Most Used Baby Stuff

There is an overwhelming amount of baby stuff available. Before I gave birth I polled recent parents, read articles,  and browsed countless baby stores online and in person trying to figure out what to buy. I didn't want to buy anything we wouldn't use especially since I would be taking 3 months of unpaid maternity leave. As usual, we ended up with quite a bit of stuff we can't use, but there was no way to tell that until after the baby was born. Our kiddo's birth weight was 8lbs 12 oz, though for a day and half she got down to 7lbs 10oz, she was quickly back up and then surpassed her birth weight within two weeks (9lbs 13oz). Needless to say, we ended up packing up most of the newborn clothes we received, luckily, at least half were hand-me-downs.  A friend of mine who is giving birth to a girl in November will be getting all the unused newborn clothes.  I was really glad the few clothes that I bought for her were all 0-3/6 month clothes.

Our friends passed to us the Itzbeen Baby Care Timer which I would never have thought of buying. I love it, though I use it more to track the last time I pumped breast milk more than anything else and how long I've been at the pumping station. Sadly, I can't feed the baby directly from the breast (more about that some other time). I know many of my friends use an iphone app for tracking these things, but I'm still in the dark ages, though my husband did make me finally get a basic disposable cell phone towards the end of my pregnancy and because at that point we had downsized to one car.

I tried  and bought two hands free pumping bras  at Special Addition the Easy Expression Bustier Hands Free Pumping Bra (Medium, White) and the PumpEase Hands Free Pumping Support for Nursing Mothers. The Easy Expressions is easier when it comes to getting the cones on your boobies, but it is not adjustable and I soon found out not made for someone who has a wide rib cage and engorged breasts as well, some kind of proportion issue. The Pumpease is the way to go since it is adjustable for the broad shoulder/big rib cage/big breast set. I liked it so much I bought a second one, though I got it from Amazon where it was a bit cheaper.

While I'm on the subject of breast milk pumping, I had no idea that the pump I bought two weeks early to help me induce (more about that some other time) was only for occasional use... Then again I had no idea that my dreams of breast feeding would come to ruination either. Granted that sums up my pregnancy nothing went the way I thought, hoped, planned that it would and I should have expected that after giving birth that wouldn't change. Meanwhile, I feel lucky that we have the Special Additions Maternity store where I've rented a hospital grade pump. A Hospital Grade pump really does make a difference in how much you can pump. I am using the Medela symphony and a few of the parts that I bought for my personal every once-in-a-while Pump in Style. I'd also like to say getting 3 sets of the parts you have to wash is really worth it when one is pumping 24/7 since having to find and wash parts at 3am when one can barely navigate the furniture is a recipe for disaster.

I love the Gerber Brand White 2pk Long Sleeve Side Snap Shirt  which is what our baby mostly wears after I've decorated them with Marvy Uchida Fabric Marker Brush Tip 6/pkg-Bright.  This also makes a great gift. I have decorated numerous onsies for other people with those same markers for baby shower gifts. I will have pics on the blog later for all to see how neat these can be...

Our baby also wears Under the Nile Side Snap Shirt - Long Sleeve all the time. I like long sleeve 'cause they have the fold over cuff. My kiddo can get out of the mittens even when double swaddled in blankets, but she can't get out of the fold over sleeves for the most part. Once she got her arm/hand out enough to go through the neck of one of these shirts, but luckily never managed again. Even with her finger nails freshly manicured, somehow she can still manage to scratch herself and me up which is what makes coverage very important.  I like side snap because I am not real good at getting things over her head which seems to take real coordination or two people to dress the baby.

I got an Under The Nile Hooded Kimono toweling type robe at our local organic baby store. She looks so cool in it, very jedi knight. I use it after every time we've give her a bath.

My favorite receiving blankets are Summer Infant Organic Receiving Blankets, 3 Pack, Moss which look good and we used a lot to swaddle our little one the first two weeks, by the third week she had outgrown them for swaddling which wouldn't be a problem for most babies, but our girl is going on giant size (she has been gaining a pound a week, when we weighed her today she is already 10lbs 10oz).

I will continue this list some other time. I definitely want to remember everything I thought was useful in case someday in the far, far future after I've forgotten all about this I might decide to do this pregnancy/baby thing again...