Coming up to the 2 month mark, I thought I would share baby and momma’s favorites for months 1 and 2. I would say the first two months have been a lot of trial and error on different things…..luckily, we were able to hit the nail right on the head with a lot of the products we had purchased before Ellen was born. Only a few she really didn’t care for.
A lot of the basic necessities we started with worked right from the beginning. Pampers Swaddlers seem to be great for Ellen! Haven’t had any real major blowouts, no diaper rash, and I LOVE the wet line indicator (basically a yellow line that runs down the length of the diaper and turns blue whenever she is wet). Although we haven’t tried any other brands, I would definitely recommend these. We have used any and every type of wipe. Scented, non-scented, Huggies, Pampers, Parent’s Choice, and right now, our favorites are the Kirkland brand from Costco. We knew buying in bulk would definitely be worth it, since wipes are definitely used on a consistent basis.
1. Pack n’ Play – GREAT purchase and one we use every day. We keep this downstairs in the living room and is an all-in-one station for naps, diaper changes, and storing any kind of toy, piece of clothing, diaper, etc. Could NOT live without it.
2. Britax B-Safe and B-Agile Travel System – After going back and forth between a few different travel systems, I am SO glad we went with the Britax. The stroller is so light and easy to maneuver, even with one hand. The car seat is very sturdy, easy to get Ellen in and out, and it just pops right into the stroller frame. The only drawback I really have is that the car seat is a bit heavy. But hey, I need the workout as it is, so I am FINE with that!
3. SwaddleMe blankets – We use these only at night to swaddle Ellen up into a baby burrito. Her arms tend to be a bit out of control, which ends up waking her up when she whacks herself in the face over and over again. So these tie them down and help her sleep a bit better. And by only swaddling her at night, I think it helps establish that swaddle time = sleep time. And let me tell you….we have a GREAT sleeper! No complaints here!
4. Aden and Anais Muslin blankets – These are great for everyday use. They are very light and soft, so you can pack on as many as you need for warmth, and are great for lounging, swaddling, covering the car seat, etc. And not to mention, SO cute!
5. Sleep Sheep Sound Machine – Such a great gift! Again, we use this EVERY night and has been an essential item in our night time routine.
6. Gumdrop and Mam Pacifiers – We did go through a lot of different kinds of pacis and these seem to be her favorite. Luckily, she has not become too attached to them and we really only use them to sooth her when she starts to fuss or when she is having trouble getting to sleep.
7. Burp cloths and Bibs – We have a spitter-upper. So any kind of bib or burp cloth can always be found lying around the house somewhere….in the diaper bag….in her car seat….in her crib….you name it. You can always find Drew and I sporting a nice puke corsage somewhere on our clothing.
8. Boon Grass drying Lawn – Because we wash her bottles so often, this is great to have on the counter to dry all the bottle parts and pacifiers. It’s definitely a cuter option than some of the awful things you see out there, and you can even purchase other garden parts, such as flowers and trees, to hang your parts from.
9. Avent bottles – We really lucked out with these bottles and with only 3 parts, I really can’t complain about having to wash them all the time. I would DEFINITELY recommend getting a few glass ones. They tend to warm up twice as fast as the plastic, and with a screaming hungry baby, you will want your bottles made and warmed up ASAP! And looking back, I don’t really see a need to get the smaller ones. We have already transitioned to the bigger bottles (since the little ones only hold up to 4 ounces), so now we don’t ever really use the small ones. Yes….our 2 month old is now drinking 5 ounces at a time! I don’t know where she puts it all!
10. Motorola Video Monitor – This is a GREAT item to have! Especially for all you nervous, neurotic parents like me who go and check to see if your baby is breathing at night if she is sleeping too soundly. It’s always comforting to look over and see that she is okay and not necessarily have to be in the next room.