Baby Shower Ideas

I just couldn't resist. Look at this amazing list of shower gift ideas. I think I need one of each ;-)

Click here to see the list!

photo by Resa Design

Ergo Carrier Giveaway

In light of my gushing about how much I love ErgoBaby, I just found an incredible giveaway on Sage and Savvy. Check out this link and sign up to win your own carrier, backpack and front pouch! Wow!

Baby Registry Help Series pt. 2

In the next few days I'll be going down the list of items suggested on a baby registry checklist and discussing how "essential" they panned out to be for me or my friends. Please, please, if you have your own personal experience you'd like to share, please comment at the end, so we can get the most comprehensive approach possible. If lots of people share, then it'll be like taking 10 of your best friends with you to register as opposed to just one :)

First, I was just on Babies R Us's website and they've got a new feature that I really like. There's a Baby Registry "Quick Start" option. You choose the type of mom you are (city, classic, experienced, trendy, working, or my personal fav, organic and earth-friendly) and they pull up a list of essentials that fit your lifestyle. I pulled up the organic one and I would only take a couple of things off the list. Here are my thoughts on what they've listed.

1. The swing. I didn't have great success with my swing. I know that every baby's different, so maybe the next one will love it. But, for me . . . and my sister-in-law, we didn't use our swings very much. In hindsight I wish I had used the money on another more essential big item. 

2. Bassinet. This is nit-picking, but I don't see the need for a bassinet and a co-sleeper. It's either one or the other, and a co-sleeper is much more convenient. We used a bassinet for our first baby, but that meant every time she woke up, we had to get out of bed, take her to the nursery, change, feed and then put her back down. With a co-sleeper (basically a safe extension of your bed) for those first few weeks, you'd have it all at an arm's reach and wouldn't be getting up as much. 

3. Even though I'm all about the Bob stroller, the Baby Planet is actually available in stores whereas the Bob is not. People are more likely to buy off your registry if they can find something in the store. People who buy items online are generally limited to out-of-town friends. This isn't the rule, but it's pretty common. If you don't want to spend your own money (or all of your gift cards) on a stroller, pick something that's in the store.

4. I actually have the "Nature's Purest" Playard and swing. The playard had worked great for me, and I've already talked about the swing. Some reviewers didn't like Nature's Purest because of the lack of stimulating colors, but I'm pretty sure my baby didn't notice. The playard also has an attachable bassinet and changing pad function. Many I know just set this up in their bedroom for the first few weeks. Three-in-one and it all fits next to your bed. That's another great money-saving option because you eliminate your need for a bassinet or a co-sleeper.

5. Parents of Invention--The Ultimate Organic Baby Sling--I've seen these a lot lately in the stores, but have never used one. Anyone have any input on this? I've heard that ring slings are nice because you can adjust them for the perfect fit. Personally, I like the simplicity of my sling, but it's all about preference.

6. Glider and ottoman--My hubby and I stumbled on this this idea. Skip the glider and go to your local furniture store. Instead of a glider, we got a Lazyboy small-frame recliner for the same price, and we LOVE it. It's so much more comfortable than a glider (no hard wooden areas to poke a tired, healing mama's body or baby's delicate body) and so much more versatile. I can pop up the footrest, I can rock, and I can sleep in it comfortably on an emergency basis. Plus, it's not a piece of furniture exclusively for a nursery--it can evolve with the child's room, or it can be added to the family room. I highly recommend a recliner!

7. As far as nursery furniture goes--be careful to check the type of wood it's made out of. Babies R Us and many other stores carry cheaper baby furniture, but a lot of it is made out of particle board. Particle board contains formaldehyde, and considering that most babies chew on their cribs at some point in the teething stage, you might want to pay the extra money and get a hardwood option instead.

8. Boppy--of the three that I tried, Boppy, My breastfriend, and an organic pillow, Boppy was the best. It's a convenient shape, easy to adjust, and the covers are easy to slip off and wash. Now that they have an organic cover, I'm definitely excited about getting a Boppy for baby 2!

9. Jumperoo--We opted out of a jumperoo, exersaucer, and the like. While it's convenient to have babies in a toy that builds their muscles, there's differing opinions about how they affect proper development. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom, I have plenty of time to play with Andie and help her use her own legs and feet, so I didn't need this. Plus, to my knowledge, they're all made from plastic, and we're trying to keep the plastic content low in our home. That's a personal preference. I know many, many moms who swear by these and couldn't live without them. But, if you're in the early stages of pregnancy and have some time to research--search around and find some studies about how these affect baby's development before you sign up for one.

