Product Spotlight Series: The Disregarded!

kagesstarshroom · September 2019

The Product Spotlight Series continues! Remember, the community is welcome to comment on threads like these throughout your time here, not just when it's their week in the spotlight. Big thanks to everyone who participates!

For this week, we're taking a break from our normally scheduled "*helpful* product" conversations to talk about products that were never used! Thanks @pdx2020 for the suggestion! Originally, Maternity Clothes were scheduled, but we have a thread for that already! Check it out here to keep the convo going or ask for/share any pertinent info to your wardrobe situation.

Only one question this week for each mom-group this week, but feel free to riff on the subject generally as always!

STM+s:
What product or products did you have for baby that you never used?

FTM
What product or products do you think you might not need?

Up next week: We're back to our regularly scheduled spotlight series with... Diaper Bags!
To view the upcoming PSS schedule/find easy links to past PSS posts, visit the March 2020 PSS Spreadsheet!

varimama · September 2019

STM: I did a lot of research before registering so we didn’t get a lot of gear that wasn’t useful. I already mentioned it with baby carriers but I did not like my k’tan at all so that was probably the most wasteful of the items we bought/received. DS never ended up taking bottles or pacifiers so we had a couple of a few different kinds of those around. I was glad I didn’t get a whole bunch of either bc I’ve heard some babies have preferences and will only take one kind. We tried 4-5 of each and then gave up. He was (and is still) a boob fiend.

The items I honestly didn’t use were a lot of the handmade gifts from my family. They knit/crocheted hats and booties and stuff and none of it was close to fitting DS who was rather large but not like insanely large... or it looked ridiculous likes this white poncho thing my grandma made us. I said thank you and mentioned how cute they were when given to us but then we got rid of them. Not much you can do if someone gifts you these but if you are making gifts for someone else’s baby (or your own) make sure you know what size an actual baby is. These would have fit a doll... maybe...

stassischroeder · September 2019

We had a wipe warmer that we used for a couple months, but honestly I don't think DS cared if his wipes were warm or not. He didn't react any differently to "cold" vs warmed wipes. Not to mention its a pain to refill and keep sanitary, and the baby will have to get used to un-warmed wipes when you're not at home. So, I don't think we'll use it this time.

I know there were more items that we didn't use, so I'll update if I think of them.

treetop19 · September 2019

With DD I had an abundance of bottles that I never used, since she refused to take a bottle after 5 months... if you aren't sure if you are bottle feeding or breastfeeding, my advise as a TTM would be don't get too many bottles. On the other hand - even if you are breastfeeding, you should at least have one or two bottles, and a can of formula handy for middle of the night feeding issues/emergencies, because if baby wont' nurse, the last thing you want to do is run to the store at 3 am for formula. I used this 'emergency' formula a couple of times with my breast-fed babies - they both got frantic with hunger and wouldn't latch on, so I gave them a few ounces of formula to settle them down. Of course you should always try breastfeeding first if that's what you plan on doing, but if it doesn't work, it's good to have a back-up.

I had a Diaper Champ with DD (I don't even know if they make these any more? basically like the Diaper Genie, but easier to use because it didn't come with its own specialized bags) which I used for the first few months and that was it. So I'd say pass on the Diaper Genie... I didn't use any specialized diaper garbage pail for DS.

A baby walker is a no for me (don't think they recommend these anymore anyway) - I had one for DD which she never used, other than I would use it sometimes as a chair to feed her in when we were outside. For DS (who is in the smallest percentile for height), his little legs never were able to touch the ground in the walker. By the time he was tall enough to touch the ground in the walker he was already walking on his own.

A baby snowsuit - Unless you take baby outside in the winter without their car seat, this is a waste.. since you can't put them in a snowsuit and buckle them in. Better to have blankets and a car seat cover.

