Christine's List: Baby items I'm glad I bought & wish I hadn't.

Skeemer

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/christines-list-baby-items-im-glad-i-bought-ones-i-wish-i-hadnt-201236

Interesting list. I agree with the onesies & DH would probably love that Miracle Blanket.

We used our wipes warmer, diaper pail (We cloth diaper) & I love love love our video monitor. It just made life happy & easy to not walk across the house just to see if DS was uncovered.

Thoughts?

 

tourqeyes

I agreed and disagreed with some of her items, like I expected. I've come to terms with the fact that every single mom is going to have likes and dislikes that are different from the next so I anticipated not matching up with her on everything.

Like....the mommy hook. Mine was inexpensive, no idea where she bought hers and I have had no problems thus far with ours, and this is from someone who loves to shop.

jnnfrrose6

The miracle blanket is great.  We used something like it, though I know it didn't have that name.  The Halo company that makes sleep sacks makes them too and we used them every night until DS  was about 3 months old.  

We just did a basic trash can, but even with a deodorizer it made the nursery stink.  We changed to a diaper pail not too long ago (it took way too long to talk my husband into it than it should have) and it's made a huge difference.

We've only ever used an audio monitor, but even when we were in a small 2 bedroom apartment and he was sleeping through the night, I'm glad we had it because it helped me hear when his cough got bad at night (first time I had to call the nurse's line in the middle of the night for what turned out to be croup was nerve-racking, but I wouldn't have heard him in our room over his noise machine without the monitor).  We're switching to video this time only because I want to have a monitor in each room with only one parent end and that's not available for audio.

lindslalala

All of these lists are (obviously) so subjective. I hated the Miracle Blanket and nursing cover. Love our video monitor and diaper pail.

AKbadwolf

Here's my thoughts on the lists.

1 Yep lots of onsies.  I plan on buying a ton of white ones and using some RIT dye to get some great colors

2 Puj Tub- Nope.  Not worth the money to me.  I bathed DD in the bathroom sink while she was really little with just a towel under her for cushioning.  After that we moved on to the kitchen sink or a bucket depending on the day.  I also would shower with her. 

3  Miracle Blanket- DD would break out of it and I HATE Velcro on baby stuff.  I can swaddle a little one with a receiving blanket and slightly larger blanket just as fast as this thing takes.

4 I wore DD more than used the stroller.  We used the stroller probably a total of 5 times the entire first year. 

5 Nursing cover- I loved this when DD was still little and breastfeeding was still a fight.

6 A good glider / recliner / rocking chair is a must!

7 Pack n play w bassinet- DD slept in this think for the first 4 months of her life since we didn't have room for a crib.  We didn't use the basinet part though as it was too flimsy to trust her in.

Their didn't use lists

1 Wipes Warmer- Never had one, never missed it.

2. Diaper Pail- I cloth diaper so we just used a small trashcan with a cloth diaper liner in it.  Worked great

3. Baby monitor.  I can hear DD from anywhere in the house except my boys bedrooms.  We now have camera's in the room so I can look at her and see why she is crying, but we didn't get that till she was almost 2 and out of the crib.

4. Infant Shoes- Worked well for keeping socks on.  DD would pull socks off all the time and in Alaska it is frequently warm enough to have her in a light jumper or something but cool enough to want something to keep toes warm.

5. The Mommy Hook- I used a giant carabineer.  It did everything I needed on the stroller.  One thing to watch though is that it doesn't make your stroller too back heavy and tip it.

 

 

 

 

singingirl96

Luckynumbers81 said:

Just a note about any of the warmers (wipe, bottle) if your kid doesn't get used to them warmed up they won't know the difference and then it won't be a big deal if you are without the warmer or traveling or out and about. 

I used a wipe warmer during the first 3 months or so while we were doing diaper changes in the middle of the night.  He'd be warm and cozy and he would wake up to nurse.  When I changed his diaper it was much easier to keep him sleepy with a warm wipe rather than a cold cloth to the ass...   I highly recommend a warmer.

tourqeyes

AKbadwolf said:

3  Miracle Blanket- DD would break out of it and I HATE Velcro on baby stuff.  I can swaddle a little one with a receiving blanket and slightly larger blanket just as fast as this thing takes.

