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July 2018 Moms
SmashJam
member
Product Spotlight 3/12: **Update! **Summer Survival Gear!
SmashJam
member
Updated!!!!! Ok, Changed to "survival gear," as it seems people have a lot to say but great summer stuff not that is not exclusively clothing. Also, I added a section at the bottom...please let me know if there is something you are curious about but don't see on the list of topics, or something you'd like to see moved up. There has been way less participation in these and I think its because the topics aren't tickling our fancies, lol.
Spreadsheet link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhSR3UAwJx8UitC9b2hRx57c4hHkK6BU679FjqXMeHQ/edit?usp=sharing
This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... Summer Survival! What things could you not live with out when you had your last summer baby? Sunscreen, bug spray, hats, play yard, etc.
Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed. 
For S+TMs:
- Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences:
- Favorite [Summer Survival item]:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- Age appropriate for:
- What you like about it:
- What you don't like about it, if anything:
- Is there a [summer survival item] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
- Is there a [summer survival item] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
- Additional thoughts on [summer survival items]?:
- Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there (check the spreadsheet link below!):
For FTMs
- [summer survival item] you're interested in:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?
- Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there? (Check the spreadsheet link below!):
Spreadsheet link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhSR3UAwJx8UitC9b2hRx57c4hHkK6BU679FjqXMeHQ/edit?usp=sharing
Re: Product Spotlight 3/12: **Update! **Summer Survival Gear!
One thing I'll say about summer is that baby sunscreen typically says it's for ages 6 months and up. That doesn't mean you shouldn't use it and typically the good baby sunscreens are totally safe for babies younger than 6 months, manufacturers are just hesitant to put that on the label. Run it by the pediatrician of course but mine told me to definitely use sunscreen on our newborn DD and that it was totally safe.
Since I'm due in late July and temps are usually around 100 here during late July and all of August (with little to no clouds or rain plus about 100% humidity), I'll just be keeping the baby indoors for a month and running from AC to AC. So I'm actually getting more long-sleeved things because everywhere here blasts the AC super cold. Interested to hear what products people recommend, though, as I can probably use them in September once being outside is no longer like walking on the surface of the sun
Every week coming up (besides formula week) I definitely have more input and ideas to share! I worry that formula might be similar to the bottles week, but I don't have much knowledge with formula so that's just my thoughts. Definitely want to contribute to postpartem, nursing clothes bras and essentials, health and safety and hospital bag. The others I can come up with some ideas too! As for other topics, I can't think of any that aren't covered on the spreadsheet.
I think a couple weeks just might be more quiet as FTM might not have any questions (yet) and STM's might not have advice, if it feels more like common sense. Hope that makes sense. I do want to continue to see this thread though and I thank you immensely for putting it together each week and having such a concise spreadsheet to refer back to!
I don't have much advice on clothes for summer, but we do keep a variety of both long sleeve with pants and short sleeve with shorts available. Outside we obviously use short sleeve onesies with or without pants, depending where we are and how hot it is. Since we keep our AC on inside we use long sleeve still for bed so baby isn't cold.
I have more advice on items vs clothes though, hope that is ok!
- Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences: We live in ND where it can be 100+ one day and 60 the next.
- Favorite : 1. We love using muslin blankets in light colors during the summer to cover baby up while nursing, to hang over the car seat while driving to keep the sun out and wrap baby loosely while napping outside. They're everywhere now!
2. We had a used outdoor play-yard for our DD (born in May) that was so handy while in the backyard or out camping. LOVE this thing!- Link/picture:
2.- What you like about it: 1. We liked the muslin blankets because they were so breathable during the warm weather but kept baby protected and not too hot. With our DD we always over dressed or over wrapped her and she would always be sweating but these blankets were awesome.
2. The play-yard is perfect if you want to be outdoors but baby needs to nap or it's too warm to keep holding them. It opens up to see baby but also completely closes with a mesh lining to keep bugs out. We used it quite a bit with both kids and I'm hoping to get a new one because our old one is gross. A simple blanket on the grass works too but doesn't keep the bugs out- Additional thoughts on [summer baby clothing items]?: Sunglasses, hats/sun bonnets and sunscreen are a must! The spray on sunscreen worked much easier than the cream. We tried one cream that was specific for under 6 months and it was so thick we couldn't rub it in without hurting DD.
*Edit to fix a word.SmashJam - I would alter to survival gear because it could still include clothes but wouldn't seem limited to it.
I live in Miami, so it's always summertime for me, except in the actual summer months where it's just plain hell. Temps in July are not as bad as the August and September temps.
I definitely plan on using a lot of cotton onesies. My question for the STM+ is in regards to crib sheets in the summer. Are the Muslin sheets cooler than plain cotton? Will I be able to
use those sleep sacks at night?? We usually run the ac low at night, and we live in a two
story town home, so the upstairs doesn't cool
dpwn as well as the downstairs (bedrooms upstairs)
also random question, but do you use a footed pj under a sleepsack??
I'm so nervous about the house being hot. We might get the landlords to get ac installed but it's still a maybe. Not crazy hot in my area but we have carpet upstairs and I'm just thinking it will get super stuffy plus with me and my mom being home most of the day at the beginning I'm stressing about how that would work out.
For S+TMs:
@moguippy I have the same hat on my registry. Seems like it would provide enough coverage although I don't know anyone that has used that brand.
I'm worried about the mosquitoes around here, I saw some out the other night already which annoys me. We do have some plants (peppermint, lavender and lemon balm) that help keep them away near our patio, but if we're out somewhere else I'm not sure what to do. Need to research a bug repellent option unless anyone has a suggestion. I know both Badger Balm and Babyganics have kid friendly options, but don't know if those would be too harsh for a baby's skin.
Summer temps around here don't usually kick off until after July 4 and then we're pretty much 60s-80s until October. We do always get a hot snap of 100+, last year was unbearable because instead of just one week we got a couple. We have central air, but it isn't always efficient, so if it's hot the best we can cool the house to is 80, but it will be a little better in the room baby will be in. Hurray for glass houses! If fire season isn't too bad we'll open windows and run fans at night when it's cooler, but if it's like last year that won't be an option too much smoke.
I'm planning to mostly have babe in just cotton or muslin onesies or those kimono snap tops and pass on outfits if it's hot. Hats and muslin blankets for coverage if we go out, plus my parasol since I carry one anyways otherwise I burn. MIL is going to visit the fam in Japan in April/May, and I asked her to bring back baby summer stuff from there since it is hot and humid af there during the summer so that should give us some more light weight options than I can find here in Oregon.