New baby must-haves: third time's a charm!
/Hi everyone!
It’s Andrea. I’ve been a little incognito because I had my third child about a month ago, and he has two modes: I SLEEP ON YOU, or YOU FEED ME. Doesn’t leave me a lot of opportunity to put two hands on a keyboard uninterrupted. In fact: here’s a real life pic. Baby sleeping on my bed, me working but making sure he knows I’m right there. Unfolded laundry everywhere. #momlife.
Three kids under five years old is, let’s say, challenging. But now that I’m a mom with experience, I have some must-haves that I wanted to share with you.
But first, here’s an event for moms of new babies: a FREE Tummy Time Workshop at Developmental Steps in Mount KIsco on Wednesday, 11/20 at 1pm. Click here for more info.
Essential Baby Must-Haves: What We Can’t Live Without The Third Time Around
VAVA BABY MONITOR
With our first two kids we used a Foscam monitor, but after several years it’s begun to show it’s age. We looked around at other models such as Motorola, but they didn’t have a great refresh rate, so I couldn’t actually see my sleeping baby’s chest rise and fall, which of course made me more paranoid than if I hadn’t checked at all. (What new mom doesn’t wake up in the middle of the night to make sure baby’s breathing?
One of the newest monitors to hit the scene is VAVA. It’s got a nice, large screen, good daytime color and night vision and all the extras such as temperature gauging, timestamp, talk feature, and full range of motion, and the battery life is great (because who ever remembers to plug it in?) We love it, and the hundreds of people on Amazon who have given it 5-star reviews love it too. Click here to learn more and get 20% off.
OMIE VIEW BASSINET MIRROR
Baby monitors in the nursery are essential, but what about when your newborn is shacked up in your bedroom in a bassinet or co-sleeper? Even though they are right next to you, it can be hard to check on them during the night without sitting up or crouching over, and as new moms, we’re not that excited about movement that isolates our abs.
This lightweight, no-glass, remote-controlled mirror with an LED light clips onto the side of the bassinet for a clear view of baby. Use the remote to twist and turn the mirror until baby is in view. It runs on 2 AA batteries, so there are no cords to trip on, and it’s completely portable. Click here to learn more.
SWADDLE SACK
When you have your first baby, you have all the time in the world to hold them and rock them to sleep. By the time the third one rolls around, more often than not you’ve got to put them down quickly to put out a fire with the other two. I’ll have just finished feeding the baby when I hear “I have poopy!” being screamed from the bathroom. If I just drop baby in his crib, he’ll fuss, but these swaddles act like a big hug from Mommy while she’s off wiping butts and doling out Goldfish crackers.
SwaddleDesigns makes a soft yet secure swaddle in adorable patterns and two types of comfort. The Swaddle Sack with Wrap is a traditional swaddle with side panels, and the Transitional swaddle is a great way to bridge the gap between swaddle and sleep sack. Both allow baby’s arms to be raised over their heads (if they’re into that sort of thing), and both feature foldover mitten cuffs. The main zipper closure means no more wondering “How the hell do I put this on?” which is especially useful at the 2am feeding. Click here to learn more.
PORTABLE INFANT SLEEPERS/NAPPERS/SEATS
Having lots of places to put baby down is important. I recommend one in every room if possible. It can be as simple as a blanket or play mat on the floor (FLOOR?! You say? Baby Safety tip: as unappealing as it is to put your kid down on the floor when you’re in a jam, just remember when choosing between 10 seconds on the couch and 10 seconds on the floor, babies can’t fall off the floor. You might not think they can move enough to fall off, but many infants are strongly motivated by the sight of Mommy walking away. Don’t find out the hard way).
We love our SwaddleMe By Your Side Sleeper for use on the bed or couch. It’s a great little spot to put them down for a quick nap or rest while you grab another bottle or just hang out next to them. It’s especially good for mommy/baby naps on the bed, because you know they are safely railed in. The sleeper is also a great way to give the baby a safe zone when sharing space with older siblings. Big bro and sis know not to stick their hands inside the sleeper. Click here to learn more.
We also love our infant swings and bouncers for extra seats around the house. These are great objects to get secondhand, as they are often a quarter of the price and in great condition. Once Upon A Child has a large selection to choose from. With our third baby I upgraded from the Snugamonkey Swing to the Mamaroo because it looks so sleek and takes up less room, but I think for all it’s weight and size the Snugamonkey worked better to soothe baby and rock him to sleep. Plus when the mobile on the Mamaroo broke, the company said my model was too old to support a free replacement part. Boo! Fancier isn’t always better.
FORMULA MAKER
Our Baby Brezza is back! And we’re so excited. We used it for our first child, then with our second we had to put it away because he was on a special formula that was incompatible with the machine, but now we’re back for #3! If you don’t know, the Baby Brezza is like a formula coffee maker. It’s the best, easiest thing for tired parents. Preload the water and the formula, then just pop the bottle under the spout and select the number of ounces you want and out comes a warm, perfectly mixed drink. My husband swears the baby likes it better than when we mix it by hand.
The best part is you can do it one handed, and if you have one in the house you don’t have to worry about babysitters or grandparents making mixing errors. Now they just need to make one for white wine. Click here to learn more.
PACIFIERS
Some moms hate pacifiers, but there’s evidence that they aid in the fight against SIDS, plus there’s nothing better to quiet a fussy baby in a restaurant. Still, it all depends if your child takes to them. Our first two kids couldn’t get enough, but this third one spits it out as soon as he realizes food is not coming out it.
Our favorite pacis are from MAM. Cute graphics, ergonomic designs, a great range of sizes, and some even glow in the dark! Click here to learn more.
FOOD ON THE GO
It’s so hard to deal with bottles when you’re out, and since he’s the third kid, he goes out all the time to drop off the other two at school or a birthday party, or even just dinner with parents who are too tired to cook. We used to measure out formula in ziplock bags, but it was always so messy to mix on the go.
Then we discovered formula dispensers that fit inside our bottles and hold a feeding’s worth of scoops. We prefill the bottles with water and store it all inside the diaper bag so it’s ready to go. It saves us money on the individual travel powder packets and is less wasteful. Click here to learn more.
BONUS BABY TIP: TAKE THE NEWBORN PHOTOS
There are few things more adorable and timeless than squishy, sleeping baby photos. These can be hard to pull off because typically you have to reserve your photographer months ahead of time, when you’re only a few months pregnant and can’t think past baby’s due date. But if you can book your session early, all you have to do is check in when the baby’s born and show up a week or two later for the photo shoot.
The photographer can typically incorporate any personal touches, such as favorite books or loveys, or commemorate a parent’s job or service. Just remember when you get that sticker shock: typically you get what you pay for. But think of it this way: the $500 or more you spend on newborn photos is not a cost you’ll be shelling out every year. Once the kids start school, you’ll probably spend less than $50 annually for some school photos. Average the total cost of all pictures over 18 years and it’s not so bad.
Our favorite photographer, Janine Leigh Photography, is located in Long Island, but is well worth the drive. Click here to visit her portfolio.
That’s it for this week! Here’s real life photo #2. If I’m lucky I can get this wrapped up before he wakes up and begs to eat again. Oops… too late! Time to Brezza!
Don't forget to check out our exclusive list of every children's library program in Westchester. It's been updated for Fall 2019, so everything you need to know is in one easy list.
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See you next time!
Andrea