10. I like all of the other stuff that's listed. I'd go ahead and add the clothing options, but again, if it's not easy to find in the store, you probably won't get it. From what I've found, people buy whatever clothes they think are cute, so they probably won't search through hundreds of clothing items for the exact match to what you registered for. The only help registering for clothes did for me was that it made people aware that I was looking for organic cotton. Because of that, I got a lot more organic stuff than if I had not registered for any clothes. Another thing to consider, from the time you register to the time your baby comes, all of the clothing options will have changed and most of what you registered for probably won't even be available anymore.

Again, please add your comments about these items. We all have knowledge that will help each other and, hopefully, save new moms some money and stress.

Baby Registry Help Series

If you haven't read my article about baby registries, check it out here first.

Every. Baby. Is. Different. What works for you is inevitably going to be different for your friends. Some friends will find items that they "can't live without" that other people will readily cast off as a "waste of money." The best way to avoid needless purchases is to follow these two steps: 

1) Make a list of priorities. The things that are important to you, the items you've already envisioned yourself using on a daily basis, the things you can't wait to try--those are the ones to register for. Your enthusiasm for the product will drive you to try, try, try it. Some babies will never like it, but many babies will just need some time to adjust and will enjoy it. 

2) If possible, don't buy everything before the baby arrives. Gift cards are invaluable. Try to curb your excitement and wait to use them AFTER the baby arrives. Once the baby's here, you'll have a much better idea of what you need most. Plus, you can try things out with your baby (perhaps at another friend's house or a church nursery) before making the big purchases. This could save you lots of wasted expenses. 

That being said, here is the first installment of a list of things that I used and didn't use in the first few months. As I said in the article, ask a friend/bring a friend along when you register. Firsthand accounts are always invaluable.

1. Sling. I didn't like carrying around a car seat when my little one weighed less than the carrier. It was bulky and awkward. Plus, putting car seats on the top of grocery carts is a safety hazard, so that ruled out using the car seat while grocery shopping. I carried my baby everywhere in the sling. I grocery shopped, went out for dinner, spent time with friends, ran errands, etc. with very little fuss from baby girl. In her car seat, she was more likely to be startled by the noises and lights around her, but in her warm, cozy, dark sling, she took no note of the outside world and slept peacefully. I used the New Native Organic Cotton Baby Carrier and LOVED it. It was perfect for my tiny one. When she got bigger though, I had to switch to something else because it pulled on my back. (If you have a big baby, you may want to consider a different style.) 

2. Ergo backpack. Once little Andie grew out of the sling, we transitioned to this backpack. I literally had strangers stop me in stores and tell me to get the Ergo backpack after the sling. One lady told me that she could carry her toddler around in it and it didn't hurt her back--a far cry from the Baby Bjorn that many complain hurts their backs once the baby is bigger. The Ergo comes with an infant insert, so you could skip the sling and start with the backpack. It's a little bulkier, but very comfortable. I know this is a pricey investment, but, trust me, I've never heard a bad report. It's well worth the money!

3. The Bob. Another investment well worth the money. This stroller can go anywhere. The big wheels and built-in shocks make it a dream to push. We had no trouble at the county fair getting over large cords and wires spider veined across the ground; we went for a stroll on the beach in Cancun with no trouble, and I maneuver through grocery aisles and the mall with ease. Since I knew the Bob was a priority, I opted not to get a travel system, and we borrowed a used car seat from a friend. This took the $100-$300 we would've used on a travel system and freed it up for the Bob. With the second baby, I will probably get an infant seat that's compatible with the Bob and the infant seat attachment. It will just streamline our stuff. 

I can't say enough about how much I love this stroller. Plus, the area in front is sturdy enough for a tired toddler to catch a quick ride (hopefully eliminating my need for a double stroller later on). That being said, a friend of mine didn't like the "big fancy stroller" and opted to use an umbrella stroller because it took up less space in her trunk. This is where your list of priorities comes in to play. I imagined myself walking, jogging, etc. with my Bob. The umbrella stroller would not keep up. My friend imagined herself quickly transitioning from car to destination with only a quick helper to get her across the longer distances. Where do you envision using your stroller?

More to come . . .