Baby Gear Breakdown

This is a post I've been wanting to write forever, but just never got around to it.  As we start to gear-up (pardon the pun) for baby #2, I thought it'd finally be a good time to give you all the lowdown on our baby gear and our experiences.  I'm no expert (and I've only had one kid), but I've been asked for gear recommendations quite a bit recently, so I hope this helps out some soon-to-be new mama with registry decisions.  

I've broken this post into three parts: 

1. Baby Gear We Loved
2. Baby Gear We Could Live Without
3. What I Wish We'd Done Differently

The items in the "Baby Gear We Loved" section are items that we got a LOT of use out of and would absolutely definitely recommend to others.  The items in the "Baby Gear We Could Live Without" section are not necessarily items we didn't use, but items that I don't feel like we got our money's worth out of.  We did try/use most of these things, but they are all items I felt were unnecessary or not particularly useful in our situation.  A lot of these items came VERY highly recommended by my friends and family members, so please don't feel like they wouldn't be appropriate for your registry or for your baby.  I hope we can use some of these things for baby #2 because I'd hate for them to go unused.  The items in the "What I Wish We'd Done Differently" section are all lessons we've had to live-and-learn.  I don't necessarily regret the decisions we made or items we purchased, but if I had to do it again, I'd do things slightly different.

Please note: Every baby (and every parent) is different. My experience with these products will be different than yours based on all kinds of things (lifestyle, personal preference, temperament of baby, space constraints, budget, etc.).  My baby is different than yours and will be different than my #2.  I GUARANTEE that you will disagree with some of the things I say below.  And that's fine!  Please, feel free to leave a comment and let other readers know why you disagree so they can make educated decisions about the item/product, but please be nice about it, ok?  

What We Loved

High Chair - Boon Flair Pedestal ($190)

We're really happy with this high chair.  It's heavy, but easy to move around our kitchen, has adjustable heights and is very easy to clean.  The straps are the only part of the whole thing that might require more than a swipe with a wet rag.  They're machine washable and I think we've only had to wash ours a couple times.  I do wish the tray was slightly bigger though - it's hard to put food and a sippy cup on the tray and even kid-sized plates are too big for the tray.  However, it is flat on the bottom, which is a big improvement over a lot of other bulky awkward high chair trays we've dealt with.  It's nice to be able to put it on the counter to prepare his meal and then just stick in on the high chair.

Swaddlers - Halo Sleepsack Fleece Swaddle Blanket ($20)

I'm pretty sure we tried every swaddler out there and these were our favorites.  We started out using Aden & Anais blankets, which worked for a week or two until he was strong enough to break free.  The (stolen) flannel-type hospital blankets were also good, but Mac was quickly too long for them and his feet would stick out the bottom.  We also tried the Miracle Blanket and the SwaddleMe.  But the velcro on the Halo swaddlers was the only thing that kept our little Houdini from breaking free of the straight-jacket.  Although lighter, the cotton ones were also not as tight as the fleece since you were limited on where you could use the velcro - so buy the fleece.  I've also heard good things about the Woombie (which didn't exist two years ago).  If Mim's a Houdini like Mac, we might try one of those too. 

Breast Pump - Medela Freestyle Breast Pump ($335)

As you may remember from reading my post on breastfeeding HERE, I was an exclusive pumper for six months.  That means that I got a LOT of use out of my breastpump.  I splurged and got the top-of-the-line Medela Freestyle Pump and really liked it.  Well, as much as you can like a breastpump, I guess.  It was small, compact, easy to take to work, easy to clean and carried a charge well so I could move around without being plugged into a wall.  If you're reliant on your breastpump, I also recommend buying a set of spare parts just in case your dog chews through the tubing and cones (yep, that happened).  Also, when you're sleep deprived and delirious and pumping in the middle of the night, this breast pump will talk to you.  Mine said "Panera" over and over and over.   

Bottles - Dr. Brown's BPA Free Bottles ($15 for 3 bottles)

This is another place where we tried quite a few different products before we found one we liked the best.  Mac was a terrible eater in the beginning.  He couldn't breastfeed, so he took expressed breastmilk from a bottle, but had issues gagging and wheezing and making awful noises when he ate.  We tried at least 6 different bottles to see if anything helped (it really didn't) and ended up using Dr. Brown's, which worked the best for us.  Yes, the blue tube can be annoying and difficult to clean, but these were really great bottles, which we'll continue to use with Mim.  Invest in lots of them so you don't have to clean the same ones over and over.  

