrival home, and he is currently sitting in it as I type while he watches cartoons. This thing is MONEY. When he was a newborn, he napped in it quite a bit, and now he loves playing and making himself bounce all over the place. No need for a swing! It has music, vibration and white noise and is washable. The best part is how incredibly soft it is, no matter how often you wash it. The Rock & Play was something I stumbled upon while at a children's consignment shop. Jack did not like sleeping in his pack & play, and was spending too much time in my bed. I was desperate. I saw this and snatched it up REAL quick, for real cheap. Jack loved it!! Yes, it says babies shouldn't sleep all night in it and it should be used for naps only. After reading a million forum posts, lots of people had their babies sleeping in it and none of them had flat heads. Really, what that warning means is that you shouldn't have your baby laying in it 21 hours a day. Jack was sleeping, it was right next to my bed, and it was glorious. This was when we all started sleeping better. But, he grew out of it. It pretty much forced us to crib train. My sister has the swing that goes with this trifecta of awesome, and her newborn loves it. I think with my next go around on this baby thing, I'll opt for the swing too. Because these snuggawhats are awesome. Don't like puppies? Try the Snugabunny. Don't like bunnies? Then you're weird. But you can try the Snugamonkey. Either way, these are the best.
These were my first purchase when I found out Jack was a boy. They were too cute. I've always loved the Jellycat brand, their toys are SO soft. I got him two doggie stuffed animals that look like his dogs, a soother (which is now his favorite) and these booties. I think he and I love these equally. Perfect for winter, so so soft, and a toy at the same time! Around 3 months, Jack started to realize he could pet them and grab them due to the elephant's trunk... this led him to learning about his feet. Now, he loves wearing his slips and playing with his feet! Jellycat has the best stuffed animals... I highly recommend grabbing one of these guys to be your kiddos best friend. Jack has his booties, a puppy soother, two doggies and Grandma got him a cuddly alligator to match his room!
When Jack is playing, this is his jam. Jack's aunt and uncle gave him this AWESOME toy for Christmas and it revolutionized playtime. We hooked it to his activity gym, and it is the perfect length. Jack spends a lot of time 'at the gym' and he immediately goes for Captain Calamari. It's colorful, makes noise, and it's an octopus (squid?) with an eye patch and one of his eight legs has a HOOK. It's stellar. Jack has moved from his bouncer to the gym and is currently giggling and talking to the captain. Easily his favorite toy, and incredibly entertaining to watch him play with it.
Jack had very sensitive skin when he was born, and the doctor recommended something fragrance free. I originally got something along those lines, but it was pricey - so I tried this (a gift from my baby shower) and it didn't bother his skin at all. I used it as a bubble bath at first then started using it as cleanser, and he loves it! It has a very soft lavender vanilla scent, and was very soothing to him. When I ran out, I tried some Johnson & Johnson stuff that I had, and Jack immediately broke out in a rash. So, if your babe has sensitive skin but don't want to spend an arm and a leg on soap, this is your stuff.
This is our favorite CD of all time. I have a few of these, Dave Matthews, Led Zeppelin, and Queen. But this one is magical. It covers all of Dark Side of the Moon and each song is beautiful and calming. Jack's (or my) favorite songs are Mother, Great Gig in the Sky and Wish You Were Here. No night is complete without these jams.
One final note - don't scoff at children's consignment shops... many people get doubles at baby showers or things that their baby doesn't like and sell them, practically BRAND NEW. You can get your big ticket items (bouncers, jumpers, pack & play for Grandma's house) at these kind of places. My favorite is Once Upon a Child and they have locations all over the place. Check it out before spending big bucks!
That is all for now... I'm sure I'll have more things that I love in a few months. I can already tell you that disposable bibs will be on that list...
Love,
Lindsay and Jack (product tester)
