STM: What couldn't you have lived without?

foodie12rn · November 2014

Since we are starting to see a couple of posts on here about baby gear, I thought we could help all our FTMs out by sharing our #1, couldn't have survived without, baby item.

And go! Bonus points for links/photos

foodie12rn · November 2014

We absolutely couldn't have survived without our Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper. When DD was a newborn, we used it while we lounged on the couch, rather than putting her in her big swing across the room. We also brought it whenever we went to relative/friends' houses so that we'd have somewhere to put her down.

ETA: linky-https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CWN3HQM/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1416663024&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40#

foodie12rn · November 2014

Damn phone posted before adding my pic.

lifeisgood27 · November 2014

Boppy Lounger. It was handed down to me. The best thing that sticks out. It was easier than the regular boppy because dd didnt slide down into the hole.

On mobile, sorry for the long link, or if im doing it wrong.

https://m.toysrus.com/skava/static/product.html?type=TRU_product_us&url=/product/index.jsp?productId=33827596&cagpspn=plab_18179198&camp=PLAPPCG-_-PID18179198:BRUS&eESource=CAPLA_DF:33827596:TRUS&domain=http://www.toysrus.com&productId=33827596&cagpspn=plab_18179198&camp=PLAPPCG-_-PID18179198:BRUS&eESource=CAPLA_DF:33827596:TRUS

yelah250 · November 2014

Personal care - nose Frida, miracle blanket, Aquaphor, triple paste diaper cream, halo sleep sacks

Gear - a swing with a cord, Phil n Ted vibe stroller, chicco key3 bucket seat, Britax marathon 5 pt harness seat, ergo baby carrier

Diapers - bum genius 3.0. Kissaluv size 0 for newborns. Imse vinse swim diapers.

Breastfeeding - playtex drop in bottles, medela pump, hands free bra, conversion kit to plug your pump into the cigarette outlet if you might pump in the car, landsinoh storage bags.

luckystarr1 · November 2014

Third time mom here.

A bassinet with compartments to store things you need in the middle of the night, if you plan to share your room with your baby early on.

I used the Boppy pillow quite a bit for a variety of things. It really saved my back with nursing but was also something the baby could use to relax on and start tummy time on.

Aden + Anais receiving blankets are the best. They swaddle the easiest and tightest, work as a light cover over the stroller in the summer months when our babies will come, and can be tied and put around your neck as a quick nursing cover.

Nursing cami tanks were my bff. I loved this one, and though it's more than I'd usually spend on a cami, I lived in them for months and felt they were worth it for a BF mom.

ChristyM87 · November 2014

luckystarr1 said:
Third time mom here.

A bassinet with compartments to store things you need in the middle of the night, if you plan to share your room with your baby early on.

I used the Boppy pillow quite a bit for a variety of things. It really saved my back with nursing but was also something the baby could use to relax on and start tummy time on.

Aden + Anais receiving blankets are the best. They swaddle the easiest and tightest, work as a light cover over the stroller in the summer months when our babies will come, and can be tied and put around your neck as a quick nursing cover.

Nursing cami tanks were my bff. I loved this one, and though it's more than I'd usually spend on a cami, I lived in them for months and felt they were worth it for a BF mom.

Your link isn't working

indiejavamama3 · November 2014

Third time mom as well..

The biggest thing I preach on hands down is Mylicon gas drops (or an off brand version)... The drops were a LIFESAVER for both of my boys

Other than that: bouncy seat, boppy pillow, swing

wickedZ · November 2014

The snotsucker! Hands down! https://www.amazon.com/Nosefrida-Aspirator-filters-Additional-Filters/dp/B00FZN2YGU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416665386&sr=8-2&keywords=snot+sucker

law&order · November 2014

Ergo or similar carrier (not Bjorn), Aden & Anais muslin blankets, boppy, good nursing tanks, good breast pump.

