The One with the Butt

aka: Navigating Through All the Baby Stuff Part 2

Sooo, my previous post was about all the baby stuff I feel like you really “need” (remember using the word “need” loosely). Part 2 is about all the stuff I have that I really enjoy, but COULD live without. Thanks to the generosity of so many of our friends and family we were able to receive all the things we needed AND wanted.

Most of the following things were graciously given to us – and although I don’t consider them a need, they either make my and David’s lives easier or are fun for Adleigh. So, I’m so thankful for them!

Rocking Chair/Glider: this is another item where there are tons and tons of options and it can get so overwhelming. Buying new you can find something anywhere from $100 to $1000+! The spread is incredible! I think the rate-limiting thing with the glider is not necessarily your style preference, but your budget. The wooden, fabric-covered gliders tend to be less expensive than the fully upholstered ones. And, sometimes the price you see doesn’t even include the ottoman, so beware! The glider wasn’t a top priority for us (for financial reasons) so we were super blessed when one of our family members purchased a beautiful used one and re-upholstered it to match our décor. If Adleigh is fighting sleep, throw her up on your shoulder, take her to the glider, and rock away…zzzzzzz…..

Bouncer: pretty much all of my mom friends said a bouncer was a must. Most people have a Rock N Play (and a lot of moms use this as the place for their newborns to sleep for the first few months). We were gifted something similar to a Rock N Play that gently bounces up and down, plays music and has a cute little mobile hanging above baby’s head. To be honest, I was a little discouraged at first because we put it together, had it out in the house, and Adleigh HATED it! And, I HATE having stuff around the house that isn’t useful. Thankfully, now, she really likes it so I’m able to put her in there to play or nap and I know she’s safe if I’m walking around the house getting other things done.  

Swing: another must-have for most moms. If this wasn’t given to us I would not have purchased one. I don’t think you need both a swing and a bouncer. And, again, Adleigh hated it at first and I was so upset every time I walked past it. But, now she’ll swing in it for a little while and seems to enjoy it. I will say that if you have a multi-level house you may consider having one of these type pieces on each level so you don’t have to lug it around (the bouncer is super portable, the swing we have is not so much). Otherwise, if your house is compact and all one level, I don’t think you need multiple baby swings/bouncers/etc.

Bottle brush: even if you are breastfeeding, there will probably come a time when you have to use a bottle. The bottle brushes make it easy to clean the bottle.

Baby carrier: I think it’s great to be able to wear Adleigh. Unfortunately, she isn’t one of those babies who always loves it - sometimes she likes it, sometimes she doesn’t. We have the ERGObaby Four Position 360 Baby Carrier with Infant Insert – this is great for me AND David. I used this when Adleigh and I flew to Boston by ourselves. I also have a hand me down Moby. The Moby has a major learning curve. It took me several tries and lots of YouTube watching before I felt confident tying it on and wearing it and her – but I think I’m pretty good at it now. The problem with the Moby (or other long scarf-like ones) is it’s such a long piece of fabric it would be difficult to just throw on in the parking lot if I decided to wear her to run into a store. So, I also have the Beco Ring Sling which is so much easier to put on and off. It’s more compact, so it’s also easier to throw into your diaper bag if you think you might need it.  Do I need 3 baby carriers? Probably not... but they each serve a purpose and I use all 3. 

Stroller organizer: many strollers don’t come with any pockets or cup holders or anything. I got an external attachment that goes around the handle bars to accommodate.

Decorative baskets for closet/changing table: I like having cute baskets in the closet to organize. We have a cube shelving unit in the closet with pull out basket/drawers. We were gifted a couple cute decorative baskets that I keep in the closet. On her changing table I have a small white, plastic container I got from Target for $3 that holds a bunch of diapers and her Flanders.

Laundry basket: I have a plain white, plastic laundry basket in her closet (it’s actually just one we were using for us before).

Boppy Lounger: even though I say I could live without this, I always mention this as one of my “must-haves” for new moms when I’m asked. This thing has been so wonderful for us. Adleigh has been lounging in this thing since the day we brought her home from the hospital. I think it states for babies up to 16 pounds. She is about 11 pounds now and already seems big in it, but she still loves it. We put her in it in the dining room while we eat, in our bathroom while we get ready, in our bedroom, anywhere! Side note: do have something you can put in/near the bathroom that baby can safely sit in while you shower/get ready.

