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June 2013 Moms
Mommy2CB
member
PSA: Must haves from 2+ timers for the newbies!
Mommy2CB
member
I just wanted to mention a couple things that we used with our 1st that were amazing! I wish someone had told me about these items ahead of time!
1. Happiest Baby on the Block book/DVD - more specifically the DVD. Shows a Dr's steps to a happier baby/sleeping at night.. honestly this is the #1 thing you guys need. Simple things like movement, shhing, white noise *things that simulate the womb*. Our son slept 10+ hours a night after we watched the DVD and did what it said - honestly you guys this is GOLD. You don't need to really watch it til closer to your due date though 
2. Baby Bargains book - MUST HAVE before you register. It gives the low down on every single item you need to register for, grades it, different options from low to high pricing.. honestly DH & I had no clue and this book totally saved us. It is a MUST buy. Make sure you buy the newest edition for current items.
3. First Stroller - We were lost with what to get for strollers. Do not waste your money on a heavy, crappy travel system. Buy a Snap & Go. It is basically just a frame, and you "snap" your infant car seat into it - COULD NOT BE EASIER and it is incredibly light weight. There is a huge basket on the bottom too. Once your child gets older (around 6 months or so) they will outgrow their infant seat and that is when you will need to purchase a 2nd stroller (and a convertible car seat). I recommend the Baby Jogger City Mini. It is a little pricy but worth it! Again, very light weight, and steers amazing, and the sunshade is super long. Not as much storage underneath but you can definitely fit stuff in the sides. Friends of ours loved ours and ended up switching. I'm not kidding! It does have the option to lock the front wheel for "jogging" as well, but it's not heavy at all like a typical jogging stroller (or as expensive!)
2+ moms please feel free to add any of your Must Have's!
BFP 5/21/10, Missed m/c 7/5/10 at 11w3d (baby measured 7wks), D&C 7/7/10
Aug/Sept 2010 - CD3&10 b/w & u/s, genetic testing, SA, HSG, & Lap/Hyst to remove septum
12/09/10 BFP -- 7/05/11 DS born at 33w5d. Came home after 23d in NICU at 37w0d
June 2012 - TTC #2! -- 10/05/12 BFP -- 5/23/13 DS2 born at 37w1d! Yay full term!
Surprise BFP 6/25/14 LO#3 due Feb2015!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: PSA: Must haves from 2+ timers for the newbies!
Wow really? Everyone we know says they wish they didn't waste their money on the travel systems and like I said, everyone has LOVED our City Mini so much that they have gone out and bought their own! Obviously there are going to be different opinions but thought I would share mine!
BFP 5/21/10, Missed m/c 7/5/10 at 11w3d (baby measured 7wks), D&C 7/7/10
Aug/Sept 2010 - CD3&10 b/w & u/s, genetic testing, SA, HSG, & Lap/Hyst to remove septum
12/09/10 BFP -- 7/05/11 DS born at 33w5d. Came home after 23d in NICU at 37w0d
June 2012 - TTC #2! -- 10/05/12 BFP -- 5/23/13 DS2 born at 37w1d! Yay full term!
Surprise BFP 6/25/14 LO#3 due Feb2015!
I agree with OP on all points, although we had a MacLaren Easy Traveller base instead of the Snap N Go--same concept, just a little sturdier and easier to fold with a tighter turning radius, so I liked it better. It was not available for purchase anywhere but Amazon when I was pregnant with my first, though.
I would also strongly recommend the My Brest Friend pillow over the Boppy. The Boppy is more well-known, but the My Brest Friend is SO much better designed and more supportive. I had both and the My Brest Friend beat the Boppy hands-down, despite having the dumbest name ever.
We also went the snap n go and city mini route. The snap n go was the awesomest shiz everrrrr. I have to stress, though, the city mini is not to be used for jogging. It doesn't have shocks, a proper harness, or rubber air filled wheels, which are necessary on a jogger to keep baby from jostling. The wheels are plastic and the lock function is just for walking. I do highly recommend the stroller for everyday use, though!
For those who plan to BF, the Boppy was my lover. Breast Friend was okay, but I had a c/s and couldn't use it for a couple months because it was too firm on my incision. I learned the hard way that hospitals sometimes can't provide lanolin for sore nips, so get some of the Lansinoh brand stuff and pack it in your hospital bag!
A good swing, play mat, and about 473819278293775829 burp cloths are my other recommendations for must haves.
My good friend and her husband are tall, and they did a lot of research on the best stroller for tall people. They also found that the Chicco travel system stroller was best for them. There is actually a blog somewhere that discusses the best products for tall parents.
And like another PP, I had the Maclaren Easy Traveller. I also had to order it from Amazon. I used it with my Chicco car seat. Chicco came out with their Snap-n-Go type stroller the month after DS was born, or I would have purchased that one.
IMO, the Maclaren is sturdier than the Snap-n-Go and Graco brands, plus it's an umbrella type, so it folds up smaller.
