#5 Baby Bjorn & Hotsling
We are wear our babies and love both of these items. I only use the Hotsling sometimes and prefer the Baby Bjorn. It is awesome and comfortable and so easy to use. We bought cheaper versions of it and then finally bought the real thing and it was so worth it. Love, love, love it!
#4 Hooter Hider (Nursing Cover)
When I first had G and wasn't a skilled nurser (ie couldn't nurse without showing the world my boob, the Hooter Hider was a lifesaver. I highly recommend it to any new to nursing mom. It goes around your neck and has boning in it so you can see your nursing child yet no one else can.
#3 Swing
G didn't have colic, but she sure did have fussy times at night for several months. The movement and motion of the swing would calm her right down. I linked to a newer version of the swing that we have.
#2 My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow and my AWESOME Lactation Consultant
I wouldn't be nursing today (18 months + tandem nursing) if it wasn't for the My Breast Friend Nursing pillow. Before G was born people and advertising told me I needed a Boppy Pillow. When I started nursing the Boppy Pillow just didn't cut it (The Boppy is great to lay the girls in on the floor, and for Memaw to hold a new baby in, but NOT for nursing). It didn't get G up where I needed her, didn't give me back support, and basically didn't help me at all. My awesome, wonderful & supportive lactation consultant recommended the My Breast Friend and I still use it to this day. I used it until G was about 6 months old then put it away in a safe spot and now am using it with K.
My AWESOME Lactation Consultant, B, comes free with Dr. Mommy Love. I literally have her on speed dial and now feel like she's a close friend or family member. She was my nursing savior when I thought I couldn't go on with G. I didn't think i would need her with K, after all I'd been nursing for 16 months and knew it all, lol, I was at B's house, on a Sunday afternoon the day she got back from a vacation. I can't say enough good things about her. We are Blessed to have her in our lives.
A real lifesaver. See my post on the Angel Monitor and you'll see why I can't live without it. It NEVER went off all during the 6 months G slept on it. NEVER. No false alarms, no problems. I don't think I actually appreciated it until it went off several weeks ago and very likely saved K's life. She only sleeps with this on now.
Things we could live without:
#5 Diaper Genie or the like
Smelly. We use a trash can and take the diapers out each day or as needed (when there is a big stinky it goes right out). The Diaper Genie is a good concept, but so is a regular trash can. Save your money.
#4 Bumpo Seat
We rarely used this with G and have rarely used it with K. Not worth the money.
#3 Boppy Pillow
#2 Baby Food--Home made or store bought
#1 Bottles
I'll go into more detail at a later time...must go try to get some sleep before K's big day.