Baby shoes - so dang adorable that they are hard to resist, but really not needed. (unless for photos or special occasions). had some for DD. used them exactly once.

kailanae · September 2019

Things that didn't get much use here:
Bottles of many brands (tried so hard to find one my boys would use but both refused bottles)
Hooded towels (not absorbent enough)
Tub faucet cover (never needed it)
Nursing cover (boys hated it)
Suction bulb (Nosefrieda is better)
Velcro swaddles (always ended up swaddling with blankets, not noisy to unswaddle)
Pacifiers (neither of my kids wanted them)
Nursing pillow* (used a ton with DS1 but preferred a regular pillow with DS2)

For items listed above, I agree that we rarely used baby shoes or snow suits/buntings. Never even got the wipe warmer because I didn't want baby to expect warm wipes for when we were away from home. I don't know that keeping a container of formula on hand is necessarily a requirement from my perspective, since you could also pump and bottle feed a baby that isn't latching/nursing appropriately, but no judgement here for anyone who does use formula as a supplement or exclusively.

treetop19 · September 2019

@kailanae, true on the pumping vs. formula.

I used pumped milk as well, but when my kids were just home from the hospital, I hadn't had time to pump anything yet. So I fed the formula, then pumped to make sure I kept up my supply. as a bonus I was able to use the pumped milk later.

kailanae · September 2019

@treetop19 a manual pump like the Medela Harmony is good for situations like that where you need a quick pump for a feed. I had to use it when I was healing from a nipple bite where latching was too painful but the hand pump wasn't as bad. My boys wouldn't take reheated milk but if it was pumped fresh, I could sometimes spoon feed it or mix it with some cereal/puree (when they were taking solids too). Gosh they were so picky lol.

momoftoddlers · September 2019

1. Baby Bedding Sets (Since crib isn’t supposed to have bumpers or a comforter you’re better off just buying individual sheets)

2. Diaper Genie (Didn’t contain the smell and refills are expensive. We tied diapers up in grocery bags and just took out every night.)

aerie_star · September 2019

With my daughter, I think we used most things we got. But bottles and pacifiers after she was two months old were a complete waste to own. She hated them and wouldn’t accept them. I never used the emergency formula that everyone told me I needed either, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a thing to keep on hand for many breastfeeding moms. We also didn’t really use the baby bullet or the baby food storage items that we were gifted cause my daughter hated purées and we ended up doing baby led weaning.

We didn’t use the bulb that the hospital sent home either. We had a sit me up that we really didn’t use and the same with the bouncy chair. Both my daughter and I absolutely hated the boba wrap and the ring sling. I used a structured carrier in the end until she decided she hated being worn outright.

hmama716 · September 2019

We never used the swing that a friend let us borrow as our son loved his cheap vibrating seat, so happy we didn't purchase one. I always thought a million dollar business idea would be to bring a bunch of gear to a new parents home to try out to see what baby likes- they are all so different!

Like PP we also never used the crib set- it looked so cute in his nursery until he was born and we couldn't use, it was such a waste and I wish we would have saved our money and purchased an abundance of cute sheets instead. We opted out of a diaper pail and just bought a garbage can with a top and had no issues (we cloth diapered).

I do agree with PP on the snowsuits- such a waste unless you spend time outside without the car seat.

Our first (and only until babe is born) is 6.5 and there is so many new things that I want to try but am trying to hold back on purchasing hahha

kantobean · September 2019

Things we bought or received but never used:

certain baby bottles. DD only ever took tommy tippee.
many swaddles. I liked the halo sleepsack and swaddles best. We got all kinds of weird swaddling contraptions that we tried but didn’t work well.
baby gates. We used one at the top of our basement stairs, but other than that, didn’t need any others. We just watched the baby closely.
pacifiers. I’ll get some this time just in case, but DD hated them.
baby snow suit
baby shoes. Although I do like Robeez.

dunder_mifflin · September 2019

This is all super useful! I’m noticing a trend where diaper genies/Pails are not necessary which is so helpful!

FTM who’s a bit overwhelmed with baby stuff so thank you so much!

orbmaker · September 2019

Hmm...

We took a somewhat minimalist approach to registering for and buying baby gear to begin with.

I was surprised to learn that I truly preferred zippered, footed onesies to any other clothing item for the first month (at least) of baby’s life. Especially overnight. No one wants to deal with a dozen snaps when you’re up changing the kid for a third time.

Any kind of “chair” for a kid who can’t sit up on their own yet: not into that.

The nursery in general (and most of the stuff in it) we didn’t really use for the first 6-9 months of DD1’s life. It might as well have only had the changing table in it. So: don’t freak out about filling/perfecting it before the kid is born if that’s not in the cards.

