Must haves- BABY

I have been thinking of my younger sister.  All the advice I have for her when she gets married and when she has her own children.  This post is  in honor of my younger siblings who will evidently have their own children.

For Lisa...when the time comes.  

Cyndi's must have for pregnancy:

1.  Loose, cute, comfy pj's
2. A nice pillow. Spend at least $20 for one.  For my first 3 I had a body pillow, for the twins I didn't.
3. Belly band
4. Towards the end I would eat a banana at night and I think it helped with the leg cramps.
5.  See...I already forgot about pregnancy.

Cyndi's must haves for newborns:

1. Sleepers with ZIPPERS.
2. Think one piece: I believe in only putting my babies in sleepers for the first few months.  I do not like outfits for newborns, sock or shoes.  I don't like a lot of clothes.  In fact, I only allowed 1 drawer for their clothes.  The truth is, you put them in the same clothes because you do laundry often.
3. Good sleeping and nursing bras.
4. Medela hand pump.  Pump in the car, pump at the movies, pump anywhere....loved it.
5. Knit or gauze swaddle blankets.
6. Carseat canopy
7. Cute nursing cover
8. Highchair
9. Bumbo
10. Good stroller
11. Swing

Things I thought I would like...

1. Any type of carrier.  The idea is great.  You carry your baby...but really, why do I want to strap an extra 10-20 lbs on my body at the park?  It hurt my neck and back.  There are a few exceptions where this might be good (hiking, going to a place with a lot of stairs, crowds, water park).  So, I would probably suggest a backpack type.  For me, I am a BIG fan of the stroller and leaving my baby home.  If I  go to the water park, I am going to leave that child with a sitter.

2. Baby gowns.  I used them with the twins for the first time.  The babies would kick their legs and curl into a ball so the neck lines stretched out.  Then I was trying to find their legs with all this fabric.  When they got a little bigger I had to put socks on their feet...that just seemed like too much work.  Sleepers are better.
3.  Baby monitor.  Mine is still in the box and probably only used several times.  We have never had a big house though, so that would make a difference.  In Mississippi, we would go across the street and play games with the baby monitor...so that was useful.  

Things I never bothered with, so I guess I can't really say.

1.  Playmats

2.  Exersaucers

3.  Those carseat toys

4.  Expensive carseats

5.  Tag blankets

Things I am still on the fence about...

1.  Bouncers.  They are nice, although your swing can do the trick.   I got 2 for the twins (at garage sales) and like them.

2. Swaddle blankets.  I am big fan of swaddling.  The Velcro is nice.  Although, you can get a good swaddle with a gauze or knit blanket. They grow out of them so fast.

3. Rocking chair.  I never had one.  When I was pregnant with the twins we bought a lazy boy chair. So, I have never really 'rocked' any of my babies.  Isn't that what a swing is for? :)  I do love the lazy boy for reading books.  When I was pregnant I slept in it a few times when my heartburn was really bad.  When the twins were newborns Paul loved rocking them in the lazy boy.

Favorite brands

1. Dr. Brown bottles.  I used them with all 5 of my kids.  Never had any problems or colic.  I like the slim, solid shape of the bottles.  

2.  Soothie pacifiers.  All my kids loved them.  With the twins I really tried to get them to use other brands but they wouldn't.  All my kids love the pacifier until about 4-5 months when they start teething.  They just naturally gave it up.

3.  Target newborn wipes (less expensive then the pampers swaddle wipes).

4.  I do not like Pamper diapers, they absorb really well which makes even the tiniest pee seem like a squishy diaper.  I do like newborn Pampers swaddler diapers though.

Good luck.  Hope this can come in handy someday.