@missnc77 I imagine not, but again, I'm a FTM. I know I registered for the mamaroo so I wouldn't have to have a rock n play and a swing, but a lot of moms swear by the Rock n play. My sister used hers a lot, so if my mamaroo fails me then I'm going to just grab hers.
I'm in need of a new infant carrier seat. Both my older boys used our current one, but it's going to expire before this baby is out of it and it needs new straps anyway. I honestly don't want another one like it. It's a Graco click connect. The old style with the giant bases. My friend has the new style with the thin base and I'm not a fan of it. Mine seemed so much safer to me (not the base, the actual seat feels sturdier). I need one with the thinner base because I'll have 2 convertible car seats as well as the base in the back seat of my dodge avenger. I've put my friends base in between and it fits great! The bigger base just makes it too hard for my short butt to get the seat in and out over the other seats. I have my eye on the eddie bauer one at target (the same brand as the convertibles we use, which are heaven!), but idk if it's actually a good seat, or if someone has experience with something they loved that might be better. Price isn't exactly a concern, but I don't want to pay a ton for it since the convertible will be used at around 6-8 months.
Also, I HATE the idea of putting a nb into a giant convertible seat. Nothing about it says safe or ok to me. That's me personally, not trying to be rude or flame anybody. I'd just like to avoid getting the suggestion
Mobiles- yea or nay? I'm leaning towards nay since I have some concerns about it falling into the crib. I was checking some at target yesterday and they all have warnings not to use around children 3 or under?!?! Are children really entertained by these, and if not, what's another option?
@yogahh We never used one because of the fall-risk and hassle of attaching it. We used this instead: https://www.amazon.com/Munchkin-Nursery-Projector-Sound-System/dp/B006SFUEF2 it projects a rotating picture (there are different slides to choose from, and there are different white noise sounds that you can play if you choose too.
@yogahh I'm getting one from etsy that has Aussie animals...a way of introducing as much of my heritage as I can but I'm with you on the safety concerns. If I feel I can't attach it safely and securely then we will hang it elsewhere instead
@yogahh I had a mobile for my oldest. He was TERRIFIED of it! I had to take it off the crib to get him to calm down. It's still chilling in my basement with other baby stuff that's either been outgrown (like the exersaucer/swing/ect) or just wasn't useful.
We got a projecting nightlight from walmart instead. It changes colors and projects on the wall. He still loves it and it was only 6 bucks lol
Mobiles- yea or nay? I'm leaning towards nay since I have some concerns about it falling into the crib. I was checking some at target yesterday and they all have warnings not to use around children 3 or under?!?! Are children really entertained by these, and if not, what's another option?
We did the stuffed animal that projects stars on the ceiling. Worked for DD. We just put it on the floor outside of her crib. She still loves it.
Been married since 2009. Unicornuate Uterus (yes I menstruate glitter) Several MCs DD born 2013 (our miracle "you can't have babies" baby!)
Mobiles- yea or nay? I'm leaning towards nay since I have some concerns about it falling into the crib. I was checking some at target yesterday and they all have warnings not to use around children 3 or under?!?! Are children really entertained by these, and if not, what's another option?
We had a vtech mobile that attached to the crib. I never worried about it falling. Best $30 I didn't have at the time. So glad I bought it. It made a huge difference for us.
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012 TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
Ladies talk to me about bottles. Why are there sooooo many options? What should I be looking for? I'm more confused about bottles than I was about strollers and car seats!
Ladies talk to me about bottles. Why are there sooooo many options? What should I be looking for? I'm more confused about bottles than I was about strollers and car seats!
Babies can be so picky! I'd suggest you register for a few different kinds to see which your LO likes best. Playtex vent air, tommy tippee, and any wide nipple bottles were my DD's favorites....she hated the narrower based ones. Bottles are such trial and error!
Maybe register for like two bottles each of a wide based nipple brand (tommy tippee...the base just looks wide. You'll know what I mean when you see them) and a more narrow based kind like Dr. Brown's. (Looks like the Gerber bottles almost). Then once you know preference of your kiddo you can go out and buy more.