We bought an “activity station” (rotating seat with toys attached to it) to plop her in at one point and it was kind of expensive for not much use for us. She was really only interested in it for a month or so.

varimama · September 2019

This is kind of opposite of the thread but I’m finding it interesting some of the things people didn’t use that we loved:

Diaper Pails: Ubbi was amazing, keeps even the stinky toddler poop smell in and takes normal bags, we’re totally getting another one for downstairs so I don’t have to go up the stairs 500 times a day for newborn 💩 I’ve tested our kitchen trash can which is stainless with a lid and it only keeps the smell of diapers in for 2-3 days.

Velcro swaddles were the only things that kept DS swaddled for more than a hot second. No matter how tight I got the blanket swaddled he got out and one day I woke up and he had broken out and gotten it over his face so I freaked and put all but the Velcro ones away. Heard similar stories happening with the halo sleepsack swaddles like the ones the hospital gives out!

The activity chairs we couldn’t use until DS was sitting but once he was sitting we got a good 6-9 months of use out of them. They were the only way I could shower or bake and stuff!

Also glad we had emergency formula on hand for when we first got home from the hospital when my milk hadn’t come in yet. DS didn’t latch until he was a week old so I’d try to get him to latch then pump while DH fed him formula until my milk came in. Then DH fed him my pumped milk. My milk came in day 4 I think so there was really just a couple days of formula needed but glad we had it.

momoftoddlers · September 2019

A bunch of people have mentioned “emergency formula” for breastfeeding moms. I’m kinda surprised I’ve never heard of this. I 100% breastfed my first and 100% formula fed my second (personal preference, no other reason). Both produce happy healthy babies!

But if you are a first time mom planning on breastfeeding, my two cents is that unless there’s an underlying condition (ex a tongue tie in baby, actual low of production in mom), you shouldn’t need “emergency formula”. In the first few days you make very little milk because your baby has a small stomach and needs very little milk. The more you breastfeed and do skin to skin, the more you help increase your supply. If you pause and give a bottle of formula (in the newborn days) you’re more likely to hurt your supply or confuse your baby’s latch. Your pediatrician will see the baby multiple times in the first weeks, and will check the baby’s weight so that’s how you’ll know if they’re getting enough. You can also request a weighted feed at the pediatrician or with a lactation consultant where you weigh them, then nurse them, then weigh them again to see how many ounces they took in at that feeding. Kelly Mom is a wonderful resource for breastfeeding facts and advice.

Also, if you do plan to formula feed straightaway, those individual serving bottles with single use nipples are so convenient. I’d have them delivered from Walmart. Even if you just use them in the first few weeks to make things simpler and then switch to powdered formula.

varimama · September 2019

@momoftoddlers I mean you’re right people shouldn’t just supplement for no reason, we were doing it because our doctor told us we needed to. It’s important if you are supplementing to pump while feeding the baby formula or pumped milk. We went on to exclusively breastfeed once he started latching and he’s now 2.5 and still going strong so it didn’t affect my supply or give him nipple confusion. You never know if breastfeeding is going to go the way you planned so in my opinion it makes sense to have the emergency formula and if you don’t need it that’s great you can give it to a friend or donate it to a women’s shelter. If you do need it it’s nice not to have to run out that first night home!

momoftoddlers · September 2019

@varimama Thanks for clarifying. Of course if your doctor recommends you supplement, that’s the time to do it. I was just trying to clarify for FTMs that there are steps you can take to be sure you really do need to supplement, which is exactly what you did. It’s awesome that you were able to breastfeed for so long!

miss.sally · September 2019

I’m finding all of this fascinating because there are definitely a few things we loved that others didn’t. I still use our diaper genie! DS turned 2 in July. I’ve never had any issues with it. In fact I was planning on getting a second for downstairs.

DS also hated to be swaddled in anything. I tried (desperately) all different types and he just was a mover and a shaker. I hope this baby will like it better.

We didn't use any bottles because he wouldn’t take them, but I EBF anyways so I wasn’t super concerned. He also didn’t take a pacifier but I didn’t try very hard and will definitely try some different types with this one. I’ve already started purchasing some. Lol.

