One of the funnest parts of being pregnant is shopping for all of that baby gear. It is all so cute and cuddly, how can you resist? But after you have your baby, you realize there is a lot of stuff you really don’t need. Everyone needs the basics–crib, stroller, car seat, etc. Here are a few great finds among the piles of useless baby stuff that I just couldn’t do without.
- A Baby Wrap. This is an absolute necessity if you have a fussy baby. My newborn has colic/GER that causes him to scream for hours on end. As soon as I put him in my wrap he calms down and falls asleep. Maybe it reminds him of being in my belly because it is warm, snug and he can hear my heart beat. Whatever it is, when he get into those bouts my wrap is the next best thing to a magic wand. It is also very handy at the grocery store. It is much easier to get around without his bid car seat strapped to my cart. And it enables me to chase down my 3 year-old if the occasion arises, which it often does. I prefer the Moby wrap, but there are plenty out there that are just like it.
- The Boppy Pillow. This pillow is a great help when nursing. Just wrap it around your waist and it elevates your baby to an easier nursing position. It is also a great pillow to lay your baby in to keep their head elevated and their body from rolling. I take it with us when we travel. It is much more portable than a baby seat.
- A Swaddle Blanket. Swaddling is one of the best things that you can do for your baby. It makes them feel secure and it helps them sleep better, but it can be a little complicated to do. And as they get older, it becomes hard to find blankets big enough to wrap around them. A swaddle blanket is a little sack with “wings” that wrap around your baby and makes swaddling foolproof.
- A Soothie Pacifier. This is the pacifier given out by hospitals the most. It has a completely circular nipple rather than the common slanted ones. They are the only ones my boys would ever use. So they were a lifesaver for me.
- The Bumbo Seat. The Bumbo is an amazing seat that conforms to your baby’s body and enables them to sit upright as soon as they can hold their head up on their own. My sons loved this thing and it freed my hands up more times than I can count. Also, I am convinced that it helped them crawl and walk early by building the muscle they need to do that.
