Life With Brynne: A Few of My Favorite Things 0-3 months
There are so many different baby products and contraptions. You wonder how moms did it before all of this! Like I have said before, every baby I different, but there are a few things that I have found to be extremely helpful in this new mom journey through motherhood.
1. A Great Stroller
Do you need the most expensive stroller? No, not really. I test strolled ALL of them every price point. My advice, try them all. This is an item that you are going to use almost every day! Ask other moms. Who better to ask than someone who already has done this? That being said, many of my friends recommended the Uppababy Vista in Pascal... I know, I know... kinda pricey and very name brand... but I will have to say.. I LOVE IT!
Pros:
- You can literally push it with one finger
- It is very easy to open an close
- Has adapters for many car seats
- Parts come apart easily
- Reclines nicely
- Has a nice little sunshield and air screen for summer
- Buckles easily
- Can be converted into double stroller with the right accessories
- Huge storage basket
- Bassinet for newborn (Brynne napped like a chap in this! This was literally the only way I could get a good nap out of her for the first 2 months other than a car ride.
- Adjustable handle
- Big wheels that turn so easily
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Baby can face you or face outward
-Baby loves it!
There are definitely more pros that I am missing!
Cons:
- Heavy, this sucker is not super lightweight, but it is manageable
- Car seat comes separate, but there are adapters for some brands
- The cup holder sucks... literally awful
- Takes up a ton of trunk space. This is a big full size stroller. My little car doesn't have enough room so I have to take it apart every time I use it. Totally a pain in the ass... but another great excuse for a new car.
- Some Airlines will not let you gate check it because it is too heavy (Boo!)
- On the pricier side
If you register for this stroller at buybuy Baby, you will get 10% off at your registry completion! Also, when people ask you "what do you really want?" ask for gift cards from buybuy baby or whichever retailer you go with! People love buying clothes and fun stuff for baby, but there are plenty of people who will be thrilled to contribute to your big ticket item with the ease of a gift card!
I mean... who doesn't love a gift card!?!?!
My second choice is much less costly and has many nice features: Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System
2. A place for newborn to sleep
Next must have for me is the Auto Rock n' Play. THIS. SAVED. MY. LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, I can't say enough how much we loved this. She did not like her bassinet and wanted to be on a slight incline. This is common for man babies. Brynne is just about over it at this point due to size, but we still have it out and plugged in by the Christmas tree as a "chill" spot. I can still plop her in there for a moment and she stares at the lights. Win win! Soon we will have to put this away... I am sure I will bawl my eyes out... just another sign that she is getting big. You can imagine the cry fest I had when I had to fold and put away her newborn clothes. I thought her room was going to flood with my tears!
3. Crib transition helper
Brynne's doctor was pushing me to start putting her in the crib. I cried... of course. I am such a dork. We started by trying to have her do short daytime naps... she did ok... but I knew this wouldn't work for night times... until we borrowed my lovely friend's Dockatot. GAME CHANGER! She loves this silly thing. Seriously, I owe this momma! This is must have. It isn't cheap, but if your baby likes it, you will use it ALL THE TIME! This is also great to bring for travel, it counts as a carry-on. We placed it in her pack and play in the hotel room and she snoozed like a champ! We love it so much that we ordered the next size!
4. Swing
How do people live without this? We use this thing errrry day allll day! She loves it!! We have the Ingenuity Swing and it has served us well. She doesn't nap in it, but it definitely keeps her content for a long enough time or mom to get dressed or chug coffee. I do wish it went a little faster, but she loves the features like the light and the mobile. My mom has a Fisher Price Ocean Wonders swing which she loves. It has a super fast speed which puts her to sleep easily!
5. A great bouncer/rocker... or 3!!
We have one in the family room and one in the kitchen. In the family room we have the Fisher Price Rocker. She loved this one from the beginning. It is very simple and has a vibration feature. I strap toys with lights such as Bright Starts Beaming Buggie (her fave!) on it for added interest... works like a charm most of the time! The bouncer in the kitchen has been super helpful from 2 months on. She was not the biggest fan right off the bat, but now she loves it! We have the Fisher Price Deluxe Bouncer in Safari Dreams. It's a great "plop baby down so I can shove a sandwich down my throat" contraption. She loves the vibration, music, and little hanging toys. I usually put her in there when I am cooking or eating and it keeps her happy for a nice amount of time.
