I've been wanting to keep a list of things I loved and found helpful through Mia's first year so here you go:
- Baby Gear
- Dawson Swivel Glider Recliner from Costco.com - my favorite purchase thusfar. Everyone said a good rocker/recliner will make a difference and it's true. It is so nice to have to nurse or pump in, provide comfort in the middle of the night, rock Mia to sleep, etc... I had heard that having one with arms is a must and I wanted one that was comfy and looked nice - the wood ones did not feel so to me. But I didn't want to pay $700 or more which is what they were at BabysRUs and everywhere else. A lot of people use LazBoy types but I hate how manly and saggy they look. So when I found this one, I ordered it immediately. It has both the rocker and recliner feature, it's comfy and adorable yet firm enough to hold up for a long time. And the price couldn't be beat at $350 which was better even than any LazBoy or microsuede recliners I found. And the best part was that they delivered it to my house for free and since it's Costco, I knew if I didn't like it, I could return it for a full refund. And because of the neutral color, I can still use it in another room after we don't need it for kids anymore.
- Joovy Zoom 360 Jogging Stroller - I'm recommending this as a mid-price jogging stroller. It is probably not better than the Bob but I didn't want to pay $400 for it and because they get so much usage, I had a hard time finding a used one in a condition that I felt comfortable with. But I also didn't want to buy the cheapest one on the market, so I was thrilled to come upon this online recommendation for this as the best mid-price jogging stroller and I been so happy with it. It glides so smoothly, looks fab, easy to use, has great sun protection for Mia, maneuvers well, great safety protection for Mia and reclines almost 100%. I've taken this on some pretty intense hikes and it was amazing at maneuvering. I was very fortunate to find it on sale through Costco.com also for $180. I've had a few little issues come up but I contacted the company each time and they super helpful. I ordered the car seat attachment to be able to go on walks and ended up using this as our main stroller for the first year (besides the Snap and Go). And I'm so glad I did because it is so comfy to use. My only complaint has probably been that it it kinda big but I knew that going in. I still prefer to use it over the umbrella stroller because it is so smooth. I think they have an updated model now for sale.
- Diaper Bag backpack - I don't have one but I will next time and this would be my recommendation to new moms. Having a backpack diaper bag would be much easier to carry around on outings and while lugging around your child. You do not want to worry about balancing a diaper bag on one shoulder with your child in your arms. Though I loved having my diaper bag and all that I could keep in it, I have abandoned it and bought a regular backpack which I love using.
- Ergo 360 carrier - the only carrier I've used besides slings and the Moby but my fave through all stages. The durability was great when she was a little newborn and then the ability for her to look outward from my chest can't be beat. I still use this and she will have it no other way. And from what I've heard, this is one of the safest for her hips. Pricey but it has absolutely been worth it. I take it everywhere. My only complaint is the velcro around the waist which sticks to different fabrics but I think they have fixed this now to a different fabric. If I were to buy again, I would probably get the cool fabric kind which was not available when I bought mine because this thing can get hot.
- My Brest Friend nursing pillow - the key to me sticking with breastfeeding. Solved the problem of how to situate Mia. In the beginning I even took it with me out and about because I loved using it.
- Boppy Newborn Lounger - not a must but we love this thing still. It's the best thing I never knew I needed. I registered for it not knowing exactly how much I would really use it but it is amazing. It's basically a boppy without a hole in the middle - a perfect pillow to place Mia in when you we got tired of holding her. Mia loved sitting in before she started rolling and spent most of her days here. It was a perfect thing to put her right next to Matt and/or I on the couch while she slept or just looked around. Matt liked holding her hand while she laid in it while he
watched TV. We loved it so much we took it when we travelled. We still use it now to put Mia in after her naps while she's still waking up. It also makes for a nice pillow for Matt or I to lay in while trying to get Mia down or while Mia is playing in the room and we just want to relax and lay on the floor. I also put a scarf around the handle and pull Mia around the house on it. She giggles hysterically.
- SwaddleMe original swaddle wrap - forget about trying to perfect the swaddle on your own with blankets. These are great!
- Zipadee-Zip - to transition out of swaddle after baby starts rolling and we still use it today.
- Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup - this has been Mia's favorite and she has used it since she was 6 months old
- Toys
- NogginStik - pricey comparatively but this toy was key to getting Mia to do tummy time. And I've seen every age of kid have fun playing with it even though it's a baby toy. I've had some issues with the lights stop working properly but I would still recommend the toy because the company was so willing to help and would send me replacements for free and then ended up refunding me fully after the third replacement, even though that time I'm pretty sure the batteries just needed to be replaced. Oops! I didn't know then until I replaced the battery and it worked great again.
- Baby Einstein Musical Toy - Mia's favorite toy by far
- Apps & Tech
- White Noise Baby app - free app - we use the hair dryer noise and use the sound timer to have the noise turn off an hour after we put her to bed because she doesn't need the noise all night long. This is also nice for longer road trips to put on a tablet in the back seat with her.
