Favorite Baby Items

I have some dear friends having their first babies and a couple of them have been asking me for some suggestion on baby items so I thought I would just write a post and share some of our favorite things. Deciding what to get for a baby can be so overwhelming.  Adam and I really wanted to try to only buy what we needed as well as buy well made things that would last through several children. For us that at times as meant buying fewer things but also sometimes spending more on the things we do buy. We don't have a very big home so we also kept that in mind when we were registering. Here are a few of the things I think every one would enjoy.

 

Sling and Ergo Baby Carrier

This is probably my top baby item that I think every one should have. I use my sling or Ergo several times a week. The sling we have they no longer make but you can still find it at some stores. It's called the Kangaroo Korner Sling. We also have the Ergo and if I could only have one I would pick the Ergo which actually surprised me. We used the sling a lot when Lyla was really little but now that she is bigger we mostly use the Ergo because it is so much more supportive for our backs and supports her head better. I still like having a sling though because it fits in my diaper bag and I always have it with me if I need it. I got the chocolate brown Ergo which happened to be organic. I wanted that one mostly for the color but I will say the fabric is very soft compared to the normal ergos. You can check it out here.

Pack'n Play

I debated between getting a Graco Pack'N Play or a co-sleeper. I knew I wanted Lyla to sleep near us and liked the idea of a co-sleeper but after talking to some friends that have one, we decided to go with the Pack'N Play. It actually fits right up to our bed like the co-sleeper would but we got the one with the napper and changing table which has been so wonderful for middle of the night changings. I think the napper really helped Lyla sleep better when she was first born because it was more enclosed and didn't lay completely flat. We used the napper for the first two months and now we are using the bassinet part. I love the design of the one we got. It's very cute and gender neutral. You can check it out here.

Aden and Anias blankets

 I love thse swaddling blankets. They are so much more than a blanket. They are really soft muslim and very large so you can swaddling your baby longer then some of the other swaddling blankets. They also are very versatile. You can use them as a nursing cover if you don't have one, can cover up the stroller or car seat etc. And they come in really beautiful and cute patterns. We still swaddle Lyla every night. I LOVE these blankets, they are worth every penny. Target and Babies'R Us carries them now but they are a little different than the original ones, mostly they are just a little smaller in size which is probably why they are a little cheaper. 

Nursing Pillow and Cover

I didn't know if I would really need a nursing pillow but I'm really glad I bought one. I have the Balboa Baby Nursing pillow and really like it. It seems more stable than a poppy and doesn't have the straps that the My Breast Friend has. Although some of my friends swear by the My Breast Friend so you might want to go try them out. I personally didn't want a strap and like the one I have. It kind of acts like a shelf to help your baby up and you can rest your arms on it. I stopped using mine for a while and have gone back to using it when I am home because it is easier on my shoulders and Lyla seems to latch better. I didn't realize how hard the position of nursing is on your back.

I am also really glad I have a nursing cover. Nursing in public is a personal decision and everyone feels differently about it. For me I knew that I would be taking Lyla most places with me and wanted to feel comfortable nursing in public but wanted to cover up. My friend gave me one as a gift and I like it but I tried a different friend that one of my friends has and it is more expensive but felt easier to use. I'm very thankful for the one my friend gave me but if I would recommend the Bebe au Lait nursing cover

Nice Stroller

As far as strollers go. I cannot tell you how many times Adam and I went back and forth on this. We researched and researched and changed our mind a several times. We ended up getting a BOB which is a jogging stroller.It's pretty expensive but my mom and a few other family members went in together. We love it. It is so easy to push and maneuver. It looks big because or the wheels but it actually folds up smaller than a travel system and the wheels come off if you need to store it in a smaller place. There is also an infant seat adapter you can buy if you want to use an infant car seat with it.

The other stroller we thought about was the City Mini by Baby Jogger. The way it folds up is genius and it is less expensive and smaller. I think buying a stroller is a very personal thing and one worth researching. We went to a nicer baby store to check out several models before deciding.

Sophie

My philosophy on toys is that I want to buy high quality toys that will encourage my children to be creative and use their imaginations. I hope to not have lots of toys and to try to stay away from plastic ones and buy mostly wood toys. I know this to is a personal thing and there is no judgement if you feel otherwise but it is what we have decided for our family for now. Sophie the Giraffe is one of our favorite toys so far. Lyla is only two months old but she loves it already. She loves to stare at it and she loves to chew on her ears. Every child we have had in our home lately has played with Sophie.

Ikea Baby Gym

We love this toy from Ikea. It is made of wood and has great primary colors. Lyla has loved this toy. She loves to kick and coo underneath it. It's small to which is nice. Besides a bouncy seat this is the only baby thing we have out in our main living space. We decided to buy our crib and dresser from Ikea as well. They are rated higher than most cribs for safety and they are smaller which we liked and very very affordable. 

Gap's First Favorites

I don't ha

ve very many of these but I love Gap's First Favorite clothing line. They are simple, very soft, and so so cute. We bought Lyla one of these sleepers (except it was red and white striped for Christmas) after she was born because none of her clothes fit since she was so tiny. They have up to 7lb clothing which is really nice if you have a tiny baby. I would love to have more in this clothing line in the future.

Cloth Diapers/Wipes

If you are thinking about doing cloth diapers, I highly recommend the Best Bottom Diapers. We love this system of cloth diapers and have found them very easy to use. Again, this is a personal thing so do your research but we couldn't be happy with these. If you have more questions about cloth diapers let me know and I can tell you more about why I like these.

Books:

What parent doesn't need some helpful books to read as she prepares for labor, birth, and bringing the baby home. Here are my favorites.

For Pregnancy and Birth

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

I loved the focus on natural childbirth and her discussion on the mind body connection. There are also a ton of positive birth 

 

stories. Some of the stories were very "granola, hibby ish" but they were helpful. I think reading this book was part of what helped me endure a 37 hour labor.

The Birth Partner Book

Adam and I read this together and it was really helpful, mostly for him. It walks through every stage of labor and what the mom will be going through, what the dad might be feeling, and then has lots of suggestions of what to do. We felt like it was like a tool box we could take with us into birth and we both felt more prepared. Adam was an awesome birth coach and this book helped.

Dr. Sears Books: We read Attachment Parenting, The Pregnancy Book, and we have the Baby Book

We don't do everything he suggestions like co-sleeping etc. but I have really appreciated how he focuses on the importance of bonding and attachment. He has some great ideas for Father bonding as well especially right after the baby is born. We did some of the things he suggestions like the father getting skin to skin contact soon after the birth as well and I think it really helped Adam bond with Lyla right away.

Happiest Baby on the Block

I love his thoughts on giving your baby a fourth trimester by making your babies environment as close to the womb as possible using his 5 S's. We did most of these with Lyla from day one and she has been a very content baby.

Secrets of the Baby Whisperer

This book really helped me when Lyla was about two weeks old. I was feeling overwhelmed with breast feeding and sleep and she h

as a great chapter on universal baby cues that really helped me understand Lyla better. I think i often confused her signals for food and sleep and therefore felt like I was breastfeeding all the time. Granted you will probably feel that no matter what but this will help you understand what your baby is trying to communicate with you. If nothing else go to a book store and read that chapter.

Well I think that is it. Of course there are more things we bought for Lyla but these are our favorite things. Let me know if you have more questions and if there are other things you recommend leave a comment for all the new mamas out there.

 

\