Monday, July 21, 2014

Must Have Baby Gear

So our little guy is already 3 months old. Where did the time go?! During the past 3 months we've learned a few things when it comes to baby gear. We could have saved some cash if only we knew before what we know now. Some things have ended up much more useful than others. These are some of my favorite and/or most used baby items.

Must Have Baby Gear

ErgoBaby carrier -- We used our ergo during a trip to Michigan when Chase was about 7 weeks old. It was great for using in the airport. Not to mention it can grow with your baby. You have the ability to wear baby on your front and back once they're able to sit upright later. Right now this bad boy (or girl) is on sale thanks to Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale. You can get this Starburst ErgoBaby carrier for only $79.90 marked down from the standard $120. If we didn't already have one I would scoop this up now!

Baby K'tan 'Breeze' carrier -- I actually wish we had purchased this carrier when Chase was smaller, because you can wear baby in so many different positions that the ErgoBaby carrier cannot do. I also like how the Breeze version of this carrier is made from cotton and mesh, because it gets very hot in Florida while wearing a baby. Oh, and you can use a Bed, Bath, & Beyond 20% off coupon to purchase this!

Bob 'Revolution SE' Jogging Stroller -- In hindsight, I would have skipped buying the travel system and gone straight for this stroller. We learned the hard way and bought it later. You can buy an adaptor that your infant carseat clicks into, so baby can still ride in this as an infant. It rides so much more smoothly than our Britax B-Agile. Like I said, in hindsight I would have skipped the travel system stroller for this jogging stroller plus an umbrella stroller (which we have yet to purchase). We got our Bob stroller for about half the regular price during a sale at Babies R Us. We used our registry rewards on top of the sale for this big ticket item.

Medela Harmony Breast Pump -- This was a last minute purchase while traveling. I unfortunately struggled with engorgement for quite a while, and I desperately needed something to help with that while we were away from home. If you're planning on traveling with baby, this thing is a lifesaver. It's really easy to use in the middle of the night as well. You can use the Medela quick clean micro steam bags to sterilize the parts while on the go. This manual pump is also much gentler on the girls than an electric pump. That being said, I am blessed to stay at home with my baby and don't have the need to pump very often. This pump gets the job done.

Infantino Activity Gym -- Our little guy loved this from day one. Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly day one, but he's loved this activity gym for quite a while already. I sometimes get a few moments to myself while he stares and swats fish for a few minutes. We use this basically every single day. The great thing is this activity gym grows with baby. You can move the overhead portion, and it turns into a ball pit for when baby is old enough to sit and play. We may regret this purchase later, but I'm sure our son will love us for having bought this.

Arm's Reach Mini Co-Sleeper -- We had purchased a different bassinet at first, and it did not work out at all. Our poor little guy overheated so badly on the cheap vinyl padding, so we returned the first bassinet and bought this co-sleeper instead. It's very airy with mesh sides. We also purchased an organic cotton sheet for it instead of a synthetic that doesn't breathe. We never attached this to our bed, but I did pull it right up to the side of the bed next to me. Our little guy was literally within arm's reach of me throughout the night. He slept in this so much better than the first bassinet we had purchased, so we all slept (for a couple hours at a time) happier.

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These have been some of my favorites so far.
Who knows, maybe I'll add some other items to my must-have list in the near future.
Choosing favorite baby gear items has been such a learning process. 

What are some of your favorite things when it comes to baby gear?