@AKbadwolf -- how? This is like a straight jacket? Also this one does not have velcro on it?

On that note, I wish miracle blankets were cheaper. I need one or two more but they are $30+ each.

AKbadwolf

tourqeyes said:

AKbadwolf said:

3  Miracle Blanket- DD would break out of it and I HATE Velcro on baby stuff.  I can swaddle a little one with a receiving blanket and slightly larger blanket just as fast as this thing takes.

@AKbadwolf -- how? This is like a straight jacket? Also this one does not have velcro on it?

On that note, I wish miracle blankets were cheaper. I need one or two more but they are $30+ each.

It does have Velcro and yeah it works kinda like a straight jacket.  That's why I don't like it   I got a few free from a friend that was destashing baby stuff.

tourqeyes

I must have a different type of Mircacle Brand blanket than you have. There is no velcro on mine.

jnnfrrose6

tourqeyes said:

AKbadwolf said:

3  Miracle Blanket- DD would break out of it and I HATE Velcro on baby stuff.  I can swaddle a little one with a receiving blanket and slightly larger blanket just as fast as this thing takes.

@AKbadwolf -- how? This is like a straight jacket? Also this one does not have velcro on it?

On that note, I wish miracle blankets were cheaper. I need one or two more but they are $30+ each.

I found the brand we used-actually SummerInfant SwaddleMe and you can get a pack of 3 for $30.  

tourqeyes

Does it have the same concept of strapping their arms down as such in step two? This was what made me like it so much. I feel like my Harry Houdini baby could pull his arms out of anything jnnfrrose6

Skeemer

tourqeyes said:

AKbadwolf said:

3  Miracle Blanket- DD would break out of it and I HATE Velcro on baby stuff.  I can swaddle a little one with a receiving blanket and slightly larger blanket just as fast as this thing takes.

@AKbadwolf -- how? This is like a straight jacket? Also this one does not have velcro on it?

On that note, I wish miracle blankets were cheaper. I need one or two more but they are $30+ each.

We had a velcro type swaddler for DS & we always called it the baby straight jacket. Lol

AKbadwolf

For those that don't know and want to, here are two ways to swaddle that are essentially the same as the miracle blanket, only with plain receiving blanket and/or a larger muslin one. 

Two blanket swaddle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4VdZxwsu4

Single blanket double swaddle leaving legs free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOnsKlluHIg

Skeemer

gwennie357 said:

Thanks for posting! As an FTM, though I know these are subjective, I really enjoy reading them. She has the stroller we purchased, and the carseat we're planning on purchasing, so it's good to see she's enjoyed them both. I do plan on wearing Gus as much as possible, but we wanted a good, reliable stroller and got the most insane deal as our BRU was discontinuing their Baby Jogger line and we got the last one ($200 for the $360 City Mini GT!). I really love the one touch fold and tested it out several times -- it's really convenient. 

It seems every mom really is different and it takes a lot of trial and error to find what works for you, but I like reading these (and reading all your experiences as well). 

Yeah it's fun to read about new idea/products that maybe I haven't considered.

zellatrix

Here is another that was linked at the bottom of that page. Hers seem more my style. Except for all her "dust collectors". Loved having everything she has on that list. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/laurens-list-baby-items-im-glad-i-bought-ones-i-wish-i-hadnt-200229

I just really like baby products. If I think it will make life easier, I will likely buy it. 

pantherRN

Wipe warmers can contribute to mold and bacteria growth. Don't really want to wipe that all over my kid's ass.

jnnfrrose6

tourqeyes said:

Does it have the same concept of strapping their arms down as such in step two? This was what made me like it so much. I feel like my Harry Houdini baby could pull his arms out of anything jnnfrrose6

No pockets for the arms like that.  We just made sure his arms were tucked in well and held tight and he didn't get them out too much until it was time to move up in size and then when he was just done with being swaddled.

BBColt78

No to wipe warmer and loved my diaper pail. My house is 960sq feet and we still use a monitor. Like PPs said, it really depends on the person!

Neighner20

I didn't know this Miracle Blanket existed!  With DD we did the 2 blanket swaddle and it was amazing.  But I didn't know they made something like this!