Questions for STMs 7/12

missblaze · July 2017

Image: https://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m59mhvAOPX1rv8jpzo1_500.gif

supercoolstephy · July 2017

I saw in a post somewhere a lot of stms are going to do a carrier(like a Tula or
ergo or ring sling) and a regale stroller. I was thinking I'd get a double stroller sit and stand but the more that I think about it I'm thinking I'm going to go the carrier/single stroller route till I can do both in a double umbrella stroller system. I'm thinking I'll take the money I would have spent on the more expensive stroller and invest in a Tula. What styles are best? They have their new free to grow which is 7-45 pounds but the normal baby carriers start at 15 unless you buy the infant insert. Last time I had an Ergo, which I don't have anymore, and instead of buying the infant insert we used rolled up blankets under his bum to raise him up and get into the correct positioning. He ended up hating being worn but with DS being 26 months at the time new babe comes I know I'm going to need new babe to be ok with being worn.

missblaze · July 2017

@supercoolstephy I am interested in a Tula too. I had an ergo last time and wasn't thrilled with it. I don't have an answer for you, but I am interested in the responses! **I'm personally not going with a double stroller because DD is 3 and doesn't even ride in one at this point (unless we're at a very crowded festival or something).

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@missblaze DS doesn't really spend much time in the stroller either. It's mostly if we go to dr appointments because he loses his ish at them and if we're at large event function/festival. But I think even as he gets older 2-4 probably that we'd want a double umbrella stroller so I can lock both kids in one place so they don't run around like crazy lunatics. Haha

I also had a k'tan fabric carrier thing. I got the wrong size and it was always wayyyyy to big so I never used it. I need to try to find a way to shrink it somehow.

EmilyLove25 · July 2017

@supercoolstephy Exact same thing happened with me and the k'tan. I do have the Ergo 360 with the infant insert and didn't hate it... can't decide if I'll just stick with that. Regardless, my biggest purchase for this baby will 100% be a BabyJogger double stroller. We walk too much to not have it, and I LOVE my Citi Mini GT so much... crossing my fingers FIL offers to buy it as he did with DD

ETA So if anyone is thinking about getting a K'tan or like style, definitely go smaller than you'd think... I ordered a small and really should have gotten an extra small despite the fact that you would not catch me dead in an extra small anything clothing wise.

[Deleted User] · July 2017

I don't have an answer either, but I may be looking into a Tula for this babe.

whitta1015 · July 2017

This may be a dumb question, but as I start to think about what all I want to register for, I have no idea what to get for baby to sleep in. So my question is, did your baby start out in the crib immediately? Did you have a bassinet in your room? Did you co-sleep? etc.

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@whitta1218 DS started off in a rock-n-play. He had some reflux so it helped that it kept him at an angle. We transitioned to his crib between 2-3 months but used the rnp all the time even after that. He never had a problem in the crib and I don't know if it has to do with us transition him so early or not. We also just transitioned him into a toddler bed this past weekend, he's almost 20 months, and he did really well. Again, not sure if that's because it was early or not but I couldn't handle bending over the crib anymore, I'm 5'1 so it was already hard to bend over the railing.

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@EmilyLove25 yes, I really should have sized down like 1 or 2 sizes. I figured I wore a 2x at the time so an XL would be perfect. Nope. So much baby sagging in it. I want a soft carrier so I'm going to be looking around for something else. I'm not a big ring sling person either.

agalvarado · July 2017

@whitta1218 we started DD in a bassinet in our room. She was there for the first 4 months. Do you plan on breastfeeding? I would have liked some room on my bed for baby to breastfeed while laying down but we had a queen sized bed and I didn't feel comfortable putting her there, so I breastfeed on the sofa. This time around, we are moving when LO is about 2 months old so he/she will sleep in a bassinet in our room for sure, but if I had the room, the ideal setup for my husband and I would be to add a guest bed in LO's nursery, and I would sleep there, so I could feed on demand, change diapers, etc without interrupting his sleep.

missblaze · July 2017

@whitta1218 DD started out in a Rock n' Play next to our bed and then transitioned her to a Pack n' Play. I moved her into her crib at 6 months.

agalvarado · July 2017

As far as carriers go, I'm also looking for a good quality carrier. Some mom friends told me there's a baby wearing club in our city and you can basically borrow all kinds of carriers from them so you can test out and see what you like!

livingoffpbjs · July 2017

For those of you with cats. Did your cats ever go into the bassinet or crib? Im worried my cats might try to get into the bassinet. Maybe they make covers? I dont want to have to lock them up in another room or lock them out

All I can think of is the cats in the Lady in the Tramp movie when they are trashing the place and trying to get into the crib lol

mommaa1615 · July 2017

Team rock and play -saved us!!!!!