Also! Buy the slow flow for now! All bottles, though I should say the nipples specifically, have flow rates and typically newborns prefer and need the slower flow.
Once you know style preference of baby you can buy the faster flow nipples separately to go with the chosen bottle styles
Bottles and pacifiers are all a guessing game, so don't buy too much upfront!
Ladies talk to me about bottles. Why are there sooooo many options? What should I be looking for? I'm more confused about bottles than I was about strollers and car seats!
We had good luck with the Playtex Avent ones. Easy to clean and DD liked them. They were always a big hit when I worked infant care as well. The Dr. Brown ones are a huge pain to clean. The Vent Aire ones leak. I don't care how well you put them together, they leak. This comes from a few different babies I cared for over the years using them so not like a one time experience. Unless they have changed the design in the last few years, I would avoid them.
Ultimately, your baby might be picky so it's hard to tell what they are going to prefer.
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012 TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
Also! Buy the slow flow for now! All bottles, though I should say the nipples specifically, have flow rates and typically newborns prefer and need the slower flow.
Once you know style preference of baby you can buy the faster flow nipples separately to go with the chosen bottle styles
Bottles and pacifiers are all a guessing game, so don't buy too much upfront!
Yes! To add to this, if you plan to both breastfeed and pump, you may want to only use slow flow, or medium at the fastest once baby gets older.
With DS, we went right from slow flow to the miracle 360 sippie cup for when I needed to pump milk.
Also! Buy the slow flow for now! All bottles, though I should say the nipples specifically, have flow rates and typically newborns prefer and need the slower flow.
Once you know style preference of baby you can buy the faster flow nipples separately to go with the chosen bottle styles
Bottles and pacifiers are all a guessing game, so don't buy too much upfront!
Yes! To add to this, if you plan to both breastfeed and pump, you may want to only use slow flow, or medium at the fastest once baby gets older.
With DS, we went right from slow flow to the miracle 360 sippie cup for when I needed to pump milk.
Definitely go with slow flow nipples. We tried the Dr. Brown's that we received as a gift first and had no issues but they are known to be annoying to clean.
Bottles perplex me as well...I just wanted to add that one of the day cares I went to this week specified that you can only leave plastic bottles with them. So if you were thinking of using glass bottles, probably a good idea to find out if you need plastic ones for day care too. Throwing this out there because it never occurred to me before they said it.
Agree with posters about different bottles and slow flow nipples. We had SO many of the pink dr brown's and they were great for a while, but 1. they are a PIA to clean and 2. they would start to leak after a while. I wish I would have registered for a few different types and only had a few of each to try. We ended up using the Avent's for good, and are on sippy cups now.
Also, the Graco system; GREAT! It is super convenient to have the click system! We have a base in each car, and the carseat is lightweight so it's easy to click in and out. & I bought the jogging stroller that went with it, and it's been so awesome! I do remember, since I had the 'jogging' wheels, one of the tires kept getting flat even when I would fill it, but there were no holes so idk what the problem was, I contacted Graco directly to ask if there was a defect, and they ended up sending all brand new tires and a discount for future purchases! So easy to work with.
Our DD loved her swing!! If you have a multi-story house, I would recommend getting a duplicate of whatever you baby ends up loving. There were some nights I had to wake my DH up to bring the swing upstairs (not an easy task!)
& last but not least THE BOPPY! I thought they were silly and lazy when I was preggo, but then was thinking maybe it would come in handy, so I added it to my registry, and I am amazed how much this pillow was used. I ended up breastfeeding a lot longer than I thought I would and it was amazing to help with that! Plus, my dad was always scared to hold baby when she was little, cause he's silly like that, and I convinced him to use the pillow propped up under his arm, and it made him a lot more secure/comfortable with her. So glad! It was really good for tummy time, then when she started sitting up to help support her on the sides; just overall a really good thing to have! (Plus, it's a staple to use for this cute propped newborn pics! )
That's all I can think of that stands out right now!
