Baby Essentials: My List of the Must Haves

I spent more hours than I care to recount scouring the web for baby registry checklists, so I thought I would put together my own list of the things I couldn't live without, the things that are nice but aren't necessary, and the things that are just plain overkill.

Let's start with the must haves, shall we?

• SwaddleMe Blankets: Honestly, these things were absolute life savers when Noah was a newborn. He loved to be swaddled, but as a first time parent, it's difficult to get those receiving blankets as tight as they were in the hospital.
• Rock 'n Play Sleeper: Noah loves to feel snuggled up during naps, and this is the perfect solution. I would suggest looking for one that has the insert, like the one in the link, because it seems like it would be uncomfortable for baby's head otherwise. Plus, who wouldn't want their sleeping baby to have adorable monkey ears poking out beneath his or her head?
• NUK pacifiers: I was one of those moms that swore up and down that I would never give my son a pacifier. I thought it would be a bad habit to break, so why start it? As it turns out, Noah is a comfort nurser and has been from the start. If he's not nursing, he's sucking on my shoulder, elbow, knuckle...whatever's in range. So when he finally got the hang of nursing at 3 weeks old, I gave in. The pacifiers the hospital sent home with us made him gag and wouldn't stay in his mouth, so I went on a search for some that would. Theses are orthodontic and BPA free. I just make sure to give them to him as a last resort so he's not dependent on them.
• Tommee Tippee Bottles: I wanted to have bottles on hand so that Levi and other family members could feed Noah, and I was so glad that I purchased these. They are the only bottle he'll take because they have a more natural feel. We haven't had any problems with leaks, they fit nicely in your hand, and they're also BPA free. No complaints from this momma!
• A Baby Carrier: I have yet to find my preference for baby carriers. Noah loves his Baby Bjorn Original, but there is some controversy about how it affects a baby's hip and spine alignment. I would say that the carrier you choose really depends on your own personal preference. Some like the Ergo while others prefer a Moby Wrap. You're definitely not limited to those two options, however. I'll discuss different types of carriers in a later post on babywearing.
• SpaceSaver High Chair: I'm really glad I went this route as opposed to the normal sized high chair. Noah loves to be upright, so this has become our version of the Bumbo. It's portable, easy to clean, and eventually converts to a booster seat for toddlers.
• Gerber Pre-fold Cloth Diapers: These make fantastic burp cloths. I prefer the pre-folds over the flats because they have extra padding in the middle. They're extremely absorbent, and I use them for everything. I even have some set aside for cleaning.
• A Nursing Pillow: I use my Boppy pillow a lot for comfortable positioning when nursing. Most of the time it works for us, once in a while it doesn't. Now that Noah is a little bit older, it works great for propping or as a support when he's sitting up on his own. This is on my must-have for pregnancy list, and you'll see why in a later post.
• Graco Secure Coverage Digital Baby Monitor: I originally bought a cheap-o monitor because all they had in stock when I was shopping for baby were the ridiculously expensive video monitors. We learned on night one that you get what you pay for. After much frustration with screeching and static from the monitor, we gave up. My mother-in-law later purchased this one for us as a gift, and it is perfect. I leave it plugged into the wall, but it has a rechargeable battery. It has a 2000 ft. range, lights up to alert you to the baby's cries, and you can turn on a vibration alert mode.

Now for the list of things that are nice to have:

• Medela Pump in Style Advanced: A breast pump is another one of those purchases where you get what you pay for. Medela gives an increased milk output in comparison to cheaper brands. The motor has also been known to last for more than one baby. I found that a manual pump and hand expression were way too time consuming--even just for pumping one bottle a day and building my freezer stock. I definitely splurged on the Medela, but I would say it was a nice purchase.

• Fuzzibunz Cloth Diapers: My mom purchased these diapers for us before Noah was born, but he spent his first two weeks in disposable diapers. I just thought that the cloth would be difficult to figure out, and I was too tired to deal with it. Then all of a sudden, Noah started leaking through every single disposable diaper we put him in. We tried different brands, different sizes...nothing worked. So I finally gave in and put him in the cloth, and I FELL IN LOVE. In my opinion, they are way easier than disposables. We live pretty far from the base gate, so it takes a long time to get to town, and I was not looking forward to making shopping trips for diapers. Problem solved. It's only one extra load of laundry about every two days (I have a stash of 24 diapers). I have several different brands, but Fuzzibunz are by far my favorite. They're trim, adorable, and they come in one size so they'll fit all the way up to potty-training. Stay tuned for a future post on cloth diapering.

• A Quality Jogging Stroller: I have a decent umbrella stroller that is great for evening walks and trips when I don't want to lug around a huge stroller. The BOB Sport Utility Stroller is on my wish list because I love to run and would love to do so with my husband. We have some fairly rugged trails nearby that I would love to explore, and this stroller is designed to smoothly handle whatever terrain you take it through.
• A Nursing Cover: I purchased the Udder Cover because I had a promo code that made it $12, shipped. It has a hard plastic around the top that allows you to see baby while providing privacy when nursing in public. The plastic in mine bent in the diaper bag, so it's sort of deformed, but it's decent for the price. I've seen some that might be better quality for only a little bit more.
• A Totally Awesome Baby Swing: The mamaRoo mimics your natural bouncing and swaying motions to soothe baby. I purchased the Ingenuity Cozy Coo Sway Seat, and let me tell you, I would LOVE one of these in my size. Unfortunately, Noah wasn't much of a fan. He preferred to be bounced rather than rocked, so I feel like the mamaRoo would have been a better fit.
• A Baby Bath Tub: These are nice for positioning baby, but they are B-U-L-K-Y. If you don't have the storage space, use the sink or buy one of those mesh bath slings that fit in your tub.