[Deleted User] · July 2017

DD slept in her pack & play for the first 5 months before we transitioned her to her own room and her crib.

reneelanderson · July 2017

We have a Lillebaby and I looove it. No infant insert needed and super easy to use. Well be getting a toddler carry on, because my DS has almost outgrown my current lillebaby but I can use it for new baby so that's okay. We have the Baby jogger city mini and we loooove how easy it is to fold up and takes up no room in the car. Well be getting a double stroller, closer to once new baby is almost a year or so. My DS will be 28 months when he/she is born and it will be cold so no need for strollers off the bat. But I don't trust him in the sit and stand style stroller lol

missblaze · July 2017

@livingoffpbjs I don't have cats, but one of my friends has a newborn and this has been a huge problem.

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@livingoffpbjs my cats were never allowed in the rooms where the babe lives, but occasionally my cats would jump into the crib, but not when the baby was in it. They didn't really want to be around him much till he was older.

EmmyMommy123 · July 2017

As @agalvarado mentioned, many cities will have local babywearing groups with a lending library where you can go try on a bunch of carriers, ask questions, and often borrow one for a month. I volunteer with my local one and it's been really helpful to me both when I started wearing and each time I was interested in trying something new.

The k'tan is a stretchy wrap, and like a couple of you experienced it is sized to the wearer so the potential downside is it not fitting you properly and not being able to be used between partners. Another similar option would be a different stretchy wrap - I personally love my Boba. Yes you do have to tie it, but there's is one way to tie it so once you perfect that it is easy. I love the Boba the best because you tie it tight to your body so you don't have to play around with how much slack to leave.

Different soft structured carriers (SSC) or buckle carriers will fit differently to every persons body and comfort, so it's great to be able to try on different ones. Some come with an infant insert (Boba) some you have to buy seperately (Tula, maybe Ergo), and some are adjustable from birth (Lilebaby, Tula free to grow, Soul Anoona).

Woven wraps are the most versatile option with hundreds of ways to tie and can be used from birth to toddlerhood, but there is a learning curve.

My son hated the car seat and stroller which is why we got so heavily into wearing, so with this baby I plan to wear them and have him in the stroller (now that he tolerates it) or walking.

For the sleep question - we did a pack n play that had a bassinet level for the first four-five months until I transitioned him into his crib in his own room (in hopes he would sleep better - he didn't), and he always needed to co sleep past 4 ish am for whatever reason until about a year old. I'm glad we did the pack n play because we now have used it many times to travel.

EmmyMommy123 · July 2017

Oh and often if you have a local library you'll also have a local buy and sell for babywearing, which can be a great way to get deals on used or barely worn items or for woven wraps you can get them already broken in, which means they will be nice and soft. You can often find these groups on Facebook by searching "(your city) babywearwers" or babywearing international or BWI and your city name.

agalvarado · July 2017

I don't have cats but my dog thought it was a bed for her, so she started sleeping in her crate. I felt really bad but it was only for a couple of months!

whitta1015 · July 2017

@supercoolstephy @missblaze & everyone else - Thanks! A lot of my friends have told me that the rock n play is a must have and that's where their babies started out as well. I'm sure we will register for a pack n play too, but so maybe between the three, she'll sleep comfy somewhere!

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@whitta1218 my kid hated, and still does, the pack n play. I'm hoping this next one will tolerate it. Might be my best defense against our jumpy puppy. haha The toddler can handle him, not sure a newborn can hold her own... yet.

EmilyLove25 · July 2017

@whitta1218 my situation is very similar to @missblaze , though I admittedly did a bunch of co-sleeping. As @agalvarado mentioned, having a twin bed in the nursery for me was ideal. DD was an awful sleeper and needed me close by. I also swear by the Rock n’ Play and it isn’t pricey. Great for naps and fussy sleepers for a bit. I think something small and portable is good to have, so you can have the LO next to your bed, the couch, or god knows where you’ll end up squeezing in some sleep! At 18 months we moved DD to a twin floor bed and it was the single best decision I ever made!

burnsmommy27 · July 2017

We originally went to the Babies R Us baby wearing event. They had members of the local baby wearing chapter and you could try on carriers and they answered questions, all Babies R Us classes are Free. Check some out.

We went with the Lillebaby because there was no infant insert required. The seat literally folds smaller. You can use it starting at 8 pounds. My DD is a tall 99% giant and grew out of the Lillebaby by 10 months

We just bought a Toddler Tula during thier summer sale (mostly for our Alaska trip next month) and we love it as well.

supercoolstephy · July 2017

@burnsmommy27 those are the two I've been debating between. There is a pretty good last chance sale going on for Lilliebaby. I still want a tula though. So many decisions. haha

livingoffpbjs · July 2017

@missblaze ohhhnnooooooo what did they do????

@supercoolstephy

The pups have crates in our room so they can still sleep in our room, and our one cat for the most part sleeps in the living room, but the ther likes to sleep next to my face

I dont want her to feel "kicked out". I mean, if I have to I definitely will but I feel bad. They also hate everything new so mabye they wont want to be around the baby lol

missblaze · July 2017

@livingoffpbjs I'm actually not sure lol. Right before baby was born, they kept posting pics thinking it was cute/funny....I was more like noooo!

burnsmommy27 · July 2017

@supercoolstephy you really can't go wrong with either brand. Honestly they are so similar but in the Carrying community Tulas are a status thing. Like driving a Range Rover. It's the most expensive

PhillymommaX2 · July 2017

whitta1218 said:

This may be a dumb question, but as I start to think about what all I want to register for, I have no idea what to get for baby to sleep in. So my question is, did your baby start out in the crib immediately? Did you have a bassinet in your room? Did you co-sleep? etc.

My kids slept in the rock n play for the first few months then we transitioned to the crib at 3 and 5 months respectively.

jakobaby · July 2017

We love the RNP so much we have TWO. One for upstairs and one for down. Started DS in the RNP then transitioned him to the crib at 10 weeks. I wanted to get better sleep before I had to go back to work at 12 weeks. I still got up to nurse as much but slept more soundly without him right next to me. He still napped in the RNP for quite awhile until he started to try to get out of it around 4-5 months?

Cricket99 · July 2017

For all the ladies looking for carriers! I started out with and Ergo and I thought it was great, until I tried a Tula. As a petite lady the Tula fits me far better. Here is a helpful chart for anyone looking for a good SSC:
https://www.carrymeaway.com/learncenter/choosing-the-best-buckle-carrier-for-your-child-a-comparison-chart/

Ready4theParty · July 2017

@whitta1218 be careful with the rock n play my friend is borrowing ours and it is the only thing her 3month old will sleep in. He won't sleep in a crib, has to be on an incline and vibrating. I guess breaking him of that is a nightmare. We didn't have much luck with our rnp. Once DD2 could roll she was trying to get out.

BelhurstBride · July 2017

@whitta1218, we have an Arm's Reach Co Sleeper. Babe sleeps in there until they're ready to switch to the crib. For DD2 that was around 3 or 4 months, for DD1? She'd still be in it if we let her.

@livingoffpbjs, our cat had zero interest in either baby. They make far too much noise for his preference.

GraceUponGrace09 · July 2017

@supercoolstephy I did some attachment therapy with my adopted son and I wore him in a baby carrier for 3-4months solid. He was 5 years!! (Albeit, more the size of a 4yr old). I tried so, so many different carriers in that time. Hands down, my favorite was the Tula. It is so extremely comfy. I cannot wait to use for this baby!

@whitta1218 We loved our rock-n-play! I have several friends who were having a hard time with their baby sleeping. They borrowed our rnp and it made a huge difference! Highly recommend!

crizz13 · July 2017

My phone isn't letting me tag, but I am a huge Tula fan and and currently debating trying the free to grow. DD didn't love the k'tan and I never tried my standard Tula with her until she was big enough for it. I feel with this LO I will need to babywear right from the get go.

For sleeping, DD room shared in a bassinet until 6 months and then in a crib until 9 months when we moved and she got her own space. We ended up doing a lot of bedsharing, so I'm looking to get an arms reach cosleeper or something similar this time around.

Dani0329 · July 2017

I think it was last weeks STM check-in where I said I could gather some speech materials to promote language development at home. Feel free to message me your email, and I can forward you the documents!

missblaze · July 2017

@whitta1218 I just posted a link for a $39 Rock n' Play in the Deals and Steals thread!

Mudge85 · July 2017

To kind of piggy back on this discussion... What do you guys think about carriers for twins? does anyone have any experience with them? I've done some research and looked at Lucie's list... but I'm not too sure what to think right now... curious if anyone has twins already... or anyone pregnant with twins has had any thoughts...

fishee333 · July 2017

Cats - We have 2 and before LO was born, they loved sleeping in her crib and bassinet and I was worried. But whenever we put LO in one of them (not that she would sleep in them at first), cats would get out and stay away. I think they were scared of her until she was a few months old, now they're best friends though. Currently, the cats show no interest in sleeping in the crib with LO but they like sleeping under it.

Regarding sleeping in general, we ended up co-sleeping for the first few months because LO refused to sleep unless she had direct contact with us. Bassinet, crib, rock N play, and pack n play didn't work whatsoever. I think every baby is different with what they want/need, so having options and an open mind will be helpful.

She ended up transitioning to the crib great, and still sleeps great in her crib. She just needed that skin contact at first I think.

mindaa · July 2017

I'm debating not getting a double stroller at all. I've read, and can totally see being true, that for crowded places, two single strollers are easier than a double. I carried ds or kept him I'm the car seat for a year. He already wants to walk every where himself and is learning to ride his bike. By time LO is that age, ds will be 3.5 and I don't see him being interested in the stroller at all.
I have a k'tan and really liked it. It's light and not bulky. It was all the rage back when I got it, buy doesn't seem to be as loved anymore.

Want a personalized experience?

Questions for STMs 7/12

Re: Questions for STMs 7/12

Choose Another Board

Search Boards