Travel High Chair - Inglesina Fast Table Chair ($50)

This little travel high chair has gotten a lot of use from us.  It goes with us every time we travel, send Mac to his grandparents or go out to eat.  We also use at home and put Mac right up on the island countertop when he paints or when we have company over for an extra highchair.  It hooks onto any tabletop very securely and without a lot of work.  It's pretty light, collapsible and machine washable.

Exersaucer- Baby Einstein Musical Motion Activity Jumper ($90)

Also known as "the circle of neglect," the exersaucer is one of those giant obnoxious monstrosity eyesore items that make most new parents cringe.  However, this is also rather lifesaving when you need to make dinner, go to the bathroom or take a shower and you don't trust your kid to stay in one place.  We liked this Baby Einstein one - it has adjustable heights, 4 different activity stations as the baby turns, a tray for snacks, plays classical music and is machine washable.  I think the sun teether thingy was recalled because it is on a spring and can whack babies in the face, but we didn't have a problem with it, and has since been fixed.  

Playmat - Infantino Activity Gym ($30)

Who knows whether my tiny newborn actually liked this playmat or not, but it's the one we got and it worked great for the intended purpose.  Mac seemed to really like watching the spinning animals above him and trying to grab the rings.  I like that it was really easy to clean spit-up off of and collapsible for easy storage/travel.

Snot Sucker - NoseFrida ($20)

This is another one of those products that made my pre-parent self cringe.  Yes, you put the tube in the baby's nose, the other end in your mouth and literally suck the snot out of their head.  Gross?  Maybe.  Amazing?  Absolutely.  The snot does not get anywhere close to your mouth, don't freak out.  This thing works and it's awesome.  You'll never use one of those bulb syringes again.

Sleep/Colic Aid - Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and CD Combo ($33)

I cannot say enough about how much we loved "The Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD.  Yes, I read the book first, but it didn't click until I actually saw how Dr. Karp himself used the 5 S's on babies.  I was doing it wrong.  Watch the DVD.  My husband and both watched it at least 3 times.  I made my parents, Ryan's parents and the nanny all watch it.  I now buy this as a gift for my new parent friends and demand that they watch it too.  Surprise, these things work!  We still use the CD every single night to play Mac white noise all night long.  Our house is loud with us, a cat and two barking dogs.  Using white noise keeps him asleep through it all.  We also use the CD in the car and when we travel.  When Mac was a newborn, we played the other tracks on the CD to calm him at night when he was crying, which really seemed to help, so we'll need to get another one for Mim.  If you don't get the CD, at least get something will play white noise (loudly) for your baby while he sleeps (all night long - not just for 15 minutes like the Sleep Sheep).  

Mobile - Tiny Love Classic Developmental Mobile ($45)

Yes, this might be gaudy and obnoxious and will not match your nursery decor, but it will fascinate your baby for a LONG time.  Babies love this.  I suggest you take your beautiful nursery photos, then put this bad boy up on the crib. Your baby will love it.  This was the only thing that entertained my kid while I pumped.  It spins, has black/white spirals, a night light and plays classical music in 20 minute increments. 

Shampoo - Mustela Newborn Foam Shampoo ($12)

My friend Claire gifted me a Mustela newborn kit when Mac was born and I fell in love with this shampoo.  It's a pump and foam, which is perfect for babies because you won't use very much and it won't drip in their eyes.  It smells like heaven and even now when I smell it I get all nostalgic and weepy thinking about how little he used to be.  

Swing - Fisher-Price My Little Lamb Swing ($120)

This might be the product we got the most use out of.  If you watch "The Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD, like I told you to above, you know that one of the 5 S's is swinging.  Mac lived in this swing.  That's the only way he would sleep for the first few months of his life.  We used that swing every single day for naps until he was about 7 months old and many nights during maternity leave.  Ryan or I would sleep on the couch and he would just swing away all night long.  I'm not saying it was an ideal situation, but when you're sleep deprived, you do what you gotta do.  The only downside to this swing is that it takes batteries.  LOTS of D batteries.  Twice we had to do middle of the night battery runs to the store to restock.  D batteries are also very expensive.  If you can, buy one that plugs in - it will save you a fortune.    