I never got a changing table with either of mine. I used beds or the floor more often than anything. The height thing scared me, and I felt like my money would absolutely be better spent elsewhere. I also really hate matchy-matchy furniture so basically all nursery sets were out for me. I got things separately and it saved a TON of money.

Ive never really been super into gadgets anyways, and I feel like so many companies have TONS of things that are supposed to make life with baby easier but all it does is complicate and make your life harder by needing to know where all this stuff is all the time. And cleaning it all. Good lord.

Wipe warmers. TOTAL WASTE. The baby will be fine with a room temperature wipe. And if you use a warmer at home and don’t have one when you go out, you’ll have some horrible diaper changes.

we didn’t use out mamaroo a whole lot, but just because DS wasn’t a huge fan. DD looooved her swing so I’m hoping we will get more use from this baby. Especially if I start using it right away.

I loved using my moby wrap when DS was a newborn, even though it’s somewhat of a pain to get on. He just felt nice and snug in there. Once he got a little bigger I used the ergo with a newborn insert a lot more because it’s much easier to get off and on. He loved being worn so I used it around the house when cleaning also.

It really is hard because every baby is so different. I think it’s best to take a suuuuuper minimalist approach beforehand and then see what your baby’s personality is and go from there. Amazon makes it really easy to order/return things especially in those first few weeks when you aren’t going to want to leave the house.

mrsvp614 · September 2019

I second @stassischroeder on the wipe warmer. We were gifted two of them, even though we didn't register for them, and they went back to the store.
I also agree with @varimama on the backup formula. You can sign up to get free samples in the mail through Similac/Enfamil and donate/toss what doesn't get used. I totally expected to exclusively breastfeed and was even kind of secretly judgey about using formula. But then I had a baby who was unexpectedly tiny who had to spend time in the NICU and had to be supplemented. I also had blood pressure issues, and despite pumping every 2 hours for six weeks and trying all the supplements/recipes I could, I never had any more than a few droplets of milk. So it just doesn't happen for everyone, even if you're putting in the effort.

We do have unused pacis and bottles from DS1, just because you find out what you/they prefer. So my advice to FTMs is to buy one bottle at a time, or a small set, rather than a whole big set of a brand you may not end up liking. Keep everything boxed with receipts, in case you want to switch out stuff.
We also have a million teething toys that were never used, as well as stuffed animals, and blankets. We loved the Halo velcro swaddles.
We never used a bottle sterilizer that we were given.

treetop19 · September 2019

@mrsvp614, @varimama, your points on the emergency formula are definitely what I was trying to get at. breastfeeding doesn't always work the way you hope it does, which is what I wish somebody had told me as a FTM.

honestly I felt sooo bad I had no pumped milk for DD (didn't even have a breast pump in the house yet when she was first born, because back in 2006, you didn't get a free pump with health insurance, you had to buy it on your own). I actually cried when I had to feed her the formula because she wouldn't nurse, and I felt like she never would again due to nipple confusion (she did nurse again, and everything turned out fine). When DS came along, I didn't feel as bad feeding him a little formula because I'd been through it before (though with him, I had the pump already, just hadn't used it yet.) My early experiences breastfeeding were far from smooth sailing.. and I feel like a lot of the lactation consultants/nurses could be very judgy or militant.. not to mention other breastfeeding moms. DS actually went on a week-long nursing 'strike' when he was a newborn and would only take pumped milk from a bottle. I called a lactation consultant and she made it sound like I was doomed, DS would never breastfeed again and my supply would dry up ( he did nurse again, after his 'strike' was over, and my supply was still there.. lol.) at the time it made me cry. no wonder some people give up and say 'f it' and go straight to formula.

kailanae · September 2019

To clarify my point above about formula - since the question of this thread was "What product or products did you have for baby that you never used?" - formula was one of those things for me. I had a can of it but never ended up needing it for DS1 or DS2. Certainly not going to be the case for everyone, just not something we needed here. I agree that if you make a baby registry anywhere, there's a good chance that you'll get a free can of it anyway, so you don't even need to buy it to have some on hand if you want some back up in case of nursing difficulties.

