*please note that I am new at this mom-thing and desire to not sound too much like I know everything about children without fully admitting I don't know everything about children and that all children, parents, play methods and parenting techniques are different and unique to each family.
First, a more substantial update post is forthcoming, as soon as I can find my brain... second, I use the term "must" loosely. I feel we are fortunate to have our baby in a time where pretty much anything and everything anyone could possibly imagine (gear,clothes, toys, information...) is at our disposal to assist in raising a child. I've heard, and appreciate, the comment "we didn't have that back then" regarding multiple items Clif and I use without a second thought. We. Are. Lucky. That said, I wanted to share my thoughts on baby items that have come, and will probably be coming, into our house.
To summarize my philosophy on baby things: children have been raised just fine since the dawn of time WITHOUT all the gadgets out there now. Can they help and/or streamline the process? Some do, some may not. Are they nice to have? Sure. Is having one of each and every new item out there necessary to succeed? No way! Our parents brought us up beautifully with a fraction of the tools available to us now and I have every confidence I could do the same, even if with not as much grace. I haven't made that some kind of personal goal, to martyr through child rearing, but it has helped color my perspective on the things we registered and buy for Flynn.
When selecting items to put on our baby registry and shopping lists going forward, there are a few criteria I'd like each item to have at least one of:
1) Gender Neutrality - who knows what baby number two (maybe even three?) will be, I want to get as much use out of our gifts and purchases as possible. Our nursery, for example, will be just as great for a girl as it is for our boy.
2) Small foot print - toys that can't be packed away in bins or that take up half of the living room space are going to be sparse in our already-bursting house. We have gear, LOTS of gear, to support Clif's business and I often feel like I'm drowning in stuff, so I want to limit the amount of additional stuff we probably don't even need, especially if it's huge.
3) Multiple uses - also see item 2, I don't have space for one-trick ponies.
4) How many batteries does it take, sounds does it make, does it enhance or hinder my child's will to exercise his own imagination.
With all that in mind, here are some items that I would fight someone for and the reasons why:
My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow - I admit it, when my sister started RAVING about this thing and INSISTING life would never be the same if I didn't have one and we wished she could have a do-over with her first two girls just so she could use this pillow, I kind of rolled my eyes a little bit. NOW I GET IT! It buckles on, no having to worry about or expend energy keeping it close and secure, I can walk around with it held in place (nursing on the move!), it's easier to transfer Flynn if he falls asleep, we play on it, I lean on it when playing with him on the floor, he props on it during tummy time... I registered for a Boppy because they have cute patterns and I'd always heard how great they were. I don't miss not having one. At all. Anything I could do with a Boppy I can do with My Breast Friend and half of them I can do even BETTER. Seriously. Get one. Get one for every mother of a wee one you know!
Co-Sleeper - This one was on the registry then vetoed because Clif was not so hot on the co-sleeping idea. I ended up making a snap decision to buy it myself several weeks after Flynn was born and it has become one of the most frequently used items we have. Flynn sleeps in a bassinet next to the bed during the night, but when I get up early in the morning to feed him he goes back to sleep in the sleeper between us in bed so one, the other, or both of us get some extra time to sleep in that feels like snuggle time. It is easier to soothe him back to sleep, re-pacify him if he spits it out and it's awesome for waking up slowly with some quiet play in the mornings. We use it all around the house and even more so when we travel (it's easier to carry than the Pack n Play!). I toss it in the car when I go out late or long enough to threaten Flynn's bed time and might need to whip out a nap station in a quiet corner and on weekend overnight trips. It folds in half for easy carrying, is really light weight, doesn't take up a lot of space and lets us provide a place to Flynn to nap on the go without leaving him in his car seat. Flynn has fallen asleep on the couch in the living room and I carry him in it, like a giant pizza box, to the bedroom for the night without disturbing him. I have the one linked and am loving it, but I am considering getting this one so we can use it a little longer (time in relation to his length).
Pack n Play - When we first brought Flynn home I was worried that getting a brand new one for the house when we already had one stashed and ready to use at the family weekend home might have been superfluous. Instead we ended up putting it in the living room (mainly because I hated the idea of Flynn sitting alone, staring at the ceiling in our bedroom and missed having him close to me) and it's, at least for now, a permanent fixture. He naps in it, plays in it, I sometimes change him in it and it's a great catch-all for the toys, blankets and shenanigans that start to take over the living room. I also keep the play mat in it so I don't have to set it up and tear it down all the time, it fits perfectly and doesn't take up a second foot print of space.
