New mom and research fanatic shares her findings
During the long months of my pregnancy, I spent HOURS researching every little thing related to my growing belly and the life within it. This included running hundreds of Google searches, polling all the friends who had children, and buying all the popular books. He had to know everything, from what to eat. [and NOT eat!]how would work be [ack!], what stroller should I buy, what diapers should I buy, etc. After all, this was going to be my first baby, and I had a LOT of questions! I wanted to be a good father, of course, so I set out to learn and know everything I could. A whole company!
I must say, my diligent research did [and continues to] pay off. We are delighted with almost all purchases, especially the most important ones. However, during those painstaking hours of googling after googling it would have been very helpful to find a full list of recommendations. So I’ve met all of my findings here, in case you save some time and find it valuable.
Books that I recommend
The Girlfriends’ Guide to Pregnancy: Or Everything Your Doctor Won’t Tell You
For expectant mothers, this heartfelt, fun, and very reassuring guide to pregnancy is just what the doctor ordered, or would if he knew. This book was great! I would recommend this to all new moms … but only if you really want to know what to expect … the whole truth and nothing but the truth! I like to be prepared, and the idea of giving birth was one of my biggest fears … I don’t know if I was more worried about the pain or the humiliation of the whole ordeal! This book answered so many of my questions, and since I read it early in my pregnancy, I had many months to mentally prepare for the “big day.”
The brides guide for toddlers
I haven’t read this yet, but if it looks anything like the Pregnancy Guide, it will be worth reading!
What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Third Edition
I have heard mixed reviews on this book. Anyway, I felt it was a valuable reference … especially when I started having sciatic nerve problems in the seventh month! I think some people feel that it causes problems and concerns for the new mother, and maybe it does for some. I just used it as a helpful reference and didn’t read the entire book.
Products that I recommend
Stroller / Baby Carrier:
Cortina Stroller – Explorer (6495686)
Why do I recommend these products?
We review many different strollers / travel systems, including Britax, Peg Perego, and Graco. We couldn’t agree on any of them! We both felt that the Britax was clunky and difficult to open / close. The Graco was too heavy and I didn’t like the handles on the Peg Perego.
During another shopping trip, a Babies R Us employee recommended the Chicco. Hallelujah! My husband and I loved it right away! It is strong but lightweight. It is easy to open and close [unlike the Britax] and will stand up on its own, once closed and locked. It was very easy to assemble, looks good, cleans easily, works great … I haven’t found anything I don’t like!
Pair this great stroller with the Chicco KeyFit car seat. We bought them together as a travel system and bought the second base for my husband’s truck. It is worth the $ 350 we paid! Although my son is about to stop being a stroller, he will be using that stroller for years to come. And the carrier looks brand new so I’m sure I can sell it along with the two bases and get a decent chunk of the amount we paid back.
Carrier accessory:
Original package
Why do I recommend this product?
We live in Ohio where it gets quite cold during the winter. Brrr! The BundleMe fits quite well in the carrier and is soft and warm. Our baby loves it! And we don’t have to put bulky coats on him or worry about compromising his safety.
High chair:
Polly highchair – Explorer
Why do I recommend this product?
You are going to notice a theme here … we like Chicco products! Since we love our stroller and carrier so much, we decided to start our search for the perfect highchair by looking at the Chicco product. Once again, it surprised others, as far as we are concerned. Cleans easily, reclines nearly upright, has dual tray liners, and folds very thin. What’s not to like?
Playground:
Chicco Lullaby Play Yard Explorer – 6445386
Why do I recommend this product?
This is another great Chicco product! There are so many things it does. There is a twist
changing table, activity mat, bassinet and playground. Also has a night
light, music and vibration. It folds up very small, making it ideal for travel! We have used it on several trips to visit family.
My only recommendation or change? We found the mat where the baby sleeps or plays quite hard. So, we bought a piece of memory foam at Target for about $ 19 and cut it to size. We put it under the mattress and we had a baby who slept really well!
Baby Carrier / Sling:
Ergo baby carrier
Why do I recommend this product?
Originally, we were going to get the Baby Bjorn, and I had it listed on my record. However, a doctor friend recommended this carrier instead. I did some research [shocking, I know!] and reading numerous reviews, they were all raving about it. So, we went ahead and bought this baby carrier in front of Baby Bjorn.
Now, even though I like the baby carrier, I had some trouble putting it on at first. We ordered the baby insert and I had to read the instructions to find out where the baby was supposed to go. It was very comfortable once I put it on and adjusted the baby. And he definitely loved being so close to Mom.
Breastfeeding things:
* Boppy naked nude
* Medela New Pump In Style Original Breast Pump
Why do I recommend these products?
