Well I was talking to a friend this weekend who is going to be a Mom for the 1st time. She is totally adorable and has no idea what she likes/needs, etc.
I'm more than happy to give advice, usually only when asked, unless it's about pain relief (AND PITOCIN) during labor and then I'll go all crazy on you. I don't want to hear how natural is SOOOOO much better and how pitocin is of the devil. I have 2 healthy kids courtesy of both. Thanks.
Oh and sleep training.
I don't do Dr. Sears. I'm not into attachment parenting. I'm about teaching kids to sleep from the get go. It is after all one of the MOST important things you'll ever teach a child. Do some research about children who have sleep issues and you will see that it can affect them their whole lives. *steps off sleep training soap box*
So cute friend says to me "Please tell me what I really need for this bebe of mine".
So I promised that I would come up with my ULTIMATE list of baby MUST HAVES.
Here it goes.
1. Carseat- You can go with a Maxi-Cosi seat or the Graco Infant SnugRide. They both have great safety reviews. I'm all about safety reviews/consumer reports. I would do the Graco and take the money you save and get a nicer stroller.
So here's my opinion. If this is your 1st baby and you know you are going to have more babies why not buy an excellent quality stroller (nice wheels, storage, swivel wheel, light, easy fold, etc.) that has the ability to add on a seat? Genius, I know.
Phil & Ted Sport
This is the 1st "double" stroller that I owned. I wish that I would have owned this when I just had one kid. It is the perfect stroller for 1 or 2 kids. Buy the single, when you have #2 on the way buy the add on seat. Fin. It still has a home in the trunk of my Mom-tank.
or...
Valco TriMode Single
This stroller is like the Cadillac of single strollers and guess what, you can add a toddler seat to the front. Voila. A double stroller.
Then when you have 2+ kids who need to sit side-by-side you buy this guy.
Valco Trimode Twin
This is my current mode of transportation. And *YES* that is a 3rd seat on the front. AHHH-mazing. In our house everyone rides. Walking children = frazzled nerves.
3. Breastpump- Medela Pump In Style. Best invention ever.
Take the night off and let Dad do the work. Why take 45mins to use the hand pump when you can do the same work in 7mins with much greater output.
4. Bjorn or the Ergo. I had the original Bjorn with Abbey and it just about killed me. So I bought the Bjorn Active with the back support. Totally rocks.
The Ergo carrier is good too but honestly they are kinda ugly.
But it's super comfy and works for a looooooong time.
5. Diaper Bag- Get a bag that you like because you are going to be carrying that sucker for a long long long time.
6. A few really nice quality blankets. Receiving blankets are worthless. seriously. You can't swaddle with them unless you have bitty babies and they just tear and shred in the wash.
A few other "good" things:
- good quality nursing bras (medela, bravado work for me)
- nursing cover
- carseat tent (so people get the hint to leave your baby alone),
- the book Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child,
- Eucerin/Aquaphor
- white noise machine
- oxyclean
- good friends who can talk you off the ledge :)
- video monitor
Stuff you don't need:
- wipes warmer
- J&J babysoap
- bottle drying rack
- lots of newborn diapers (my kids never even wore newborn)
- Diaper Genie
So that's my (un)solicited advice.
Anyone want to add theirs?
6 comments:
Great advice Heather!
I just have to say...we loved receiving blankets in our house but not for swaddling. Both my kids were MAJOR spitters(acid reflux) and we used them all the time for that nasty stuff. Those little spit up rags(or cloth diapers or whatever) were way too small for that job! We carried those things everywhere! Wherever baby was so was blanket. And now they still use them(at 3 1/2 and 2) as blankies and they like to lay them on their pillows. LOL Crazies.. ;)
I'm all about my sling that I can STILL use with my tank of a 14 month old--I liked the bjorn when he was brand new, but as soon as he could sit on my hip, my HOTSLING was the way to go. I hardly ever put him in a stroller unless it was an all-day trip.
Something else all the stores tell you you need that you don't--matching bumper pads, dust ruffles, diaper stacker, curtains etc--for baby #3 I got the cutest, softest bumper pad on sale at pottery barn kids and then coordinating sheets and curtains at Target. I really like the super soft blankets at pbk, too.
I can't believe you didn't mention this one, Heather--YOU NEED blackout curtains to make your kid sleep past 5 am and take a reasonable nap.
The other thing for first time moms is to find what comes naturally to YOU. I do like a lot of the attachment parenting stuff and Heather and I still love each other. :)
Rob and Betta just had there 1st and they've been calling me like crazy asking me all sorts of info. They think that I should write a book. I am thinking that you and I should get together and write a book! I found that phil and Ted stroller after I had Leah-if I would have known about it when I had my first I would have bought it but being that I'm at my last I can't stomach spending anymore money on strollers. The stroller you are currenty using is AWESOME!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! I like lists. I also like lists I can manage. I am so grateful to have a good friend like you who can help a new mom through all the crazyness. As for the talking off a ledge...I am sure I will need that a lot. Thanks again, you're the best!
Love your list, Heather! I need to pow-wow with you about this whole "sleep training" thing--My biggest wish right now is to get 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I'm not sure what happened because Penny was a great sleeper up to about 4-5 months. Now she is constantly waking up and I'm going crazy!!
Heather! Hey!!! I too love your list. Its funny how your priorities change from kid #1 to
#3, Poor Poor Trevin. You just realize the things that matter and the things that dont so much.
Post a Comment