Bathtub - Fisher-Price Whale Bathtub ($20)

This is a cute bathtub.  Yes, it's large and awkward and hard to store, but we liked it and got a lot of use out of it.  It keeps you from having to fill the entire tub with water and will fit over a standard size double sink.  Adjustable insert so it can change as your baby gets older and can sit up on his own.  

Burp Cloths - Gerber Flannel Large Burp Cloths ($9)

Can you ever have too many burp cloths?  For the first few months of his life, Mac was a spitter, so we went through these things like crazy.  We had them stashed all over the house so we were never too far from a stack.  We used them for everything.  We really liked the large flannel ones the best.  They were the most absorbent, easy to clean and really withstood all the wear and tear.  The prefold cloth diapers are also good for burpcloths. 

Crib - Convertible Crib ($275)

I'm sure most people are happy with whatever crib they get, but I really like the crib we got Mac (this crib). It's beautiful, but also a beast of a crib - very sturdy and strong.  I have been known to get in the crib with him (don't judge), so you know it can support some weight.  We'll eventually convert it to a toddler bed and then a full size bed and I think it will last us a long time.  I ended up getting Mim the DiVinci crib, which will also convert, only because the Bedford one didn't come in white.  It also has great reviews though.  I'm going to try to spend less time in the crib myself, this go round. 

Stuffed Animals - Jellycat Stuffed Animals ($20)

We are big Jellycat lovers in our house.  Mac loves his "babies," which are a Jellycat puppy, cat, giraffe, tiger and brown dog.  He sleeps with all five of them every single night.  He carries them around all day.  He loves them to pieces.  We have multiple of each of them, so we have a backup in case one needs to be cleaned or gets lost.  I'm not sure it's recommended by the manufacturer, but we run ours through the washer/dryer without any problems.  They're the only stuffed animals he's taken to. 

Diapers - Pampers Diapers Sensitive (prices vary)

We started out with Pampers and haven't looked back.  With a newborn we used the Sensitive ones, then moved up to the the Swaddlers, which we still use.  I love the idea of cloth diapering, but just couldn't convince myself to make that kind of commitment.  

Bibs - Bumkins Waterproof Bibs ($15 for 3)

These bibs are great.  We have about 20 of them (buy the big variety packs) and use one per meal, then throw them in the wash.  They're also really easy to just rinse off, if you want to reuse them right away.  The pocket catches a lot of spills and they're wide enough to cover most of his front.  They also make bibs with sleeves, if you really want to keep your kid (and his clothes) clean.  

Monitor - Summer Infant Handheld Color Video Monitor ($100)

This is another product we've gotten a LOT of use out of.  I doubt a video monitor is necessary for everyone, but it gives us peace of mind while Mac's sleeping upstairs and we're elsewhere in the house or outside.  Plus, it's nice to be able to check on him to see his position, if he's moving around, has his blankets, etc.  We take this with us everywhere.  So much so that our monitor is cracked/broken and we can no longer really see anything on it except the bottom corner.  We still use it for the sound.  We're going to upgrade to a double monitor when Mim arrives (probably this one).  

Stroller - Baby Jogger City Mini GT ($260)

I'm pretty happy with this City Mini GT stroller.  I like that it's light, easy to collapse, has a decent amount of storage on the bottom, reclines, has a great sunshield canopy and is really easy to push.  Mac's not a huge stroller fan (he'd rather walk on his own or be in a carrier), but it's always nice to have the stroller for somewhere to put your stuff.  We also got the parent console so we'd have a place to put our water (or cocktail), keys, etc.  I do want to mention that we had a problem with the front wheel locking up (broken lock), initially.  Baby Jogger replaced it for free within a couple days of my call and we haven't had a problem since.  However, I noticed that a couple other people mentioned this in the reviews, so I wanted to point that out.  