We personally had a difficult start to nursing with DS1 - a tongue tie that led to too much baby weight loss and bad/painful latch. Luckily we were able to get that revised a few days after he was born and get back on track with nursing, but I agree that those early days trying to make nursing work can be very hard and emotional. We thankfully had very supportive pedis and lactation consultants at the hospital to get us through it without being pushy or judgmental.

varimama · September 2019

@treetop19 I had a similar experience and it brought me so much grief until DS actually latched. On the one hand I had his doctor telling me we needed to give him bottles of formula because he was loosing too much on the other I had some lactation specialists telling me I was being horrible and not giving my baby a chance to breastfeed and that he never would now. It broke my heart and while now well out of the postpartum period I realize it didn’t matter and fed is truly best, at the time I felt like such a failure. It was probably a lot of hormones too but I cried so much every feeding over it. I don’t want any of the FTMs who plan to breastfeed to feel like that! It’s 100% ok to supplement and work towards breastfeeding and using a bottle early does not mean you won’t be able to successfully breastfeed long term. I wish someone had told me how hard breastfeeding can be, instead the classes I took were all like it’s the most natural thing in the world and babies are born knowing what to do. That wasn’t the case for me, it was a lot of work and I’m glad I put it in but I don’t blame anyone for not especially if they have our troubles or worse ones!

silverhope · September 2019

I used a lot of the stuff other moms didn’t like (loved velcro swaddles, baby snowsuit [but we did a ski trip and let him “sled”], nursing cover, and baby gates [but we bought gates when he was older, like 15 mo, and as needed]).

did not use pacifiers. Have zero clue what receiving blankets are for. Didn’t use my nursing pillow (just regular pillows). He did not like the mamaroo or rock n play (although those are a no no now). Portable mobile was a dumb idea for us too.

we use a changing pad on the dresser instead of a changing table and I still use it.

i use the chair in the nursery, but not nearly as much as ppl told me i would and we def spent too much money on that bc I don’t use it as much as I thought.

mrsvp614 · September 2019

Same with the glider @silverhope!
We will use it again for new baby’s room, but I’m glad we opted to get one at Target because we didn’t use ours much either. We actually use it more now for story time than I did when he was a newborn.

I was also team green the first time and got everything gender neutral, no monogram/personalization so we can use for subsequent kiddos.

Someone also gifted us a satchel type diaper bag, but never used it and always opted for backpack style.

stassischroeder · September 2019

@silverhope ditto to pretty much all of that. We used velcro swaddles, a snowsuit (I mean, how else do you ever go outside with an infant when it's 10* or colder outside for 3 months in a row?), nursing cover, baby gates. DS also didn't use pacifiers, but sometimes liked the RNP and Mamaroo.

I still use our nursery glider! We got it used for $50, and the fabric is getting so incredibly worn. At this point I wish we'd spent more on a more durable one.

stacey6689 · September 2019

This has been a very helpful thread. As a FTM I feel so clueless as to what I am really going to need when the LO arrives. I started looking at registry items and I'm just like do you really need all these gadgets?

kailanae · September 2019

@stassischroeder re: snowsuit, that likely is dependent on where people are located in the US. We don't get that cold for that long here in MD, and if it is that cold we likely aren't taking the infant outside except for getting in/out of the car. I think for both kids we maybe had 1 snow that we took baby out in a snowsuit just to experience it, but otherwise we stayed inside. I may have also worn baby while outside a few times, but that also would have just been with extra layers since a snow suit wouldn't work as well for babywearing either. I'm sure mamas that live in colder climates that also like to spend time outside in the cold would be more invested in getting snow gear for baby.

kagesstarshroom · September 2019

@kailanae @stassischroeder if anyone buys my baby a snowsuit which will won't be registering for, I'm going to ask where they think we live bc there is 100% no need for one of those in Louisiana. But I can see how even in colder climates it might also prove unnecessary, as was described.

