baby favorites: ten weeks in.
I didn’t expect to do another favorites post so soon, but there are a bunch of other things that we are loving! Many of you are asking for deets on everything we’re using and I totally get it – I went crazy reading reviews of products before Max was born. So many products are hit and miss, and I totally want to know what you love and hate. Now not all of these are anywhere near a necessity, but they have made life fun or easier or both! in these last two months.
On to it!
This leachco pod. LOVE. This is on the love level of the bassinest and the rock and play for us. It is INCREDIBLE. My wonderful friend Lisa sent this to me after I left Seattle in the fall and was freaking out over having nothing and knowing nothing and just being… overwhelmed. This is the best thing ever. It’s basically a big pillow (with a little mesh bottom) and is super light and can easily transported places, like even other houses. Max will nap in it or just hang out and play and kick.
Strollers and carseats: I have the Orbit baby seat in my car and L O V E I T. Cannot say enough good things about it, especially the ease of use. We bought the G3 stroller to go with it (everything but the stroller seat so far) and while we haven’t been out very much at all, I absolutely adore it. I can see now how moms get obsessed with strollers. Um, I used to be obsessed with shoes, now it’s strollers. What? I definitely recommend the warm pack footmuff with the carseat if you live in a freezing climate. I like this so much better than the JJ Cole bundle me one – which we used for the first few weeks – that we have with the Britax B Safe car seat which is in Eddie’s car now. Max screams the minute we put him in the Britax seat with the JJ Cole – he continues to smile once he goes in the Orbit Baby seat with the footmuff. No idea why, but he even looks more comfy in the Orbit. We also have the citimini GT stroller that the Britax can snap into. Again, since it’s freezing, we haven’t used it much either, but it is SO freaking easy to fold up and put in and out of the car. I research strollers for MONTHS, totally making myself crazy, and we finally decided on the Orbit for our main one. Super happy with it. As we continue to use it more often once it warms up, I’ll be sure to update you even more.
The 4 moms infant tub. This was a gift we got for our baby shower but didn’t start using until Max’s belly button/cord was healed. I was hesitant about this because it seemed huge and I saw some others on blogs and instagram that I thought I might like more. I wasn’t sure if it would fit in our double sink either, but it does! With one use we were sold – oh my gosh, this tub is amazing. First, Max really loves baths – and I’m not sure if it has to do with this tub or not. Second, this has a temperature gauge and a little alarm goes off if the water gets too hot. It has a few different drains to release the water and just seems to fit the baby perfectly. It’s sleek and cool and makes bathtime so easy. Total fave.
For most days lounging at home, these zip up sleepers have been the BEST. Anything with zippers: yes. With millions of diaper changes these are obviously easier than tons of buttons and snaps, though I do think the clothes with buttons and snaps are so much cuter! Also, totally random about clothes? Some of my favorites are things that my mom gave me from when my brothers and I were babies. VINTAGE Max! They are in such great condition and adorable.
A wubbanub. This is something else I was skeptical of, probably because my mom always said that my brothers and I would never take a pacifier. I bought one for Max around week two or three, mainly because it was SO DARN CUTE. Well, he loves this thing more and more everyday because he is grabbing everything in sight. I had no idea that babies starting grabbing for things so early, and he has adored this for weeks. Our favorite is the giraffe.
Speaking of grabbing things, another thing I didn’t think we’d want or need so early is one of those playmats with things hanging from above? (Great description, I know.) Around week five, Max started reaching and grabbing for things and I didn’t think the mobiles on the mamaroo or rockaroo were enough. We went on one of our first outings together to Babies R Us and bought the baby einstein playmat with some gift cards from our shower, and it has been one of the most used toys. It has a little star that plays music and Max loves it. It’s great for playtime after eating, for tummy time, and he has started to kick and grab all the toys above. It’s super cute because he doesn’t realize that he has kicked it and then looks totally stunned.
This boon grass drying rack. There are a bunch of things that we got for our shower that I wish I would have tried sooner, and this was one of them. I didn’t start pumping until week six so I didn’t have much use for this until then, but it is.so.awesome. For a few weeks our kitchen counters were permanently covered with towels and pumping bottles and accessories. It was such a mess and they’d roll off the counters and it was just a disaster. I remembered that I had this drying grass and tried it out – and kicked myself for not having it out the entire time! It’s so sleek and can fit around 12 bottles and accessories, so everything is in this small square spot. This isn’t a necessity, but it’s very nice if you’re looking to save space and reduce clutter. It’s also great if you’re washing the bottles and accessories with a milder soap than your daily dishes.
Right now Max only takes a bottle occasionally if I’m away or working, and we are using the tommee tippee bottles. We absolutely love them and he never has an issue with taking the bottle. I especially like the tiny ones for while he is so small. It’s super compact and fits in the diaper bag nicely. When out, we’ve used the tommee tippee portable bottle warmer too. I haven’t personally used it on the go since I just give it to him straight from the source, but my mom and Eddie have had success with it.
On that same note, these lansinoh milk storage bags are my favorites. I prefer them over medula (I do have a medula pump) because they hold a little more and have two zip closures so seem slightly more secure.
This may be a given, but cloth diapers are the best burp cloths ever. I have a cute little basket from Target in the nursery that sits out and is full of these. If you’re looking for a practical gift for a shower, a new mom or for something to put on your registry, these organic ones are my favorite. I think I have about 25 and sometimes it crosses my mind to get even MORE. They get softer with each wash too.
The nose frida. I know I know… don’t freak out. This works SO much better than that blue squeeze tube thing you get from the hospital. And it’s really not scary or gross because there are filters. It’s super easy to clean too. Highly highly highly suggest this, especially for winter babies when it’s super dry.
These cake nursing bras are my favorites for daytime (I found mine at Nordstrom) – just be sure to really look at the sizing chart. And for lounging and nighttime, these sleeping bras are so comfy. I live in them!
And an update from my last favorites: remember how I said that Max didn’t care for the mamaroo that we got for our baby shower, but loved the rockaroo that 4 Moms sent us to try? Well, at the time of that post I hadn’t put him in the mamaroo in nearly two weeks because he hated it so much, so we were almost exclusively using the rockaroo. I decided to remove the newborn insert and try the mamaroo again and now HE LOVES IT. I have no idea why, but I had always assumed he was maybe too little to “enjoy” the mamaroo? Who knows. SO now we rotate. Meaning our family room looks like a baby toy explosion. If I had to give a recommendation though, I’d still say the rockaroo.
I am so wordy. Someday I will learn to shorten my rambles and just GET TO THE POINT. But probably not. So what things are you loving with a little babe – especially one that’s about to hit the three month mark??
[this post is not sponsored and is merely a list of products we’ve loved the last six weeks. 4moms sent us the rockaroo but we were not required to talk about it nor were we offered compensation for talking about it. everything else was either purchased by me or a gift from family and friends. there are a few amazon affiliate links above. thank you! xoxo]Â
24 Comments on “baby favorites: ten weeks in.”
Our little lady is 2 months older than max, and around 3 months she started to pay attention to toys. She loves the Infantino grab & go sensory ball. Also, if you’re going to be using bottles more, the oxo tot bottle brush and dishwasher case are awesome.
Max is so cute! Our little lady is 11 months and from about 4 months on we have LOVED this Leachco shopping cart seat cover! http://m.target.com/p/leachco-prop-r-shopper-body-fit-cart-cover-green/-/A-10656009 She could sit up in the cart earlier with the pillows for propping! It was a lifesaver trying to grocery shop for a family of 7!
We are loving/using so many of the same things! The nose frida…OMG, I had such issues when someone told me about it, but all it takes is one night of baby stuffiness, and all that goes out the window. It’s the BEST. Also, love those Cake nursing bras. They are soooo comfy and supportive. The baby eintstein mat has been such a lifesaver for us. My Kieran is going to be 5 months this week, and he loves that mat more and more as he grows. It’s so cute watching him play…he actually talks to the little star when it plays music/lights up. I DIE. We’ve been using the JJ Cole bundle me, and I don’t love it. Maybe I’ll look into that footmuff thingy you mention! LOVE these posts, btw.
Once Max has a more head/neck support and can sit with support, try this chair. We had one for our daughter and it was a LIFE SAVER. She loved sitting in it and I could cook or do dishes and she would just hang out with me. We would also put her in it while we would eat dinner. She got tired of being in her bouncer really quickly, and this was our answer. It’s super portable too! I think we used it from 4-7 months or so.
http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/babygear/products/Deluxe-Sit-Me-Up-Floor-Seat
We have the elephant zip up sleeper too. So cute! Keep these posts coming when they can. It is always helpful to hear about others experiences.
YES! I love these posts – just adding things to the baby registry over here (due in May!).
These posts are so helpful! I’m due in early August and we’re starting to think about our registry. I find the whole thing completely overwhelming, but having some solid recommendations from other mommas is saving my sanity right now!