Apologies if I'm repeating what someone said, but really ladies for clothes and gliders you GOTTA check out your local goodwill. We got a ton of nice onesies in multiple sizes, four pajamas, and three pants as well as a glider for $75! My baby doesn't need new clothes for MONTHS now and we saved so much. The lady at the checkout said newborn to one is the best time to get stuff used because toddler items usually get so trashed they can't be donated.
[Scroll down for the tl;dr version because I am annoyingly super wordy and all that jazz]
Sorry to resurrect a slightly older thread here, but I could use any potential recommendations from anyone here who has used this specific kind of product...(FYI, I did do a search - came up with a lot of different boards with similar topics, but nothing specific as to what I'm researching. And the Special Needs board seems to be more heavily geared towards parents of special needs children, not so much to parents who have special needs of their own. Please feel free to virtually slap me on the wrist if I've made a mistake and missed the right board/thread or should have started a new one!)
Anyway, the specific gear I'm worrying about is baby monitors for daytime use. I'm profoundly hard-of-hearing, so the only ones I am interested in are the ones that come with a vibrate function. Right now I am looking into the Graco iMonitor Vibe and the Avent Dect Monitor. The Graco has mixed reviews but has a better price and comes with two monitors. The Avent has great reviews but is more expensive and only comes with one parent monitor.
I've also looked into some strobe receivers (they flash a super bright light and/or have a plug for a lamp), but the costs for those can also get pretty expensive (plus, I have a family member who often visits that is epileptic and triggered by strobes/flashing lights). If I can get something else that works just as effectively, I'd prefer to do that.
Knowing myself and the way that I tend to not notice vibes from my cell phone going off in my back pocket until I've almost missed the call (I have special captioning software installed), I'm a little concerned. And most of the reviews for both seem to be more about the battery life/interference/distance usage (all valid concerns, but not what my chief worry is right now).
I'm not worried about when I'm sleeping - I'm also going to be ordering this monitor, which wirelessly connects to my alarm clock, which is super annoying to wake up to but is also *very* effective. It's when I'm awake that I'm worried about. What if I'm doing the dishes while my daughter is napping, and I miss her cries when she wakes up? Or something like that. Has anybody used either of the monitors I mentioned above, and if so, can you tell me how well the vibrating functions work?
tl;dr: If you've used either this or this or a similar monitor, I'd appreciate any feedback you can give me on it regarding it's vibrate functions, because I wear hearing aids and am paranoid.
@kennedy0830 We splurged on ours from buy buy baby and it was totally worth it!
Edit: Ours is a glider and recliner AND we ordered the gliding ottoman to go with it. I will definitely be spending a lot of time in it so it was important to me for it to be comfy and something I can crash in with LO.
I'm still struggling with gliders - and maybe I'm looking too much into it.. I found one that was reasonably priced and had decent reviews, however the number one negative review was that you had to really kick in the foot rest to get it to go back upright. I'm imagining me breastfeeding my LO and then trying to get out of this recliner and it just ending horribly because I can't get the foot rest back in... I'd really love a reclining glider (I like the ones that look like an actual recliner versus a rocking chair), but I'm also looking for light gray and not $600.... Anyone have an actual brand/recommendation?? Thank you!!
The glider I just got is from Buy Buy Baby, I can't find a link online but the brand is Little Castle and it's the Serra Glider. I can't find any reviews on it but it came in lots of colors (I got a light gray), has a high enough back that you can rest your head (friends told me this was essential) and easy for me and my H to get in and out of.
It does not recline but it does come with a gliding ottoman. It is $600 but with a 20% off coupon we got the glider plus ottoman for $480. Here's a pic:
@Kennedy0830 I got so tired of going to baby stores and thinking about different gliders I literally went into BBB, sat in the glider for a few minutes, a worker walked by and said, "If you like that one, you can use a 20% off coupon and we have it boxed up in the back and ready to go." I was like done and done!
