Top 10 Baby Items I Could Not Live Without :: Part Deux

Image courtesy of babble.com

My very first post on here {aside from my introductory post} was the top 10 baby items I could not live without. Read it here. I compiled the list when Big Squish was only 7 months old and before I was pregnant with Munchkin. Reading over that post, I still agree with everything I wrote and love all of the products, but there are definitely some I would add on. Since Squish, these are my new top 10 baby items:

{1} Fisher Price Little Lamb Swing :: I know I know, this is not new. It was on my first list, but it has been even more of a lifesaver this time around that I am putting it in the #1 spot and for good reason. Munchkin has been - how do I put this nicely - a challenge. If she were my first child I am not sure there would have been a second...certainly not 18 months later. Squish used this swing every day during his fussy time for his late afternoon cat nap. During the naps that Munch actually takes, she sleeps in this swing for nearly every single one from start to finish. Apparently she has decided her crib is the crib of doom and that if she sleeps and/or shuts her eyes in it she will die or something, but put her in this swing and she is out like a light. A few times I have woken her at the 4 hour mark. Take my word: BUY THIS.

The rest of these are in no particular order...

{2} Baby Bjorn :: As far as baby carriers and slings go, I have tried many:

- The Moby Wrap :: Nice, but it is way too long and wrapping gets all tangly and no matter how many times you do it or how many YouTube instructional videos you watch it takes forever. It is good for teeny babies to keep them high on your chest.

- Baby K'Tan :: Again, a lot of wrappy wrap but it gets stretchy and Munch slides around. Maybe she was too tiny or it was user error, but out of this and the Moby Wrap I preferred the Moby.

- Ergo Baby Carrier :: Suuuuuper duper comfy, never hurt my back even when Squish turned into Really Big Squish, and it can also be used as a back carrier which is a huge plus. Still, just not my cup of tea looks wise.

- Baby Bjorn :: LOVE. Quick. Easy. Strap it on. Baby in. Done. Cute. Stylish. Colorful! Perfect. Buy.

{3} Mia Bossi diaper bag :: I had this when I wrote my first post but I guess I didn’t realize how great it was. I bought that Ikat diaper bag for Munchkin and it is nice, but it is tiny. Too tiny for a diaper bag. It pretty much fits like 3 diapers and a travel set of wipes and a bottle. No bueno for the amount of baby stuff you actually need...like 32 diapers and 86 changes of clothes and 1499 pacifiers. I have the Maria style and it is AH-MAZING. Roomy. Pockets galore. And chic to boot. Worth every penny, and still looks brand new after using it nearly every day for two years.

{8} Miracle Blanket :: If you swaddle, the Miracle Blanket is a surefire win. Your baby will not be able to get out. We are talking straightjacket here. Comfy straightjacket, but straightjacket nonetheless. When Munchkin was young I loved the Woombie because there was no waking up involved to move her arms and wrap blankets. The Halo Kiddopotamus Swaddler is also great. But if you have a Houdini on your hands, stick with the Miracle Blanket.

p.s. I didn't mean to type 1-2-3-8 but it was funny so I left it :D

{5} Grobag sleep sack / Halo toddler sleep sack :: If you don’t swaddle and your baby kicks blankets off, invest in some sleep sacks. The prettiest I have seen by far is the Grobag sleep sack. I love it. I also have several by Halo which are great, but my favorite at the moment is my Grobag one. In addition to good looks, it is a substantial weight and very long so you won't necessarily have to buy several sacks as your child grows. For toddlers, Halo makes a sleep sack with ankle/feet holes. Squish loves his!

{6} Little Castle Glider :: I didn’t get a glider for the nursery when I had Big Squish. We had a comfy chair borrowed from my mother in law that was great, but I definitely would have preferred a glider. I did not appreciate how nice they are and what a difference it makes for both nursing and bottle feeding. My friend Andrika of Nursery Notations {which p.s. if you have not read is the BEST nursery/children's design blog out there} wrote this post on gliders a while back which is as in depth as you can get as far as I am concerned. I went with Little Castle and have loved every second of having it so far. Extremely comfortable, HIGH BACK which is KEY!!! (A lot of gliders do NOT have this, and you would not necessarily know to look for this with your first child. It is a MUST as far as I am concerned). My glider also reclines which pretty much takes me straight to heaven. FYI this picture above is not the style I have - I just loved the fabric!

{7} Grobag Egg thermometer :: Having the right nursery temperature is essential and this egg thermometer takes all guess work out of it...well, sort of. I think it is a couple of degrees off sometimes but you will know if the nursery is in the 65 range or the 73 range or what not. I don’t agree with its recommended temp suggestions as far as what is ideal for baby goes; they say something like 62-67 is ideal which in my opinion is the equivalent of a meat locker, so we stick with 72-73 degrees.

{8} Medela Symphony :: Since I pumped full-time with Munckin, my Medela Freestyle (which I LOVE) did not cut it. I rented a Symphony from the hospital - they retail for like $1300 - not a typo - and I got more than twice as much milk in half the time. If I pumped for the full cycle before the pump shut off, I got 11 ounces. In baby world, this is a lot at one sitting! Totally worth the monthly cost to rent.

{9} Dr. Brown’s bottles :: Munch was so tiny that she would not do the Playtex bottles I used with Squish as they have quite large nipples. She was also colicky and I had heard Dr. Brown’s were the best for colic...after using them for nearly two months now I agree wholeheartedly. The Playtex Drop-Ins are certainly easier and less time consuming as far as cleaning goes, but she just flat out would not use them and thankfully, Dr. Brown’s worked. For the record, I also tried Playtex Vent Air, Avent Born Free, the Adiri Nurser and Green to Grow bottles.

{10} Aiden and Anais blankets :: A lot of people prefer these as their #1 swaddle blanket. They actually just won this category in the recent Cribsie Awards. Munch was able to break out of these while swaddled, but overall they are my absolute most favorite blankets. They are soft, as light as a feather, a bit stretchy and have adorable prints. Even better, they have recently partnered with Target to create a less expensive line. Sold!

{11} I decided to do a mini list for #11 since the Fisher Price swing was a repeat, and there are just a few more items I want to include but don't want to type about!

- Favorite everyday stroller :: Bugaboo Chameleon

- Favorite jogging stroller :: Bob Revolution, and now we have the Revolution Duallie

- Favorite pack n play :: Baby Bjorn

- Favorite soap :: California Kids {AND their bubble bath comes with a bubble wand! So great}

As always, I will continue to compile more great products BUT I will not be having another newborn for a very long time...so top 10 list numero tres might be a few years down the line...

Tell me: what are your favorite baby/kid products that I didn't mention here? I would love to hear of new discoveries!

xoxo Sheridan

All images courtesy of manufacturer or diapers.com---heartsies.