Mommy of 2-I'd be happy to answer ?'s

J&JSuiter070205

I'm bored

Kellyinpink

Did you co-sleep at first? Was the baby in the bed, by the bed, or just stait to the crib?

Tootermi

What, if anything, would you do differently if you could have?

Mama Angelina

Our anniversary is also July 2 (2006)!   I see you have a boy and a girl.  Do your children share a room or do they each have their own?  We only have 2 bedrooms and we don't plan to move anytime soon. If we eventually have 2 children I hope I can put them in a room together for the first couple years...

JCM052707

What is your favorite/most used baby item? What did you get or "have to have" that you never use?

thatgirlang

Hey. Remember me from the knot and early nest days?

J&JSuiter070205

Kellyinpink:

Did you co-sleep at first? Was the baby in the bed, by the bed, or just stait to the crib?

<br><br>With DS he slept best in his bouncer (it was one that reclined back), so he slept in that on the floor next to our bed. We tuck a blanket snugly around his lower body to keep his nice and warm. He HATED sleeping on his back in a big crib, so we let him sleep in the bouncer for about 3 months then moved him to his crib (where we then swaddled him).  With DD she was less picky. She slept in her infant car seat for a few weeks, then we placed the car seat in her crib for a few nights to transition her, then we put her on her back in her crib and she did just fine

J&JSuiter070205

Tootermi:

What, if anything, would you do differently if you could have?

<br><br>The biggest thing we struggled with the first year of parenthood was lack of sleep. I cannot even begin to explain how exhausted we were. DS was a horrible sleeper, and would wake up to 3 times per night until he was 1 year's old. (Not just wake--he would need one of us to get up with him to give him a bottle and coax him back to sleep). I truly think it varies by baby (because DD has always been a "good"sleeper), but the one thing we did differently with her is we helped her realize that she can go to sleep on her own without the bottle (for ex: we used to lie DS in our arm's and give him the bottle and after he fell asleep put him in his bed, however with DD we gave her a bottle before bed, but would lie her down still half awake so that she'd soothe herself to sleep). One thing I've realized as a parent is everything is trial-and-error. The first year is challenging (it's a HUUUUUUUGE life change) but it gets easier, and the second is SO much easier

J&JSuiter070205

JCM052707:

What is your favorite/most used baby item? What did you get or "have to have" that you never use?

<br><br>Great question. Ok, I'd recommend an infant car seat (one where you can leave the base in the car and take-out the carrier)=so you don't wake baby, or as I mentioned above, some babies sleep great in these the first few months and you can place them next to your bed Also, a stroller where you can pop the infant car seat in the stroller (you make a lot of trips to the Dr the first few months and it's SO handy just to pop the car seat in the stroller and go). I would NOT recommend wipe warmers (waste of money), an expensive bedding set (HUGE waste of money-you only need and will use 2 sheets and maybe a bumper, depending upon your feeling about bumpers in cribs). As baby gets a little older I'd recommend the Bright Starts Around We Go toy (both our kid's LOVED this), a nice bouncer that has hanging toys. We tried swings but neither of my kid's liked them. If you have something specific in mind let me know.

J&JSuiter070205

MamaAngelina:

Our anniversary is also July 2 (2006)!   I see you have a boy and a girl.  Do your children share a room or do they each have their own?  We only have 2 bedrooms and we don't plan to move anytime soon. If we eventually have 2 children I hope I can put them in a room together for the first couple years...

<br><br>Hi, we have 3 bedrooms so they each have their own room. I see no problem with letting them share a room (my friend has a 3 year old boy and a 1 year old girl that share one and she's had no problems), my only thought is that they ARE going to wake each other up (possibly in the middle of the night, or in the morning, or both), so it depends how much you treasure your sleep But if you have no other choice I see no problem with it. Maybe you could put the little one in your room in a pack N play bassinett the first 6 months or year?

J&JSuiter070205

1. thatgirlang:

Hey. Remember me from the knot and early nest days?

<br>Hi, yes I do!