1) My Brest Friend nursing pillow. In the early days, when it was so hard to get Lydia to latch on, this was my favorite. I know everyone loves the Boppy, but I thought this was a lot better, and I had both...
2) The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. This book got me through the hard early days when Lydia was jaundiced, when I got clogged ducts, etc.
3) Fisher Price Rainforest Bouncer. She doesn't use it any more, but from weeks 3-12, this was really wonderful. She loved to play with it and it was the only thing that allowed us to eat and cook.
4) Trumpette Mary Jane socks. These are just the cutest little things. Plus, they were the only socks which actually stayed on her feet. She still wears them sometimes, though they're getting a little small. I just love these, and they've become one of my favorite baby gifts.
5) Fisher Price take-along swing. Early on, I didn't want swings or clutter around the house. This was an unasked-for shower gift from Don's Aunt Pate. However, when I went back to work, this was the only thing she would sleep in during the day. For months 3-5, this was a lifesaver.
6) 48-inch square piece of muslin. For swaddling, nothing works as well as muslin. It's lightweight and doesn't pull. This big size is really nice too. They sell something like this for quite a bit of money, but I just went to the fabric store, got a big square, and sewed around the edges.
7) My Moby Wrap. This is an awesome sling. It really allows you to move both of your arms while the baby is snugly wrapped. This allowed me to do laundry and cook in those very early months. Lydia slept in this during the Redwings game, and we still use it for walks and when I'm cooking.
8) The Moby is great. Around the house, though, nothing beat my Kangaroo Korner adjustable pouch, which I had in khaki. This was, and is, the fastest way to carry Lydia around and keep my hands free. The Moby wrap takes a little time to wrap up, but I can just toss this pouch over one shoulder and pop Lydia in within seconds. When Lola escaped and ran down the road, this was my go-to sling. Also, this is lightweight and less likely to result in a sweaty baby :)
9) Haba Little Leaf House book. Anyone who's looked at this blog will undoubtedly recognize this book. Lydia loved it from early on, and still loves to look at it. This was a wonderful shower gift from my friend Mandy, and it's a really beautiful, well-made book.
10) Playtex Most-Like Mother pacifiers. We didn't start the pacifier until Lydia was 6 weeks old, and we still reserve it for car rides and bedtime. This has been an essential tool, and this brand is definitely Lydia's favorite. We can't have enough of these, as they're always disappearing.
11) Summer Infant video monitor. This is low on the list, but not because of its importance. We just didn't find it until early August. This has been wonderful for monitoring Lydia in her crib. This way, we can be downstairs and can tell if she's crying because she's stuck or if she's crying because she doesn't want to sleep. She's a really light sleeper, and our floors are very creaky, so this has saved a lot of awakenings due to our "peeping in". This has proven to be ESSENTIAL!!! It was especially wonderful when we were up north with my parents. Lydia could be asleep in the room above the garage, and we could check in without leaving the big house.
12) Medela Pump-In-Style. I don't want to change my numbering scheme, but this is another ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL item for any working mom. This sits on my desk at work, constantly plugged in. This is the best tool for collecting milk. My office-mate and I often sit at our desks, both plugged in to our Medela pumps while checking email and signing notes. Very easy to use, easy to clean, and a "can't live without it" item.
13) This pumping band made the Medela pump much more tolerable, as it allowed my hands to be free. This is another essential for any working mom, as it's SO boring to pump if your hands are holding up the pump.
14) Skip Hop Pronto diaper changer. I have a few awesome diaper bags, including my fashionable Kate Spade bag from Don and a very cute Le SportSac bag from Dana, but my favorite on-the-go changer has got to be this one. It's so convenient, because everything is in it. This is especially awesome for bathroom changing tables.
15) Another essential for being on-the-go, especially early on when breastmilk was Lydia's only food was this "hooter hider" by Bebe-au-Lait. So pretty, and it keeps babies cool.
16) Soothing Sounds for Sleep CD. This CD plays constantly in the nursery. Right now it's on Fireplace Crackles. Your Biggest Fan has also received lots of play, as has Highway Hum, Rain Falling, and a Family Drive. I don't know if you can wear CDs out by over-playing them. If you can, this one is due...
17) Infant sleep is one of those things you don't think much about until you actually have an infant. Once she's here, it's all you can think about, and all anyone ever wants to ask you about. I read several sleep books, but this one by Marc Weissbluth turned out to be my favorite. I never thought I'd be a "cry it out" mom, but it's turned out to be the best thing for Lydia's sleep.
18) Mr. Freaky Looking Lion, as Don calls him, has been one of Lydia's favorite toys for several months. She's still entranced by the "purring" sound he makes when his head is moved. He stays in her crib, and she plays with him all the time. A great toy
19) Pottery Barn Symphony in Motion mobile. This has been wonderful. Early on, it was something Lydia loved to watch as she went to sleep. Then she learned to turn it on and off. Now that she's standing, we took the mobile part off, but the musical unit stays in her crib, and she loves to stand and turn the songs on and off.
20) Handy Sitt chair. This is such an awesome alternative to a high chair. Every high chair I looked at looked so cheesy and bright. This is wonderful, small, doesn't clash, and is portable. Also, Lydia really seems to like sitting with us at the table. We get admiring looks from parents at restaurants all the time. I highly recommend this.
I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting, but this is everything that came to mind. Perhaps it may prove helpful to any readers who are planning on reproducing soon, or to anyone looking for useful baby gifts.
2 comments:
AC is about to outgrow her Trumpettes (I think hers are called Rosies--little black Mary Janes, with a small ribbon rosette on the side), and I'm so sad about it! She also practically lived in her Rainforest bouncer. And we are big fans of the Weissbluth book at our house. It predicted perfectly her sleep needs at each stage and helped us help her transition much more smoothly than we would have with trial and error.
So much gear! But it's nice to see all the recommendations. I have, thus far, have done no research of my own on baby stuff. I have just taken the word and hard work of other conscientious moms :)
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