Best Baby Buys

Henry is almost three months! It seems like it's going way faster this time. I thought you might be interested in some of my favorite baby buys. Your needs may be different especially if you only have one child. Henry does not get held by me nearly as much as Evie did at his age. He does not need it and likes to be able to look around which is hard to do when someone is always holding you. It works for us both although of course I sneak in lots of cuddles with my sweet baby boy! These products have all been lifesavers for us and I will plan to do a re-cap at 6 months because as Henry grows my favorite baby products will change.

1) Moses Basket: You have noticed all the pictures of Henry in his basket, right? It is clearly one of our favorite places to stow Henry. He used to sleep in it a lot more but now we use it for a quick place to put him down while we tend to Evie. It's faster than a swing or bouncy seat because there are no buckles or belts to click him into. He just hangs out and looks around. We love to put him in the Mose's Basket to go outside. Henry will look around at the trees and the sky for the longest time. I do not feel comfortable carrying the basket by the handles with Henry in it but will carry him like that occasionally. Remember, I am a Nervous Nelly and worry that he will fall out the bottom. You could definitely borrow one of these or buy it used to save money! I wish that I had this with Evie because it's such a nice piece and it has stood the test of time. Generations of mothers have used these and they still continue to be a popular baby item.

2) Miracle Blanket: It really does work miracles. Babies love to be wrapped tightly and this blanket does the trick. They are about $30 and we used one with Evie too. I ordered another for Henry since he is way more prone to diaper issues than Evie so we wash it a lot! It would be nice to have two and you could buy this used too. We bought our extra one off Ebay for about $12. Henry sleeps so well in this and has to be swaddled to sleep unless he is in the swing.

3) Swing: Henry loves his swing and so do we! He spends hours in there because reflux makes it harder for him to sleep while lying flat on his back. Henry likes to be swaddled even in the swing but he's getting so big - it's hard to fit him in the swing with his swaddle on. We did not buy a swing because Evie hated the one we borrowed for her. She would not sit in there more than one minute before she began screeching for help. We were lucky enough that my friend Kristin let me borrow her swing. Babies love swings or most babies do! I'd borrow one of these or at least buy a used one because they can be pretty expensive. We could not live without this swing!

4) Bouncy Seat: There are lots of bouncy seats out there. We chose ours because we liked the animals on it. Great reason to choose baby equipment, right! It was also super cheap at less than $20 and someone gave it to us when Evie was born. Evie loved it and we put her in it every night during dinner. Henry sits in there a lot too! Moms on Call suggests using a bouncy seat as a place to put your baby after the bath. So, Courtney let us borrow her bouncy seat so we have two which is especially nice if you have two floors in your house. Every night, Carl gives Henry a bath and drapes a towel over the bouncy seat then he can easily place Henry in the bouncy seat so he does not have to stand up while holding a slippery baby! Those Moms on Call really do know what they are talking about.  Try this technique  - it works!

5) Chair: You are going to spend a lot of time feeding your baby! Hours and hours a day - no one told me this so I am telling you in case you do not know. Sure wish someone had told me this because those first few weeks were spent feeding, feeding and feeding!  Breast or bottle, babies eat frequent small meals day and night. Their little bellies cannot hold much so they are constantly on the search for more food. So, that means you need a comfortable place to sit in the nursery. I am so thankful that I bought my soft, cozy chair with an ottoman. It's so pretty and makes those late night feedings much easier. During the day, I feed Henry in different spots throughout the house. Kristin gave me this wonderful advice because it keeps Evie from getting bored. She has different toys in every room so it cuts down on lovely behaviors such as emptying out dresser drawers, squirting entire tubes of diaper rash cream on the floor and taking every book off the bookshelf in her room. My wise friend Maura told me that toddlers learn quick that when you are feeding a baby- it's their opportunity to push the envelope! Evie picked up on that real fast!

6) Hot Sling: You need a carrier for your baby especially if your baby likes to be held. Henry is content on his own a lot but Evie loved to be held. She would still let me hold her all day so that is just a personality thing. I put Henry in the hot sling to go outside or if I am out somewhere and need my hands. Be extremely careful putting your baby in and out of the sling. I almost dropped my sweet boy last week in the parking lot of PD's. Thankfully, I caught him just in time. Catching a ball is not my strong suit but I can catch babies. Hot Sling is fabulous for the first few months but then you will need a new carrier unless you want to schedule back surgery. Seriously, babies grow so fast and you will be surprised at how heavy they feel when  you are carting them all over the place. It's almost time for me to pull out the Ergo.

7) Mamaroo: I hesitate to put this item on here but since I spent more time thinking about buying this contraption than I did buying my house - it's on here. Mamaroo is designed by moms and mimics a mother's movement. You can choose several different settings for your child - tree swing, car ride and kangaroo. Maybe, I did not begin using this in time but it's not his favorite spot in the house and it was expensive. I did buy a refurbished one and had a coupon code but it was still the most expensive thing we have bought. Not sure it was worth it but it sure looks nice in my den. Your baby may love this and I am working really hard convincing Henry that he likes it too. Henry does enjoy the view of the ceiling fan from his Mamaroo but he would like that view from the carpet too. Lots of people love this thing so again it may just be me!

8) Play Gym: We love the play gym and Evie used it too. It was a gift from some sweet friends - Courtney, Allison and their mother, Gay! Henry and Evie get in that play gym every day. It grows with the baby and he will still be using it for many months to come. There are no buckles to snap on this one either so it makes a nice place to toss your baby while rescuing your toddler from locking herself in the bathroom or emptying the diapers out of the diaper genie.

So, there you have it - my favorite baby buys! What are your favorite baby buys? I'd love to hear just in case there is another Niemeyer baby in the future. Henry is so sweet that it makes this baby thing a piece of cake! Now, the toddler years will here before I know it and that will be a whole new ballgame so that may be a game changer. Babies are wonderful because you can usually figure out why they are crying and they can not escape yet. Hope this helps you out.