And finally, the unnecessary purchases:

• Warmers of any sort: bottle or wipe, they're just unnecessary. Plus, what happens when you're stuck somewhere outside of your house and you have to use cold wipes? Baby's going to be in for a shock!
• Baby Shoes. Yes, they're adorable. They're also impractical. Believe it or not, young babies can't walk. Shocking, right?! So the adorable little shoes that cost way too much might make it through a few family outings or pictures, but then they'll be pushed to the back of the closet and grown out of within a week. I know, I'm just as sad about it as you are. :(
• Baby Bedding. When I was designing Noah's nursery, I found a bedding set that I fell in love with. It was simple, came in the colors I wanted, and didn't have a pattern like most beddings sets do. It was also expensive. Then I got one of those baby safety newsletters in my e-mail that discussed the increased risk of SIDS with baby bumpers and bedding, and it made my decision for me. As much as I loved that gorgeous bedding set, my baby's safety was more important. You can't even use the quilt that comes with the set in the crib, so you'd basically be purchasing a $200 crib sheet.
• Baby Laundry Detergent: How they get away with charging so much for the stuff is beyond me, but a hypoallergenic, scent and dye free detergent works just as well for a fraction of the price. Noah's skin doesn't even have an issue with our scented detergent.
• Gazillions of Fluffy Baby Blankets: You'll most likely get a few as gifts, so you should end up with the perfect amount. You don't need to buy 14 others (guilty--they're so fuzzy and cute!). They're great for laying baby on for tummy time, and for cold winter nights after they reach 12 months of age, but you should never leave a young sleeping baby unattended with one.

So that pretty much sums it up. What are your baby must-haves? What baby items proved to be useless?

How I Made My Own Baby Wipes--Quick and Easy Recipe

Noah was going through hundreds of disposable wipes, and it seemed like such a waste. We were already using cloth diapers, so it wasn't much of a stretch to add cloth wipes to the mix. I just toss them in with the diaper laundry. There are many different ways that you can make your own wipes. Some people like to cut a roll of paper towels in half and add a cloth wipe solution to that, but I was looking for something even more frugal. I purchased Charlie Banana Organic Cotton Wipes, but you can use just about anything--soft baby washcloths or an old, cut up t-shirt are common choices.

Choosing your wipe is the hardest part, I promise! At this point, you can make your wipe solution as complicated as your heart desires. A lot of people like to add baby oil to soften skin and make the wipes easier to use, or essential oils for antibacterial (or scent) properties. I kept it super simple with two ingredients: water and a gentle baby wash.

1. Put about 10 wipes in an empty baby wipes container.
2. Measure out 1 cup of water.
3. Mix about 3 squirts of baby wash into the water (not the other way around--you don't want bubbles).
4. Pour over wipes and allow to soak in for a few minutes before using.

You can also use plain water or put your solution in a squirt bottle and either spray the wipes or baby, but I found that my wipes worked a lot better if they soaked. I really want to pick up some tea tree oil at the health food store and add a few drops to the recipe.

 

Things to Be Aware of:

• You don't want to mix up too many wipes at once, because if they sit for too long, you could end up with mildew problems. I found that 10 is a good amount. I only have to use one at each changing as opposed to a few disposable wipes.
• Adding oil to the recipe can cause absorbency issues with cloth diapers.
• Some babies may react adversely to essential oils used directly on the skin. Use only a few drops or add a carrier oil to the recipe to avoid skin irritation.

Formal Introductions

My main reason for starting a blog is to give family a place to keep up with our day-to-day life, but I just wouldn't feel right jumping in without first divulging a little bit of information about who I am and where I come from. My husband and I met in a homeschool guitar class years ago, and I kid you not, the first thought to enter my twelve year old mind when I first laid eyes on him was that I had met the person I was going to marry. Fast forward through several years of friendship, and you get to the point in the movie where we fell in love and decided to live happily ever after. Levi (the hubs) joined the Air Force and after a fairytale wedding, whisked me away from our Florida home to his first duty station in good ol' Louisiana.

Fast forward to present day, and we now have a beautiful 3 month old son named Noah. His interests range from learning to sit up, playing with his monkey rattle, and blowing spit bubbles. Being a mom is the most rewarding job I could have ever dreamed of having. Thanks to the lifestyle the Air Force has provided us, I have been able to stay home with Noah and watch him change from day-to-day. Just a few hours ago, he was trying to copy my repeated string of, "Da da da..." and when he finally produced the sound himself, he let out a squeal of delight. It's the little moments like that, that bring so much joy to my heart.

As far as what you can expect from this blog, your guess is as good as mine. Another reason for starting it is to keep track of whatever projects or recipes I happen to be experimenting with on a weekly basis. There is a growing list of things that I want to try in my free time, so I'll be adding them here as I work through the list. Right now though, it's time to get dinner started. :)

My two loves:

A very pregnant me at Mike's on Main Street in Hendersonville, NC: