@breezybee we went the eexpensive route simple for the peace of mind this mattress gave us. We bought the secure beginnings mattress. They are expensive but the peace of mind was so so worth it.
@MJDsquared we had a door bouncer and an activity center and DS looooovvvvveeeeddd them love love love so we highly recommend. We also got an around we go when he got a little older. All of these were a saving grace when it came to trying to entertain him lol
@Tennis11785: the only recommendation I have is to try it out before you buy one. There are some really uncomfortable gliders. I find very few of them worth the money. (But I did find a really awesome one that's super comfy, so it can be done.)
@Tennis11785 I also second trying it out. Personally, we chose a rocker recliner that also swivels. I didn't like that the gliders you can't recline in them and sleep if necessary. Ours is from Jeromes (google it, I can't link it), and I LOVE it. The reclining feature came in handy many times when we first came home from the hospital, as well as recently with DD's molars coming through. I'd be kicking myself in the shins if I went with something I couldn't sleep in.
I have another one! So..."activity centers" (you know where they sit in there and are surrounded by all the attached toys). How do you all feel about these? Did your baby like it? Did you get a lot of use out of it? Do you have any recommendations for a specific one (or recommendation to not get one)? ....
We had the piano one that they lay on as babies and my DD loved it. We used it until the batteries were dead. She loved to kick it and make it play music, even really young.
PPs are on POINT. walkers are not considered safe any more and are not recommended by the AAP. in addition to safety issues there is some concern regarding a delay in actual walking based on using the walker. we did not get one for DS and it offended my MIL so much she got us one anyway. i refused to use it. i know many people that use them happily. this one is definitely up to you.
we have that same activity center that @NME44 links above in an older version (different colors) - we got it at a yard sale for 15 bucks and it's the best money i've spent. i call it "toy jail" and it is a life saver when your kid is the right age. my son LOVED IT. when he outgrew sitting in it, we converted it to the standing table version. it takes up a lot of room but he legit played with it all the way til we sent it to my sister's house for her new son (DS was over 2 at the time). my mom got a different one at a yard sale near her and it just wasn't the same level of interest for my DS. i will definitely say they are not all created equal.
the piano @tamaraaaa mentions is the kick and play piano by FP. we were gifted that off-list by my friend with a daughter a year older than my DS. he freaking loved that thing. he used it from about 4 weeks onwards. once they start moving around, it comes apart so the piano can still be used and carried around. this item in particular i can ALWAYS find at once upon a child or other similar stores and highly recommend.
for activity centers and play kitchens, yard sales are absolutely the way to go. especially play kitchens, dear god, the expense of new...
oh @MJDsquared we also had a jumparoo (so many ... things...) because we got it for 5 bucks at a yardsale. DS loved it, so does my new nephew. you can only use it for a small window of time so i wouldn't buy new. we appreciated having a lot of "things" to put baby in because we live in a very vertical townhouse (4 floors) so we didn't want to have to carry crap up and down the stairs. so our bathroom item, for showering and getting ready each morning, was the rocknplay and then the jumparoo. downstairs we had the bouncer and kicknplay piano, then the activity center / exersaucer thing. one in the kitchen, one in the living room. it can seem like a lot but if you get things used you can really get a lot of stuff for very little money.
Met: September 2005Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014
Re: FTM questions for STM+'s 07/05
@MJDsquared we had a door bouncer and an activity center and DS looooovvvvveeeeddd them love love love so we highly recommend. We also got an around we go when he got a little older. All of these were a saving grace when it came to trying to entertain him lol
PPs are on POINT. walkers are not considered safe any more and are not recommended by the AAP. in addition to safety issues there is some concern regarding a delay in actual walking based on using the walker. we did not get one for DS and it offended my MIL so much she got us one anyway. i refused to use it. i know many people that use them happily. this one is definitely up to you.
we have that same activity center that @NME44 links above in an older version (different colors) - we got it at a yard sale for 15 bucks and it's the best money i've spent. i call it "toy jail" and it is a life saver when your kid is the right age. my son LOVED IT. when he outgrew sitting in it, we converted it to the standing table version. it takes up a lot of room but he legit played with it all the way til we sent it to my sister's house for her new son (DS was over 2 at the time). my mom got a different one at a yard sale near her and it just wasn't the same level of interest for my DS. i will definitely say they are not all created equal.
the piano @tamaraaaa mentions is the kick and play piano by FP. we were gifted that off-list by my friend with a daughter a year older than my DS. he freaking loved that thing. he used it from about 4 weeks onwards. once they start moving around, it comes apart so the piano can still be used and carried around. this item in particular i can ALWAYS find at once upon a child or other similar stores and highly recommend.
for activity centers and play kitchens, yard sales are absolutely the way to go. especially play kitchens, dear god, the expense of new...
oh @MJDsquared we also had a jumparoo (so many ... things...) because we got it for 5 bucks at a yardsale. DS loved it, so does my new nephew. you can only use it for a small window of time so i wouldn't buy new. we appreciated having a lot of "things" to put baby in because we live in a very vertical townhouse (4 floors) so we didn't want to have to carry crap up and down the stairs. so our bathroom item, for showering and getting ready each morning, was the rocknplay and then the jumparoo. downstairs we had the bouncer and kicknplay piano, then the activity center / exersaucer thing. one in the kitchen, one in the living room. it can seem like a lot but if you get things used you can really get a lot of stuff for very little money.
Met: September 2005 Married: October 2008 DS: 09/2014