More Product Placement

A long time ago, in a far away blog, I gave a list of the best stuff I bought (or was given) while I was pregnant. Today, I offer the follow-up:

THE BEST STUFF EVER FOR BABIES (9 months and younger, anyway)

1. Babypack AKA Baby carrier
We loved our Bjorn carrier. It was the the only way I could make myself a bowl of cereal and hold Rain at the same time. Turkey sandwich for lunch? Don't talk crazy: that took too much time to prepare, my friend.
2. Side-snap shirts
Sometimes, the kiddo needs to be in a basic diaper & tee combo. You'll quickly realize that outfits that have to go over the head of a newborn are annoying.
3. Warehouse club membership
Rain used about 20 diapers a day until she was 3 or 4 months old. Now she's down to 10 or 11. Buying diapers at a grocery store is best left to emergency situations. Pampers charges plenty for adhesive and cotton. Buy in bulk, or expect to balk.
4. Swing
We had a great, basic swing from Graco (SnugGlider) that we could drop Rain's car seat (also Graco) into. When she fell asleep in the car, we could take her out and put her right into the vibrating swing for an extra twenty minutes or so of peace.
5. Essential Meds
Tylenol Infant Drops for fever? Check. Mylicon Drops for gas? Check. Baby Orajel for teething? Check. Speaking of teething, try Baby Safe Feeder Starter Kit (mesh bag with a ring that's easy for babies to hold). Pop some cold fruit in there, and baby is happy. Frozen (slightly defrosted) mini bagels work well, too.
6. Car Seat Gallery (by Manhattan Toy)
This inexpensive display kept Rain distracted on boring car rides. Remember to rotate the pictures often.
7. Bumbo
I LOVED Rain's Bumbo seat. It was the mini throne that opened her eyes to the vertical world (also, a good way to keep the back of her head from flattening ... sorry, no joking here).

FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS ...
1. Electric pump
Seriously, ladies, don't waste your time with the manual pumps. I know you want to save money (hey, having a newborn around ain't cheap), but this is not the place to do it. Trust me, after 3 or 4 sessions manually pumping milk, you'll wish you had scrounged the cash for the electric.
2. Nursing bras
Victoria's secret? She never nursed a baby. So, get some stylish nursing bras (I have several, including one that's a tank top), because the regular ones won't do. Some hospitals have breastfeeding centers that will help you out, so take advantage of them.
3. Soothies Gel Pads
When you're starting out, you'll need all the help gel can provide. Be generous with the lanolin cream, too, if you need it.
4. Sock
Yep, a nice big rolled up sock. I learned this trick from one of the many books I read while prego. If you're tired of holding up your gals while trying to feed your newborn, use a sock underneath for support.

Hope this helps future mamas. Feel free to post other cool baby products, 'cause it's Us vs. Them--the babies, I mean--so, be armed!