Pajamas - Carter's Microfleece Footie Pajamas ($9)

This is a wardrobe staple.  Mac lived in footie pajamas for the first 9 months of his life and still wears these to bed every single night.  We love them.  Can't get enough of them.  We have about 600 pairs of Carter's pajamas.  Anyone want to swap boy jammies for girl jammies?  

Diaper Rash Cream - Boudeaux's Buttpaste ($20 for 16 oz.)
We've been very lucky in that we haven't really had issues with diaper rash.  At the first sign of any redness, we lather on the Buttpaste.  We buy the big jars and always have it handy.  Usually after one or two applications the redness is gone.  We love the Buttpaste!

Reference Book - Baby 411 ($10)

I can't remember which blogger recommended this book to me, but it's great and I've used it a lot.  It's nice to have something (other than your pediatrician) that will give you trusted, easy to follow advice without having to use Google to look up symptoms (which will inevitably make you think your child is dying).  I thought it was really informative and down-to-earth, without being preachy or having tons of disclaimers (damn lawyers).  As Mac gets older, I find myself using it less and less, but it was great for a first-time parent with a newborn. 

Carrier - Baby Bjorn ($55)

We are big fans of baby-wearing.  When Mac was a newborn I wore him in the Moby wrap quite a bit, but that thing is complicated and was super hot to wear all summer.  Once he was a little bit bigger and sturdier, we moved to this Baby Bjorn and really liked it.  Mac loved that it was front-facing (once he had good head control) and never put up much of a fuss in it.  I wore him all the time when we were shopping, taking walks, at the airport, at the zoo, etc.  It was really easy to get him in and out of and quick to adjust between me and my husband.  I'd recommend getting the black one though, since the white one got dingy and dirty very quickly, especially with baby drool and spit-up.  I've also heard really great things about the Ergo, which supposedly is more comfortable for the parent's back wearing the baby, so we may check that one out with #2.  

What We Could Live Without

Chewbeads ($35)

Great idea, but just didn't work for us.  Mac didn't like them and never chewed on them.  I thought it looked like I was wearing tacky plastic children's jewelry.  I think maybe these just aren't my style.  Love the concept, but just didn't work for us.  Maybe Mim will like them better?

Summer Infant By Your Side Sleeper ($50)

We never even got this one out of the box.  Maybe because we used a co-sleeper bassinet or maybe because we like a LOT of pillows on our bed, but we never felt comfortable putting the baby directly in bed with us.  I liked the idea of this, but again, it didn't work for us.  

Boppy ($40) and My Brest Friend ($35)

Ok, most of you are probably going to disagree with this one, but we just didn't get much use out of either of these pillows.  I'm going to chalk this one up to the fact that breastfeeding didn't work for us (and a painful c-section incision), but I didn't use either of these to feed Mac and don't feel like they were all that helpful.  We would occasionally use the Boppy to prop him up for photos, but we really didn't use it that much.  I have kept/saved them both though, with high hopes of a successful breastfeeding baby this summer and hope one (or both) of these work for us.  

Bumbo Floor Seat and Play Tray ($40)

I think most people either love this or don't use it at all.  We were of the latter camp.  We may have used it a handful of times, but I only felt safe with it being on the ground, which was lick-level for the dogs.  Plus, Mac just never seemed to want to sit in it.  He was so squirmy and active, he'd much rather just be on the floor on his own.  

Sassy Seat Doorway Jumper ($30)

This is another one we love the idea of, but only used a handful of times.  Mac liked it alright, but he was much more of a spinner in this, than a bouncer.  He always leaned to one side, which made it sometimes spin out of control on one leg.  Lots of reviewers of this product had the same comment, so I'd recommend getting the Graco one instead.

Gerber Burp Cloths ($7)

As I mentioned above, you can never have too many burp cloths.  However, get the bigger ones. These are tiny and not as absorbent as the flannel ones.  In this case, bigger is better.

Graco Snugrider Elite (Snap 'N Go) ($80)

I have friends that swear by this product; however, we didn't really use it much.  For those of you wondering what this is, it's basically a car seat carrier (think of having wheels for your car seat).  Great idea for when you don't want to get the baby out of the car seat or when your car seat doesn't fit on a stroller.  It's smaller and lighter than a stroller, but I thought that it was really bumpy (not as smooth as the stroller) and I had a hard time accessing the storage basket when the car seat was attached.  I ended up buying the car seat adapter for the stroller and using it instead.  

