These post are all over new mommy blog postings. I found them super helpful and used many of them to purchase and or register for the products below. I first started my registry using the following helpful guide called
lucie's list
Chicco KeyFit 30 in midori: I love Sammy's Carseat which was generously gifted to me from my coworker. It keeps him snug as a bug and the color is awesome. I chose this over the Graco Hathaway because I love the texture of the fabric, though I think both are great choices.
the bumbleride Indie:
This was my first baby purchase and boy it was frugalicious. I had wanted this stroller for years. I saw it on a blog long before I was ready to try and conceive. I loved the colors and when I got pregnant and started shopping for baby things, I trusted my gut and bought it sight unseen. I paid $250 for a $500 stroller because buybuybaby had the floor sample of the 2010 model available as the 2011 was coming in stock. I wrote bumbleride to figure out the difference between the model years and lo and behold the 2010 and 2011 are exactly the same, but the 2010 has all the accessories standard. I've pimped out his stroller by adding the foot muff for walks this spring when he is better able to sit in the stroller without the carseat. The stroller does have a full recline so a newborn is able to go directly in it. I just don't feel comfortable doing that because with the carseat their face faces you and they are much more secure.
This stroller is pretty much the bmw of strollers compared to our snap and go which is more like a Chevy! It has a quick compact fold, one hand pushing, air filled tires, carseat bar, is only 20 lb., massive band comes in a variety of awesome colors.
jolly jumper stroller caddy: More pimping out for the stroller. It needed a decent spot for my phone, gloves, money, other little things and pacifiers.
JJ cole carseat cover further pimped out Sammy's ride. I like this because it goes over the carseat not under the straps, so it doesn't invalidate the safety and warranty of the carseat. Since I walk almost everyday with Sammy and Bailey for several miles having this has been essential in keeping him warm. I highly recommend this product for any new fall or winter babies.
cloud b on the go gentle giraffe. I'm laughing as I write this, because I really, really pimped out his stroller.
I wish I'd gotten the sheep because I like those sounds better, but they are essentially the same thing. Since Sammy is a very light sleeper having this as white noise is AWESOME.
Motorola Digital Video Baby Monitor with 3.5 in Color LCD screen I looked for a long time before making this purchase and I know with certainty that I chose correctly. This gives awesome day and night vision, has a temp gauge and tilt and zoom features. There is also an alarm and lullabies but we don't use that feature. I feel really safe having Sammy in his room because of this monitor.
The Boppy Pillow: I love, love, love this pillow. Sam loves to eat on it and honestly it is hard to imagine comfortably breastfeeding him without it. My neighbor gave me hers because she didn't use it at all for her son so now I have one upstairs in his room and downstairs in the family room. Obviously I can bf him without the pillow, but at home this is just sooooo much more comfortable on my arms and gives him a great position for a nice latch. The pillow is also great for tummy time on a nice big mat.
Simple Wishes Hands Free Pumping Bra: Having this is awesome. It was recommended to me from one of my coworkers and it really helps make pumping more efficient. It places the suction cups at the exact right place and like the name allows you to read a book or go on Facebook or interest or whatever else you want to do to waste 10 minutes while you pump. A must have for any mom wanting to pump.
FP Little Lamb Swing: I love this for Sammy. It is a great safe spot to put him for naps or for a minute in order to cook or go to the bathroom or just have some time to myself. He loves this thing! I should have gotten the snug a bunny version since it doesn't need batteries, but aside from that they are the same thing.
The Aden and Anais Blankets 47 x 47 These blankets have been amazing. At first I was just using them for tucking Sammy's feet in while he napped in the swing, in or on the carseat when we went out. After I learned Sammy really needed to be swaddled to sleep for long periods of time, I realized why everyone raves about these. They are so stretchy and make a tight swaddle so easy. I specifically reccomend the 47 in version because the 44 in version sold at many retailers just aren't the same. There are even nicer ones made out of bamboo cotton but I can't justify that price. All the other A&A products are also great. We received a super generous gifts from our great friends that included these blankets, the burpy bibs and the washcloths.
Summer Infant Swaddle Me: I like this better than the sleep bags from Halo. They are much tighter. One caveat is unless you have a very, very small baby don't buy the small size. Although it should go to 14 lbs, they shrink so bad that by 10 lbs Sam was already out of them. I use the large cotton size over the A&A swaddle so that there is no way Sammy is getting out! Trust me, it seems cruel but the boy sleeps so everyone including Bailey (he was suffering from sleep deprivation too) is happy!
Happiest Baby on the Block book, dvd and CD. Buy them all and read them before you give birth! Wow do I wish I had. I even had the book before Sam was born, I had purchased it at a yard sale for 50 cents. I'm so mad I didn't read this book before he arrived. He would have been so much happier when he was 4-8 weeks old. This book allowed me to love my son in such a deeper way because I didn't feel enslaved to his crying because his crying stopped. He was able to truly "see" me and I was able to really see his smiley and talkative personality. It went from 1-3 hrs a day to a max of 15 minutes. The cd took him from sleeping in 1-3 hrs stretches at night to 5 hrs then 6 then 8 all within 1 week of reading the book and buying the white noise sound track.
Animal Bath Wrap and
essential bath wraps from Pottery Barn: These are huge, thick and SOOO cute! What isn't there to love. When Sammy is wrapped up in it, we call him the lion king!
I hope this helps anyone looking for baby products or registering. Registering at Amazon was completely Awesome. Their customer service is amazing and far superior over babies r us or target. Pottery Barn Kids Registry was also terrific.
Enjoy!