Anyway, seconding @stacey6689 above: thanks everyone so far! I have no specific questions on what may or may not be useful (yet), but it's so helpful to see trends and also hear individual stories & how things differed for certain people. I am trying to be minimal in the registry since we are so broke--I really only want to register for what we'll likely need, so we can cut down on what we have to buy ourselves.

mrsvp614 · October 2019

FTMs, Lucie's List was super helpful to me when making my registry. She compares lots of items and breaks down pros, cons, price points, etc.

stac4056 · October 2019

I agree with a lot of these:
- Ditched the Diaper Genie for DS, couldn't keep the refills stocked.
- I have an array of bottles because DS wouldn't take a bottle. My pediatrician said not to waste my money, as DS had his mind made up and would not take one until he was ready regardless of the type, but I felt obligated to keep trying!! I would just buy one of each bottle to try.
- Emergency formula isn't a bad idea, there were a few instances where I would need just a few more ounces to top off my DS's daycare bottles on top of what I had pumped at work. But I will say that most of the cans I've run across are 'use within 30 days of opening' and if you're only using enough for a couple ounces here and there, maybe get those On the Go formula sticks.
- For DD we bought a ridiculous Lazy Boy recliner thinking I would be spending a ton of time in it. Horrible idea, we moved that to our living room, and got the super basic nursery glider. I probably use it more now than when they were newborns, just calming down a toddler, or having somewhere to sit while they settle down and get ready to put their pajamas on after bath.

I will add Burp Cloths, may as well use a sock, so small you can get one spit up wiped up and then wash it, no. We ended up using the huge muslin swaddle blankets for that among many other uses, use a corner here, use a corner there, I just always had one of those handy, but not so much for swaddling.

Madamemerle · October 2019

Something I rarely used was a bottle sanitizer... I exclusively breastfed but pumped 1 or 2 bottles a day, but we just mostly ended up washing them because it was a lot simpler. If you're doing all bottles then I can see it getting used more.

I did use a snowsuit (northeast, winter baby, and I don't have a car) but I found sizing was tough for a baby that tiny.

Most outfits that weren't just zip up onesies only got worn once or twice for the first,say, 6 months. After that, the wardrobe broadened a bit...

Just a rave about my favorite baby item of all though: the Baby Bjorn Jumper. This was hands down my most used baby item, my son adored it, and it kept him happily bouncing himself up and down while I got dressed/made food/ showered etc. I dithered over getting it because of the cost but it was well worth it and way way better than any other seats/toys/jumpers we received, most with way more bells and whistles. I'd basically trade all my other baby entertainments for this thing.

orbmaker · October 2019

@Madamemerle we have the baby bjorn jumper thing too! Got ours as a hand me down, but used it a LOT from newborn through 6-7 months. After that, kiddo was just a little too rowdy to tolerate it for too long.

varimama · October 2019

@Madamemerle we also loved the baby bjorn jumper! I had a baby who I couldn’t put down which made showers and really any tasks where you can’t safely wear baby hard. He loved that jumper and after a week we never regretted the $$$ price tag!

emmasemm · October 2019

@Madamemerle @orbmaker @varimama thanks for the baby Bjorn jumper tip! I had not put that on our wishlist yet but will do now.
Question over whether the darker or lighter colors are more practical? And do you recommend the cotton or the mesh if you live in a normal climate (4 seasons)?

Also this post is really great. So helpful to hear what wasn’t needed in different circumstances!

Madamemerle · October 2019

emmasemm said:

@Madamemerle @orbmaker @varimama thanks for the baby Bjorn jumper tip! I had not put that on our wishlist yet but will do now.
Question over whether the darker or lighter colors are more practical? And do you recommend the cotton or the mesh if you live in a normal climate (4 seasons)?

Also this post is really great. So helpful to hear what wasn’t needed in different circumstances!

I would say, that unless you live somewhere really hot, the cotton is nicest because it's softer. I just bought the color on sale, which happened to be the dark rust/orange but I ended up really liking it and it didn't seem to get messed up at all.

orbmaker · October 2019

@emmasemm I think cotton is comfier, too. We have one that’s cream and brown — I personally would have preferred a different color, but whatever, this one was free. I think generally speaking dark colors hide stubborn stains better, but an unwashed stain is going to show up on anything. The cotton cover is pretty easy to wash (I think you can put it in the dryer on low, but don’t quote me on that). One hot tip is that old fashioned sunshine makes (laundered) baby poop stains disappear 🙌🏽 . It’s magic.

varimama · October 2019

@emmasemm we have the black and grey one, honestly we picked it bc it was the cheapest when we ordered it. It is cotton and we never had problems with it being too hot but we are in New England so maybe people where it’s a lot hotter might like a cooler one. We only get a few weeks in the 80s/90s each year. It is super easy to clean the cover, I had a spitter who was also known for his blowouts 🤣

4ismagic · October 2019

Really good thread ladies.
I'm on #4 here and see a lot of valid points, and what works for one may not work for another anyways, but it's nice to have ideas/input.
Each baby is different, so what you use most may change anyways, but we really love our rocking chair in the nursery. Used it a whole time and still do just at bedtime.

