I wanted to write about the products we loved and the products that were kind of flops (this is all based on our experience).
Let start with the LOVE list:
1. Rock n' Play sleeper This is awesome for those first 3-4 months, when baby is sleeping most of the time and you want them near you. This is super light weight and folds very easily to take with you wherever you go, including other people's houses. It has a vibrate function which helps baby fall asleep or stay asleep. L used this for 4 months, and slept in it at night in or room right next to my bed.
2. Swaddlers: Swaddle Me & Halo The Swaddle Me we used up until maybe 2 months, its small and contained, reminds me of a little caterpillar. L slept so snuggly in these, and even if he was having a melt down during the day, I'm wrap him up and he would instantly soothe. The Halo was great when he got a little bigger and wanted to kick his feet a little, it has the room for feet but you can still strap his arms in. He would burst out of these a few times, and once he started rolling over all bets were off and he slept in just him jammies. But again for the first few months when everyone s fighting off the "zombie" time these are life savers.
3. Humidifier: I thought this was the stupidest thing, one of the guys I work with told me to register for it, and I'm so glad I did. As soon as L started daycare with all the other germs he started to get a little stuffy nose. Turn this suckers on at night and his stuffy nose was manageable, and we were able to suck the boogies out with the bulb (Which I LOVE, but he HATES). I like this one specifically cause its so basic and no frills and easy to use. Also its streamline design goes with any décor and doesn't looks silly. It also comes in a few different colors.
4. Boon drying rack: My mom thought this was the stupidest thing ever. But has come to love it. It fits perfectly on our kitchen window sill and is not an eye sore when being used or not. It keeps the water off the items that are drying and is easy to clean every couple of days. There is no gross mildew smell or mold that gets on it (as long as you rise it off every few days). LOVE THIS and all the accessories. We have the little tree for the nipples and such.
5. 4moms Spout cover/thermometer: I know this is silly and probably not NEEDED, but we really like it, and use it every bath time. I like the easy visual read screen and the colors to indicate, too cold, just right and too hot. We have a small "too hot rubber duckey" that came from a different pack, and I tested it, it doesn't show the water it too hot until it reached 120 degrees (which is waaaaaaaay too hot for baby). We keep his bath water on the warmer side, but I like knowing exactly how warm it is. Perfect buy for that, and you really cant go wrong with the 4moms brand.
6. Sound Machine: Best. Invention. Ever! We use it every nap time and every bed time. I don't care which one you get, but get one!!! He kind of instinctively knows when that goes on its time to wind down and go to sleep. Yes there are some days that no matter how loud I turn it up, he's going to fight me, but overall its great! When we started to wean him off being picked up and rocked back to sleep in the middle of the night, this was a life saver, we'd go in, give him his binkie, turn of the ocean sound (that's his favorite, and frankly the heartbeat sound is a little "tell tale heart" for me) and pat his butt, he eventually learned that picking up wasn't an option anymore and would fall back asleep. Now if he wakes we let him stir a little, but if he wont go back down, we turn it on and he plops over and will go back to sleep.
7. Some obvious love items: Clothe diaper/burp clothes, huge lifesaver in the beginning. Swaddle blankets, especially the aden & anais brand, super light weight and soft and stretchy, honest brand bath set, love the smell and the gentleness of it all, waterproof liners.... etc
Now the Worst... Again these are my opinion and I know for a fact a few of the items on this list my friend will probably slap me for, but sorry. Just the items that didn't work for us.
1. Boppy:
2. Bumbo Seat: This is neat in theory. But I was told way too much conflicting advice on when to start using it. Some people said its fine at 6 weeks and older, others said not until 3-4 months. L always had really good head control, so I suppose I could have started around the 6-8 week mark and he loved to be sitting up and held like a bigger kid, to be able to look around at everything. But by the time it was 100% sure and safe to use his fat chunky little legs wouldn't fit anymore and he would get stuck. Also not much long after, he started sitting on his own! So whomp whomp whomp on this item. (Side note: apparently they redesigned them for the exact reason I stated above, because they one we have is not on the site anymore and now they have a way better looking one, where the legs don't get suck, no matter how fat they get. Here's the new one).
That's it for the worst list, I really thought I had more, but cant think of the rest. So that's not too bad then! And I really wanted to love those item, but they just did not work for us.