- Video baby monitor - we borrowed one (Foscam) from a friend and will probably buy another one soon for downstairs for when we have babysitters. So nice to be able to check on Mia without having to open the door and interrupt her. And it's a great way for Matt to still feel involved while he is at work or travelling because he pull up the cam feed on his computer or phone. Our has a Foscam Viewer app that can be installed on phones and tablets which is so convenient.
- Baby Daybook - if you are as structure loving as Matt and I, this is the best baby tracking app. We used this almost 100% of the time for Mia's first year to track diapers, feedings and her sleep. Takes a little extra work but so nice to be able to look at patterns and easily answers questions at the pediatricians office about how much she has been drinking, how many dirty diapers she averages per day, how much she is sleeping at night as opposed to napping during the day, etc... This is also a free app but I paid to have the pro version so we could use different devices to track the same data and keep it backed up.
- Dormi app - an baby monitor app that can be used through any devices that I used when we were travelling and couldn't take our video monitor. I used a tablet as the child device and then my phone as the parent (monitoring) device to listen. 4 hours free per month but I subscribed for a while for only $1 per month for unlimited usage because I would use it anytime we traveled. There is a video monitor functionality but I didn't use it - just the sound.
- Food & Food Stuff
- Anything by Plum Organics but I especially love their Mighty 4 and Mashup pouches. They don't add in sugar or any other artificial preservatives, colors, etc...
- Annies Homegrown Organic Whole Milk yogurt - the first year, I just bought plain whole milk greek yogurt and mixed half a container of Gerber fruit puree in with it but this is so much easier and a great transition for Mia - and much less work than mixing
- taste good
- is full fat yogurt
- low in sugar
- natural ingredients and coloring
- Cheerios - just plain old simple original gangsters - for snacks and for breakfast
- cheaper than all the other snacks and just as healthy
- low in ingredients and preservatives/sugar
- Fruit - especially blueberries, peaches and watermelon
- better than any other treat you could offer
- EzPz placemat - perfect for kids who throw everything like Mia. This suctions to the table and is super durable so even if it can't suction, Mia can't throw it. Super easy to clean and provides built in bowls so I don't have to use those and have her throw them. I use this for almost every meal and take this when travelling as well when I have room.
- Nuby Floor Mat - we got this to protect the carpet because Mia loves to throw food all over and our last apartment had a carpeted dining room. But even now I use it in our tiled kitchen because it's so easy to pick up and hose down or throw in the sink to wash as opposed to mopping constantly. I also take it when we travel because I never know if someone else that we are staying with will have a carpeted dining room. It's just much easier to relax instead of worrying about whether Mia is going to cause a ton of work for someone else.
- Baby Products
- Honest Company Shampoo & Body Wash and Laundry Detergent - good clean products that Mia has never had a skin reaction to. We use both for our household and are quite happy.
- Coconut oil - as nipple cream for lactation cracks and soreness. Better than any lactation creams. No need to buy any of that other stuff. Honestly I used it all and coconut oil worked best by far. I filled up an old prescription bottle with it and kept it in my purse and used it whenever I felt sore.
- TV & Shows
- Super Simple Songs (on Youtube) - Mia can't get enough and I've found these to be the most tolerable ones though there are some I find annoying or creepy. But as far as children's music videos go, they are the best! Our faves are Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Little Snowflake, Sweet Dream (Goodnight Song) and Row, Row, Row Your Boat. All of these are so relaxing and Mia find them mesmerizing. My fave upbeat one is One Potato, Two Potato.
- Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood - Mia's fave by far because of the songs mixed in. I'm not sure why more shows don't do the same thing.
- Big Block Sing Song (also on YouTube) - also music videos for kids but these are hilarious and witty. It's nice to find shows Mia can watch that we don't find obnoxious.
- Sesame Street songs - I'm a sucker for Sesame Street. You cannot go wrong.
- Other Miscellaneous
- Lactation consultants - find out what your insurance covers before you have your baby. And then shop around to find out who others have had great success troubleshooting lactation problems. I saw four different lactation consultants and they all said different things, taught different techniques. Only the last two actually solved my problems. Even if insurance doesn't cover it, one visit with a really good lactation consultant will solve your problems and then most of the time, you can email them or call them with questions once you have visited them once.
- Drop in Mom & Baby classes - I found a class led by a lactation consultant in Palo Alto at The Parents Place that was phenomenal. It costs $15 each time but I probably went once a month and it was so worth it. The classes were grouped by your baby's age and we just came to ask questions to the lactation consultant and to the other moms. It was so perfect for me. I just kept a list of questions and then came. Things like how can I get Mia to do more tummy time (enter the NogginStik suggestion), troubleshooting sleep regression problems, how to get Mia to enjoy solid foods (enter EzPz placemat)
No comments:
Post a Comment