ME TOO! @anastasiabeaverhausen09 I was getting frustrated and losing hope to find a good one until we went there and pretty much the same thing happened to us except they had two that I liked and BOTH were in stock... so I bounced between two of them for awhile but it was super easy and with the 20% off was nice.
I probably need a new wrap/sling for the newborn stage. I have a babyhawk mei tai, which I love, and a mobywrap, which I was more ambivalent about last time. Can anyone fling some recommendations of brands that are good for the tiny ones? I need to do some shopping.
We didn't get a crib at first because we knew we'd be moving across the country when my son was about 4 months old. So he started off sleeping in the RNP next to our bed, then moved to the PNP in his own room. We got the one with the Newborn Napper and it was great--it had a vibrator feature which he loved and helped him sleep (it shuts off automatically as well) and he was very snuggly and comfy in it. He also loved the swing.
I also wanted to add a car seat recommendation. I have a good friend who's a car seat tech, so super big on car seat safety and such, and she LOVES the Graco 4ever seat. It's convertible and you can use it from infant all the way up to a booster for 120 lbs. We don't have it for my son but will be getting it for the new little one. I don't anticipate wanting a bucket with a toddler to chase as well as an infant to carry, so I'll probably wear the baby rather than hauling around the bucket infant seat. Our son is currently in a Britax Marathon which we like a lot as well, but he's slated to outgrow it sometime in the not-to-distant future (and which point we'll switch him to the Graco 4ever and put the baby in the Britax.)
Those are my recommendations from personal experience!
Anyone have any experience with the Boba 4G? It says you can use it for infancy to 2 years (as long as your infant is 7 pounds at least). It's pretty expensive ($127) but it's made from good material and you wouldn't need to buy another carrier for two years!
My dilemma ladies...hopefully you can give me some insight
We live in a split level. Our baby monitor for some reason doesn't work in the playroom...something blocks the signal. We dealt with it withe ds2, but it was a pain. To put it simply, since I don't want to spend money on a new baby monitor and risk the same issue, we need a second pack n play. But I've been looking into a rock and play to use in our bedroom for baby to sleep in and just moving our current pack n play to the main floor. For those of you that have used a rock and play, was it really worth it, or would it make more sense to just get a 2nd pack n play for the main floor?
Also I saw there is an auto rnp and just a rnp. Is the auto rock feature something to consider?
I personally loved the rock 'n play! With DS, he started out in that next to my bed. It's also way easier to move around the house than a pack 'n play--our PNP ended up being more like a pseudo crib until we completed our move across the country and bought a real crib. I anticipate definitely relying on the RNP over the PNP when this new LO arrives for the first couple of months.
I'm leaning to the rnp over the 2nd pnp for sure. Pnps are just so big and bulky! We have the space, but they're hard to move around. Just looking into the rnp and noticing all the different ones, some rock on their own but don't vibrate...I just don't really understand what would be most helpful with it...I mean...is auto rock actually that useful that sacrificing the vibration feature is worth it? Because idk...I don't feel like it would be useful. I'm glad to see several raves about rnps on here
Don't mean to be a Debbie downer but i've read and heard that rock and plays aren't meant for the baby to be in for extended periods of time, and not to sleep in. Newborns should sleep flat on their backs so a pack and play, bassinet, etc with a flat bottom is ok but anything padded should be avoided. This isn't just for SIDS but also to avoid flat head issues.
im just a lurker but wanted to put that out there. I'm planning on getting a nuna rocker for sometimes use and a 4moms pack n play to use next to the bed
I'm going to babies r us tomorrow to finish getting some things for the crib. I need to buy a mattress and cover... any recommendations on brands from babies r us when it comes to these?
ALSO... SO and I were talking last night and he said babies usually need to be propped on their sides to sleep (with a wedge of some sort) so they don't aspirate if the would vomit... I was not aware of this but it does make sense.. any STM have thoughts on this or what did you buy to keep baby from being flat on their back?
@kp90 We have a Simmons crib/toddler mattress (dual sided) that we used for DS and will use again for this baby that was great. It's a tiny bit bigger than the others, so it gives a nice, tight fit in the crib. It's not recommended to use a sleep prop with a baby because of the possible suffocation risk. Some babies will naturally side sleep (DS did this the first few weeks and completely freaked me out), but it's generally just recommended to lay them on their back, then let the head fall to one side or the other-- and to alternate which way you put them down so that they aren't always sleeping with their head to the same side.
@kbrands7 Thank you! Not sure where he heard that from but will show him that article. Makes sense now. I will be so paranoid anyway... hopefully I can leave my poor child alone to sleep without waking her every 5 minutes.
Any good recommendations for nursing tanks? Is there a brand that's both functional, comfy and makes you feel not to sloppy post-partum? I've heard there are some that squeeze the tummy a bit like the Blanqi brand but these are so expensive! It seams alluring to have something to help keep the tummy pooch held in that I could wear while nursing.
I consider a PNP a must! The first month or so, if she wasn't in the RNP she slept in the PNP (more after the first week or two, and exclusively near the end of the month). After a month she started sleeping about midnight to 5 am so we transitioned to her bed. But we still use it every time we go out of town, she is older now and absolutely refuses to cosleep (at this age I'm not so worried about sids and whatnot, and it would be nice to throw her in a hotel bed with us but she just plays and rolls around and jumps and climbs on us, etc - where she goes right down in a PNP). Ours has a changing station that flips over on top, which was invaluable having her in our room that first month. She's too big for it now but it was seriously amazing. Easy to wipe off (thank God!) and then flip over out of the way. They're all pretty similar but this is the one we had (or close): https://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Lullaby-LX-Playard-Sedona/dp/B00AHQ0264/ref=sr_1_6?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1455133259&sr=1-6&keywords=chicco+pack+play
I love babywearing, and still wear my 20 month old all the time, especially at the grocery store! That was the best when they're tiny and can't sit up in the cart yet, but also my toddler won't sit still in the cart to this day so it's still great. I have an ergo and I love it but I really want to get a Tula this time around.
Car seats all have to pass the same safety ratings so how much you spend is totally up to you. I got the chicco keyfit 30 travel system with a stroller, and the stroller that the carseat fits in is super handy when they're tiny but it is huge and my toddler doesn't sit still in it long. I'm more of a babywearer. In retrospect, I probably would have been just fine with the stroller frame thing, and it would have been much more compact for my small trunk! https://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Keyfit-Caddy-Stroller-Frame/dp/B005JDOYF0
I had a swing (Fisher Price) and she loved it for the first few months. I would recommend buying used unless you plan on having more kiddos, they are expensive and they can only use them for the first four months or so. I know by 6 months she was too big for it. I never had a bouncer for her, but I got on Black Friday clearance for this baby - again don't pay top dollar for it because they won't be in it long.
I loved our jumparoo when she was a little older - maybe 5/6 months we started using it? I can't remember exactly. I was weird and wanted one with a book so she could learn to turn the pages, and we ended up with this one, but I'm sure they all have pros and cons. I liked that she dangled and could bounce, as opposed to the exersaucer where they can turn in a circle but many of them are pretty stationary as far as up and down (if that makes sense?) https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-M8930-Laugh-Learn-Jumperoo/dp/B000WUD83O/ref=lp_166852011_1_9?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1455133587&sr=1-9
About bottles, we had great luck with Tommee Tippee and no problems with nipple confusion, but I agree with those who said every baby is different. The best advice I got was buy one or two of several styles (I got one free of different brands from BRU and Target for making a registry!) and see what works before you invest heavily.
For furniture, I got a convertible crib that will grow with her (so ended up buying a second crib for baby #2 since I'm not sure I'll be ready to put her in a toddler bed yet, but I didn't have much guilt over doing that since her crib will transition into a toddler bed and then a twin!) and for a changing table I used a dresser and put Velcro on the bottom of a changing pad to hold it to the dresser. I painted it cute to make it go with her crib and nursery décor and you would never know it isn't made to be a changing table, except I can use it long after she's a baby.
Hope this helps! I'm definitely reading through for tips for baby #2 also!
Also, if you plan on BF and returning to work, or pumping at all, INVEST IN ONE OF THESE!! Seriously, I can't recommend it highly enough!! This was such a life saver when I went back to work.
Re: Baby Gear Recommendation Thread
Also, I HATE the idea of putting a nb into a giant convertible seat. Nothing about it says safe or ok to me. That's me personally, not trying to be rude or flame anybody. I'd just like to avoid getting the suggestion
We got a projecting nightlight from walmart instead. It changes colors and projects on the wall. He still loves it
Been married since 2009.
Unicornuate Uterus (yes I menstruate glitter)
Several MCs
DD born 2013 (our miracle "you can't have babies" baby!)
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012
TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
Maybe register for like two bottles each of a wide based nipple brand (tommy tippee...the base just looks wide. You'll know what I mean when you see them) and a more narrow based kind like Dr. Brown's. (Looks like the Gerber bottles almost). Then once you know preference of your kiddo you can go out and buy more.
Also! Buy the slow flow for now! All bottles, though I should say the nipples specifically, have flow rates and typically newborns prefer and need the slower flow.
Once you know style preference of baby you can buy the faster flow nipples separately to go with the chosen bottle styles
Ultimately, your baby might be picky so it's hard to tell what they are going to prefer.
Married: 1/2008 ~ DD#1: 3/2012
TTC #2: Started 4/2014 BFP 7/30/15 MC 8/3/15 BFP 9/4/2015 EDD 5/16/2016
With DS, we went right from slow flow to the miracle 360 sippie cup for when I needed to pump milk.
Also, the Graco system; GREAT! It is super convenient to have the click system! We have a base in each car, and the carseat is lightweight so it's easy to click in and out. & I bought the jogging stroller that went with it, and it's been so awesome! I do remember, since I had the 'jogging' wheels, one of the tires kept getting flat even when I would fill it, but there were no holes so idk what the problem was, I contacted Graco directly to ask if there was a defect, and they ended up sending all brand new tires and a discount for future purchases! So easy to work with.
Our DD loved her swing!! If you have a multi-story house, I would recommend getting a duplicate of whatever you baby ends up loving. There were some nights I had to wake my DH up to bring the swing upstairs (not an easy task!)
& last but not least THE BOPPY! I thought they were silly and lazy when I was preggo, but then was thinking maybe it would come in handy, so I added it to my registry, and I am amazed how much this pillow was used. I ended up breastfeeding a lot longer than I thought I would and it was amazing to help with that! Plus, my dad was always scared to hold baby when she was little, cause he's silly like that, and I convinced him to use the pillow propped up under his arm, and it made him a lot more secure/comfortable with her. So glad!
That's all I can think of that stands out right now!
Sorry to resurrect a slightly older thread here, but I could use any potential recommendations from anyone here who has used this specific kind of product...(FYI, I did do a search - came up with a lot of different boards with similar topics, but nothing specific as to what I'm researching. And the Special Needs board seems to be more heavily geared towards parents of special needs children, not so much to parents who have special needs of their own. Please feel free to virtually slap me on the wrist if I've made a mistake and missed the right board/thread or should have started a new one!)
Anyway, the specific gear I'm worrying about is baby monitors for daytime use. I'm profoundly hard-of-hearing, so the only ones I am interested in are the ones that come with a vibrate function. Right now I am looking into the Graco iMonitor Vibe and the Avent Dect Monitor. The Graco has mixed reviews but has a better price and comes with two monitors. The Avent has great reviews but is more expensive and only comes with one parent monitor.
I've also looked into some strobe receivers (they flash a super bright light and/or have a plug for a lamp), but the costs for those can also get pretty expensive (plus, I have a family member who often visits that is epileptic and triggered by strobes/flashing lights). If I can get something else that works just as effectively, I'd prefer to do that.
Knowing myself and the way that I tend to not notice vibes from my cell phone going off in my back pocket until I've almost missed the call (I have special captioning software installed), I'm a little concerned. And most of the reviews for both seem to be more about the battery life/interference/distance usage (all valid concerns, but not what my chief worry is right now).
I'm not worried about when I'm sleeping - I'm also going to be ordering this monitor, which wirelessly connects to my alarm clock, which is super annoying to wake up to but is also *very* effective. It's when I'm awake that I'm worried about. What if I'm doing the dishes while my daughter is napping, and I miss her cries when she wakes up? Or something like that. Has anybody used either of the monitors I mentioned above, and if so, can you tell me how well the vibrating functions work?
tl;dr: If you've used either this or this or a similar monitor, I'd appreciate any feedback you can give me on it regarding it's vibrate functions, because I wear hearing aids and am paranoid.
@kennedy0830 We splurged on ours from buy buy baby and it was totally worth it!
Edit: Ours is a glider and recliner AND we ordered the gliding ottoman to go with it. I will definitely be spending a lot of time in it so it was important to me for it to be comfy and something I can crash in with LO.
https://store.owletcare.com/collections/owlet/products/owlet-vitals-monitor
Things we loved my first:
We didn't get a crib at first because we knew we'd be moving across the country when my son was about 4 months old. So he started off sleeping in the RNP next to our bed, then moved to the PNP in his own room. We got the one with the Newborn Napper and it was great--it had a vibrator feature which he loved and helped him sleep (it shuts off automatically as well) and he was very snuggly and comfy in it. He also loved the swing.
I also wanted to add a car seat recommendation. I have a good friend who's a car seat tech, so super big on car seat safety and such, and she LOVES the Graco 4ever seat. It's convertible and you can use it from infant all the way up to a booster for 120 lbs. We don't have it for my son but will be getting it for the new little one. I don't anticipate wanting a bucket with a toddler to chase as well as an infant to carry, so I'll probably wear the baby rather than hauling around the bucket infant seat. Our son is currently in a Britax Marathon which we like a lot as well, but he's slated to outgrow it sometime in the not-to-distant future (and which point we'll switch him to the Graco 4ever and put the baby in the Britax.)
Those are my recommendations from personal experience!
I've been looking into one of these - I like the piece of mind that comes with them. So far, though, it's been hard to justify the price tag.
We live in a split level. Our baby monitor for some reason doesn't work in the playroom...something blocks the signal. We dealt with it withe ds2, but it was a pain. To put it simply, since I don't want to spend money on a new baby monitor and risk the same issue, we need a second pack n play. But I've been looking into a rock and play to use in our bedroom for baby to sleep in and just moving our current pack n play to the main floor. For those of you that have used a rock and play, was it really worth it, or would it make more sense to just get a 2nd pack n play for the main floor?
Also I saw there is an auto rnp and just a rnp. Is the auto rock feature something to consider?
im just a lurker but wanted to put that out there. I'm planning on getting a nuna rocker for sometimes use and a 4moms pack n play to use next to the bed
I'm going to babies r us tomorrow to finish getting some things for the crib. I need to buy a mattress and cover... any recommendations on brands from babies r us when it comes to these?
ALSO... SO and I were talking last night and he said babies usually need to be propped on their sides to sleep (with a wedge of some sort) so they don't aspirate if the would vomit... I was not aware of this but it does make sense.. any STM have thoughts on this or what did you buy to keep baby from being flat on their back?
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has a great article on why there is no increase in aspiration for back sleeping, in addition to why the back-to-sleep campaign exists.
Very late to this thread so ignore if you already have your answers for some of this!