Play Yard: we have the Pottery Barn Kids Animal Friends Classic Activity Gym and love it. It’s gray and white, much more muted and “décor friendly”. I don’t think Adleigh is quite to the age where she can appreciate the actual toys on the play yard, she just lays there and looks and sometimes accidentally hits the animals hanging over her head. But, play yards are great to lay the baby on and play for a bit. There are many different kinds to choose from. I actually just saw a SUPER cute pink owl one and reallllllly wanted to buy it for Adleigh. But, she definitely does not need it, so I showed some restraint. We also have a Kick ‘n Play Piano gym that I just recently opened because she’s been kicking her feet a lot more. I don’t think she really knows she’s kicking the piano and making it make music, but it’s so cute to watch her and one day she will know she’s doing it herself and will love it.

Boppy Pillow: the boppy pillow is multifunctional. Most women use it to help hold their baby while they nurse. Adleigh was so small when we brought her home that I didn’t need any extra cushion to support her, I just held her. And, I’ve kind of just gotten used to that, so I haven’t really used the regular boppy that much. I am getting ready to start using it more to help her sit and help with her tummy time. It is definitely multifunctional.

Bottle drying rack: another modern invention that we could totally do without but that I really enjoy. I have the Boon Lawn and Twigs. Before I got them I was just turning her bottles upside down on my drying mat that I use for my other dishes, but the bottles weren’t getting ventilated properly and weren’t drying quickly or well. This has totally solved that. I love it.

Car mirror: to attach to your back seat head rest so you can see your baby from the rear view mirror.

CarSeatCanopy: a friend of mine had the CarSeatCanopy whole caboodle and it looked so nice and cozy for her daughter when she was in the car seat. We registered for it and it was gifted to us. It was so great for her first few weeks of life because she was so tiny and it helped fill up the car seat. After that it got a little hot (summer in the south) so we had to take out the piece that covered the whole seat. We still used the head rest portion (until about 2 days ago) because it perfectly cradled her little head (read: no neck cramp). We also still use the part that attaches to the car seat handle and acts as a blanket covering. All in all, it’s a great product- but you could just as easily use one of your many blankets as a car seat cover.

Sound Machine: admittedly, I was totally against any “sleep props.” Many people told me to register for a sound machine and I thought “No way, I don’t want her to have to use that to sleep.” Insert foot in mouth. She was super fussy one day so I downloaded a white noise app on my phone, turned it on, and voila, quiet baby! We have found when she sleeps with it on all night, she sleeps better and longer. Hopefully I can phase it out at some point (I might try that this weekend, along with an earlier bedtime…. So, maybe I won’t be getting any sleep this weekend!). I just prefer her not be dependent on it – but, for now, mommy needs to sleep, too!

Crib Mobile: she loves this thing. We don’t use it when we are putting her to bed, but when I lay her in there either for naps or just for a safe place to be while I do a few things around the house, she is mesmerized by the mobile.

Bumbo: just took this out last week to see if she could sit in it yet. She did great! The Bumbo helps strengthen baby’s core so they can start to sit up on their own.

Pack N Play: there are way too many choices for this ol’ classic, too! Different colors and designs. Different features: changing table, napper/sleeper included for your newborn, etc. My parents bought a used one for $20, we’ve only used it once. Before Pack N Plays existed, moms found other places for baby to safely sleep while on the road (seriously, my mom told me she put us in drawers). There are also now smaller infant travel beds available if you do need something to bring on the road. I imagine we’ll get more use of the Pack N Play when she’s a little more mobile.

Pacifiers: I won’t discuss pacifiers because we have chosen not to offer Adleigh one. However, I’m sure many parents would put them on the “need” list.

Beebo: we actually don’t have this but I wanted to mention it because of a picture David sent me recently. I found this while searching through other people’s baby registries. It’s basically a bottle holder so you can be hands free when bottle feeding your baby before she can hold the bottle herself. I started to think it was a little silly, but then David sent me this picture:

Photo caption: "Gotta get creative when u have stuff to do" 

I guess the Beebo isn’t such a silly idea after all!

I’m sure I’m forgetting some things we have around the house for Adleigh, but I tried to walk around and go through everything to cover it all!

I think when you talk to people about having a baby one of the things you hear the most is “Babies have a lot of stuff!” This is true… but it doesn’t have to be. If you want all the best gizmos and gadgets for your little one and you are fortunate enough to be able to afford it all, that’s great! If you want to be a minimalist, or you just can’t afford much, that’s great, too! There is no right or wrong way when it comes to baby stuff – it’s all personal preference.

You can choose what advice you take from other people. Don’t give it a second thought when people tell you that you need to do or need to have something you just don’t want! Ultimately you do what is best for your family. Babies have survived for thousands of years without all the baby stuff available now.

I hope you enjoyed hearing my thoughts and preferences – take it with a  grain of salt and then do and get what’s right for you! 

Stay tuned for my next post about baby clothes!