ChristyM87 · November 2014

wickedZ said:
The snotsucker! Hands down! https://www.amazon.com/Nosefrida-Aspirator-filters-Additional-Filters/dp/B00FZN2YGU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1416665386&sr=8-2&keywords=snot+sucker

It does sound so gross but I know those bulb suctioners don't really work after they are more than a month or two old

c-elizabethf · November 2014

With my daughter it was:

Her swing
Little bouncy chair
Pacifiers
Swaddle sleep sack
Nose sucker
Boppy...I used it for a little bit
For diaper rashes I would use cornstarch powder and petroleum jelly or desitin.
Bottle brush
I used babies r us diaper and still do and have never had a problem with them. We did use huggies and pampers when she was a newborn and they were fine as newborn size but for some reason when she went to size one she would always leak through them.
Bath seat.
These light thin blankets, I forgot what brand.
A hairbrush...it helped when she got cradle cap.
And for us a pack n play.
For a stroller we had the britax b agile travel system and we still use it and love it. We are going to get a smaller stroller soon for other places though.

ETA: I forgot bibs and burp cloths

forevergraceful · November 2014

Phil and Teds lobster high chair (for going out), Dr. Brown bottles, Aquaphor, sound machine, Halo sleep sacks, portable swing, glider.

JuneBug0611 · November 2014

- BOB revolution stroller (just wait til we hit 2nd tri and everyone starts the stroller threads! But this one worked great for our lifestyle!)
- baby bathtub with newborn sling
- infant car seat where you can remove the carrier from the base so you don't have to waken sleeping baby! We had Chicco keyfit
- baby play mat
- mobile for crib to distract baby while mama takes a shower (this was a golden discovery!)
- pack n play for travel
- snap up PJs or sleeping gowns that are open at the bottom, for easiest middle of the night diaper changes
- medela hands-free breast pump -- I got the pricier model (I forget what it was called) and it was totally worth it. I brought my pump with me everywhere, pumped in the car and in my office, it was a lifesaver. Pumped til DD was 13 months with that beauty!

evemadalyn · November 2014

For my dd my must items were...rock n play, wubbanub paci's, nosefreda, woodwards gripe water, udas choice probiotic, medela pump, baltic amber teething necklace, BOPPY, and merlins magic sleep suit!!!
Oh also, for myself i used cloth diaper inserts in my bra on whichever breast i wasnt feeding on, because i leaked like crazy for the first like 6 months! I also put them in my bra at night so i didnt leak all over the bed!

katerbug0607 · November 2014

indiejavamama3 said:
Third time mom as well..

The biggest thing I preach on hands down is Mylicon gas drops (or an off brand version)... The drops were a LIFESAVER for both of my boys

Other than that: bouncy seat, boppy pillow, swing

I second these drops and gripe water. Got us through a rough few weeks with a tiny shred of sanity.

wineandcake · November 2014

Boobs? My kid hated everything except for boobs.

Swaddle blankets were nice, but not necessary since he didn't sleep anyways.

laurenlalap · November 2014

1. medela double breast pump

2. aden and anais blankets

3. ZIPPER onesies - not buttons

4. Luna swing

5. Wubanubs

6. Baby bjorn babysitter chair

7. Pack n play

8. Angelcare video and movement monitor

9. Cat seat adapter for the stroller so we didnt have to wake LO taking him from carseat to stroller

10. Ergo carrier

11. Dekor diaper system (diaper genie is a piece of shit)

12. Tummy tub

ETA: forgot halo sleep sacks. Must have.. I still dont trust my LO with a blanket.

laurenlalap · November 2014

law&order said:

Ergo or similar carrier (not Bjorn), Aden & Anais muslin blankets, boppy, good nursing tanks, good breast pump.

I agree with not getting a baby bjorn carrier. Theyre bad for babys hips

emwithpeanuts · November 2014

With my first child it was her swing. She loved that thing. I can't remember what it was with 2 and 3. With 4, it was the Moby wrap. He LOVED being in there. With 3 of them, they LOVED their pacifiers. So I guess I would conclude, swing, bouncy seat, Moby wrap, and pacifiers.

emwithpeanuts · November 2014

I also absolutely loved having a good diaper bag. I had a skip hop one his past time, and I used it around the house as well. It was so organized!

hpoff33 · November 2014

We are definitely getting a rock and play this go round. We had a bouncy seat, and my son loved it, but having to keep that thing going was a pain in the ass.

My list:

Aden + Anais muslin blankets

ZIP-UP PJs. You do not want to be fiddling with buttons in the middle of the night.