7. Nursery Chair
8. Play Mat
11. Bath Chair
We love our simple little bath chair! My sister gave it to us. We always use our Boppy Lounger (another great item!) and place her soft hooded towel down on it to wrap her up on.
These are a few of my favorite products:
Don't forget to checkout my post on Breastfeeding for products I have found helpful!
1. A Great Stroller
Do you need the most expensive stroller? No, not really. I test strolled ALL of them every price point. My advice, try them all. This is an item that you are going to use almost every day! Ask other moms. Who better to ask than someone who already has done this? That being said, many of my friends recommended the Uppababy Vista in Pascal... I know, I know... kinda pricey and very name brand... but I will have to say.. I LOVE IT!
Pros:
- You can literally push it with one finger
- It is very easy to open an close
- Has adapters for many car seats
- Parts come apart easily
- Reclines nicely
- Has a nice little sunshield and air screen for summer
- Buckles easily
- Can be converted into double stroller with the right accessories
- Huge storage basket
- Bassinet for newborn (Brynne napped like a chap in this! This was literally the only way I could get a good nap out of her for the first 2 months other than a car ride.
- Adjustable handle
- Big wheels that turn so easily
- Aesthetically pleasing
- Baby can face you or face outward
-Baby loves it!
There are definitely more pros that I am missing!
Cons:
- Heavy, this sucker is not super lightweight, but it is manageable
- Car seat comes separate, but there are adapters for some brands
- The cup holder sucks... literally awful
- Takes up a ton of trunk space. This is a big full size stroller. My little car doesn't have enough room so I have to take it apart every time I use it. Totally a pain in the ass... but another great excuse for a new car.
- Some Airlines will not let you gate check it because it is too heavy (Boo!)
- On the pricier side
If you register for this stroller at buybuy Baby, you will get 10% off at your registry completion! Also, when people ask you "what do you really want?" ask for gift cards from buybuy baby or whichever retailer you go with! People love buying clothes and fun stuff for baby, but there are plenty of people who will be thrilled to contribute to your big ticket item with the ease of a gift card!
I mean... who doesn't love a gift card!?!?!
My second choice is much less costly and has many nice features: Chicco Bravo Trio Travel System
2. A place for newborn to sleep
Next must have for me is the Auto Rock n' Play. THIS. SAVED. MY. LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, I can't say enough how much we loved this. She did not like her bassinet and wanted to be on a slight incline. This is common for man babies. Brynne is just about over it at this point due to size, but we still have it out and plugged in by the Christmas tree as a "chill" spot. I can still plop her in there for a moment and she stares at the lights. Win win! Soon we will have to put this away... I am sure I will bawl my eyes out... just another sign that she is getting big. You can imagine the cry fest I had when I had to fold and put away her newborn clothes. I thought her room was going to flood with my tears!
3. Crib transition helper
Brynne's doctor was pushing me to start putting her in the crib. I cried... of course. I am such a dork. We started by trying to have her do short daytime naps... she did ok... but I knew this wouldn't work for night times... until we borrowed my lovely friend's Dockatot. GAME CHANGER! She loves this silly thing. Seriously, I owe this momma! This is must have. It isn't cheap, but if your baby likes it, you will use it ALL THE TIME! This is also great to bring for travel, it counts as a carry-on. We placed it in her pack and play in the hotel room and she snoozed like a champ! We love it so much that we ordered the next size!
4. Swing
How do people live without this? We use this thing errrry day allll day! She loves it!! We have the Ingenuity Swing and it has served us well. She doesn't nap in it, but it definitely keeps her content for a long enough time or mom to get dressed or chug coffee. I do wish it went a little faster, but she loves the features like the light and the mobile. My mom has a Fisher Price Ocean Wonders swing which she loves. It has a super fast speed which puts her to sleep easily!