We had a rock & play and used it all the time. She slept in it at night for maybe the first two weeks or so, which was great since I BF because I could have her right next to the bed for night feedings but not in the bed with me. This is one of those items that she didn't use past maaaybe 6 months so I'm glad I got it as a shower gift. For comparison, someone asked the difference between the two, this is like the RNP we have:
https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Sleeper-Meadow/dp/B014D50LCY/ref=sr_1_6?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1455133342&sr=1-6&keywords=fisher+price+rock+n+play
I consider a PNP a must! The first month or so, if she wasn't in the RNP she slept in the PNP (more after the first week or two, and exclusively near the end of the month). After a month she started sleeping about midnight to 5 am so we transitioned to her bed. But we still use it every time we go out of town, she is older now and absolutely refuses to cosleep (at this age I'm not so worried about sids and whatnot, and it would be nice to throw her in a hotel bed with us but she just plays and rolls around and jumps and climbs on us, etc - where she goes right down in a PNP). Ours has a changing station that flips over on top, which was invaluable having her in our room that first month. She's too big for it now but it was seriously amazing. Easy to wipe off (thank God!) and then flip over out of the way. They're all pretty similar but this is the one we had (or close):
https://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Lullaby-LX-Playard-Sedona/dp/B00AHQ0264/ref=sr_1_6?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1455133259&sr=1-6&keywords=chicco+pack+play
I love babywearing, and still wear my 20 month old all the time, especially at the grocery store! That was the best when they're tiny and can't sit up in the cart yet, but also my toddler won't sit still in the cart to this day so it's still great. I have an ergo and I love it but I really want to get a Tula this time around.
Car seats all have to pass the same safety ratings so how much you spend is totally up to you. I got the chicco keyfit 30 travel system with a stroller, and the stroller that the carseat fits in is super handy when they're tiny but it is huge and my toddler doesn't sit still in it long. I'm more of a babywearer. In retrospect, I probably would have been just fine with the stroller frame thing, and it would have been much more compact for my small trunk!
https://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Keyfit-Caddy-Stroller-Frame/dp/B005JDOYF0
I had a swing (Fisher Price) and she loved it for the first few months. I would recommend buying used unless you plan on having more kiddos, they are expensive and they can only use them for the first four months or so. I know by 6 months she was too big for it. I never had a bouncer for her, but I got on Black Friday clearance for this baby - again don't pay top dollar for it because they won't be in it long.
I loved our jumparoo when she was a little older - maybe 5/6 months we started using it? I can't remember exactly. I was weird and wanted one with a book so she could learn to turn the pages, and we ended up with this one, but I'm sure they all have pros and cons. I liked that she dangled and could bounce, as opposed to the exersaucer where they can turn in a circle but many of them are pretty stationary as far as up and down (if that makes sense?)
https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-M8930-Laugh-Learn-Jumperoo/dp/B000WUD83O/ref=lp_166852011_1_9?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1455133587&sr=1-9
About bottles, we had great luck with Tommee Tippee and no problems with nipple confusion, but I agree with those who said every baby is different. The best advice I got was buy one or two of several styles (I got one free of different brands from BRU and Target for making a registry!) and see what works before you invest heavily.
For furniture, I got a convertible crib that will grow with her (so ended up buying a second crib for baby #2 since I'm not sure I'll be ready to put her in a toddler bed yet, but I didn't have much guilt over doing that since her crib will transition into a toddler bed and then a twin!) and for a changing table I used a dresser and put Velcro on the bottom of a changing pad to hold it to the dresser. I painted it cute to make it go with her crib and nursery décor and you would never know it isn't made to be a changing table, except I can use it long after she's a baby.
Hope this helps! I'm definitely reading through for tips for baby #2 also!
BFP 1: 9/15/2013 | DD 5/23/2014
BFP 2: 9/15/2015 | EDD 5/26/2016
https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Wishes-Hands-Breastpump-X-Small/dp/B0097GUCZ6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1455133066&sr=8-3&keywords=pump+bra
BFP 1: 9/15/2013 | DD 5/23/2014
BFP 2: 9/15/2015 | EDD 5/26/2016