Crib Skirt ($30)

We had a crib skirt on the crib for photos of the nursery and then basically removed it because it was such a pain in the ass to deal with.  Every time we changed the sheets, we had to straighten and mess with it, which (for my perfectionist self) took ten times as long as just changing the sheet. Plus, once we lowered the mattress of the crib, it hung funny and just didn't look good.  Unless you have endless patience for bedding or want it for photos, I'd skip it.  

Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker ($125)

I bought this used from a friend with grand intentions of making all my own baby food.  Then, I read about Baby Led Weaning and we skipped baby food and purees entirely.  So, I cannot vouch for whether or not this is a good product (although I believe it is), but I'm including it on this list because we didn't use it at all.  

Dr. Brown's Steam Bottle Sterilizer ($17)

This is another one we didn't even take out of the box.  Perhaps we're not the germaphobes we initially thought we were, but I just didn't see the need in sterilizing everything every single time it was used.  Germs build immunity, right?  (kidding)  We did use the Medela steamer sterilizer bags for nipples, bottle and pump parts, which I found much easier to deal with (and took up way less space).  

Newborn Mittens ($4)

We never used mittens.  I did really like the shirts and jammies with the covered hands, but we didn't specifically use the mittens. 

Hooded Towel ($15)

This is one product I really really wanted to love, but just didn't work for us.  These towels are SO cute, but they are also SO small and can only be used for about a week before your newborn outgrows them (or maybe my kid was just giant).  Also, they're surprisingly not that soft (scratchy).  We ended up just using regular towels (or even beach towels) because they were so much bigger, softer and easier to wrap the baby in.  

Tiny Diner Mat ($10)

Again, I have friends that swear by these things and we didn't use it at all.  They fold up nice and neat, but I couldn't get them to ever flatten out to the point where they'd stay stuck to the table.  Instead, we use these Table Topper disposable placemats that stick to the table and you can just throw away without having to clean - yes, they are worse for the environment, but easier on parents.  

Umbrella Stroller ($160)

This is a product that everyone seemed to think we should buy, although I never did and never had a need to.  I have no comments on whether or not this is a good product, because we never bought one or used it.  I'd wait to see if you have a need for an umbrellas stroller before purchasing one. 

Pacifier ($9)

Despite us persistently trying to force one on him, Mac never took to the pacifier.  We tried at least 10 different brands, but nothing worked.  I so badly wanted him to like them, since so many other babies seemed to be soothed and comforted by them, but alas, each child is different.  At least this way I don't have to break him of the habit.  

Stroller Rain Shield ($40) (not pictured)

Never got it out of the box.  I suppose we're not "walk your baby out and about in the rain" type parents.  If it's raining, we just stayed home. 

What I Wish We'd Done Differently

Bouncer -
          What We Used: Fisher-Price Bouncer ($60)
          What I'd Do Differently: 4 Moms Mamaroo ($250)

We didn't really get a ton of use out of the little Fisher-Price bouncer that we had.  I liked that it vibrated, but that didn't last long and he'd wake up every time it stopped.  Unless he was strapped in, he slid out of it.  And I couldn't really strap him in if he was swaddled.  (And swaddling is one of the 5 S's from "Happiest Baby on the Block," which I mentioned above that we adhered to.) Also, it was on the floor and lick-level for the dogs, so we didn't use it as much as the swing, which was a big higher.  Mac never really seemed to love it either.  If I had to do over, I'd love to try the Mamaroo.  I'm intrigued by the different motions and settings that the Mamaroo has.  Since Mac loved the swing so much, I think he really would have liked this much more than the bouncer. However, with such a hefty price tag, I'm reluctant to buy it for Mim, since she could be completely different.  I gotta save up all my money for D batteries for that damn swing.  :)  

Glider -
          What We Used: Best Chairs Swivel Glider ($500)
          What I'd Do Differently: Rockabye Jayden Rocker Recliner ($600)

