A Few of My Favorite Things

When I went to register for Jackson I was completely clueless as to what I needed to get and more importantly what I would end up using. I asked my Facebook friends for advice and got a lot of great feedback. With that information I headed out to register on two separate occasions, first with John and later with my mom. Neither of which was much help. John just wanted to play with the scanner that they give you to add things to the registry, while my mom was amazed by the amount of stuff that was available for a baby most of which she deemed unnecessary crap. Babies R Us provided me with a list of items to register for and how many of each. Which was some what helpful but I think they advise registering for around 250-300 items which I just could not due. I feared that if the registry was too big that the stuff I really needed like the stroller, car seat and bedding would get lost in a sea of bibs, blankets and toys. I googled “best baby registry items” and “baby necessities”. I even googled “baby stuff you do not need” and found an odd site that suggest that you not register for a stroller or crib because the baby will sleep with you and you won’t want to be pushing a baby in a stroller (this site was straight out of a scene in Away We Go). So I was hopelessly clueless. I registered as best I could and still did not have everything I needed. After having Jack I had to go to BRU and buy more newborn clothes because my mom had convinced me to return some of them because “no one ever wears newborn”. I also ended up going back for swaddles and pacifiers because I didn’t have enough or Jack didn’t like the ones I had.

In the first 3 months of Jack’s life I made more trips to BRU than necessary and found myself wishing I had registered better. So I started developing a list of items that I “could not have survived without”. These items were my lifesavers as they made my life easier, helped Jack sleep better or gave me a moment to enjoy a much needed cup of coffee. Without further ado, here is my list of favorite things.

Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper ( 0-3 months)

This was the perfect place for Jackson to sleep during the first few months. It was light weight and portable so we were able to take it to my parents when we stayed there during the holidays and John would carry it from the bedroom to the living room so that Jackson would be close by during my first few weeks post delivery. It was inexpensive at about $50 and I consider anything baby related in the $50 – $60 price range to be a deal because it’s hard to find most of the larger items for around that price. The liner of the sleeper is washable and comes out easily. I was really sad when we had to put it away when we transitioned Jackson to his crib.

The Happiest Baby on the Block book- ( 0-3 months)

I know I’ve mentioned this before but it deserves repeating. Read this book before you have the baby, I wish I had. This book saved my sanity during a very stressful period when Jackson had colic. I was nearly a month into the colic when I discovered this book. Had I knew how to “treat” Jackson’s colic from the beginning I believe it would have saved both of us a lot of tears and hours of sleep.

Swaddle Me – (0-4 months)

My mom told me I would not need these because “no baby likes to be swaddled”. I received 2 of them at my shower and a 3 pack as a gift later. I returned the 3 pack at my mom’s insistence that they were not necessary. Well she was wrong the swaddle was not only the first step in Dr. Karp’s “no cry cuddle cure” it was also the only way Jackson would sleep and remain sleeping. Once I started using these everything changed. Jackson slept, he cried less, he was much more pleasant to be around. This was the game changer, so much so that I had a hard time parting ways with the swaddle when he had outgrown the need for the swaddle. Also the Swaddle Me is so much easier to maneuver than using a receiving blanket to swaddle and most receiving blankets are too small for an effective swaddle.

White Noise Machine – (0-???)

White noise is a part of Dr. Karp’s method as well. When I first realized that the white noise helped Jackson I tore the noise box out of a soothing teddy that someone had given to me as a hand-me-down. I took the box which made womb sounds and held it close to Jackson’s ear and he would stop fussing. It was amazing. I used the noise box for a long time but the volume wasn’t consistent and it would turn off suddenly and I would have to go back into the room and restart it. Then I downloaded a white noise app on my iPhone and hooked it to my alarm clock. This worked great except it meant that John and I had to give up our alarm clock. I had not purchased a white noise machine because so many of them had bad reviews. But while shopping on Walmart.com (the .com part is the important part of that statement, Walmart.com has fabulous prices on baby stuff) I found one with a projector, the Homedics Sound Spa Lullaby, for $18. So I ordered it figuring that for $18 if it didn’t work I could return it or toss it and not be concerned. It works great my only complaint is that it doesn’t have a womb sound but we use the rain noise. I also love the white noise machine because my house is small and when the machine is on it blocks out the sounds of the TV and of John and I talking.

Dr. Brown’s Formula Mixing Pitcher ( 0 – end of formula feeding )

This pitcher makes mixing powder formula so simple. It takes only a few minutes and you can make up a days worth of bottles. John didn’t know that there was another way to make formula than with the pitcher, lol.

A Play mat/gym (0 -6 ish)

Whether you call it a play mat or a gym the mats that go on the floor with the toys that hang down over top are a wonderful creation. Jackson could play on his for at least 30 minutes without fussing. That is reason enough for me! The play mat that I have is a hand-me-down so I’m not sure which brand it is but it seems to have been a popular one because 2 of my friends also have it.

Mobile

Get a good mobile with cute toys. Sure the ones that match the sets are nice for you to look at but look at the mobile from the bottom up (how the baby will be viewing it) not so much fun to look at the bottoms of a bunch of dopey stuffed cars and trucks now is it? Find a mobile that the toys are angled downward so that the baby can actually see the toys. Pick one that is brightly colored and plays music for as long as possible. It’s also nice if it has a selection of toys. I have the Fisher Price Rainforest Mobile which Jackson loves. As an infant he just liked the music and staring at the toys I could lay him in there and turn the mobile on and have 18 glorious minutes to get myself together in the am. Even now he will sit happily in his crib with his mobile on and a toy to play with. My mobile was about $50 and I think worth every penny. The mobile part also comes off so it can be a crib soother when he gets older.

Bouncy Seat ( 0 – 4 ish months)

I got a cold when Jack was about 7 weeks old and didn’t want to pass it on to him. At the time he was colicky and cranky most days so I was carrying him all the time which was killing my back. With the cold I didn’t want to be breathing in his face all day, so I put a bunch of toys on the bouncy seats toy bar and let him sit and play. I had previously put him in the seat when I was showering or to try and soothe him with the vibration but he never seemed to enjoy it, now with the added toys and the vibrations set to off Jackson loved it. This became his morning hang out while I ate breakfast and drank my coffee. My bouncy seat was a hand-me-down but I think they all work about the same.

Jumper ( 5 months + )

I can’t remember the brand of stationary jumper that I got, what I do remember is that I got it on Walmart.com for about $30 cheaper than most other places. The seat spins and it has several great toys and the ability to add more toys to it but what Jack loves best is that he can stand and jump while in it. He can play in it for up to an hour or longer and not make a fuss.

Pack N Play

I did not register for one of these because I wasn’t sure what I would do with it or where I would put it. But around 6 months I realized that I needed a safe place to put Jackson when I was cleaning or bringing in the groceries. I ordered one again on Walmart.com for about $50 which is seriously inexpensive for one of these. Granted I got a bare bones one no changing table, no bassinet, no mobile. Just a pack and play for him to hang in while I clean and to sleep in when we go away. I didn’t need all the extras that make most pack n plays cost around $150 so I am really happy with my basic one. Also I was able to set it up and take it down all by myself.

This is just my starter list and I’m sure as time goes by I will add to it but I hope that any new mom finds this to be helpful. As with all things baby what one likes another may not.