"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter & those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss
Today we are sharing some of the things we could not live without while having an infant!
Sarah's top five:
1. Our bouncy seat was very helpful. I could tote it around the house and know that Liza was in a safe place while I showered or cleaned. I even did yard work one afternoon while she sat outside with me. We have this one. I miss those days where I could just buckle her in somewhere and she couldn't move.
2. The Baby Book by Dr. Sears was a life saver. Almost any silly question you might have is answered in this book. One of my very favorite friends let me borrow her copy and I think I read everyday for at least the first three months. I reluctantly gave it back to her so she could have it handy for her newest addition! Thanks, Jaime and I cannot wait to meet Zoey :)
On a side note, I totally love Dr. Sears! I didn't think I would because I tend to shy away from anything that is too "commercial." I learned a lot about myself as a mother those first few weeks with a newborn and even when everyone close to me was telling me I was spoiling my baby or that I wasn't doing it right, the things my gut was telling me to do were confirmed while reading his books.
3. I love, love, love my diaper bag! I have used it every day since Liza was born. It holds everything I need. It even fits cloth diapers. It's cute and doesn't look like a diaper bag. I have this one.
I always get complimented on it and it has held up very well for the past *almost* two years.
4. I couldn't have left my house if I didn't have a good nursing cover. Please don't ever feel embarrassed to nurse in public and please don't feed your baby in the bathroom. How disgusting is that!!?? The one I have isn't as fancy as this, but it's the same idea. The neck strap was really nice because I never had to worry about it falling or becoming uncovered. By the way, you don't need a cover. I just preferred it, but more power to you if you don't use one!
 |
| This isn't me :) |
Oh, I also used my ring sling as a nursing cover all the time!
5. Hands down, I could not have survived the past 20 months without my baby carriers. I even wish I had more of them :) As an infant Liza spent a lot of time in my Moby Wrap. It takes practice, but it is so worth it. This allowed me to be totally hands free because she was wrapped snug to my chest.
 |
| Before I got good at wrapping her. |
 |
| All snug |
I also love my pretty Sakura Bloom ring sling. I still use my ring sling daily for trips to the post office and places where there aren't shopping carts. It's great because now that she is walking I can let her up and down super easy and I can shove it in my purse. As a summer baby, it was nice a cool to hold her in this and it was super easy to nurse her in it. The best part is that nobody even suspected that I was nursing so I could just walk around Target and stuff :)
I also bought a second hand Ergo and used it often. It still gets used a lot. I always have it in my car because I never know when I might need it! The hubs used it too!
It has been wonderful, but I think I would have really loved a Beco. I think it would have fit me better.
Katey's top five:
1. Adding to Sarah's post a little on the baby carriers, I couldn't have lived without my Beco it was so much easier to put Jacob in the baby carrier and Mady in the shopping cart or stroller. It is absolutely necessary to have free hands when you have an infant and a toddler. I love that the Beco has a hood that attaches and comes up to block the sun or wind! The versatility is another plus because it can also be worn on your back! It is very similar to the ergo but for a small framed woman like myself it just fits better. :)
 |
| I am always the one taking pictures so this is the only one I could find |
2.The best investment ever was our Combi stroller. It is folds in 3 seconds, we couldnt' believe it until we tried it in the store. It is lightweight and compact and I absolutely love it!
3. The woombie it is a swaddler that zippers, it still gives baby the chance to move his arms around but keeps them tucked in so baby feels swaddled like in the womb. It was a blessing for us in the early stages because Jacob loved to be swaddled until he was around 7 months.
I am also a big fan of Halo sleep sacks. They prevent loose blankets covering baby's face and interfering with their breathing.
 |
| I love that is attaches to the chair |
 |
| Baby Madisyn |
What infant things do you love?
Enjoy your weekend! See you Monday!
Katey & Sarah
Love your picks! I have an Ergo and ring sling which have both gotten SO MUCH use! It's nice that it can be used with older kids, too. Sometimes when Josiah isn't feeling well and wants to be held but I need to get stuff done I'll wear him for a bit.
ReplyDeleteI also have the Space Saver high chair and Combi stroller; I like products that can be used past the newborn stage. We're not big stroller users so we don't need to be able to fit our whole life in a basket under the seat like some people, and the small size is great for maneuvering. My only gripes - since I'm tall, my feet tend to hit the wheels when I walk, and now that we've had it for a while the wheels are a bit wobbly.
I had a combination rocker/vibrating seat (similar to a bouncer) that has gotten a lot of use. When I was taking the kids to work with me it was there every day. It converts into a toddler rocker so you don't have to put it away in six months.
Someone gave me a hand-me-down swing and said her boys never liked it, but mine LOVED it! I also got a second-hand infant swing (it's really close to the ground, like a bouncy seat), and this was indispensable for the infant stage when they just wouldn't fall asleep in our bed or the cradle.
I've had two Skip Hop diaper bags, and while I love the look of them, they have both come apart - so sad! In the Summer I prefer a backpack for toting stuff - it's very handy for a trip to the park or zoo for packing lunch and essentials. Great for our camping trips, too.
I used my nursing cover a lot the first time around, but I actually found it to be more distracting and noticeable to people. With Josiah I would use my sweater or jacket or a blanket, or sneak off to a private corner somewhere. Double layers with tank tops are da bomb for nursing.
My babies both loved their soothie pacifiers and both times I bought the gumdrop pacifiers online (they're the same style) to add to our collection. These were essential for nap- and betime!
I could go on and on about the stuff I love, but sometimes it's just the small stuff (like burp cloths). When you really think about it, babies really don't need that much stuff! One of the things I have used every single day - and still use now - are waterproof pads. Someone gave me more packages than I had registered for, and it turned out to be a blessing. I would put them on the changing table, a couple under the sheets, as a changing pad, in the carseat - there are so many uses for them.