Monday, October 19, 2009

Helpful or Useless?

A friend at work just welcomed twin girls into the world on Saturday. I exchanged advice and tips after I got back to work and one email turned into the "Top 10 Baby Items" and "Five Useless Pieces of Crap"

Did I leave anything out? Did you find anything particularly helpful or useless?

Top 10 Must Haves:
1. Bumpo seat with activity tray. You need the tray – otherwise they just sit there with out anything to play with.
2. Pack n Play with changer & bassinet. Extended use ‘till baby is older.
3. Sleep sacks – babies can’t sleep w/ blankets, and after they’re done with swaddling – the sack is the way to go. Halo makes a good one.
4. Bottle/baby food warmer – I have one made by Avent, but we don’t use their bottles. I swear, I used it 10 times yesterday alone. It heats up frozen, refrigerator or room temp formula/breast milk or baby food. The thing is smarter than I would be if I tried to use hot water or the microwave.
5. Swaddle me blanket – it’s a swaddling blanket for dummies. It has Velcro! You can’t do it wrong and the baby stays put and you both sleep longer at night.
6. Several boppy pillows. Many, many uses – breast feeding, baby propping etc. My husband even used it as his pillow in the hospital.
7. MUST MUST have sleepers with ZIPPERS. There’s no way you’ll get those hundred snaps put together right at 3 a.m. Once, I found Dominick in the morning, half out of his sleeper cause I got the snaps completely out of order.
8. Some sort of musical/light up soother for the babies’ crib. Think musical aquarium. I have one like this by Baby Einstein – it has several modes, even a night light to check on baby AND a remote so you can turn it on/off w/out stepping into the room.
9. VIDEO monitor. These things are priceless. You can see exactly what your little ones are up to.
10. Sleepy Wrap – one of those long pieces of fabric that you tie and twist the baby into. I know – it sounds crazy, and looks completely complicated. But Dominick LOVES to be in it. It was my savoir when he was really small and I needed to get something done. Even better when you’re out and you don’t have to bring a stroller.

Top 5 Useless Items:

1. Wipes warmer – enough said
2. Be ware of having TOO many jumpers/exersaucers/bouncey seats/swing – our living room looks like the show room at Baby’s R Us. We have one of everything. But then again – every baby is different and we did use everything at some point. Just be ready for the clutter.
3. Those mitten things to cover their hands – just keep the nails trimmed.
4. More than one diaper bag – it’s so inconvenient to pack and unpack a bag each time just to switch. Just pick one. But – you may pick one now, then realize your needs are completely different once the babies get here.
5. okay – can’t think of a fifth… but usually you learn a lot of lessons the first time around – what works for you, what doesn’t.

1 comment:

erin said...

I agree almost 100%. My only qualm is the multiple diaper bags. You know how I love purses...diaper bags are just big purses. I like variety. :)
Great list, Mama Mazza!