Oh my gosh, breastfeeding was a HUGE challenge for me! My mother and older sister couldn’t do it, so I felt like I was doomed from the start. But I gave it the good old college try and held my ground for those first heartbreaking weeks. I don’t think it would have been successful without the Medela pump. And the Boppy was perfect for breastfeeding and keeping my big baby – he weighed 9 pounds. 6 oz. at birth! Although I could never do without formula, I was able to feed him at least 50% breast milk for more than 3 months. For me, it was a great success!
Good night sleep well:
Baby monitor:
Summer Infant # 02100, Portable Color Video Monitor
Why do I recommend this product?
This has become one of my favorite baby products! When we moved our son from our room to his own room upstairs, I had a little collapse. How could I sleep with my baby so far away ??? However, with this monitor, I can hear and see my little one when I want … something that gives me SO peace of mind.
As usual, I did a lot of research on this and other monitors, and summer monitors kept coming up as highly recommended. I thought about getting the 1.8 “screen but opted for the 2.5” one. And let me tell you … I’m glad I did.
The picture is good, the sound is good, even from two floors away. I love being able to watch my baby sleep at the touch of a button. I especially enjoy listening to him and looking at him when he first wakes up and likes to sing on his mobile. I don’t know how we would do without our monitor! Oh, and if you have a wireless network and cordless phones other than 900 MHz, you’ll have a nice, clear signal!
Other sleeping products:
Calypso Mobile
When it comes to mobiles, this one is great! It has many characteristics and “grows” with the baby. However, we hardly ever use it, because the lights and sounds of the ocean seem to entertain our baby and keep him awake! Luckily, hanging fish will soon make great bath toys …
Halo cotton sleeping bag
Our son sleeps in one of his halo sacks almost every night. It’s a great way to keep baby warm without worrying about a blanket covering his face!
Other products we love:
Ocean Wonders aquarium hammock
This is great for putting baby to sleep or keeping him busy while trying to shower, cook, or balance his checkbook! The vibration usually has our child asleep in a matter of minutes. Very portable.
Lionheart Prince Baby Pod
Now that our son is learning to sit up and control his big head, he likes to sit in his Bebe Pod seat more.
Baby’s health
Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer
No need to put a thermometer on the baby’s bottom … need I say more?
You are what you eat:
I signed up for numerous new baby newsletters and offers … I get things in the mail AND in the mailbox all the time. I have tried Enfamil, Good Start and Similac with my baby. Although each baby is unique, I found that my son didn’t seem to like Similac, and that made him fussy. He had a lot of gas at first with Good Start. But we went ahead and finished the can with him, and he’s been fine with it ever since.
We feed him Good Start during the day and Enfamil Lipil AR at night. Since he is such a large baby, he seemed to need more than formula or breast milk at night. When he was not old enough to eat solid foods, the added rice starch in Lipil AR seemed to be enough to get him to sleep through the night. [at 11 weeks]. It also helped with a minor spitting up problem I had.
Bottles:
Dr. Brown’s Wide Neck Luxury Bottles
Once we started it on solid foods, we went with Gerber. I try to find the organic versions, but they are not always available. I have to admit, the pears are pretty yummy!
So what am I NOT into? Regardless of the brand, I would not buy:
* To the diaper bucket – the one we used sucked no matter what, so my husband threw it away! Now, we simply take down the dirty diaper and throw it in the outside trash. A little extra work, but the nursery doesn’t stink anymore!
* A mirror for the car – you know, the ones that you hang on the seat, so you can see the baby in its carrier. The one we had seemed really cool at first as it played music and had lights. Unfortunately, it blocked A LOT of view from the rear and side of our SUV, so the added benefit of seeing our baby was not worth the risk of an accident.
* Adjustable newborn wrap – I think we have the Swaddle Me. It just didn’t fit our baby, and when it did, he didn’t want me to wrap it up anymore! Stick to swaddling blankets.
* Bottle warmer – This one probably sounds crazy, but we’ve hardly used ours. I don’t make bottles ahead of time, so I can always use warm water when preparing the bottle. And I never had enough extra breast milk to freeze. From time to time, we need to warm a bottle, and then a bottle warmer is useful. I wouldn’t recommend spending a lot on this unless you plan to make bottles ahead of time or use frozen / refrigerated breast milk. And it definitely wouldn’t heat up your car.
* A mobile… as cute as ours, it was a disappointing waste of money.
In short …. no, I do NOT work for Chicco! And yes, I have bought and tried all of these products. And yes, I would buy all my recommended products again, if necessary. Hope my trial and error can help you make fewer mistakes!
Instead of constantly frantic searches for information, you can relax, lift your incredibly swollen feet, and enjoy your journey to motherhood. Wouldn’t you rather buy funny maternity t-shirts or cute baby bibs instead anyway?