I have worked with infants for 7 years now and I have to say that the number one most loved item is the jumper. I have yet to meet a baby that did not love the jumper. I usually start them out around 3-4 months depending on how their head control is and I don’t let them hang out too long at that age, but it does help them strengthen their muscles. The Bumbo chair is another good item. Again, it helps to strengthen the muscles, but it also allows them to have a good view of their surroundings.
We love so many of the things you’re already using! (Our girl is almost 7 months.) I HIGHLY recommend the Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo. We have actually bought 2 from FB yard sales. She loved the one we got her so much that my parents bought one to keep at their house. There’s plenty of interactive toys on it, and she can spin the seat around and there are toys all around the tray, so plenty for her to do! Also – it’s adjustable according to height so she started using it around 3 months old (with a pillow under it so her feet had something to touch) and I imagine we’ll continue using it for at least 3 more months.
Our other must have – a video monitor! We thought it was too expensive, but put it on the registry anyway. Someone got it for us and it is LIFE CHANGING! Now when she cries we can watch to see if she’s going to self-soothe. She NEVER wakes up crying so it’s nice to hear little noises and look to see if she’s really awake without having to walk into the room and risk waking her up for good.
LOVE this post. So happy you like the G3 and the City Mini GT too. Hopefully your stroller obsession won’t continue like mine did. Despite having sold my G3 I actually use the G3 footmuff with my Britax car seat (even though it’s a bit awkward) because the footmuff is superior in every way.
Love that you like using the cloth diapers for burp cloths. I agree that they are the bomb.
I never got one of those grass drying racks, but this time I will. Even if you put bottles in the dishwasher they need somewhere to completely dry before putting them away. I wasted so much space and so many towels. Next time – grass drying rack it is!
Our second is almost 4 months and I couldn’t agree more with the NoseFrida and the grass drying rack – I didn’t use either with my first and just got them this time around and I’m totally kicking myself for not having them last time. Awesome stuff.
Dude. Isn’t the nose frida the best and creepiest thing on earth? We literally use it daily.
I have three children but am expecting number four in a few weeks. Love reading these posts to see your favorites. :)
All 3 of my kids LOVED the doorway jumpers. I can’t remember exactly when they could go in them-I think it’s more towards 6 months but it’s this seat that hangs from the top of the door frame (you have to have a door frame unless they’ve created better ones in the last few years) and they can jump up and down. There’s a spring at the top and so it bounces and swings and the kids absolutely loved it. Happy week 11!
Ok, odd question but any opinion on disposable diapers? One blogger loves target’s up&up brand diapers. Just wondered if you had good/bad experiences with any particular brands.
i feel like we are still trying to figure this out! we started with honest newborn diapers and HATED them. used pampers swaddlers sensitive and really loved those for the first 9ish weeks. still love them. then i had a bunch of size 1 honest so we have been using those and right now we are loving them, so maybe the newborns were just too small or just not great for boys at first? anyhoo – we are still trying different ones trying to find our favorites. i have heard great things about the up and ups too, so i’m going to get a pack of them when we run out of honest size 1!
I hope you find a “favorite” to someday add to this series. I love this series & taking notes! And loving the cuteness of max. That brow furrow!
Okay, love my boon drying rack as well but do you have the “tree” that goes in the racK??!! That things is awesome for nipples, small pump parts, ect., seriously get it! Your babe is too cute!
I forgot to second the rainforest jumparoo! Bought mine on craigslist for next to nothing. Both my babies have loved it and they are so stinking cute when they are like 6 months old, jumping around like crazy, giggling! I die of cuteness overload!
Another vote for the rainforest Jumparoo! My daughter started using it around 4 months, and would bounce herself to exhaustion in it, often conking out mid-jump. We got a good 5 months of very regular use out of it, and it’s still in such great shape that we’ll hang on to it for our next!
My baby boy is 3 months old. He loves the SmartNoggin NogginStik toy. It’s a rattle that lights up, has a mirror, and is thin so it’s easy to hold. We read to him all the time. Some cute books: Sandra Boynton, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Sight, and Little Blue Truck among the other classics. He also loves be cuddled in Pottery Barn Kids chamois blankets. They are perfect, soft, and can be personalized. Congratulations to all the moms and mamas to be!
I love these reviews!! My first child (Eddie!) was born about three and a half months after Max, so we’re just now hitting the 10 week mark. We’re currently loving the baby bjorn carrier, I find it so much more comfortable than the Moby wraps we’ve been using up till now. Eddie loves his Tiny Love bouncer and activity play mat/ gym thing. We’re using a boppy that’s very similar to the pod you use for Max. We got it as a shower present and I completely forgot about it till I read your post and got all excited and dug it out. One last thing, I have to wear these Bamboobie nursing pads, I love them! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X5HU9O
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