Use our diaper genie all the time, but other options work as well. It's about being on top of the smell basically.

Live in Canada, so a baby snowsuit of more than one size is a must here, but I can see others in warm places having no use for them. Sweaters and blankets over the harness in the car instead of course. If you have a baby bunting bad type with the slit for the car seat or stroller buckle to go through, cool. That works for those options. But if you want to wear baby you'll need a different one with both feet sperate for a carrier. I was surprised by how many options we need here for different functions, but it's basically winter for half the year, so...
Breastfeeding is not smooth sailing for many Mamas, so having a backup is actually important. My 3rd was tongue tied, and it was so very painful for a month to nurse him until we figured it out. Constant breaks and healing for me. Having a bottle and formula on occasion is not going to ruin your long term plan. Some babies are more picky than others, but what I've (GENERALLY) noticed is that if they don't want to breastfeed it's because they're already starving and can't be patient for the milk to come. (That is, if you've already had success in establishing nursing and your milk flow).

Swaddling can be a funny thing. My first LOVED it (the tighter the better) and my second HATED it, like don't even try, I'm just going get angry. LOL! So for #1 and#3, we did prefer the Velcro ones as they stay put, and baby doesn't break out of it in the middle of the night, BUT good luck changing their diaper if you need to while they're in it because the noise wakes them every time. Haha. I just avoid changing my babies at night anyways.

I ditto what PPs said about zipper sleepers. The only way to go. No fooling with snaps.

Receiving blankets are a big waste unless you have a marathon projectile vomiter on your hands. They are so huge they're not helpful for spit up. My friend sewed me little burping cloths that were like the size or a reg facecloth which were much more useful. Small to pack, need it once, or use it for a day, throw it in the laundry.

No bottle warmers, bottle sanitizers or wipe warmers here, though my friend with twins would definitely recommend the first two, for good reason. Double the blessing, double the work.

Loved our baby bouncer and swing both, and Jolly jumper. Highly recommend if you ever want to shower. 😂 (These are the only 3 baby furniture items I would recommend getting!) Other than basics like crib, bassinet, stroller etc.

I always used a bassinet beside my bed for the first 5-6 months, then moved them to their own room in crib. Again I realize there are many variations/preferences among sleeping habits. To each their own.

White noise or fan for older babies is helpful. It masks other noises that may wake baby in the day or night - traffic, as we live on a loud road, siblings.

Diaper bag as a backpack was the best option we've used so far. Hands free and not weighing on just one shoulder.

Also, a warm water humidifier for baby's room is important for when (not if) they get a cold/sick, but it's really dry here, so maybe not for you?

Didn't use lots of teethers, blankets, knitted booties, like others mentioned. Stuffie are just decoration, unless you have one thing that'll become your child's special cuddle toy. A word of caution with that- if they attach onto something (fav blankie or stuffie, or whatnot) be SURE to have at least two of that item! Or one day your world will implode if it's lost, being washed, left at Grandma's, etc.

Loved my baby food grinder for purees. Just used ice cube trays to freeze, then put in zip locks until needed. Don't need fancy baby ones.

stacey6689 · November 2019

Any baby swing recommendations?

treetop19 · November 2019

@stacey6689, I had the Fischer-Price Portable Swing for DS, and I liked it in general, since it was easy to move it from room to room (or even take it along on trips if we were so inclined.) The portablilty, to me, is its best feature. DS would only sit in it for 15 mins at a time before getting bored and crying, though, and it had to be on the fastest setting otherwise he wasn't having it. link: https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Deluxe-Take-Along-Swing/dp/B00NFETGLC

I also tried a Graco swing, I don't remember the type, and it stopped working after a month of use so I took it back to the store (that's when I made the switch to the Fischer Price portable.) I also had a Graco swing with DD, it worked fine and she loved it (this was back in 2006, so a much older model.)

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