5. A great bouncer/rocker... or 3!!
We have one in the family room and one in the kitchen. In the family room we have the Fisher Price Rocker. She loved this one from the beginning. It is very simple and has a vibration feature. I strap toys with lights such as Bright Starts Beaming Buggie (her fave!) on it for added interest... works like a charm most of the time! The bouncer in the kitchen has been super helpful from 2 months on. She was not the biggest fan right off the bat, but now she loves it! We have the Fisher Price Deluxe Bouncer in Safari Dreams. It's a great "plop baby down so I can shove a sandwich down my throat" contraption. She loves the vibration, music, and little hanging toys. I usually put her in there when I am cooking or eating and it keeps her happy for a nice amount of time.
6. Car Seat
Ask other moms! We asked and we found that many moms recommended the Chicco Key Fit. We love that the adapter for the Uppababy is super simple and quick to use! I use this very often as baby loves to fall sleep in her car seat. I just snap it on and click her in for short runs to the store! It's always a total win if she stays asleep the whole time... Then you just snap the seat back into the car seat base and aim to get home before all hell breaks loose! Haha. She also loves her Bright Starts Busy Birdies toy.
7. Nursery Chair
I had quite a few moms tell me to buy a good nursery chair. I am so glad I did! We went with the Bilana in a nice cream color. I use this thing every day for almost every feeding, reading books, snuggles, etc. We went for the rocker with a full recline. I have even slept in this thing! It's really pretty and comfy. Be warned, items like this take many weeks to deliver from most stores.
We love our activity gym! Brynne started off using this for tummy time and at around 8 weeks we flipped her over for play time. This keeps her happy! I attached a bunch of Activity play rings (these are also a must have for your stroller, car seat, etc.) and some fun soft toys... Loves it! Keeps her entertained while I drink my coffee or straighten up the room. Her fave chew toy- Her Minnie!
9. Monitor
This was tough one! We ended up with the Motorola MBP36XL and so far, we love it! Some moms recommended Infant Optics. We will try that one next if needed!
These were just a few things that really helps get through the first month or two with ease. There are tons of other products that are helpful and every baby is different, but these worked for us! My hope is that sharing these can help other moms find products to make motherhood just a tiny bit easier for them!
*** EDIT: We found that the charger stopped working after 3 months, and in 8months the video screen no longer works. Very disappointing. I am currently waiting on a response from customer service.
10. White Noise
We went with the Dohm White Noise Machine. My friends said they love it, so we went for it! WE LOVE IT!
11. Bath Chair
We love our simple little bath chair! My sister gave it to us. We always use our Boppy Lounger (another great item!) and place her soft hooded towel down on it to wrap her up on.
These are a few of my favorite products:
- Pampers Swaddlers
- Honest Wipes
- Aquaphor Healing Ointment (noit the diaper rash cream, the large tub! It is awesome!)
- Lansinoh Bottles
- Aveeno Baby Lotion (Scent Free!)
- Desitin
- Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets (we have 4 and use them every day)
- Gerber burp clothes
- Monica and Andy sleepers (soooo soft) We also prefer snaps over zippers for night time diaper changes... I found that with zippers, you had to unzip the entire thing and pull her legs out rather than just unsnap a few at the bottom.
- Boogie Wipes
I found that having a lot of onesies and sleepers has been nice... Poop, spit up, and drool happen! I like putting a fresh onesie on her when it gets too messy and we use a nice clean sleeper every night.
I also have a hamper and Diaper Genie right by her changing area.
A nice nightlight keeps her room dark but still give me enough light to maneuver.
Storage boxes and bins galore! You will use them! I love how they come in so many different styles and designs. These bins can give a shelf a whole new cute look!
Storage boxes and bins galore! You will use them! I love how they come in so many different styles and designs. These bins can give a shelf a whole new cute look!
I received a skip hop diaper bag backpack, it's nice, but don't use it as often because I find that it doesn't have as much space as a regular diaper bag... I currently use a large tote as my diaper bag! I would recommend a tote style over backpack style... But that's just my personal preference!
Don't forget to checkout my post on Breastfeeding for products I have found helpful!
Stay tuned for other favorites in future posts!
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