Pack n Play - we still use ours when whenever we travel.

Burp clothes - I used cloth diapers mainly because I was also cloth diapering

Moby Wrap - newborn

Boba or Ergo - we only just stopped using our Bopa and only because our son is just too heavy to carry

Video Monitor - that was a lifesaver for us.

White noise machine or bluetooth speaker for iPod - we still use this with my son. Although he doesn't need it all the time to sleep and can nap in other locations without it.

Clip on Paci - I lost so many before I actually clipped the damn thing on him. Total FTM fail with waiting so long to get it. And definitely get like 3. One for the car, one for the home and one for the diaper bag.

foodie12rn · November 2014

evemadalyn said:
For my dd my must items were...rock n play, wubbanub paci's, nosefreda, woodwards gripe water, udas choice probiotic, medela pump, baltic amber teething necklace, BOPPY, and merlins magic sleep suit!!!
Oh also, for myself i used cloth diaper inserts in my bra on whichever breast i wasnt feeding on, because i leaked like crazy for the first like 6 months! I also put them in my bra at night so i didnt leak all over the bed!

I used bamboobies nursing pads. I leaked like crazy too. Every time I stepped out of the shower, milk would let down all over the place. I don't miss that at all! Thank goodness I eventually stopped leaking. I'm still nursing DD, but I don't think I would have made it this far if I still had to wear pads in my bra!!

hpoff33 · November 2014

hoping&waiting12 said:

For my dd my must items were...rock n play, wubbanub paci's, nosefreda, woodwards gripe water, udas choice probiotic, medela pump, baltic amber teething necklace, BOPPY, and merlins magic sleep suit!!! Oh also, for myself i used cloth diaper inserts in my bra on whichever breast i wasnt feeding on, because i leaked like crazy for the first like 6 months! I also put them in my bra at night so i didnt leak all over the bed!
I used bamboobies nursing pads. I leaked like crazy too. Every time I stepped out of the shower, milk would let down all over the place. I don't miss that at all! Thank goodness I eventually stopped leaking. I'm still nursing DD, but I don't think I would have made it this far if I still had to wear pads in my bra!!

I used Lansinoh disposable pads. I leaked so much for almost the first 10 months. I was beyond happy when I could put those things away for good!!!

evemadalyn · November 2014

Oh, yes it was so wonderful when i finally stopped leaking! I'm also still breastfeeding my 15 month old! I dont look forward to going through the leaking again!!!

Mommasay0 · November 2014

I lost my nose frida

LauraLovesJon · November 2014

Rock n play, aden & anis blankets, and my ergo.

kjsmith9 · November 2014

Bamboobies nursing pads (overnight style), lansinoh milk storage bags, boppy pillow, aquaphor, Aden & Anais swaddle blankets, tons of burp cloths, nose frida, zutano booties (snap closure), baby legs, breathable crib bumper, ergo carrier

mrspark812 · November 2014

So my must have is actually a pregnancy must have. I couldn't live without my Snoogle pregnancy pillow. A friends gave me hers since she was done with kids and it saved my life!! During the 2nd tri I couldn't sleep at all and with the pillow I was able to sleep like a baby right up until I had the baby lol.

As for motherhood....my DD loved being swaddled but would break out of regular blankets so my must have were the swaddle pods. We started with the newborn size that zips up and then used the velcro ones when she got bigger. Ya the velcro can be a PITA but it was so worth it! (I will link later when I'm not on my phone lol)

daniellelea1985 · November 2014

We have lived in a small space since DS was born (about to move to a big house!)

So we found out very quickly what things you TRULY need and what to take back.

I'd say burp cloths and boobie pads were musts in the beginning. We used cloth diapers as burp cloths. I'd be a sopping wet mess if I didn't wear boobie pads or have a spit up rag nearby lol.

We condensed everything down to just a bassinet, a swing and a playmat in the beginning. But honestly... DS wanted to be held most of the time so even those you "can live without"

JuneBug0611 · November 2014

How did I forget to say video monitor? That was one DH was on the fence about but it has been one of our very favorite purchases. It depends on the size and layout of your house whether you "need" this, but we had DD sleeping on a different level of the house than we were on so it was nice to have a video monitor to check on her without having to go up and down creaky steps and risk waking her up. We're also very nervous parents so we liked obsessively being able to check on her. I liked having it on and putting her in the crib so I could keep an eye on her when I showered when she was really little. Just be careful what model you get and make sure if it's internet-enabled that you lock it down with a password so folks can't hack into it. (Ours wasn't quite so fancy.)

ashiscute · November 2014

I'd say moby, boppy, aquaphor, burp cloths. And good nursing bras and tanks.

wineandcake · November 2014

JustinsLovo said:
Oooh I thought of another one... Coconut oil. I used it on my nipples and all over LO, specifically I used it as a diaper cream.

Yes! Coconut oil was basically my life. Still use it daily and he's 21m.

kw42775 · November 2014

Rock n Play
Nosefrida
Dohm Sound Machine
Kick n Play Piano Mat
Halo Sleepsack Swaddles
Sock Ons
Angel Care Video Monitor

SHAYD12 · November 2014

katerbug0607 said:

indiejavamama3 said:
Third time mom as well..

The biggest thing I preach on hands down is Mylicon gas drops (or an off brand version)... The drops were a LIFESAVER for both of my boys

Other than that: bouncy seat, boppy pillow, swing
I second these drops and gripe water. Got us through a rough few weeks with a tiny shred of sanity.

I agree, they are must have to have on hand!

SHAYD12 · November 2014

Video monitor for sure. We still use this everyday, for both boys! (For me when they get bigger I used it even more so I can make sure they are really in there bed sleeping)

Ergo, I loved that thing and still use it and ds is almost two.

Double stroller, I have the bob and britax b ready and love them both! (The attachment for the infant seat so they snap in to the stroller with out having to wake the baby)

Sound machine, swing, swaddle blankets that Velcro or zip (whoopies I think are the one name of some I got and they are awesome. I can check tomorrow.) zip up pjs, lots of burp clothes (ds 1 hardly used any, ds 2 had horrible reflex) oh and lots and lots of binkys.

I want to get a RNP and the Aden and anis blankets.

I can't think of anything else right now but I am sure there's more

jennywi83 · November 2014

Our UppaBaby Vista stroller and Clek Foonf car seat. The single 2 most expensive baby items but at 3.5 we still use them.

Beachy730 · November 2014

Motorola video monitor, sleep gowns that you just roll up to change diapers, medela steam bags (about $6 for a pack of 5, 20 uses each, and so easy to use), play mat, boppy, PNP, and lots of burp rags. Oh and gripe water is the greatest thing ever. DS was a horrible puker and hiccups made it worse, but gripe water took away hiccups instantly. That's all stuff I loved from day one.

As he got older the Johnny jump up, jumparoo, and his Chicco nextfit car seat.

munchkinsmama · November 2014

This bouncer was a god send https://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11765988&cagpspn=plab_10555930&camp=PLAPPCG-_-PID10555930:BRUS&eESource=CAPLA_DF:11765988:TRUS it bounced all by itself. DS loved it. We didn't have room for a big swing so we got a portable one, but he never really liked it. I am also team gas drops and gripe water. Muslin blankets for swaddling!

ncjulia12 · November 2014

Swaddlemes (much easier than swaddling with a blanket)

Wubbanubs (makes pacis so much easier to keep up with)

Simple wishes Pumping Bra (never pumped without it- lifesaver)

Chasity08 · November 2014

I didn't have a lot of gadgets with DD. I see a lot of this stuff and didn't even know they existed honestly. I never used a boppy, never used a carrier, never used gas drops, none of it. Haha.

But the one thing I did invest in was one of those $20 seats at target that sits on the ground, and it bounces a little, but has a vibrate option and a music option and had a little bar overhead with toys hanging down. DDs was pink and had butterflies hanging down. DD had gotten this super expensive soothing center from her grandma and hated it and I hardly ever used it, but I used that seat every day. It was the only gadget I couldn't have done without. Everything else was just a luxury for me.

Edit: I lied, the one other thing I had was a swaddle blanket. She could bust free when I swaddled her in a regular blanket but the Velcro closure ones were much harder for her to break free in her sleep. DD only slept when swaddled so that was important.

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