So I hardly consider myself an expert in the area but in Miss. Madelyn's 5 months we have found a few items that are invaluable to us. With all the babies just born and all those on the way, I figured a list would be a handy reference for anyone who cares.
Moby Wrap - if you want to get anything, and I mean anything from brushing your teeth to washing the dishes, done in the first months with a baby, the moby wrap is a necessity. There is a lot of fabric to work with and it seems a bit overwhelming at first but once you get the hang on it, you can put it on in just a few seconds. There are quite a few ways to wear it and I've been able to wear Madelyn and switch it up based on her many moods. Check the website for the basics and you can always check youtube for some other options. The few tips I can share are:
2. wrap the baby high on your chest. I started by wrapping around my waist and was unable to get it as tight as I needed. A good rule of thumb is you should be able to kiss the top of your babe's head while wearing her.
Nose Frida - now I just recently discovered this one. After Miss. Madelyn came down with her first cold and realizing the bulb things do absolutely nothing except maybe catch a booger on the tip that you can pull out, I hit up google and kept searching until I found this little contraption. The whole idea of sucking out the snot (literally) seems a little nasty (okay, a lot nasty) but you step into mommy mode and will do whatever it takes to get your little one breathing easier so bring on the snot sucker. Once I tried it out, I discovered the snot doesn't come anywhere near your mouth and it is strangely gratifying to get it all out.
Wubbanub - I posted a little about this in Madelyn's month 4 synopsis but I thought it deserved another mention. This kid loves her frog. She has started pulling it out of her mouth and talking to it for a bit before shoving it back in. She loves the independence of pulling her pacifier in and out whenever she wants and I love that I no longer have to constantly plug her back in. Plus, it is amazing how quickly you lose those dang pacifiers in the crack of the carseat, rolling under the couch when she drops it, fumbling around for it in the dark. The attached stuffed animal makes finding her bink a cinch, even in a sleep coma state.
Sophie the Giraffe - I only bought Sophie because I scored an awesome deal. We're talking an 8.00 deal. Otherwise, there was no way I was spending 20.00 on a rubber giraffe. To be honest, Sophie reminds me of a dog toy. I'm pretty sure Ziggy agrees since he comes running every time Sophie squeaks. I was a little disappointed that Madelyn showed no interest in Sophie until just recently. After all, this was supposed to be some kind of miracle teether. Well, April rolled around and Madelyn has a new favorite toy. She loves noming on Sophie's face, ears, feet, you name it. It has made car rides a lot easier since it seems to keep her occupied for awhile. And like her frog, she enjoys sharing her tales with Sophie as well.
Soothe and Glow Seahorse - we started a bedtime routine with Madelyn about a month ago and a critical component of the routine is her seahorse. The light is just enough that she can see her pacifier to put it back in her mouth if it falls out. It plays for awhile and switches up between music and water sounds. Madelyn nods off to sleep at night staring into the belly of her seahorse and I am a happy mama because I finally have a babe that can fall asleep on her own!
Rock n Play Sleeper - LOVE LOVE LOVE! We used this constantly when Madelyn was born. I love how easy it was to move from room to room. Madelyn could fall asleep in the living room and we could move her to the bedroom when we went to bed without ever having to pick her up and shuffle her around. I could pull it up close to my side of the bed and just reach down to pick her up and nurse her. There is a slight incline which seems more comfortable than sleeping flat on her back. Also, it is more constricted, aka cozy, than her crib which feels like a more natural progression coming out of tight quarters inside the womb. She's too big to sleep in her Rock n Play but I still use it when I shower. I bring Madelyn into the bathroom with me and she hangs out in her Rock n Play while I sing songs or talk to her. Also, it folds mostly flat and can easily be stored under our bed.
Bumbo - Madelyn loves sitting in her bumbo. Don't tell the bumbo manufacturer but we put Madelyn in it and set her right in the middle of the kitchen table while we eat dinner. It keeps her a part of the family time and involved in what we are doing. I also put her in it while I'm cooking so I can talk to her and get other things done. It's easy to travel with and we usually bring it anytime we are headed to someone else's house.
So there you have it. My favorite baby items thus far. While this is hardly a complete list of all the useful baby items we have, it is definitely some of my top choices.
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