I like the glider we have.  My husband hates the glider we have.  I did not realize the extent of his hatred for our glider until pretty recently, although he has mentioned that he finds it very uncomfortable basically since day 1.  We spend a LOT of time in our glider.  Even now, we still sit it in and read to Mac and sing/rock him every single night.  Some nights when he was sick we'd take turns sitting in the rocker with him all night long.  He loves the rocking motion (which is why he liked the swing so much).  Our glider is pretty "upright" and it's impossible to sleep in (unless you are dog-tired and dying).  The back of the glider is tall, so you cannot lay your head back at all (I'm short, so this never really noticed this).  It doesn't have any side head support either, so you can't lean against the side and sleep.  It has definitely served it's purpose, but I agree with my husband that it sure would have been nice to be able to recline in our glider.  Maybe then we could have gotten some sleep too on all those long nights.  In our opinion, a glider that reclines would be SO worth it.  So much so we're considering buying a whole new (reclining) glider for Mim's room, knowing how much time we'll spend in it and how much use we'll get out of it.  

Pack 'N Play -
          What We Used: Graco Pack 'N Play Playard with Napper ($180)
          What I'd Do Differently: Joovy Room Portable Playard ($165)

I think my review of this product is highly dependent on what we use the Pack 'N Play for. Initially, I picked this particular PNP because it had all kinds of features: napper, bassinet, changer, etc.  We set it up on the main floor of our house since our rooms (and the nursery) were upstairs and I couldn't go up/down stairs for a few weeks due to my c-section.  We never really used it for a changing station, since we had one of those already set-up downstairs.  We didn't use the napper or bassinet because Mac really prefered to sleep in the swing on on me.  So, mainly we used ours for a travel/portable crib.  We have taken our PNP on vacation, road trips and even just over to grandmas house for naptime.  As Mac has gotten bigger, our PNP seems to get exponentially smaller.  We haven't had it out in a while, but I'm pretty sure it'd be constricting for him now, at almost two.  However, he still sleeps in a crib, so we still need a travel crib.  When we went to Florida in November, my friend Erica had a large square PNP set-up for us to use, which was much bigger than our PNP and perfect for him.  If you're looking to use your PNP for a travel crib, I'd go with something bigger.  

Bassinet -
          What We Used:  Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Bedside Bassinet ($180)
          What I'd Do Differently: Fisher-Price Rock 'N Play Sleeper ($50)

When Mac was a newborn, he slept in this bassinet right next to me in bed.  This particular bassinet actually connected directly to our bed, so he was right there next to me for easy access for middle of the night feedings.  However, we had a few problems with this set-up.  First, Mac didn't breastfeed, so our need for "arms-reach" access was diminished.  I did like having him close, but that raised additional issues.  Second, babies are noisy sleepers - they gurgle, squeak, squeal, squawk and cry out in their sleep all night long without ever really waking.  I guarantee these noises will wake a new mother (new dads can sleep through anything) and you'll think your baby is dying, even though he's totally fine and still sleeping.  With Mac making so much noise so close to me, I couldn't sleep at all.  Third, since this attached directly to our bed (which is tall), right alongside my side of the bed, I had a very hard time getting in and out of bed with the bassinet next to me.  It was particularly hard because I had a major c-section incision which made it very difficult for me to sit upright.  I could only get in and out of bed by rolling in and out of bed, but couldn't because of the bassinet.  Fourth, as I mentioned above, we love to sleep with a lot of pillows and I was always scared that I'd accidentally throw a pillow over the baby in my sleep and suffocate him.  I know that probably sounds silly, but a first time parent worries about everything and I could just never get comfortable with this product.  So, we kept using it, but moved it away from my side of the bed to the end of bed.  And within a couple weeks we moved Mac directly into his crib, which ended up with us all sleeping so much better.  I'm not sure what we're going to do with Mim.  I like the idea of using this Rock 'N Play for a bassinet, which I could have close to my side of the bed without being attached.  I love that it rocks, which Mac would have really benefitted from (this didn't exist 2 years ago).  How we do things with #2 will depend a lot on the type of baby Mim is (whether she's as into rocking as Mac was) and whether breastfeeding works this time around.  

Ok, so that's my baby gear breakdown.  Whew!  Feel free to ask questions about our experience or leave any (helpful and nice) comments on your experiences.  

What were your (and your baby's) favorite products?

What items could you live without?

What would you do differently?