SLEEP
Arms Reach Co-sleeper - he still sleeps in it, and it is great to have his bed attached to ours. We have the mini, which is fine for us. Get a spare sheet to combat blowouts.
Swaddle Me (Kiddapotamus) - the swaddle for dummies. It was wonderful for our sleep deprived selves, and helped Teddy sleep better as he couldn't startle himself awake.
Miracle Blanket - as Teddy got older, he could easily bust out of the velcro wrap. This blanket is an awesome option. We still use it, though he breaks out of it often now.
NUK pacifiers - orthodontic, and a big hit. They help him soothe himself to sleep.
FOOD and/or POOP
Bibs with snaps - Teddy can pull off the ones with velcro after a few washes, so the ones with snaps are amazing. Thanks, Mom, for picking up a bunch at M&S in Dover.
Playtex Nurser bottles and Drop-In Liners - yes, less environmentally friendly. But BPA free and require no sterilization (except for the nipples). They heat quickly, the bags collapse as the baby drinks so lead to less gas, and the nipples are HUGE (Teddy chomps on the nipples so pulls traditional nipples right out of the rings). I loved these as a baby (I was breast-fed and supplemented), and so does my kid!
Glass pitchers in which to store expressed breast milk - with my oversupply problem, I need to mix up the milk to prevent a fore/hindmilk imbalance. Glass works best for storage, as the fat sticks to plastic too much.
Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage bags - thick, two zipper closures, win! And they lay down flat when you freeze them for better storage.
Pampers Swaddlers, which fit him best. We use baby washclothes as wipes, and cheapo regular-sized clothes to block the boy pee. Also, having a change station set up in our bathroom has been amazing. I'm hoping to switch to cloth soon, though, so I'll keep you posted.
OXYCLEAN FOR BABIES!! This stuff can remove even the worst poop blowout stains.
Sleepers with snaps, and outfits with snaps at the bottom, facilitating easy changes.
HANGING AT HOME
Fisher Price Papasan Cradle Swing - I got this (new in the box) from the local consignment store. Teddy prefers the side-to-side motion, though he also likes the front-to-back. This swing offers both. We use it daily.
Safety 1st Bouncy Seat - another consignment store steal. I like this because it sits upright a bit more than some of the other bouncers.
Fisher Price Infant to Toddler Rocker - Teddy loves this chair; he can rock himself and it has toys the dangle over so he can reach.
GOING OUT AND ABOUT
Combi EX frame stroller - it's so easy to put the Graco Safeseat into it and go.
Graco Safeseat - heavy as heck, but it goes to 30 lbs and 32 inches.
Columbia backpack diaper bag - Daddy friendly, snaps that attach to the stroller, insulated compartment for bottles. Love it!
Bucket sunhats - the best for blocking the sun and for covering ears.
BECO Butterfly II carrier - my newest love. Dave has the ERGO, also a hit. I'm a shorty, though, and the ERGO clips hit me right in the boobs; the last thing I need are more squished ducts! The BECO is more complex to get on, but it is slimmer, has an infant insert (for use next time, since we got it when Teddy was 4 months), and fits me like a glove. Both it and the ERGO allow the weight to be distributed on your hips, so you don't get back strain. I wear Teddy for about 2 hours each day and haven't had a single back issue. I LOVE IT! Plus, the design I have (River) is awesome.
OVERALL
The Wonder Weeks, by Hetty Vanderijt and Frans Plooij. These Dutch researchers highlight the 8 enormous cognitive leaps that infants undergo, and describe the behaviours associated with each. They also talk about the milestones children will hit after the leaps. It makes the unusual behaviour prior to the leap more interesting and bearable and less confounding. A must read.
I'm sure that we'll have more to add in the near future. If any of you reading are parents, feel free to share your loves, too!
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