I've been getting emails from new moms -- biological and adoptive -- asking about their registry. What should be on it? What am I forgetting? So ... I wanted to ask all of you. What was the item you could not live without. What was that one thing that you found absolutely a lifesaver. Tell me if this is for:
- Newborns (first few weeks and months)
- Babies (6 months-1 year)
- Walkers (1-2 years)
- Preschoolers (2-5)
11 comments:
Newborns: a pacifier keeper---http://www.target.com/p/mam-baby-perfect-pacifier-with-twist-clip-6-months-blue/-/A-13425910#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton
Babies: DEFINITELY buy sleepsacks---they are the BEST purchase I made for my children, bar none: https://www.halosleep.com/products/results/?product_category_id=10
Walkers: a healthy dose of patience :)
Preschoolers: Karyn Henley has done some AWESOME Christian music DVDs: http://www.amazon.com/Feel-Like-Giggle-Video-Collection/dp/B0036ZT2GE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1345131159&sr=8-3&keywords=karyn+henley+dvds
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Little-Ladybugs-2-Video-Collection/dp/B003H7QENU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1345131159&sr=8-5&keywords=karyn+henley+dvds
http://www.amazon.com/Noahs-Zoo-DVD-2-Video-Collection/dp/B004DE8DHG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1345131159&sr=8-7&keywords=karyn+henley+dvds
Oops, on rereading it sounds like you want the one overall thing, not one thing per age. Well, if I had to choose between the things I linked (and that's hard to do), I guess I'd pick the sleepsacks. They fit the bill of being that ONE thing I could not live without (although we had many of them in varying sizes and colors, etc.).
27 years ago, when my son was about 3 months old I was at my wits end as he would get really fussy around 5 in the afternoon. NOTHING pacified (no pun intended)him. A friend suggested a baby swing. I loaded screaming baby in the car, went to the store and purchased one. Keep in mind this was before the electronic ones so you had to use a hand crank to keep it going. Didn't care...bought it, quickly drove home, assembled it, loaded it up with blankets to support his little self, cranked it up and off it went, back and forth. No joke, within 1 minute he quit crying, 2 minutes later he was sound asleep. BIG lifesaver for me.
3 kids and a great love of shopping have given me the gift of having tried out a great many products. I'm not going to say most, because there are a TON of baby things out there. It took a while to figure out that most of them are useless or at least unnecessary. But there are a few I swear by:
In the first year: The Woombie: http://www.woombie.com/ They're having a big sale BOGO on clearance woombies. :) I have tried tons of baby swaddlers. All 3 loved to be swaddled. Woombie is the best. I especially like that they can unzip from the bottom so when they're really little you don't have to unwrap them to change a diaper at night.
For kids 6 months - 5 years: Brillkids: http://www.brillkids.com/ra.php?BKAFF79423 I taught my sons to read using Your Baby Can Read, but now they've gone out of business. Brillkids does much the same thing, but it's more versatile and customizable. They also have Math and Music programs, which I just started with the kids and they all love. :) I am a big believer in teaching kids while they still think learning is fun, because it is.
Favorite Baby carrier (up to a year): http://www.scootababy.com/ Hands down. I have tried a lot of baby carriers. Scootababy is the only one that I have ever liked. The weight rides on the hip instead of the shoulders/back.
With our 2nd child we bought a video monitor. I love the video monitor. It's expensive, but totally worth it. The monitor we got is a Summer. http://www.summerinfant.com/Products/Monitoring/Video-Monitors/Complete-Coverage%E2%84%A2-Color-Video-Monitor-Set.aspx It has lasted us over 2 years now. The battery in the hand held had to be replaced once, but the unit as a whole has been really durable.
What I have found to be unnecessary: crib bumpers, diaper stackers, baby shoes (those shoes meant for babies before they can walk), moses basket, anything they'll outgrow in a few months. I bought so many clothes for my kids and they grew so fast that I ended up trying so hard to just take a picture of them in each outfit.
Before you decide to do cloth diapers, try http://www.gdiapers.com/ They're a cloth hybrid. It's a great way to see if you're ready for all that very yucky laundry without shelling out a lot of money on a whole cloth diaper package. Just get a starter pack and try them out . If you don't like them, they have surprisingly good resale value.
I could go on like this for hours. :)
Final advice: Check reviews on Amazon.com
and
Everything is on sale somewhere. Price check before you buy.
Newborn - help around the house so I could bind and breastfeeding and not worry about laundry and dinner.
Babies - Ergo carrier - http://store.ergobaby.com/
And a swing for naps! I wish mine had plugged in, I was constantly recharging batteries.
A boppy pilliow- I had 4 babies and didn't have this for the first 2. I used it for nursing with the last 2 and it may a world of difference for me and baby comfort wise. When baby grows a bit and begins sitting this is a great item to have to prevent those falls backwards. There are other uses for play and such but those are the 2 things I used it for. A well spent $30 and now that I have a grandson I got to buy my daughter one with a fun cover that matched her theme!
http://www.boppy.com/how-to-use/
PS: been reading your blog since your first kiddo- not sure if I've ever left a comment but I sure enjoy reading :)
A pacifier as infants
Double JOGGING stroller (regular strollers do not do well in grass or sand)
Snack traps (sorry I don't have time to add link for those but you can google them and BRU has them...or did at one time). I would put mini marshmallows - the different colored ones, smarties, gold fish, mini ritz and a variety of other snacks in them. It would keep them busy the entire church service (no nursery to bring them to).
"snugglies" those little 12 in sq blankets that have a stuffed animal attatched to the top of them. I started using them when they were 5 mo. old when they were sleeping and have continued to be handy over the last 8 years when my one son has had surgeries. (although he would never admit he needed it with him)
a garden kneeling cushion for my knees when giving baths. You can buy these in the baby section but why pay $20 or more for those when the ones in the garden section are $2
In the toddler stage - electric tooth brushes. Getting them to brush their teeth before resulted in screaming and crying. The day we got the electric tooth brushes was the last day I fought with them to brush their teeth. (elmo ones and there was a number on the pkg so your child can call elmo. elmo would then tell your child what a good job brushing he's doing)
Aqua Doodle mats. Great for traveling and church!
Bethany
SWING, SWING, SWING!!!!!!
(Bonus points if it's also a "vibrating chair". :)
Newborn- A wrap of some sort. I have a Baby K'Tan, a lot of people use a Moby. It's helpful for getting chores done around the house & going grocery shopping. The carrier packs are sometimes too big and they swallow the baby.
A video monitor - worth every penny! We have a Philips Avent, which I have been very happy with.
Newborn-8 months so far: we couldn't live without our Fisher Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper (aka 'the Taco').
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002M77N22/ref=mp_s_a_1?pi=69x75&qid=1345528544&sr=8-1
We have a former two pound preemie refluxing fussy adorable (now 17 pound) baby and this thing has saved our lives (and our sanity).
jacriswell@verizon.net
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