Baby Products I'll Skip This Time (& Ones I'm trying out)
Quick pregnancy update: I’m currently 26 weeks. It is flying by. I’ve barely given any thought to the nursery, we cannot decide on a name, and I’m re-purposing a lot of Capri’s things for Baby Nº2. So things are right on schedule for me LOL. If you missed the announcement, I’m having a boy 🙂 It still boggles my mind that I’m going to have a son. I’m so used to girl things that I feel like this is going to be a whole new experience purely because I’ll need to learn how to be a “boy mom.” Not going to lie, when we found out it was a boy I was in literal shock. Speechless. Denial. I was SO positive I would have daughters! Every time the doctor would call me to update me on test results I would end with “and you’re sure it’s a boy, right?” At this point they are 100% positive and I’ve finally warmed up to the idea of having one of each.
Okay, so on to the products. Truthfully, I’m writing this post so I can make a visual checklist of things I have and will use, as well as the things I want to purchase and try. This time around I’m opting for a few luxuries that we did without the first time, which I will share in my list below. The baby industry is always evolving so I do feel pretty out of the loop on what’s hot and helpful so feel free to chime in below in the comments if there is anything I haven’t mentioned that you find life-changing and worth it.
Of course Paul will be conducting his research on everything, but we have a few items already picked out that he approves. I know this info probably deserves it’s own post, but I wanted to mention that our plan as of right now is for me to pump (not sure if I’ll nurse or not) so others can help with feedings. We will most likely supplement with formula, specifically at night since it’s heavier and helps them sleep deeply. We do plan on hiring a night nurse for the first 3 months like we did with Capri. I wrote a whole post about that here if you’re interested in knowing more about that.
PRODUCTS I’M GOING TO USE FOR BABY Nº2:
Need To Buy
+ Baby Brezza – We still do it old school and heat Capri’s milk in a bowl of boiling water. It’s not the end of the world but during the newborn stage those precious minutes spent heating a bottle could be spent sleeping. SO, we have confirmed that the Brezza works with the Hipp formula we will use. Not sure how it works with breastmilk (?) but we are planning to get one. Will report back if it’s worth it / how we like it.
+ A fancy shmancy breast pump – This time around I want something hands-free so if I have to sit for 20+ minutes 5+ times a day at least I can DO something! I feel like this one is going to be tricky because I’ve heard the hands-free ones aren’t as powerful so they take longer. Any insight on this? Please share which pump you swear by. I would love one that doesn’t require me to be trapped for so long each day. I was considering the Elvie or Willow.
+ An easy stroller – I currently have the Bugaboo Fox and while it’s so beautiful, I feel like with 2 kids I’ll need something a little more practical aka doesn’t have to be assembled with 2 hands. I would ideally like something that has a “tray table” if that’s a thing in strollers. Capri loves to snack while in the stroller so that would be ideal. I’m having a hard time finding a stroller where the kids sit side by side. Seems like most of them are tandem, and I highly doubt Capri will go for sitting in the back and staring at the front seat? But what do I know…
+ Sterilizer – Obviously being in a pandemic doesn’t help Paul’s neurosis, so I figured we would invest in one of these bottle sterilizers to not only give him peace of mind but to also save my poor hands from washing endless baby dishes (& pumping parts) in the searing hot water.
+ Bouncer – Any suggestions here??
Things I Have
+ Dock-A-Tot – This was an essential for us until about 9 months. Capri slept in it so soundly and when we travelled it came with us. It was the only way we could get her to sleep in new places.
+ Shusher – One of the weird baby items we used and loved. We gift this to every new parent because it will save your vocal chords lol. That reminds me, I need to order a back-up one asap.
+ Sound Machine – Capri sleeps with her sound machine until this day. Drowns out the noise in the house and also creates a consistent & serene sleeping environment for her.
+ Monitor – A lot of people are shocked by this but the sound monitor works just fine for us. The video ones seem like they are setting you up for obsessive behavior lol.
The rest are pretty obvious: bassinet, crib, diapers, bottles, etc. You can view the detailed list of baby items we used / use for Capri here to see more.
PRODUCTS WE ARE SKIPPING:
+ Wipe Warmer – I got a smaller dresser / changing table so there isn’t a spot to plug one in or even put it. I think room-temp wipes will be just fine.
+ Swing – Everyone RAVED about getting a swing. They swore kids could sit / sleep peacefully in it for hours. Not Capri. She would be happy for 5 minutes before getting over it. Plus it takes up so much damn space that this time I’m not listening to everyone.
+ Activity Centers – Aside from the one they look up at while they still just lay there, I will not be getting one of those ugly things that literally just take up space and do nothing. We played so interactively with Capri and she was so much happier that way. Plopping her into an activity center did nothing for us (or the looks of my house) so that’s gonna be a no from me.
+ Breastfeeding Pillows – I ordered 2 different versions last time and used neither. I didn’t find either particularly useful or comfortable so I’ve donated mine and don’t plan on re-purchasing for Baby Nº2.
+ Pack & Play – We have one and it still has tags on it…
+ Cute Swaddles – I have legit 50 cute ones from Capri that were used once (some never). We used the Miracle Swaddle, which we will use again, but those other cute ones were a total waste sadly. I kept the neutral ones that we can repurpose for Baby Nº2 but I doubt they will get used.