Bouncy Swing - It has a small, compact foot print and two functions: a swing when in the base and a bouncy seat when it stands alone. It has a belt and handle so I can carry Flynn around the house in it, particularly nice when we bring him to the dinning room to join us for dinner or when I'm going to take him in the shower with me and I need somewhere to put him before and after. Small (at least by comparison), multi-function, gender neutral.
Lolly and Friends Giraffe Rattle - This thing AWESOME! Small, light weight, easy for Flynn's tiny hands to grasp around its neck, doesn't hurt when he inadvertently bashes himself in the face with it and so, so cute! We were even using it on occasion as a bit of a head support when he was in the car seat, it fit just perfectly to be a little extra pillow for him. I love it so much I ordered 3 more, just in case one or two gets lost.
O'Ball Rattle - Also small and light weight, simple and inoffensive. Flynn has been able to grasp and hold on to this sooner and easier than some of his other rattles, partly because it's design makes it so he ends up grabbing hold of it by accident half of the time.
Glider - We have a different one, gifted ours by family and a friend, but any one will do and good gracious, the peaceful hours Flynn and I have spent in that sucker! Movement may be great for baby but don't underestimate how good it is for YOU, too.
Avent Manual Breast Pump - At first I was afraid, I was petrified... no, really. Since I ended up in ICU not even 24 hours after birth from too much pressure on my hands, the thought of hand pumping long enough to express any amount of milk gave me the chills, especially based on my experience with the crappy one that came with my electric pump. So, when the day came that Flynn was having none of nursing, I couldn't get our timing right and I was in so much discomfort I didn't know how I could go any longer, I hopped online to see what was available at the local rural Walmart and picked one that was cheap with decent reviews. Let me tell you what, a hand pump that is dedicated to that job, not just the add on they throw in for good measure with the big gun, is a whole new world! It's comfortable, easy to break down to wash and reassemble, fits in the diaper bag and does a great job. It has saved me on more than one occasion and without having discovered it I would still think of manual pumping as one of motherhood's greatest evils. Coincidentally, we got an Avent bottle for free when we opened our baby registry and it is our favorite! Now we have two. :D
Britax B-Agile Travel System Stroller - Yes. Just yes. At first we were registered for the something-something City stroller, but they are almost identical and this one is BETTER! It came with the infant car seat and base, with the other we'd have had to buy the base separately. It handles like a dream and opens/closes literally with a push of a button. We thought we would be smart and have the infant base in one of our cars and a "permanent" transitional car seat in the car we used less frequently but we gave up and bought a second base. Other than Flynn himself, these are the things we are carrying most often.
Ergobaby Carrier - It's comfortable, easy to use and wear, good for baby's hips (just say 'No!' to Baby Bjorn) and even has a hood to address sun protection. What's not to love? Ok, the price isn't ideal, but for some things the benefit to the baby just has to outweigh the negatives of going for the cheap option, for me this is one of those things. A really great alternative is the Infantino Wrap and Tie Baby Carrier.
Brica Infant Carseat Comfort Canopy - We haven't used this one as much, YET. It's a bug net and a rain/UV cover that makes Flynn's car seat like an awesome little tent. He may be indifferent to it but I love the protection it provides, it's easy to "install" and folds up into its own carrying case.
Infant Nasal Spray - Seriously, for tiny little creatures they can produce some EPIC nose junk. Flynn might not -love- what I've come to call Nose Hose time, but we both appreciate the after effects and harvesting some of those suckers isn't too unlike fishermen getting pumped about a prize catch. Gross? Absolutely but that doesn't make it any less true.
Dropcam - it sounds crazy, but these cameras have been such lifesavers. One in the nursery and two in the most-used rooms in the house let me peek in on the daily activity from work. I the nursery it is great peace of mind to check in on Flynn at night to make sure he's sleeping ok, see if he REALLY needs attention when we hear him cry or if he just needs a minute to resettle, etc. Being able to check on him without opening the door means we have a window to that much more of his cuteness and can peek without stimulating him by entering the room.
BabyConnect - In the beginning we had concerns about Flynn's size and growth rate, so we wanted to find something to help us keep track of all of his progress. We tried a few apps before someone told us about this gold mine. You can track as much or as little information with a wide range of detail options. It is literally the catch-all and an incredible tool. You can track nursing, pumping, eating, eliminating, sleeping, doctor's visits, and so much more. Color coded charts give great snapshots of Flynn's progress or maintenance, which is very comforting.
Well, there's my list so far. I am certain as we go along I'll discover other goodies I will want to come back and add here. What's on your list?