I got a large stroller (not a travel system, but same size) and didn't use it much. I got a Baby Trend Expedition for walking/jogging, and I really like that (except that it's big when folded, and has pinched my fingers a number of times).
Also agree with the Rock N Play - DS slept in that until he was over 6 months old.
Ditto the Rock N Play (RNP) sleeper from Fisher Price. DD loved it. It was great to travel with too. I totally agree with the HBOTB DVD. When you watch it everything makes complete sense and it works. We loved the SwaddleMe swaddling blankets instead of just regular blankets. The velcro helped keep DD more tightly bound, and therefore happier than blankets.
Whatever you decide for a stroller, I'd advise you to look at the basket underneath and see if it is big enough. Many have very small baskets and they where do you put all of your stuff?
Oooh, I had never even heard of the Chicco Snap-n-Go base. We have the Chicco KeyFit infant seat. Probably can't justify buying a new base when we still have the Easy Traveller, but that's really good to know.
We have the Britax B-agile as well, except we had it from birth and used it as a travel system at first with the B-Safe. It's great for you city dwellers as it is SUPER responsive.
Also, a moby or ergo are great to have in the newborn stages. My DD hated to be put down for 3 months and the wrap was the only way I could ever get anything done.
I'm also 5'9. What's the name of the stroller?!
I have a question about this. Why would I want to buy an infant carsaeat and a Snap n Go as my first stroller, and then 6 months later buy another stroller and carseat, when I could get a travel system and use the stroller without the infant seat when my kid outgrows it? Wouldn't the travel system make more sense since you're only buying one stroller?
Please enlighten me, the only baby gear experience I have is from my nephew and using what he has. Obviously I wasn't involved in choosing or testing out any of his items, I just know he's 16 months now and still uses the stroller from the travel system.
I definitely second that the Brest Friend pillow is WAY better than the Boppy. Several friends told me how much better it was, thank goodness! They were right and I never used the Boppy for breast feeding.
I bought Happiest Baby and thought it was stupid,sorry. I really liked baby wise, seriously my girls slept through the night at 8 weeks.
other stuff (must haves for bringing baby home)
white noise
swaddles
baby night gowns (made night diaper changes easy)
swing (mine liked better but some like bouncy better)
baby sling or carrier (we used ergo and moby)
Baby night gowns are a must with newborns!
Loved the halo sleep sacks and sleep sheep both we used to follow the dr sears method of swaddle and shhhhhh
It works!
We loved our uppa baby stroller with the bassinet feature, especially useful if there are small children or dogs around because they cannot reach the baby! I do wish the second seat add on was as good as the city mini though.
Loved the rock n play and those little vibrate seats were great and our pack n okay has a newborn napper seat which is amazing!! My first slept in that the most.
Lots of cloth diapers as spit rags too!
And our summer video moniter is my favorite baby purchase by far.
Useless items for us
The bumbo chair
The swing.. She just never loved it and it took up space
Lots of fancy clothes or baby shoes easy access and comfort is what works!
I am obsessed with our Uppa Baby Vista as well
I can fit two huge bags of groceries in there. Or my dog- to go in to stores.
Also- yes to the Rock n Play!
I hated the moby, but used the Baby Bjorn for the first three months and then to the Ergo. Also, I thought the Happiest Baby was stupid.
I breast fed for 9 months and just used a normal pillow for support even though I had gotten a breast feeding pillow. It was a waste of space for me.
DO NOT EVEN TRY CLOTH DIAPERS! lol. My son had persistent diaper rash that would not go away with these things.
You will get so much advice and different things work for different people-
Is it just me, or is this post giving other FTM a mini panic attack? There are so many choices and so much stuff!
Actually, it's really helpful to hear all the actual reviews. I've just been overwhelmed lately by all the stuff you need for babies!
I loved my snap n go. I think we used it for like 8+ months? It was so nice to just snap her car seat in it and shop while she was sleeping. Those were the days.
I also LOVE my Boppy. That was probably the number one most used baby item in our house. I breastfed for 16.5 months and we still use it when we cuddle and read a book before bedtime. I also had a c/s and I would sit with it in my lap even when DD was in her crib. I had the breast friend too and hated it. I hated that it goes all the way around you and is supposed to snap together. Stupid idea. Nobody's going to walk around with that thing on.
Also, another vote for the infant swaddlers. We used the summer infant swaddlers at first, until she outgrew them. Then we switched to the Halo ones. She still sleeps in the Halo sleep sack (and she's 2).
White noise machines and baby gowns are invaluable too. We still use the white noise machine.
And finally, the video monitor. We moved DD to her crib at 2.5 weeks old and I could see her on that monitor so much better than I could when she was in the bassinet by my bed (when she was in our room, at night, I would have to turn on a light or flash her with my cell phone to see if she was waking up or just making baby noises). We still use the video monitor and got another camera for this baby. We use the original Summer Infant Best View digital baby monitor.